Breathalysed in Spain

[Landy Andy]

I wouldn't want to pay his insurance the following year but thinking about it, with some parents, he probably wasn't paying for it this year?

If what you say is true, and I have no reason not to believe you, the Magistrates should be sacked!

He is back driving in about 3 weeks time. His insurance has gone from £1800, to £5000. He is and was paying for it. But he did get the majority of his insurance money back for the first year as only on road a few weeks.

 

[Spriddler]

I think it's shocking anyone would actually offer insurance. They must be pretty well off the have the legal representation to keep their licence. Maybe they form a limited company and insure vehicles for any driver.

Perhaps they rack up lots of points by driving without insurance.

 

[lorger]

No, I didn't know that either!
I thought the Road Laws covered ALL of the UK?

PS. I would rather drink water than pay for 00!

You surprise me with that answer, with your years of experience in the transport industry I thought you’d know that Scotland also has different speed limits for vehicles over 7.5t, to be honest I doubt many realise this.

 

[scotzsue]

I wont drink alcohol if i know i will be driving within 14 hours. I c`n feel the effect after a small glass of wine or a half of beer, can't be the only one so affected.
Dad was an alcoholic, he was a nightmare driver when he was sober. I took over the driving as soon as i got a provisional licence.
Back to the OP have no idea of the rules in Spain sorry.
Friends son lives in, not rural, france drives to and from the pub, never gets bothered by police nor do other locals.

 

[L' Hobo]

You surprise me with that answer, with your years of experience in the transport industry I thought you’d know that Scotland also has different speed limits for vehicles over 7.5t, to be honest I doubt many realise this.

I'm surprised with my answer too, mind you, I'm now 80ish so haven't been involved too closely with operations since I had my cancer.
That's the reason I employed a GOOD Transport Manager!

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[Spriddler]

I wont drink alcohol if i know i will be driving within 14 hours. I c`n feel the effect after a small glass of wine or a half of beer, can't be the only one so affected.

I'm the same. I rarely drink any alcohol except maybe a total of a dozen glasses of St Emilion a year at family social occasions e.g. Christmas and birthdays, but if I'm driving there I don't have any alcohol at all which doesn't spoil my enjoyment of the occasion.
I still have the unpleasant memory of getting legless in the 60's on Woodpecker cider and Beaujolais at student parties .
Just last week I was having a bit of an end of season clear out/audit of stuff in my m/h and found half a dozen cans of Doom Bar and pre-mixed Schweppes G&T that would be out of date in a couple of months so dropped them round to my son as I'd never get through them.

 

[Mart 63]

One of my neighbours got caught out the morning after, he was over the limit. He had a 600€ fine, which included getting his car back from the compound. He was driving the following day, not sure how much his insurance went up though.

 

[stevewagner]

The drink driving laws are out of date. We have the highest limit, but also the cliff edge penalty. Automatic ban for being just slightly over, or several times the limit. Other countries have a different approach. I know someone who drank a couple of pints after work, not slightly drunk, but just a tiny bit over the limit. Automatic ban, I think the penalty should be on a sliding scale. Personally I do my best to not drink and drive, if I'm out I will have a pint or single glass of wine, hopefully well under the limit, and not slightly affected, so what's the problem?

You say not slightly drunk but their senses must have been impaired even if slightly, which obviously affects driving ability.

 

[TinaLes]

Its Drug driving that concerns me more these days, from what I see & hear far too many youngsters & even white van drivers are on the weed, with daily usage, you can smell it on them.
Scotland we are told has the highest drug problem in Europe, yet has higher taxation on alcohol sales than the rest of The UK.
Sorry but I cannot answer the Spanish Inquisition question on Drink Driving, will we ever find out I wonder.
LES

 

[nicholsong]

Why does someone not ask the question on the Spanish Police English website - 223 or something?

