tim hortons man

Can someone please explain to me the road etiquette. I am totally mystified at the way the Spanish drive. There is no rhyme or reason to it. But as the best I can gather the following is true

1 drive very slow (90-100) one lane from the left
2 for no reason what so ever slow down to 70 or 80 (especially if your older)
3 when someone signals a lane change speed up with the idea of cutting them off (happened to me twice today) this applies only to a exit.
4 when entering the highway don't accelerate simply drive very slow or stop at the end of the lane.
4 when parking back up till you hit the car behind you

Actually the last one is quite convenient, after living in Germany for 7 years its really nice to see people that don't care much for their cars. Honest, I usually back up till I touch the car behind me, makes parking much easier

Its number 3 that bugs me the most I've been yelled at several times for changing lanes to let someone in that was coming on the highway. Best I can figure is your supposed to cut someone off.

I remember in Barcelona that they don't want you merging in your to stop on the highway to wait your turn. Stupid but it seems to be the way.

Spanish drivers aren't the worst in Europe but the most frustrating by far. As I said today I was signaling a lane change and the guy actually sped up I almost side swiped him.

Chiclanagir

But Tim on the whole how are you enjoying your relocation to Madrid?

gallerie9

When you enter a high way you are ment to stop at the triangle on the road.

But I think the drivers are well,awfull, they drive one speed very fast, with the exception of elderly men, well some of them !
In our road is a lovely old guy, but my god when he parks he almost revs the car to a complete blow up, and shunts who ever is in frount or behind, we had a tow bar fitted for that one reason.
I can not count the times I have been cut up side hit.
I class my self as a good driver having driven for 31 years all types of vehicles including HGV, and a mini bus licence. with out a hitch (touch wood)
I just cant understand how they get a licence in the first place, my other half says that its from riding a horse fast then a moto and well the car is next LOL
On all roads you have to be aware of all drivers around you, but in my opion more in Spain.

tim hortons man

going quite well, I'd say were at the settled in phase. Hardest part when you move to another country, besides the language is finding everything anew. Things are much cheaper here, no question about that.

Regarding driving I finally realized the 607 which connects Madrid to Colmer has a lot of bad slip roads, unless I'm in a real hurry (which is about half the time ) I tend to drive in the slow lane but I'm finding that it makes more sense to sit in the middle, many off ramps get back up on to the highway or traffic coming in and out makes it easier to sit one lane over.

Unless I have too I generally refuse to drive into city, often times its just as easy to catch the train in and no hassles with parking

Andy Pipken

In Spain indicators are an optional extra at the factory when ordering your new car
I think they have to pick between indicators or a CD player !!!

gallerie9

That, I agree with, I wonder sometimes what some drivers think its for ?
Any ideas ?

jonsol

From what I have read on this forum, they probably use indicators to draw attention to their latest scratch/dent that they got in the supermarket car park that day ( showing off ! ! )

mikelincs

Certianly they don't konw how to use them at roundabouts, or, I suspect, that many of them don't even know what a roundabout is for judging by the antics I've seen round here, mind you, tourists from the UK going round them wrong way doesn't help, or people stopping to consult a map halfway round either. :scared: :scared:

lynnxa

My spanish teacher when I first came here told me that at the lights, if it turns amber as you approach, for gods sake don't slow down, because if a spanish driver is behind you he'll speed up!

tim hortons man

No kidding on that one, same goes for cross walks, always always wait for the driver to see you and stop.

someone mentioned about the triangles on the road and I started noticing them on the on ramps, I find it odd that you would have to stop on the highway, that seems more dangerous to me than mergering in.

Speaking of dents, took me only 2 days to Spanishize my car. backed into the cement post in the parking garage, thankfully I only scraped the paint and not broke a light or something. Also had friends who moved here with a newer car. Took them less than a week to find dents in it, this was after paying to having them all fixed before they moved here. opps!

tim hortons man

Just to add, life is very nice here, I can understand why everyone wants to live here, I can't believe mid november I can be out walking (most days) in a light jacket. The few minor negatives you find are more than offset by all the positives.

jonsol

I was out in a light jacket today,myself here in the U.K., they say it could be the mildest Autumn since records began, and if it stays like this to the end of the year, the warmest year for over 300 years ! ! ..........just when I decide to move to Spain ! !

DrStarsky

6. When you are stuck in a queue, honk the horn for minutes even if the queue is nobody's fault or is caused by an ambulance picking up an ill person (seen that in Barcelona).
7. when you pick up a person at their home, don't get out of the car and ring the bell, rather honk the horn for ten minutes.
8. when in doubt, honk the horn.

BritBull

Rewire your, indicators & brakes to the horn, this way you'll fit right in.
Brake - horn
Indicators (Spanish don't know what they are for) - horn
Horn - erm horn.

When changing lanes, just go for it, don't look, just pull out.

Drive so close to the car in front that you can read the window manufacturer, if they brake suddenly just honk the horn and flash your lights over and over until they move, so you can get 1 car length ahead of them before a truck pulls out on you, you almost hit it and your stuck doing 30 kph up hill.

Always drive in the middle of the road, especially when going around a blind bend.

If you smoke, remember to ensure your still lit fag end hit the windscreen of the car behined when you chuck it out. For the best effect and greatest chance of causing an accident, this works best at night, in the dark.

Drive as fast as your car will go, don't worry about the road conditions, try and squeeze that little bit more out of her downhill, especially when wet.

At night, apply full beam headlights and leave them on for the duration of your journey, you may temporarily blind everyone else but hey, you can see just fine so what's the problem, right?

When using the tolls on the autopista, use this time to catch up on the gossip with the booth operator, nobody behined you has to get anywhere any time soon anyway.

Always park exactly outside your destination, if this means triple parking or blocking an exit or a padestrian crossing, don't worry, people understand you cannot possibly use your limbs to walk more than 5 feet, expecially when it's raining, you might ruin your hair.

Practice all of the above, good luck in becoming a true Spanish 'Driver'.

Casa Santo Estevo

The triangle is not a stop sign it is a give way. Surely all European countries have this rule, where you have to give way to traffic on the main road when approaching down a slip road, (on ramp)? I know that is the rule in the U.K. and The Netherlands plus France.
I like the way drivers wait for you, patiently, to reverse into a parking spot, but heaven help you if you are a bit slow in getting away from a green light. Toooooottttttt!!!!!