Fine arrived from Portugal.

[nicholsong]

I think it is forgotten that the van number is irrelevant they have a name and address so van number is less interesting than their personal details .

Change of reg. no. will fool an ANPR camera and a passport check does not have one's address.

 

[JJ]

Lots of people call this a football ground, but I am not sure why. Had a good look a couple of weeks ago when I stayed there and I could not for the life of me find a football pitch. Just a large building site where it was obvious that work stopped a good few years ago surrounded by a dilapidated hoarding. Ohh and, of course, a large bumpy car park.

The football club started building a new club house but the project ran into problems...

My sources told me they are now making a play park there now using the parking money to finance it...

JJ

 

[JJ]

People connected to camp sites in Portugal will tell you it is "illegal" to stay in a motorhome anywhere in the country other than on an official camp site.

Despite this I have managed without any trouble for the last eighteen years...

JJ

 

[EllF]

Yes but things are changing including the weather!!!

 

[Squirepete]

Checked it out yesterday 4th May. There is NO "No camping" sign. Stayed there one night Jan 27th 2017.Nothing outside not even the steps, bar on hab door all blinds closed! GNR took details from my driving licence. Said it was only a warning this time, next time I would be fined. I refused to sign for the warning form. I live 5km away. Never went back. Check it out every week. Always lots of MHs.When I returned to my UK address at Easter I found a recorded delivery letter from Silves Camara on door mat dated 9th January 2018. Binned it, The GNR does not have jurisdiction in this location as it is Maritime Police jurisdiction. Campercontact app report Silves Mayor has removed restrictions? Some time ago GNR fines on foreigners were declared null & void as they need to be in the language of the victim!

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[nicholsong]

Checked it out yesterday 4th May. There is NO "No camping" sign. Stayed there one night Jan 27th 2017.Nothing outside not even the steps, bar on hab door all blinds closed! GNR took details from my driving licence. Said it was only a warning this time, next time I would be fined. I refused to sign for the warning form. I live 5km away. Never went back. Check it out every week. Always lots of MHs.When I returned to my UK address at Easter I found a recorded delivery letter from Silves Camara on door mat dated 9th January 2018. Binned it, The GNR does not have jurisdiction in this location as it is Maritime Police jurisdiction. Campercontact app report Silves Mayor has removed restrictions? Some time ago GNR fines on foreigners were declared null & void as they need to be in the language of the victim!

I am taking your information at face value.

So why do they try it on? And what advantage is it for the individual officer?

Geoff

 

[Mags52]

Didn't @Mags52 & Shirley have the same thing a few months ago, not sure what the outcome was .....?

Yes this happened to us and we received an abundance of advice, some of it more useful than others. Telling us that we shouldn't have signed or handed over our passports when faced with two police officers wearing guns wasn't especially helpful. We didn't have any camping stuff outside our van so we weren't actually breaking the law and also the police officer took Shirley to look at the sign that said 'No Overnight' and it wasn't there. All a bit questionable but as we were two women in a van in a foreign country where we don't speak the language we weren't inclined to take them on at the time. We were also fooled into believing that they were only giving us a warning.

However, the first letter you get isn't a fine, it's a request for you to put forward your defence. We did this in January, used Google translate and sent it to them. We've heard nothing so far. If we do eventually get a fine we'll pay it. It's unfair, given the fact that we bought a ticket in good faith, but it's better than getting an ulcer over it. At the moment all is quiet so it might just go away.
Good luck with whatever the outcome is
Mags

 

[MinaRotter]

April 2017 I stayed at Armacao de Pera. I paid for a ticket at the football club and slept well knowing I wouldn’t be moved on.

In the morning the GNR arrived and told everyone it was Illegal camping. They were very pleasant and understood when I told them that I’d paid to park. They asked me to sign a form to say I wouldn’t come back to stay overnight. I was reluctant to sign it as it was in Portuguese but the lovely young officer assured me all was well.

Two days ago to my home address arrived a wodge of papers all in Portuguese but I did spot €200 euros written on one of the pages so I’m guessing it is a fine.

What on earth do I do? I don’t want to pay it as I don’t believe it is fair. The police told me that they visit twice a week to move people
even though those people have bought a ticket believing that it covers them for parking. How do I even begin to challenge this
And Is it easier just to pay up (if I even knew how to pay that is)?

Any thoughts?

I think this is the GNR MO. They can't legally get your address details from the DvLA for a parking fine, so they tell you it is just a warning to get your address details and then send a 200 euro fine (talk about smiling assassin's). This is exactly what happened to me in the Algarve. I had a few run-ins with officials whilst in Portugal who were either very draconian, obnoxious and rude or pleasant but lying and deceitful. I doubt I will go there again because of this and so won't be paying their outrageous 200 euro parking fine

 

[Dorwyn]

Mikki's place is near there, Brewery Dave says it is an illegal site. If so, couldn't the police descend there and issue these warnings to all? Just wondering.

People connected to camp sites in Portugal will tell you it is "illegal" to stay in a motorhome anywhere in the country other than on an official camp site.

Despite this I have managed without any trouble for the last eighteen years...

JJ

 

[Dorwyn]

Oh, I didn't realise that the OP was so old. The post, not the person!

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[Richard n Ann]

We had another reminder from Spain of our 26 month old parking fine, well that's what i think it was, looks like they stuck 25 euro interest on it so now it's 125 euro. i refuse to pay as there were no signs up and the lying local cops told us it was just a warning.

 

[olley]

We stayed for a few nights in May 19 lady told us no camping behaviour, but I took a chance and had the bedroom slide out at night. It's just a dusty carpark but it's next to a lovely beach and town.

 

[PeteH]

I think it is forgotten that the van number is irrelevant they have a name and address so van number is less interesting than their personal details .

I second that. BUT if you change the number, then it will not flag up as having been "Charged". One of the "advantages" if you like of having a Personal Plate?. In those circumstances you could take the same vehicle back with a different number. For around £80. If had the (personal) number on, it can be put on "retention".

 

[EuroTrotters]

Bin it, you have moved !

 

[Odd-no-more]

A few years ago, in spain, in a hire car I parked in a layby and thought nothing of it. Many months later I received a bundle of papers in Spanish asking for about €200 I thought about it for a few months and after speaking to a brit living in Spain I put it in the bin. I have been back to spain several times since and I'm not in clinck so it must be OK.

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