N332 roadwatch issue 09

ROADWATCH Issue 09

www.n332.es 2,00€

BACK TO SCHOOL PLUS: Driving in the Rain - Classic Cars - Headlights Question Mark Parking Myths - Choosing a Garage - Operation Return and MORE...

N332 RoadWatch Welcome to the latest edition of N332 RoadWatch eMagazine.

As summer comes to an end, thoughts of returning to work or school come to the forefront of many people´s minds, but for all of us, we have to be aware of the changes to the characteristics of the roads, as school and work timetables dominate the flow of traffic, more vehicles take to the roads, and, to add even more complications to the mix, the weather starts to change.

In this edition we look at some of those changes, focussing particularly on the return to school and the infamous “school run”. We also pay close attention to “operation return”, which is when we see the largest flow of domestic tourists return to their inland homes after the holidays on the coast and mountainous regions.

There´s much more to keep you interested this issue too, we hope, including more myths busted, this time about avoiding parking fines, explanations about some of the topics which have come to light over the summer, such as what the headlight sign with a question mark means, and a detailed explanation about different types of crossings.

We are also starting to build our timetable for presentations throughout the autumn, and so details about that are also included, and you can now get N332 on your Android device with the official N332 app (sorry iPhone users, but your time will come), details about that are also included inside.

That´s enough for now, we will let you get on and read all about it inside. Until the next time, stay safe.

Contents Issue 9 4 - Back to School 6 - N332 Now Available on Android 8 - Talks and Presentations 9 - Driving in Rain 10 - Time to go Home 12 - Parking Myths Busted 14 - Headlights Question Mark 16 - Driving Classic Cars in Spain 18 - Lane Discipline Explained 20 - Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossings 23 - Drivers Urged to Tell the Truth in Medical Exams 24 - Choosing Workshops and Garages 27 - The Future Big Brother 28 - Pride of Spain Awards 2017 30- The Green L-Plate (V-13) 31 - Removing Abandoned Vehicles 32 - The Gallery 34 - Survey Results 36 - Buying and Selling a Car

N332 RoadWatch is published by Mark Nolan, an independent and autonomous publicist.

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Back to School It´s that time of year once again when the summer is coming to a close, and attentions start to turn back to yet another annual phenomenon, back to school time.

Although it might be a relief for some parents, it might also be a disappointment for some children, in road safety terms we have to be aware that the characteristics of the road network will once again change.

Firstly, we have an increase in traffic at certain times of day as parents resume the school run. It is quite normal for traffic to increase in the mornings because of this, which in turn can result in delays. The same situation applies at the end of the school day, but at what time? Often, in Spain, schools operate a less robust timetable, adapting to such things as weather conditions and light, and so the school day often varies from season to season. All non-parents can do to prepare for this is be aware of the changing timetable and allow extra time for all journeys.

If you are taking your children to school by car, remember that children under 1.35 metres in height are not allowed in the front seats of the car. There are one or two exceptions, which you can read about on the website, n332.es.

Children must be secured in the vehicle, by means of a seatbelt, or specially designed retention system suitable for them. Any objects they are carrying must also be secure in the vehicle.

When you arrive at the school drop off point, remember that the laws still apply to you, the same as any other driver. You are still not allowed to double park, block entrances, or park in an illegal place with your hazard lights on just because you are dropping off your children for school. You must choose a safe, convenient and legal place to drop off your children. Where possible, ensure that they exit the vehicle on the pavement side, still warning them to be aware of their surroundings before opening the door. They may hit a pedestrian, item of street furniture, or another object, so they should be taught to be aware and alert before opening the door. If they have to leave on the road side, vigilance is even more important, they must check it is totally safe before opening the door, and must move to the pavement as soon as possible.

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Remember, when you are about to pull away, pay extra attention to your surroundings too, including rigorous checks of your blind spots, as there could be children or other road users appearing from anywhere.

However, it´s not only car numbers that increase, other vehicles do too. Many children take the school bus, being collected near their homes, dropped off at school, and brought back once lessons are over. Buses operating on a school service must display a yellow sign in their windscreen and back window which warns other road users of their function. School buses have some restrictions over and above those of normal buses, but we don´t need to worry about those at the moment, all we want to do is be aware that the buses are carrying children. As such, they may stop at unusual places, not always at locations designated as bus stops. Similarly, there may be children in the road, in front or behind, possibly trying to cross, oblivious of the dangers. The advice, if passing a school bus, is to allow plenty of room and pass slowly, prepared for the unexpected.

Some children will chose to cycle to school. We must be prepared also for an increase in the number of bike on the road. As always, we must give them plenty of room if we are passing them, not only the mandatory 1.5 metres, but a little more, if possible, to allow for unexpected manoeuvres.

During late September, there will be an awareness campaign focussing on seatbelt and child restraint use, and the use of seatbelts on school buses (where fitted).

The Guardia Civil, DGT, local and regional police will all be working together to check on these vehicles and the use of seatbelts, although in fairness, they should not have to enforce any laws which are designed with one single aim, so save lives.

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N332 Now Available on Android

The official N332 Android App is now available on Google Play.

It features all of the information from the website, in the palm of your hand (or tablet) and will send you occasional notifications about campaigns or special notices.

The app is FREE to download and install, so have a look today.

