Casa Santo Estevo

It is the same in the UK too.

Mitzyboy

What about hands free phones then

livit

Well if only everybody knew as much as me.

noelrosie

I knew about the Satnav already ... and have included that important piece of information in the Information Pack I send to people who rent our place.
I didn't realise you could buy SatNavs which don't pick up speed cameras

Casa Santo Estevo

That is only one ear plug..not 2.

Hillybilly

That's strange...I took a black cab in Madrid recently and the driver had satnav such that he could see the screen... Different rule for cabbies, perhaps?!

Mitzyboy

Yeah, and you never see anyone holding a phone to their ear or double parking on a roundabout

Mitzyboy

I dont know ..... mines a Garmin Streetpilot and it doesnt, but it is a few years old and maybe technology has moved on

Fred James

The question of satnav was covered some time ago on this forum.

It appears that it is legal to use them but not to program them while moving.

http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news...le_11549.shtml

EsuriJohn

In UK the law says you have not only to be off the road but that your engine has to be turned off and the keys removed from the ignition. That old "Drunk in Charge" of a vehicle test.

Mitzyboy

I guess its like everything else Fred ...... grey!!
I've heard of people being fined for having them, but on the other hand if it were true then how would you get on with these built in satnav devices!?

Certainly since I arrived in Spain there have been many comments about the use of speed camera checkers in Satnav .... is that untrue do you think?

livit

A new Spanish law has been passed in 2009 that states all EU licenses held by EU persons resident in Spain need a medical as soon as they become resident or since the law has been passed.

The penalty for not can be up to 6 months in prison, 1,000 Euro fine.

Having "done" the procedure and having got a certificate from Trafico, I have learned the following:

Yes this is "proper" law, Spain was taken to European court some years back for inter alia insisting that non-Spaniards change their driving license to a Spanish one. Spain lost their case and the court insisted that Spain must recognise all EU driving licences. However Spain and any other EU country can impose the equivalent conditions of medical checks etc as they would do on their own nationals.A Spanish driver must pass the medical check on getting a licence and thereafter every 10 years when renewing their licence until the age of 45, every 5 years til 70 and every 2 years thereafter. People with eye problems of having had any eye surgery including corrective laser treatment must have more frequent checks.

All this applies to us brits when driving in Spain when we are "resident" here. Resident is defined as being in the country for more than 6 months (183 days) in any year. We can continue to drive with a valid UK licence (valid as far as UK conditions go) so long as we meet also the medical checks. There is a question as to when the clock starts ticking on medicals for us brits though. If you choose to exchange your licence for a Spanish one as many have done voluntarily, most people did not need a medical on exchange but only on subsequent renewal. It was assumed that your valid UK licence on exchange meant you were fully fit to drive at that moment. More recently some have had to pass the medical on exchange so this in inconsistent. But coming back to being resident with a UK licence, as I am over 45 and as I have been here for more than 5 years, I went to Trafico and got the words from the Jefatura herself. Yes I had to pass the medical check. No they don't stamp your licence as such, actually they had (last year 2008) no formal way to recognise your medical pass. In my case I am in Trafico database as I have a car registered in my name so she added a note to the database and issued me with a A5 ticket, basically a computer print out stamped by Trafico and signed, stating the date of my medical pass and its 5 year validity. If you dont register the medical pass with Trafico then you can at least carry with your licence a copy of the medical pass itself.

As the court case was pretty much a slap in the face for Spain, they are only just getting to grips with implementing all the consequences and we can expect more checks in future.

I had to change my UK licence for a photo one through a change of UK address so now the photo needs updating every 10 years and whilst I continue to be normally resident in Spain, I will need to pass the medical check every 5 years until I am 70). The test is easy and costs around 30 euros. My Spanish colleagues consider it as just another tax as nobody fails. However without taking the medical test, you can find your UK licence is insufficient permission to drive in Spain. Tourists are not affected.

Actually there is an analogy with the Spanish penalty points system. You start with 12 points credit and if you commit an offence you can lose points (eg 4 points for throwing a lit cigarette butt out of the window). When your credit drops to zero you no longer have permission to drive in Spain. If you keep your UK licence, Spain cannot put points on your UK licence but they can take points off your Spanish "credit" and if that falls to zero, your UK licence looks clean but it is insufficient permission to continue driving in Spain.

jdr

6 months is for tax residencia.
Foreigners moving to Spain have to register at the local police station within 3 months.
EU citizens are then given a residencia certificate including an NIE number if they did not have one.
Non EU citizens are given residencia card (old style) and an NIE number if they did not have one.

livit

I no.

Should have removed from paragraphs as the main point of issue concerns the driving rules, not residencia.

Having said that 6 months comes from the DGT web site which states this

Son válidos para conducir en España los permisos expedidos en países de la Unión Europea y el Espacio Económico Europeo (Islandia, Liechtenstein y Noruega).

Condiciones para su validez:
La validez de los distintos permisos enumerados anteriormente, estará condicionada a que se hallen dentro del período de vigencia, su titular tenga la edad requerida en España para la obtención del permiso español equivalente y, además, a que no haya transcurrido el plazo de seis meses, como máximo, contados desde que sus titulares adquieran su residencia normal en España.

Transcurrido dicho plazo, los mencionados permisos carecen de validez para conducir en España, y, si sus titulares desean seguir conduciendo, deberán obtener permiso español, previa comprobación de los requisitos y superación de las pruebas correspondientes, salvo que, por existir un convenio con el país que expidió el permiso, sea posible su canje por el español equivalente.

Translates too this.

Are valid for lead in Spain the permits issued in countries of the European Union and the European economic area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway).
Conditions for its validity:
The validity of the different permissions listed above, will be conditioned to they are in the period, its holder has required in Spain for obtaining equivalent Spanish permission and, moreover, that has not elapsed within six months, a maximum age counted since the owners acquire their normal in Spain residence.

After that period, mentioned permissions lack of validity to lead in Spain, and whether owners continue driving, should permission Spanish prior verification requirements and overcoming of relevant evidence except that because an agreement with the country that issued the permit, possible its Exchange by equivalent Spanish.

I have posted this before.

london52

you kidding? honestly you cannot have them in Spain..