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[Puddleduck]

One of my neighbours got caught out the morning after, he was over the limit. He had a 600€ fine, which included getting his car back from the compound. He was driving the following day, not sure how much his insurance went up though.

The owner of the business next to where I used to work was caught "the morning after". It cost him a lot of money as he had to employ a driver for a year. I was not sympathetic having been on the receiving end of his boasts as to how much he could drink and stay sober, how the drink didn't affect him and how fast it cleared his system.

 

[Peavy]

Why does someone not ask the question on the Spanish Police English website - 223 or something?

It's been already answered.
No problem here being in your motorhome parked up in a public place and above the alcohol limit.
Just worry about that when driving.

 

[Nanniemate]

The owner of the business next to where I used to work was caught "the morning after". It cost him a lot of money as he had to employ a driver for a year. I was not sympathetic having been on the receiving end of his boasts as to how much he could drink and stay sober, how the drink didn't affect him and how fast it cleared his system.

A local alcoholic would drink excessively every night lunch the police stopped him numerous times and he passed the old blow in bag test. However on a Sunday afternoon when out with his wife who would not allow him to drink he was pulled and failed

Little celebration took place by both plod and others me included.

My mother as the wife was her friend was under strick instructions never to travel with him

 

[The Coops]

I disagree that automatic ban is to severe for those that are just over, you know the law so just don’t drink and drive. My dad lost his license for DD and deservingly so, I have no sympathy for people who DD and would go one step further that if you’re caught a second time I’d ban you for life.

But it won't stop banned drivers continuing to drive will it? Katie Price being a prime example! I'm with you 100% it should be zero, its no hardship not having a drink theses days. No matter what you may think alcohol does affect your judgement, I used to work with two functioning alcoholics who would down around 20 pints each lunchtime and then work up ladders in the afternoon and be dropped off at the pub on the way home, if you spoke with them or saw them apart from the smell of intoxicants you would have no idea about the drink problem or what their blood sugar/alcohol content was like!

 

[Guigsy]

A few years ago I spent a couple of weeks touring around Scotland on my motorbike. I stayed in lots of inns or ended up in the local pub for my evening meals. I saw many examples of the locals having a skin full and then driving home. The more stringent limit isn't preventing drink driving.

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[zac]

It really is this simple, if you drink then don't drive, why risk everything, I just don't understand it. As far as I am concerned, the limit should be 0 that way there is no mistake and everyone knows where they stand.

 

[Tombola]

It really is this simple, if you drink then don't drive, why risk everything, I just don't understand it. As far as I am concerned, the limit should be 0 that way there is no mistake and everyone knows where they stand.

yep, works well in other countries

 

[maz]

It wouldn't have been so bad if the driver had used some common sense, that particular road goes through a big wine growing area and has narrow hard shoulders, wide enough for the small tractors and trailers to not disrupt the traffic during the picking season, he (or she) could have moved over either fully or partially into that lane to let traffic past, but no they were stuck right in the middle of their lane.

To my mind that sort of behaviour is far more deserving of a fine or prison sentence than sitting in a motorhome in a lay-by with a glass of cognac.

 

[Odd-no-more]

No, I didn't know that either!
I thought the Road Laws covered ALL of the UK?

PS. I would rather drink water than pay for 00!

I don't like many of them but the Guinness 00 is ok

 

[Odd-no-more]

I work on the "12 hours between bottle and throttle" principal, as I rarely have more than a couple of glasses of wine, I think I'm ok. I may have to be a little more careful driving through France and Spain next year.

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[gus-lopez]

Unfortunatly in france we have a fallback situation called a Sans Permit car, that is capable of doing about 50kph, that you can drive without a licence,

We have them here in spain but fortunately even though only a moped licence is now needed to drive them if you are banned you can't drive them either. We also have breathalysers for pedestrians, how that would affect your driving licence if you got done I have no idea but if you get fined for using a mobile fine when cycling the points are deducted from your driving licence.So do wonder if the same might apply?