Search N332 in Google Play, or visit the N332 website, n332.es, for a direct link to download it.

By the way, if you are wondering about an Apple version, this MAY happen in the future, but Apple charge higher fees for submitting apps, and as the project is run by volunteers we don´t wish to pay their fees, but through the generous support of our sponsors in the future, it is on a list of future project investments.

Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

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Talks and Presentations Members of the N332 team frequently visit social and community groups, on request, to carry out talks and presentations about road safety in general, and, particularly, about driving in Spain.

Avoiding the busy periods of summer and New Year, we have two timetabled periods when we carry out these talks, normally during the autumn and spring.

If you represent a group of at least 50 people and would like us to come along and give a presentation, please get in touch with us using the form below.

Remember, everybody who works on the N332 Road Safety Project dedicates their time for free, and so we can´t always guarantee availability, plus, we tend to get booked up quite quick, but if you send us the details we are happy to see what we can do to accommodate you.

We have successfully given these presentations for a number of years and to varying sized groups, often in their hundreds, but to make it an effective use of time and resources, we do ask for (usually) a minimum of 50 people. If you are a smaller group then we can put a call out to others in your area who may wish to combine members for us to give a combined talk, so again, feel free to make contact whatever the size of your group.

We currently cover the area south of Alicante, central to Torrevieja and the Orihuela Costa. If

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you need a venue, we can make suggestions to you, but we normally visit your usual location, bringing our projector and computer with us. If you are able to arrange a sound system then that would help, but we are able to obtain one if needed.

We are currently booking talks for October and November, 2017. We have some already booked in, but please feel free to contact us with suggested dates to make it easier for us to work out a plan.

If you would like to know what the talk entails, and how we do the presentation, there are pictures below, and an embedded Facebook video of a talk which we did which was broadcast live on Facebook.

The talks normally last around 45 to 50 minutes, with a short presentation (5 minutes) in the middle from our sponsors who make it possible for us to provide the equipment and resources, and we can incorporate questions received prior to the talk into the presentation.

By the way, if we´ve visited you before, we´re happy to come back and talk about updates to Spanish traffic law, and i´ve you´ve contacted us before but we´ve been unable to confirm a date in the past, feel free to contact us again.

Now you know how it works, have a look at the website then email news@n332.es and we will be back in touch with you soon.

Driving in Rain Changes in the weather provides significant risk to road users, and so our driving must be adapted at all times.

Rain is one of the biggest contributors to weather related incidents.

In Spain, long, dry periods are often followed by significant rainfall.

In the first rainfall after a dry spell, the roads are particularly hazardous, as water falls onto the dust and surface coating on the road, creating extremely poor adhesion in places.

Plus, drainage systems are not always able to cope with the immediacy of the downpour, and so roads become flooded, particularly in dips which are designed to control the flow of water.

When driving in wet weather, slow down and allow extra distance between you and the car in front. This will mean that you should allow extra time for your journey, or be prepared to arrive late. It is far better to arrive late, than not at all.

Movements should be slow and steady, not harsh, to ensure your tyres are able to maintain as much grip as possible, and if you think you or your vehicle are not prepared to drive in wet conditions, then don´t.

Windscreen wipers and headlights will allow for better visibility, not only for you, but other road users too.

Take care, take it easy and take it slow.

Time to go Home This weekend marks the end of the summer road campaigns with “Retorno del verano”, when traffic starts to return from holiday destinations such as the coast and mountains to inland areas of Spain.

The special operation will run from Thursday 31 August to Sunday 3 September, when more than 6 million vehicle movements are anticipated, an increase on previous years, although spread over an additional day, Thursday.

There will be restrictions on the movement of some freight and none emergency road works will be suspended. There will also be additional lanes created in some areas in order to maximise the space available for traffic.

Drivers are advised to check their vehicle before a long journey, looking for any signs of potential wear, damage or risk, take frequent breaks, take your time and plan your route, allowing extra time on the way, and ensure compliance with the law at all times, including the avoidance of alcohol and drugs, ensuring that all vehicle occupants use the seatbelts, and children are seating in the correct seats, i.e. not the front, but occupying a seat suitable for them.

In order to ensure the safe flow of traffic, around 20,000 people will be on duty, including thousands of Guardia Civil traffic officers, assisted by staff employed by the DGT directly, plus specialist technical personnel, employees of conservation companies and other emergency services personnel, all of whom will work together so that drivers can make a safe trip.

Tips for a safer weekend If you don´t have to travel this weekend, then the best advice is to avoid doing so. However, you can also plan your journey around the quieter times. Sunday afternoon is likely to be the busiest, as well as Friday evening.

Plan the trip by the safest route to avoid unforeseen events. The DGT has several channels such as the DGT free app, the twitter accounts @informacionDGT and @DGTes, and radio broadcasts, alerting the real-time traffic situation and any incidents that may exist. Of course, never use the apps or your device if you are driving, ask a passenger to check, or find a safe, convenient and legal place to stop and check.

Check the vehicle before setting off, preferable the day before and also just before you set off. Good maintenance improves road safety. If your vehicle is not in the best conditions, opt for another means of transport. In the last year, 4% of the vehicles involved in an accident did not have an ITV in order.

Respect the speed established on each road and maintain the safety distance with the vehicle in front.

Take breaks every two hours, fatigue and sleep are deadly when driving.

