olley Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Hi guys more reports on other forums of "A" framers being stopped and fined in Spain, to many I think for it to be anything but true. Also reports of people with trailers being stopped and the overall length of motorhome and trailer measured, if you are over 12metres and don't have long vehicle signs its a €105 fine. See Here: http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/u-shaped-lounge/10434-spain-again.html Spain seems to be getting rather motorhome unfriendly. :-S Olley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I don't think they are being unfriendly, they are just enforcing the laws that they have, up till now, pretty much ignored. A frames are for recovery trucks and if you have a long vehicle you need a sign, that's the law! By the way, use a stripey board if you have bikes etc on the back, if the sign on the road says "STOP" you must stop completely, speed limits are being more rigorously enforced, parking restrictions for motorhomes cover some areas as blanket coverage, and if you do get stopped be polite and apologetic, they do have the power to impound your vehicle and put you behind bars! Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I think it's about time, some restriction was put on these long outfits. Leave room for the likes of others with more "normal" outfits. If you want to tow a car, why not have a car and tow a caravan, makes more sense ecomonicaly (of course can't use free aires) with caravans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olley Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 Hi no problem obeying the laws but this just seems as if they are out to get us, to get some easy revenue. As for restrictions on long vehicles, not unless you intend to stop all commercial traffic, (lol) and if you have driven abroad, and its sounds as if you haven't, theirs plenty of room on continental roads for you "smaller" guys. And if you keen to be economical, get a bike and a tent why don't you? Olley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w1ntersun Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Hi, We are tavelling in Spain at the moment and have not met anyone who has been stopped for a-frame and only one guy for over length. We have been here since christmas and seen loads of a-frame outfits. None have reported being stopped and there are no rumours out here unlike on the forums Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w1ntersun Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Me again, On the other point of Spain being unriendly we have seen loads of wild campers and they are not having any hasle that we can see richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olley Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 Hi Richard only reporting what he posted on "Facts" this is a copy and paste: Whilst travelling through Spain on our way to Portugal, we were stopped by the Spanish police at the Burgos motorway tolls. Having been stopped twice before when towing our Smart car on an A-frame, we now tow our Smart on a trailer. So we did not think that we had anything to worry about. Well how wrong can you be? This time the copper got his tape measure out and measured our van plus trailer and decided that we were too long, just over 12 metres. 20 cms to be precise. We should have had a "Long Vehicle" sign attached to the trailer. Obviously we did not have one so it was 105 Euros fine on the spot So be very careful before setting off to Spain if you are towing. Make sure that you are under 12 metres or fix a "Long Vehicle" sign to your trailer!!! By the way we hate the Spanish police!! Maybe he was mistaken?? it was suggested in a subsequent post that they were bogus, but he then went on to say they where using a new computorised fine system, and it took an hour to process the fine, so not likely bogus. For the whole thread go here: http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-60854-days0-orderasc-0.html Olley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Hi Ian, The overall motorhome and trailer does not need a long vehicle sign unless it is over 18 metres long not 12 m. They may have got confused with the overall length of the motorhome if over 12 m needs a long vehicle sign but unit and trailer needs to be over 18m before it needs a long vehicle sign. Were you charged as a single unit at the toal booth? Regards, Brendan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 The question of "Long Vehicle" signs came up on this forum late last year. As I tow my car on a trailer, I e-mailed Brian James to ask if they did brackets for mounting the signs. They said this was news to them, never heard it before. Is this Spanish law or does it also apply to UK and other EU countries? Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olley Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 Hi Brendan this didn't happen to me, it was posted on "Facts" as for whether the cops where confused or not, are you going to argue with them in your best spanish? Two other posts in the same thread claimed that "A" the cops get a percentage of any fines they collect, and "B" The councils have been hit by the downturn like us, and have ordered the cops to do a revenue gathering exercise, which is easy to do on non-spanish speaking tourists. Who knows the truth not me. Olley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Hi Olley, It just goes to show it pays to bring som documation with you at all times. Yes I know where you are coming from as we have come accross this and my best advice is ask to go to the local police station and for an English speaking officer. You may sometimes may be spoken to in English quicker than you think. If you do go to the local Police station make them show you where you need a long vehicle sign for combined length of motorhome and trailer. You may have lost some time but just saved £105 fine Regards, Brendan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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