 

[lorger]

But it won't stop banned drivers continuing to drive will it? Katie Price being a prime example! I'm with you 100% it should be zero, its no hardship not having a drink theses days. No matter what you may think alcohol does affect your judgement, I used to work with two functioning alcoholics who would down around 20 pints each lunchtime and then work up ladders in the afternoon and be dropped off at the pub on the way home, if you spoke with them or saw them apart from the smell of intoxicants you would have no idea about the drink problem or what their blood sugar/alcohol content was like!

Agree with you about it not stopping banned drivers, however we can’t not ban dd because they’ll just drive anyway. I’d have very strong sentences for DD’s who then continue to drive.

 

[Puddleduck]

Agree with you about it not stopping banned drivers, however we can’t not ban dd because they’ll just drive anyway. I’d have very strong sentences for DD’s who then continue to drive.

Charge them with attempted manslaughter.

 

[Widge]

We have them here in spain but fortunately even though only a moped licence is now needed to drive them if you are banned you can't drive them either. We also have breathalysers for pedestrians, how that would affect your driving licence if you got done I have no idea but if you get fined for using a mobile fine when cycling the points are deducted from your driving licence.So do wonder if the same might apply?

Interesting, but I cannot imagine pedestrian breathalyser failure would effect your licence, as it would descriminate against licence holders, also if your licence is going to be penalised anyway it is more incentive for people to chance driveing home when over the limit, rather than taking the responsable option of leaving your car behind.

 

[Mart 63]

We go to a nice local restaurant now and then for a menu del dia. We often see the local police in there having a beer or wine with there lunch

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[Barriesimpson]

You all seem to have highjacked OP's original thread and nobody has answered the question. In Spain it is similar to the UK in as much as if you are in charge of the vehicle you can be charged. So sleeping on the verge while pissed will likely get you a fine and/or court case. Albeit I have not read any cases of motorhome drivers, it make sense to do much the same as was said in the beginning of this thread, i.e. seats turned around, keys in a drawer somewhere and not wearing driving gloves and shoes. At the end of the day, it will depend on the humour of the officer who approaches you. Remember, respect, education and honesty will always be on your side when used accordingly.

 

[jumartoo]

You all seem to have highjacked OP's original thread and nobody has answered the question. In Spain it is similar to the UK in as much as if you are in charge of the vehicle you can be charged. So sleeping on the verge while pissed will likely get you a fine and/or court case. Albeit I have not read any cases of motorhome drivers, it make sense to do much the same as was said in the beginning of this thread, i.e. seats turned around, keys in a drawer somewhere and not wearing driving gloves and shoes. At the end of the day, it will depend on the humour of the officer who approaches you. Remember, respect, education and honesty will always be on your side when used accordingly.

Peavy gave a clear answer as a Spaniard living in his own country. Like often, some posts get missed.

 

[Barriesimpson]

Peavy gave a clear answer as a Spaniard living in his own country. Like often, some posts get missed.

Yes, I read that post but it wasn't precise. I too live in Spain, albeit I am not Spanish, but I think 43 years of residence counts for something and I have consulted my friends in the Guardia Civil, who at the end of the day are probably the ones that will knock on your door to see if you are pissed.

 

[L' Hobo]

Yes, I read that post but it wasn't precise. I too live in Spain, albeit I am not Spanish, but I think 43 years of residence counts for something and I have consulted my friends in the Guardia Civil, who at the end of the day are probably the ones that will knock on your door to see if you are pissed.

With respect, when you use expressions like, 'similar to the UK' and ' likely to get a fine' can hardly be regarded as definitive, can it?

 

[Barriesimpson]

With respect, when you use expressions like, 'similar to the UK' and ' likely to get a fine' can hardly be regarded as definitive, can it?

Well it is similar (as in not exactly the same) and I used 'likely' because it depends on if you are caught or not, obviously.

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