Do not drink alcohol or use drugs when driving.

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All occupants of the vehicle must wear a seat belt. If children are less than 135 cm tall, they must sit in the rear seats with their corresponding child restraint system.

On conventional roads, take into account the increase of bicycles and pedestrians during the summer that cross roads that connect nearby towns.

Adapt your driving to the characteristics of the road (changes of gradients, curves, narrow roadways etc.), and the weather conditions.

If you are a bicycle user, remember that in addition to wearing a helmet, you have to ride with lights and reflective garments at night, and must have a bell.

In the case of pedestrians, if you walk on roads out of town, remember that they must do so on the left, facing oncoming traffic, and if it is at night or in meteorological or environmental conditions that significantly reduce visibility, you should wear a high visibility vest or other reflective garment. If walking in groups, you must also display a red light at the back and a white light at the front of your party.

Traffic characteristics Remember that traffic in the summer presents characteristics different from those that occur at other times of the year and this must be taken into account.

An increase in the number of long-distance journeys both on working days and especially on weekends.

Less congestion in the accesses to the big urban nuclei during the peak hours of working days in the entrance and exit to the places of work.

Higher density of traffic on secondary roads.

Intense traffic on roads that connect coastal towns and coastal tourist areas with the beaches during all days of the week.

Greater presence of cyclists and pedestrians on the road.

Increased circulation throughout the road network of foreign registered vehicles.

Increase in the number of sports activities used by the road for its development, for which complementary traffic measures will be adopted.

Increase in drivers in unfamiliar territory, who may change speed, course or direction without warning, on account of being confused by their surroundings.

Also remember that teams of people will be on the roads to help you. If you get into difficulty, you can call the Guardia Civil (in Spanish), on 062, or the emergency coordination centre, 112, who speak a variety of languages, including English.

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Parking My One of the latest rumours being circulated through social network sites relates to so-called “blue zones�, indicating areas in towns and cities which are controlled parking areas where a fee has to be paid to park.

Parking restrictions implemented by local authorities are organised by their own Ordenanza Reguladora de Aparcamiento, or ORA. The rumour being distributed calls doubt on the legality of these ORA areas, and for that reason, explains how a vehicle owner not only has a way of avoiding paying the parking fee, can also avoid the subsequent fines for doing so.

Sadly though, in a world where a loophole may well result in a fortune in fees and fines, the rumours and speculation is entirely that, a rumour which has no basis in law and is therefore false.

The first myth that has been circulating is that the private companies have no authority to issue fines, and so any motorist is free to park, without paying, and without fear of repercussions. It is indeed true is that the company that controls the parking does not issue fines. They are mostly private companies who manage the service on behalf of the town hall, usually in exchange for a fee.

It is the local authority that is responsible for deciding if a penalty should be imposed on an illegally parked motorist, and therefore issues the fine. The private operators who monitor the areas report their findings to the authorities as part of their contractual obligations. The local authority then issues the subsequent fines.

Similarly, another myth is that any motorist who pays local road tax is legally entitled to park anywhere in the town without further payment. Again, this is not true. The municipalities are empowered to establish regulated parking areas and to assign the management of fines in those areas to private companies.

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ths Busted The rumour mill also suggests that the controlling companies have no right to issue the parking tickets and affix them to the windscreen. It is true that these documents are not what might be considered a sanction, but are in fact a notification of the fact that the vehicle has been reported for the offence named.

However, one thing that the parking attendants do not have whereas the police do is the presumption of truth. Therefore, appeals are dealt with without any prejudice to either side, and are processed as per the evidence presented.

An example of this might be a driver reported for exceeding the time regulated for parking, who is entitled to ask the complainant for evidence that an infringement has taken place and provide evidence to the contrary. And municipalities are required to consider such appeal, but remember as a matter of balance, both the complainant and the appellant have to produce the evidence.

However, the authorities are no more or less likely to appeal such penalties. In any case, each penalty is considered different and must be studied in depth if it is appealed, how and whether it is worth doing and the individual merits of each case.

To summarise, it is true that the private companies do not issue fines and simply report the infractions.

In fact, anybody can report a vehicle for illegal parking. It is then up to the local authority to consider if there is sufficient evidence to issue a fine for actions contrary to their own local ordinances and other laws and road tax plays no part in these fines.

In short, wherever you might be, parking restrictions may well be in place, whether through the rules of the road or the local authority´s own rules. Always check if you can park and any restrictions that might be in place. Remember the rules of parking in a safe, convenient and legal manner, and forget the rumours that you might have heard on the internet, because if you are in the wrong and you get fined, you have to pay, so try to avoid the problem in the first place.

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Headlights Question Mark

There are many common questions about road signs and signals, this time we will explain about "headlights question mark".

The sign, which has the code S-24, normally works in conjunction with another, R-413.

Let´s look at a common scenario, a tunnel, where there are also some other changes to rules which we discuss another time.

We now have to remember one of the basics of traffic signs, circles give us orders (things we must or must not do), whereas squares or rectangles are informative.

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As we approach a tunnel, we see R-413, a blue circular sign featuring a pictogram of headlights, telling us we must switch our lights on.

As we leave the tunnel, we see sign S-24, which is a rectangular sign featuring a pictogram of headlights and a question mark.

