How and Why You Should Obtain your Eco Sticker Although obtaining and displaying the Eco Badge is voluntary, it is becoming less of a choice on account of the benefits, as cities and towns start to use the classification to reduce pollution causing congestion. Early in October, Madrid restricted access to parts of the city, preventing more polluting vehicles from entering, with only those displaying the eco-friendly badge allowed … Read More
‘White Stick’ Variations – Being Aware of Impairments We might already be aware that if we see a person holding or walking carrying a long, white stick that it indicates the person has visibility problems, but did you know there are variations and different colours. Green stick – Person with visual impairment: Poor vision. White stick – Person with visual disability: Blindness. Red and white striped stick: Deaf … Read More
All Emergency Vehicles will have Blue Lights After many years of discussion and disagreement, on 31st of July, 2018, it entered into law in Spain that all emergency vehicles will use flashing blue lights. The reform is published in Ministerial Order PCI / 810/2018, published in the BOE, modifying several Annexes to the General Vehicle Regulations -RD 2822/1998- among which is Annex XI, regarding the signal V-1 … Read More
Avoiding the Safety Car Effect During special operations, as was the case this weekend with the first major road traffic movement for summer, more traffic patrols can be seen on the road. However, sometimes the sight of these patrols can cause unnecessary delays, through a phenomenon known as the ‘Safety Car’ effect. Often, when drivers see a Guardia Civil or police patrol, they instinctively feel … Read More
Carrying a Bike Behind your Car It is not uncommon to see cars carrying bicycles on cars, often on frames specifically designed for this purpose, but it is not always clear how the bike should be carried, and, more importantly, what additional signs or signals might be required. There are two main points we must keep in mind when carrying a load at the rear of … Read More
What is the Speed Limit in Spain? All roads in Spain have a maximum permitted speed limit. However, that limit not only varies depending on the characteristics of the road, but also the type of vehicle. As always when we talk about this subject we must offer the same reminder however, the maximum permitted is exactly that, a maximum, it is not a target and the actual … Read More
ITV Sticker Colours and Placement The stickers used to indicate the validity of the ITV inspection, the Inspección Técnica de Vehículos, are colour coded on a three-colour cycle of green, yellow and red. So long as the vehicle is displaying only one sticker in the required place, the upper right hand side of the windscreen as you look out, traffic and police officers carrying out … Read More
