crob Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 My sister-in-law, who lives in Almeria, is staying with us for a while, and she has been telling me about the Spanish road police, and the way they are now remunerated. For about the last year or so, they now do not draw any salary - they have all gone "private". Their income is the fines they charge motorists!!! They are stopping all and sundry, both locals and foreigners. The big problem for us is that of language. Because we (most of us) can't understand what they are saying, they are pulling people over for an apparent infringement, and handing out fines "willy nilly". Has anyone heard of this, or experienced this situation themselves? Colin Robinson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w1ntersun Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 As far as I am aware the traffic police do get paid a % of the fines imposed. The favourate being not have lights on under a bridge. But I am sure they also get a salary otherwise they would get no pension entitlement etc. I cannot find any reference to your statement on the spanish police website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Seams a good idea to avoid Spain like the Plague and stick to Friendly France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 If this were true it would be a 'free for all', there would be recruits qeueing down the streets. Just can't see the Spanish Police Force not getting a salary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 We spend quiet a lot of time in Spain and I have to say that we have not experienced any problems at all with the Spanish police. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffersonCampervan Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 w1ntersun - 2010-04-10 8:35 AM As far as I am aware the traffic police do get paid a % of the fines imposed. That's incredible if true - i find the original assertion of no pay/ticket commission remuneration a bit suspect, but any payment or bonus paid as a % of tickets written clearly leads to corruption. hard to believe that a modern western country would have any such practice. N. Spain is part of my summer trip, but I think I'll deem these notes as apocryphal. BTW, this is my 100th post - do I get anything? 8-) on edit - holy cow - a red star!! whooppee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverback Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 sorry Frank, sod all for a 100 :'( and its not red its purple (lol) maybe an eye test? (lol) when we get to 5607778243 posts no there again you get sod all :D as for the spanish plod i find it hard to believe they are doing that but not been there in MH jonathan ps nice web site will look in to it better later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinfrier Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Sounds like an urban myth don't believe it for one moment If you break the law and get caught then you can't have any complaints and in 5 years of living in Spain I have never herd of snyone being fined for nout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wild rover Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 One of my relatives lives in Spain and he has never heard of this new thing. He, as others have said already, thinks it's just some stupid rumour! So I wouldn't worry about it too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffersonCampervan Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 silverback - 2010-04-10 7:15 PM sorry Frank, sod all for a 100 :'( and its not red its purple (lol) maybe an eye test? (lol) when we get to 5607778243 posts no there again you get sod all :D as for the spanish plod i find it hard to believe they are doing that but not been there in MH jonathan ps nice web site will look in to it better later Purple??!! Perhaps the refraction through the Northern Lights on its way over to the Colonies rendered it red to my eyes? Or maybe I do need an eye exam! (purple it is, indeed). B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Total urban myth. Totally untrue....thankfully. Spanish highway Police are the "Trafico" division of the national Police Force (not to be confused with the "Policia Local" - the town Police in ech city/town/village). They are paid a straight annual salary. No additional bonuses at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertyboy Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 I tend to spend 7to 8 months a year in Spain as an ordinary motorist and as a motorhomer. Never heard of this one so would take with a pinch of salt. However from time to time they are paid bonuses on fines collected. I have been a victim of this and the favourite seems to be continuous white lines and the crossing of. This does not mean only overtaking but pulling out of turnings an crossing to get to the correct side of the road if there is a unbroken white line you must turn in the direction that doesn't require you to cross it. You must then proceed to a roundabout or other part of the road where you can turn round without going over the white line. I didn't and am still fuming over the 69 euros it cost me and that was 3 years ago. They tend to sit at the entrances to urbanisations and get people as the enter or depart. There almost as devious as our coppers!! *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Berty - sorry, but I don't think they are paid any bonuses at all. People may confuse the situation because from time to time their Political Masters in Central Government in Madrid run specific campaigns, where the Trafico Police are instructed to crack down for a period of time on particular offences, eg crossing central unbroken white lines. But individual Trafico police officers do not earn any more money as a result of enacting these enforcement campaigns.....and the money raised by fines does not go to the Trafico Police anyway, but rather to the Justice Department (an arm of Central Government) in Madrid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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