Now, back to basics again. The approach sign, R-413, tells us we must put our headlights on. But, when we leave the tunnel, a sign cannot tell us we must switch them off, as we could be emerging during the night or in poor visibility, and so S-24, an informative sign, tells us to check if we still need our headlights on or not.

As a final note, remember that when we talk about headlights, we don´t mean Daytime Running Lights (DRL), they are not sufficient when it comes to illuminating areas such as tunnels, or at night.

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Driving Classic Cars in Spain We are often asked by a number of classic car owners and associations about the laws that refer specifically to this type of vehicle and what provisions the drivers must make when driving on Spanish roads.

Royal Decree 1247/1995, deals with the reglamento de vehículos históricos, rules for historic vehicles, or classic cars, under article 10 of the Normas de circulación.

First and foremost, unless rules are specifically in place for this type of vehicle, classic cars are governed by the same laws and rules as normal vehicles, including the requirement of liability insurance.

The rules relating to the technical inspection and registration are also applicable, as per normal vehicles. The period of the technical inspection also remains the same, unless otherwise indicated in the official report.

Those vehicles which, on account of their age or constructive characteristics, do not have lights or indicators as are normally required by law, they are not allowed to travel between sunset and sunrise, or in circumstances which would normally require the use of these lights and indicators.

Historic vehicles that are not able to exceed the speed of 40 kilometres per hour should drive on the shoulder, if practicable and it is sufficient, or, alternatively, as close as possible to the right outside edge of the roadway, except when overtaking or turning left, manoeuvres which may force other drivers to abruptly change the direction or speed of their vehicles. Historic vehicles are not allowed on the motorway if they are unable to reach a speed of at least 60 kilometres per hour.

The Dirección General de Tráfico also reserves the right to prohibit classic cars on certain dates and routes, if they are not able to exceed the speed of 80 kilometres per hour.

As for situation when classic cars can travel on the roads as a group, Annex II of the Reglamento General de Circulación, article 32 of section 3 details Participación de vehículos históricos and refers to the question of group activities.

Vehicles categorised as classic cars under Royal Decree 1247/1995, or over 25 years old and in numbers greater than 10, and with a speed of less than 50 kilometres per hour on average, as well as participating in events or demonstrations, rallies, competitions or, in general, any kind of event in which there is established classification on the basis of vehicle movement, either in terms of speed or regularity, will require administrative authorisation.

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Here are the relevant regulations referred to in this article.

Real Decreto 1247/1995, de 14 de julio, por el que se aprueba el reglamento de vehículos históricos.

Artículo 10 Normas de circulación 1. En lo no previsto específicamente, serán de aplicación a los vehículos históricos las normas que regulan la circulación de los vehículos en general y, en consecuencia, también la exigencia de estar provistos del certificado del seguro de responsabilidad civil de suscripción obligatoria.

2. En todo caso, deberán cumplirse las limitaciones que figuren en su tarjeta de inspección técnica y permiso de circulación.

3. La inspección técnica periódica de los vehículos matriculados como históricos se efectuará con la frecuencia que señale el régimen general de inspección técnica de vehículos, salvo que el laboratorio oficial en su informe indique otra periodicidad.

4. Aquellos vehículos que, por su antigüedad o características constructivas, no dispongan de los sistemas de alumbrado y señalización óptica exigidos por la legislación sobre tráfico, circulación de vehículos a motor y seguridad vial, no podrán circular entre la puesta y la salida del sol, ni en circunstancias que hagan necesario el empleo de tales sistemas.

5. Los vehículos históricos que no sean capaces de superar la velocidad de 40 kilómetros/hora circularán por el arcén, si fuera practicable y suficiente, o, en su defecto, lo más próximo posible al borde exterior derecho de la calzada, excepto cuando vayan a efectuar un adelantamiento o un giro a la izquierda, maniobras que únicamente podrán realizar si con ellas no obligan a otros conductores a modificar bruscamente la dirección o la velocidad de sus vehículos. Los vehículos históricos no circularán por autopista ni autovía si no alcanzan, como mínimo, la velocidad de 60 kilómetros/hora.

6. Asimismo, mediante resolución de la Dirección General de Tráfico podrá prohibirse, en determinadas fechas y vías, la circulación de los que no sean capaces de superar la velocidad de 80 kilómetros/hora.

Reglamento General de Circulación ANEXO II Pruebas deportivas, marchas ciclistas y otros eventos SECCIÓN 3 OTROS EVENTOS Artículo 32 Participación de vehículos históricos Aquellos eventos en que participen vehículos históricos conceptuados como tales de acuerdo con el Real Decreto 1247/1995, de 14 de julio, por el que se aprueba su reglamento regulador, o de más de 25 años de antigüedad en número superior a 10, en los que se establezca una clasificación de velocidad o regularidad inferior a 50 kilómetros por hora de media, así como su participación en acontecimientos o manifestaciones turísticas, concentraciones, concursos de conservación o elegancia y, en general, cualquier clase de evento en los que no se establezca clasificación alguna sobre la base del movimiento de los vehículos, ya sea en función de su velocidad o de la regularidad, precisarán de autorización administrativa.

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Lane Discipline Explained There are frequent reports in the press and posts on social media regarding drivers in Spain being fined for driving in the centre lane of a motorway, even when the road is clear.

