Mobile and fixed speed traps
Discussion
OK, this is based mainly on my observations of the Cataluña region, but I have seen nothing different elsewhere. Any other posters with information about the rest of Spain, please post...
Right, fixed camera traps in brief, Waze and other GPS apps can let you know about these. Beside the motorway they have one type very similar to the very common ? Grey boxes, many new ones appear by the entry and exit to service stations, or in overhead gantries with foot access. If there is no ladder and walkway, there is no camera, as far as I have seen...
Mobile cameras....
Every single one I have seen in a car is in the almost universal plainclothes Seat Altea Max, with jet black rear and side windows. They usually park in strange positions, bus stops, cross hatched areas by junctions, or just beside the road in a nook. They are very spottable just for this, i have currently dodged about 20/20 simply by being observant with only 1 or 2 false alarms. Rumours abound of them planting lines of cypress hedge conifers just for this, personally I think they just opportunistically use what is available..
Camera cars are also used, they did, and some still do,have a gigantic humdinger Hollywood camera there, but 3 years ago I was told of new ones with a new subtle camera, not seen one yet.
Mobile cameras, I see once a year or so, not so common, it looks like a black SLR camera with some extra black blobules on it, stuck on a short black tripod just sitting on its own, hugely suspicious if you are alert
30% of the time you get a roadblock/capture meet and greet bunch at the next layby/junction/bar, otherwise you will get a letter, not sure if they have actually managed to start chasing UK registered plates yet, but afaik it is fines, not points.
I have never seen them on a motorway bridge, but they regularly use the dirt road beside the motorway, again, easy enough to spot, they just look out of place and different to the usual agricultural workers who park up, they are jammed up against the fence ...
Right, fixed camera traps in brief, Waze and other GPS apps can let you know about these. Beside the motorway they have one type very similar to the very common ? Grey boxes, many new ones appear by the entry and exit to service stations, or in overhead gantries with foot access. If there is no ladder and walkway, there is no camera, as far as I have seen...
Mobile cameras....
Every single one I have seen in a car is in the almost universal plainclothes Seat Altea Max, with jet black rear and side windows. They usually park in strange positions, bus stops, cross hatched areas by junctions, or just beside the road in a nook. They are very spottable just for this, i have currently dodged about 20/20 simply by being observant with only 1 or 2 false alarms. Rumours abound of them planting lines of cypress hedge conifers just for this, personally I think they just opportunistically use what is available..
Camera cars are also used, they did, and some still do,have a gigantic humdinger Hollywood camera there, but 3 years ago I was told of new ones with a new subtle camera, not seen one yet.
Mobile cameras, I see once a year or so, not so common, it looks like a black SLR camera with some extra black blobules on it, stuck on a short black tripod just sitting on its own, hugely suspicious if you are alert
30% of the time you get a roadblock/capture meet and greet bunch at the next layby/junction/bar, otherwise you will get a letter, not sure if they have actually managed to start chasing UK registered plates yet, but afaik it is fines, not points.
I have never seen them on a motorway bridge, but they regularly use the dirt road beside the motorway, again, easy enough to spot, they just look out of place and different to the usual agricultural workers who park up, they are jammed up against the fence ...
In Catalunya I now see a lot of camera boxes on the Motorway, entry and exit of services and rest stops, small boxes sitting on concrete base often set up to catch you out the second you enter the 30kmh zone. Likewise, set up on exit, with no indication if it is to police every meter of 30kmh and stop you accelerating up to motorway speed. So, dangerously stupid. Also at junctions, exits, as they seem to think they are more secure there. AP7 at L´Ampolla (39A) is a good example as you head down the coast
Also, again and again, LOOK FOR STRANGELY PARKED CARS... Here they now have some Citroen C4s and Toyota Prius as well as the Seat Altea XL........... All have notably dark black tinted wndows, 2 guys inside normally, with yellow jackets you only see as you pass because of the windows. They seem to be using an older type laser or radar, it does not go far and only gets people going past them, not coming towards. Angle seems to be critical, they need to be set at about 20 degrees to the traffic, parked up, the slight angle also gives warning of what is there, has saved me more than once
They park beside bigger roads, in illegal spots, but also now, notably in safer spots, at the end of and effectively safely behind the end of a crash barrier, in a bus stop, on cross hatched junctions where another road enters or leaves, but out of danger of any crashes on the road. Likewise disused toll stations like the one just above Tarragona on the AP7. No idea, but I believe it may be a Police Union or legal Health and Safety type thing (hard to believe in Spain, please suggest any better ideas..)