This is an offence and drivers who do so can be fined, but the reality is, other than the fact that we drive on the right in Spain, there is no difference to the UK, where “middle lane hogging” is also an offence.

Looking at how the two countries compare on roads with more than one lane in the direction of travel, if we first look at the UK, and what Rule 264 of the Highway Code states.

“You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past.”

Comparing that to Spain, where we drive on the right, in fact the rule says as far to the right as possible, Article 31 of the Reglamento General Circulacion is where we see rules for normal traffic flow explained.

“On roads with more than one lane for the direction of travel, the normal flow of traffic is in the right hand lane, although you can use the other lane(s) when traffic circumstances dictate”, there is also an extension of the rule which states “provided you do not hinder the progress of another vehicle”.

Although the wording is slightly different, bearing in mind the Spanish version is an interpretation for ease of understanding and not a literal translation, the concept is the same. Under normal traffic circumstances, unless traffic determines otherwise, in the UK we should always drive in the left-hand lane, in Spain we should always use the righthand lane.

The problem has always been one of understanding the rules of the road. The concept forms an integral part of UK driver training, and has done for many years. You only have to look through historic copies of the Highway Code and you will see the rules clearly printed. But it is a rule seemingly difficult for many to understand.

In 2004, the UK launched a pilot scheme with road signs pointing out the correct lane discipline, and yet these were still largely ignored.

More recently, the UK changed their procedure for dealing with drivers who remain in the centre lane, by changing the procedure for reporting the offence and making it punishable by fixed penalty notice, thus drivers can be fined on the spot and be 100 pound out of pocket.

Back in Spain, the same process is already in place. That is why drivers are issued with on the spot fines, not because they are targeted for being foreigners or any of the other excuses that have been made, but because driving in the right-hand lane is the normal procedure for the flow of traffic, and the fact that “nobody else was around” is not a justifiable excuse for committing any offence.

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Pedestrian and B

There are many different looking crossings on the roads in Spain, often in urban areas where there may be more pedestrians needing to cross the roads. Some of these crossings are raised, some are flat, some are coloured black and white, some red, some blue, and there are a lot of myths surrounding the different colours and their meaning. There is also often confusion about bicycles and their means of crossing the road.

Here we will look at some of the most common questions, and give the answers.

Most people are aware of what we might call a “zebra”, with black and white alternating stripes across the road, but what about the red ones, or blue ones or any other colours?

There are two ways of answering the question, and so we will start with the simple and legal one.

Article 168 of the Tráfico, Circulación y Seguridad Vial, says... “c) Marca de paso para peatones. Una serie de líneas de gran anchura, dispuestas sobre el pavimento de la calzada en bandas paralelas al eje de ésta y que forman un conjunto transversal a la calzada, indica un paso para peatones, donde los conductores de vehículos o animales deben dejarles paso. NO podrán utilizarse líneas de otros colores que alternen con las blancas.”

To explain what that means in as literal way we can, it states that pedestrian crossings are formed of a series of wide lines arranged from the pavement and parallel to the axis thereof, forming a set across the road where drivers of vehicles or animals must let pedestrians pass.

However, in answer to the question about different colours used on crossings, the last phrase, “NO podrán utilizarse líneas de otros colores que alternen con las blancas”, states that you must not use other colours that alternate with the white ones.

Therefore, by the legal definition set out in this document, the only colours which should exist on pedestrian crossings are white, and the colour of the road.

However, the more complex answer comes about when we look at different methods of traffic calming, means to slow down road traffic to create a safer environment for all.

There have been many different studies relating to traffic calming, and highlighting pedestrian crossings better has been the outcome of some of that research.

A study in 2014 concluded that the best way to make crossings safer for pedestrians was to “transform these pedestrian passages into eye-grabbing spectacles: a school of colorful fish, a skein of yarn, a skeleton, a row of large-caliber bullets.”

However, that study was done by an artist rather than a road safety professional, although the impact was successful. By creating a surface which drivers looked out for could improve the awareness of

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Bicycle Crossings

the crossing, but other experts also suggest that these could do more damage than good, as distracting a driver from the vulnerable road users is a recipe for disaster, as drivers look at the crossing and not the people on it or waiting to cross.

You will see that many of the coloured crossings are on raised humps, again traffic calming measures, but a lot of these humps also don´t fall in with the legal requirements set down by law, and so quite a lot have been removed in recent years. More recently, some countries, including the U.K. are now starting to remove these humps altogether, as modern studies condemn them as being bad for the environment, as they cause more pollution through the actions of the drivers braking and accelerating in between them, rather than maintaining a steady, slow speed.

That said, irrespective of the actual colour, if a pedestrian is waiting to cross, vehicles on the main carriageway must stop and allow them to, so long as it is safe to do so. It is a common myth that the some colours mean you must stop and others mean you don´t have to, but this is not the case. The rules are the same as a pedestrian crossing means traffic must give way to pedestrians if it is safe to do so.

Next, we look at bicycles and crossings. When you are on the bicycle you are considered a vehicle and so you are not permitted to ride over the crossing, in the same way a car, truck, or bus would not be allowed to use it. If you are on a bike and with to cross the road via a pedestrian crossing then you must get off the bike and walk across, thus making you a pedestrian pushing a wheeled object, rather than a vehicle.

There are however specific cycle crossings. The appearance of these differs from pedestrian crossings as they are formed of a pathway marked out by thick broken lines, which look more like boxes, which guide cycle riders in the direction they should ride.

Vehicles on the main road approaching these crossings have priority through them, as on the cycle lane path there will be a STOP sign, which tells the cyclists to stop and give way. There are a number of these crossings around the Torrevieja area, particularly on the CV-905 which runs towards Quesada. As you drive along the main road you will be able to see the signs which tell the cyclists to stop.

Occasionally, particularly in towns and cities, there are pedestrian crossings which run parallel to cycle crossings. In this case, cyclists are allowed to ride across the road, but only on the designated lane.

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Drivers Urged to Tell the Truth in Medical Exams Drivers are encouraged to “tell the truth” during medical checkups, in order to try to reduce risk factors, especially with the elderly behind the wheel.

Statistically, 30% off all road fatalities in Spain are from the over 65 age group.

A total of 10% of all road incidents in Spain involve somebody over the age of 65.

The DGT has an interest in ensuring the right to mobility to everybody, whatever their age, however there are heightened health concerns which become apparent with advanced years. The issuing and maintaining a driver´s licence is “not black and white”, as there are intermediate forms with restrictions depending on the capabilities and state of health of the driver, which prompts calls for honesty during health checks.

It is important to make sure that medics are fully aware of problems that may lead to difficulties when driving, as well as a personal responsibility to check that and prescription medication being taken does not interfere with the ability to drive.

There are currently 200,000 drivers over the age of 65 in Spain, many of whom have 50 years of driving experience. However, the very concept of driving has changed so much during that period, including roads, vehicles, signs and more, that driving today is very different than when many first obtained their licence.

Although many of those drivers enjoy the freedom to travel around the country at their leisure, most of whom do so without incident, it is the role of the DGT to reduce the risk for everybody, hence the urge for older drivers to be aware of their own responsibilities.

Medically speaking, Director of Madrid´s National Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Valentí Fuster, points out that there are no age limits to driving, but “the biology of each person is different and you have to be careful with set limits, it´s a matter of personal responsibility”.

Of course problems driving are far from exclusive to the elderly, more and more there are incidents of drivers travelling the wrong way along motorways or one-way streets, confusion over new road elements such as roundabouts, higher speed and busier streets, a heightened awareness is vital, as is paying closer attention when on the road, as well as health matters which may go unnoticed, such as deteriorating eyesight, mobility problems and the aches and pains of maturity that combined can lead to distraction or disaster, depending on the severity of the situation drivers deal with every day.

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Choosing Worksho The key to safer driving not only lies in the hands of those on the roads, but also in the hands of those responsible for carrying out work on our vehicles.

Although the authorities do everything they can to close them down, there are still many garages and workshops that are not authorised to carry out any form of vehicle repair, and although many of them do a good job perhaps for less money, there are many who put all road users at risk.

An illegal workshop is a fraudulent business model, often conducted on unlicensed premises, and often without the requisite regulatory permits, access to technical information on vehicles or the approval from vehicle manufactures to carry out repairs. They often also fail to comply with health and safety and environmental legislation and often carry out work without issuing invoices and without any form of guarantee.

The frightening fact is that according to official sources, although no official figures exist, it is estimated that 20% of workshops across Spain are currently operating without the relevant licenses. A situation exacerbated by the economic crisis, which has led many consumers to turn to these fraudulent workshops, attracted by lower prices, without being fully aware of the consequences.

Inferior work, low price and unofficial parts, cheap labour and a lack of guarantee all undermine the rights of a consumer, and is a practice punishable by law.

On the other hand, legal and approved workshops have the necessary machinery and the right tools for repairs, access to the most up to date technical information for vehicle, they only use approved and traceable spare parts, guarantee repairs through the production of an invoice and provide continuous training for their employees.

Therefore, only the legal establishments can ensure proper handling of the vehicle, resulting in increased road safety by reducing the risk of accidents.

The technical information of the vehicle provides the guidelines set by the manufacturer to ensure proper handling and repair, minimizing risks, ensuring optimal performance and extending its life. Only legally established workshops have access to this guide to ensure proper repairs of each model vehicle.

The traceability of parts refers to garages being able to ensure the origin. In a legally established workshop the consumer can be sure that the piece is approved, which is required for that type of car that has all manufacturer warranties. In illegal workshops where it is not traceable, installed parts can have very varied origins including from crashed or scrapped vehicles and sometimes through theft.

Due to the increasing complexity of vehicles it is essential that mechanics attend training courses that are held periodically that provide the guidelines for the proper repair of all types of vehicles. The mechanics are quickly outdated if they do not receive these courses, which only legal workers can have access to.

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ops and Garages

The question of course is how does one identify an illegal workshop? Unfortunately, they are not always easy to recognise, but there are some tell-tale signs to look out for.

A legal workshop will always provide a printed quote for work in advance, and will also provide an invoice and guarantee afterwards.

Illegal workshops are usually in places where they work behind closed doors, sometimes in garages of private homes, sometimes even in the street.

The most important clue of all is that official and legally approved workshops have a nameplate granted by the Ministry of Industry and are required to display this plate at the property entrance. Illegal workshops will have no such accreditation displayed.