Speeding, under 20kmh over the limit is a silly fine, over 20kmh is a "serious offence"... so basically you are pretty safe doing 139kmh, but things get stickier with 141kmh... seems like a silly detail to a Brit, but watch the speed the locals drive at.. frequently 19kmh over, not more
Also, again and again, LOOK FOR STRANGELY PARKED CARS... Here they now have some Citroen C4s and Toyota Prius as well as the Seat Altea XL........... All have notably dark black tinted wndows, 2 guys inside normally, with yellow jackets you only see as you pass because of the windows. They seem to be using an older type laser or radar, it does not go far and only gets people going past them, not coming towards. Angle seems to be critical, they need to be set at about 20 degrees to the traffic, parked up, the slight angle also gives warning of what is there, has saved me more than once
They park beside bigger roads, in illegal spots, but also now, notably in safer spots, at the end of and effectively safely behind the end of a crash barrier, in a bus stop, on cross hatched junctions where another road enters or leaves, but out of danger of any crashes on the road. Likewise disused toll stations like the one just above Tarragona on the AP7. No idea, but I believe it may be a Police Union or legal Health and Safety type thing (hard to believe in Spain, please suggest any better ideas..)
Speeding, under 20kmh over the limit is a silly fine, over 20kmh is a "serious offence"... so basically you are pretty safe doing 139kmh, but things get stickier with 141kmh... seems like a silly detail to a Brit, but watch the speed the locals drive at.. frequently 19kmh over, not more
It could well be that the hire car companies are such a pain to deal with, and almost always tourists, that they don't bother with them....
Anybody with a Spanish reg getting the same ?
Up here in Cataluña I just noticed a plague of cameras on the big roads between Manresa and Sabadell, but none on the peatje road
Anybody with a Spanish reg getting the same ?
Up here in Cataluña I just noticed a plague of cameras on the big roads between Manresa and Sabadell, but none on the peatje road
Barcelona Police have now just got Laser camera systems, and are "hiding" them.. interesting as it is illegal here in Spain to entrap, they are only allowed to enforce. Of course, they say that they are not entrapping and are in plain view. I have to take my eyes off the road ahead to look for these at every junction in Eixample, a week ago it saved me from a nick when I spotted one... Exactly like this in the link shown
http://www.lavanguardia.com/local/barcelona/201609...
http://www.lavanguardia.com/local/barcelona/201609...
Yes, Barcelona just rolled out several sections of average speed cameras, or claimed they did, I cannot spot them so far...
Worth mentioning, in Spain going up to 20kmh over the limit is just a minor offence, small fine
Going over 20kmh over the limit is a serious infraction and gets points, here it is deducted, not added to the licence
Worth mentioning, in Spain going up to 20kmh over the limit is just a minor offence, small fine
Going over 20kmh over the limit is a serious infraction and gets points, here it is deducted, not added to the licence
GT5S_1985 said:
To be more accurate, the fine depends on the posted speed limit more than a fixed X kph above the limit. The chart may be found here:
https://sede.dgt.gob.es/Galerias/tramites-y-multas...
For example, the fine for driving 121 k/hr in a 120 is the same fine as driving 149... It's €100, and a 50% reduction if you pay in thirty days, and no points. So my thought is that if you are going to speed even one k/hr above the limit, then you might as well drive 149 and get your money's worth :-)
They don't start taking points away until you are above 150 in a 120 (or 70 in a 50 - perhaps the 20 over mentioned in the previous post)
Thankyou !https://sede.dgt.gob.es/Galerias/tramites-y-multas...
For example, the fine for driving 121 k/hr in a 120 is the same fine as driving 149... It's €100, and a 50% reduction if you pay in thirty days, and no points. So my thought is that if you are going to speed even one k/hr above the limit, then you might as well drive 149 and get your money's worth :-)
They don't start taking points away until you are above 150 in a 120 (or 70 in a 50 - perhaps the 20 over mentioned in the previous post)
In Spain, you always hear 101 stories about "laws"
That is clearly right, I happily stand corrected. It also explains how come I didn't fry my girlfriends licence with a couple of 81 in a 60 incidents...
New style fixed laser traps here up in Cataluña, not too well hidden, but you need to take your eyes off the road ahead when zipping about in the city. I spotted a trap as I passed through Eixample
Seat Altea XL with black windows rear side, back, park at 15`to normal to get the angle they need, or park in unusual or illegal places, including motorway centre sections, junction entries and especially motorway services, rest areas, 0parked at the exit usually for passing cars.
Service stations usually have a small concrete block mounted gates type on the entry, just as it signs 40...
Seat Altea XL with black windows rear side, back, park at 15`to normal to get the angle they need, or park in unusual or illegal places, including motorway centre sections, junction entries and especially motorway services, rest areas, 0parked at the exit usually for passing cars.
Service stations usually have a small concrete block mounted gates type on the entry, just as it signs 40...
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