The nameplate will display a variety of information relating to the work that can be done at the workshop. For example, the top part of the plate will display the type of work which can be done on the premises. A picture of a wrench indicates mechanics, a jagged arrow indicates electrics, a hammer is for bodywork and a spray gun for painting.

Halfway up, on the left are icons which indicate areas of expertise, such as wheels and tyres, radiators or injection engines for example. To the right, an image will be displayed if the workshop is authorised to repair motorcycles.

Finally, at the bottom of the plate, there is a space which will display the provincial hallmark and the official registration number of the workshop as provided by the Ministry of Industry.

Although it will be difficult to ensure your complaints are heard in the event of using an illegal workshop, there is a way of reporting your suspicions to the authorities to investigate and take action against illegal operators. This can be done on the website of the confederation of Spanish workshops. CETRAA, at www.cetraa.com/sala-de-denuncia/

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The Future Big Brother A team of developers from the University of Beijing are working on a new system of vehicle recognition that could revolutionise vehicle monitoring without the need to rely on licence plates.

Working in a similar fashion to facial recognition, the cameras would not only be able to recognise characteristics of vehicles, such as the shape, line, colour and style, but also individual lines, bumps, scratches and other unique elements.

The system, called Repression Network, is still under development, but in principle artificial intelligence would be used to recognise the vehicle.

The recognizable attributes would be classified into two categories, since it would look at both the "thick details", ie the most characteristic points of the vehicle (colour, make, model ...), and the imperfections that it may have on the body.

The developers say that the growing explosion in the use of surveillance cameras in public security highlights the importance of vehicle search from large-scale image databases. Precise vehicle search, aiming at finding out all instances for a

given query vehicle image, is a challenging task as different vehicles will look very similar to each other if they share same visual attributes. To address this problem, we propose the Repression Network (RepNet), a novel multi-task learning framework, to learn discriminative features for each vehicle image from both coarse-grained and detailed level simultaneously. Besides, benefited from the satisfactory accuracy of attribute classification, a bucket search method is proposed to reduce the retrieval time while still maintaining competitive performance. Our RepNet achieves the state-of-the-art performance and the search method can reduce the retrieval time by about 24 times.

However, for the time being, drivers can remain calm, since the application is not yet foreseen, as it could be contrary to the right to privacy. The system, if approved, would be useful if it were used to identify vehicles recorded by surveillance cameras in the case of stolen cars, but it could also be developed for traffic law enforcement.

Join us for the Pride of Spain Awards 2017 Time once again for the Costa Blanca’s pre-eminent event of the year The Pride of Spain Awards and the Costa Blanca People would like to invite local residents, businesses, groups and associations to join them for the occasion.

The Pride of Spain Awards 2017 presentation ceremony is to be held at the Casa Cultura, Benijofar on Friday 20th October at 7.30pm and everyone is welcome. Tickets for the evening at priced at just 6 euros, which includes fabulous live entertainment.

The Pride of Spain Awards is the only event of its kind here on the Costa Blanca to offer recognition to local people who have gone that extra mile for their community. And this is what the presentation evening is all about - those who have given and used their talents, generosity, kindness and courage to make this community, our community, one in which we are all proud to live.

The nominations are in and from the hundreds of entries we received this year, our panel of judges have selected a shortlist of candidates for the year’s Pride of Spain Awards. In fact this year there were more nominations than ever and many categories have five shortlisted entries, so the evening promises to be bigger and better than ever.

We would like to thank those who made nominations this year and also to invite each and every one of you along with your friends, family, colleagues and neighbours to join us to show our appreciation of these unsung heroes.

Please come and support these amazing people on their big night.

The categories are: Teacher of the Year Young Sporting Achiever Fundraiser of the Year Employee of the Year Community Spirit Business of the Year Outstanding Bravery Special Recognition For further information or to book your ticket, please contact: office@costablancapeople.com or call 966 701 060.

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The Green L-Plate (V-13)

A sign frequently seen on vehicles in Spain is a green-backed L-plate, which is indicative of a novice driver, although now qualified, and is designed to advise other road users.

Officially known as the V-13, the L-plate must be displayed on the vehicle for a year after obtaining the permit to drive. There are one or two exceptions, but for the purpose of this article we are discussing why it would be displayed.

The laws regarding the V-13 state that the “L� plate must be displayed on the left rear side of the vehicle, in a conspicuous place, except on motorcycles, vehicles for disabled persons and tricycles, where there are allowances for the location, other than it must be on the rear of the vehicle.

Previously restricted to a slower speed than other drivers, a change in the law in 2011 meant that this no longer the case, and that vehicles displaying the sign can travel at the same speed as other road users, subject to obvious restrictions.

One element which is more restrictive for novice drivers is alcohol. We already know that the maximum alcohol limit in Spain is considerably lower than the UK at 0.25 milligrams per litre, but for novice drivers, the limit is 0.15 milligrams of alcohol per litre of exhaled air. The best advice of course is that no alcohol is the only real safe limit.

The other restriction relates to traffic violations, whereas a novice driver is given 8 points instead of 12 for fully experienced motorist, which are deducted should the driver be found guilty of offences relating to road traffic laws.

The overall aim of the sign is to serve as a warning to other drivers that the person in charge of this particular vehicle is a novice, and still has to build on the experiences that a future behind the wheel will bring.

Caution, patience and understanding are all that is requested by those who have gained the knowledge, as well as allowing more distance and time for the driver to carry out the moves that may seem second nature to others, but could be daunting for somebody so early in their driving life..

Finally, in the event that a novice driver chooses not to display the mandatory sign, then the prospect of a fine is waiting for you.

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Removing Abandoned Vehicles

If the police have reason to believe that a car has been abandoned on the street, there is a procedure they can initiate to enforce to owner to confirm identity, before they can have the vehicle removed.

This procedure is different to the case of a vehicle which has been legally parked, this particular process is aimed at vehicles that are in a legal, convenient and safe place, but the police believe that they may simply be abandoned.

There are a number of reasons why an officer might think this, perhaps the vehicle is showing signs of damage for example, or maybe missing main components and has been parked in the same place for some time.

If there is sufficient evidence to suggest abandonment, the police will affix a sticker to the vehicle, advising the owner that there is reason to believe the vehicle has been abandoned.

The sticker is dated and the owner has 10 days in which to respond to the claim by confirming the status of the vehicle, or it will be removed to the municipal pound.

Remember though, this procedure is for abandoned vehicles which are seemingly legal other than the suspicion of their status, if you park illegally, your vehicle may be removed immediately.

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The Gallery

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in the sky, Peg

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If you snap an interesting road or traffic based picture, email it to news@n332.es to be featured or use the hashtag #n332es

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FOURTEEN PERCENT OF DRIVERS ADMIT TO NOT RESTRAINING CHILDREN IN CARS A detailed report by the Fundación Línea Directa revealed that 14% of all drivers on Spanish roads admit to not securing their children in the car, and 5 million motorists themselves still don´t wear a seatbelt.

The findings of the report have been taken from a survey of 1,200 interviews with drivers across the Spanish geography, who were asked about irresponsible behaviour on the roads. The top three offending actions were revealed to be speeding, not stopping every two hours on long journeys and using a mobile phone while driving.

In fact, nearly 15 million road users in Spain confess to driving over the speed limit, a factor that is persistently present in over 20% of fatal incidents. Furthermore, although tiredness and fatigue are related to 30% of incidents, 44% of drivers admit not stopping every two hours to rest on long trips. Regarding the mobile phone use, some 7 million drivers admit to using their mobile phone whilst driving.

In addition, nearly 5 million drivers state that they don´t wear a seatbelt on short journeys, and 14% carry children in the vehicles without mandatory security measures, despite the startling figure that around 20% of children who die on the roads are not using child restraints.

The correct distance from the car in front is not maintained by 5 million drivers, 21% of the respondents claiming to drive too close.

Over 6.5 million drivers expressed a lack of training and lack of knowledge of the basic rules of the roads, such as 35% not knowing about parking restrictions and almost 14% not knowing who has priority when exiting a roundabout. In terms of emergency responses, almost half of the drivers do not know how to deal with a skid of the front of the vehicle, and 27% would not know how to react to aquaplaning.

Of course we have to bear in mind that these statistics could well be slightly misleading, on account on their reliance to the drivers actually admitting they are at fault.

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Buying and Selling a Car When you sell a car, you need to fill in a SALE CONTRACT, and make a photocopy of the buyer´s id. Make sure you include the date and the time when the vehicle was handed over.

Inform the buyer that they have 15 days to go to the Traffic Office and change the Log Book into their name and send you a copy to verify this has happened.

After 15 days, if this has not been done, YOU, the seller. Will have to go to the Traffic Office with: 1. Your ID 2. Photocopy of the buyer´s id.

3. Sales Contract (Signed by both buyer and seller) 4. Fill in the “Notification of Sale” Document. (You can download this from DGT website or get a copy on the information desk of the Traffic Office.)

If for any reason you have forgotten to do these steps and you cannot contact the buyer, go to the Traffic Office and deregister your vehicle. In Spain, this is known as “Dar de Baja Temporal un Vehiculo”.

From that moment you will not pay the annual tax, and when the vehicle is stopped by the police, and they check that the vehicle is deregistered, the vehicle will be clamped or towed away until the problem is solved.

If you have bought a car, remember you have 15 days to transfer it into your name. We are going to explain, step by step, how to do it; – Write on the sale contract date/hour. From that moment you will be the provisional owner.

– You will need to go to the Traffic Office with the following documents; 1. Sales Contract (signed by both parties) 2. Photocopy of the seller´s id.

3. The originals, not copies, of the logbook (Permiso de Circulación) and ITV. 4. Last year´s road tax certificate, known in some places as Suma.

5. Application to change the ownership which is the “Solicitud Cambio de Titularidad”. You can download it from DGT webpage or get one in the Traffic office.

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When you have all these documents, call the number 060, or apply on the dgt.es website, to make an appointment with the Traffic Office.

Go to the TAX OFFICE (Hacienda) and pay the TAX “Transfer Tax” (Transmisiones Patrimoniales, model 620). You can download this model from the webpage of the Ministry of Treasury. (www.agenciatributaria.es) After paying the tax, go to the TRAFFIC OFFICE, where you will have to pay a FEE (depending of the vehicle you are going to buy; car, motorbike…) and give them the receipt you got when you pay the model 620 together with all 6 documents.

In a few minutes you will have the vehicle transferred into your name.

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+34 69 44 65 821