Briarose Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Hi we get our first motorhome this Weds.............used to a caravan although we have never towed it abroad. We intend to travel through France via Euro with our two little dogs and on to Spain or Portugal very soon...........can anyone give me any must do tips etc for instance do you need a photo on driving license, I know you need warning triangle and coats etc any tips would be great thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Hi Briarose Spare pair of glasses springs to mind initially, as well as spare bulbs. I assume you've had the dogs' Pet Passports done in enough time?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Just read your other posting, forget the bit about the dogs! (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briarose Posted October 15, 2007 Author Share Posted October 15, 2007 LOL yes hopefully all is in order ref passports for doggies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob b Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 If confused at road junctions, roundabouts, etc, just say to yourself "KEEP RIGHT" & you won't go wrong !..... innit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigal55 Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Briarose - 2007-10-15 9:14 PM Hi we get our first motorhome this Weds.............used to a caravan although we have never towed it abroad. We intend to travel through France via Euro with our two little dogs and on to Spain or Portugal very soon...........can anyone give me any must do tips etc for instance do you need a photo on driving license, I know you need warning triangle and coats etc any tips would be great thanks.a good reference are the caravan club Europe books, they will tell you all the documents need to take Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Don't stop for anyone looking dogy or anyone that trys to tell you they are the police . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snobbyafghan Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 michele - 2007-10-15 10:15 PM Don't stop for anyone looking dogy or anyone that trys to tell you they are the police . What about if they actually ARE the police? Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 Be cool if you have done nothing wrong 8-) martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 first aid kit, 2 warning triangles for spain, plus flores, floures, yellow coats and if you are stopped, make sure you put them on before you get out the van, or the offical robbers will fine you. pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 For here in Spain you need by law to carry: 1. TWO warning triangles. 2. Enough yellow waistcoats for everyone travelling in your van - and they need to be kept in a place where they can be donned without leaving the vehicle. 3. A set of replacement vehicle light bulbs. 4. Photo-type ID (eg driving licence plus the paper counterpart for UK citizens, as there is no national ID card system in place in the UK yet). If your driving licence is not one of the photo ones, then you'll have to show your passport instead - both to the Police if needs be, and also in any store/garage/hotel/petrol station etc etc where you want to pay by credit or debit card in Spain. It's a legal requirement in Spain to carry ID at all times. 5. The originals of your vehicle registration document (V5), your MOT certificate (if applicable), and your insurance certificate. Note that you DON'T need the old "green card" thingy anymore. 6. If the driver needs to wear glasses to drive, then a spare set of glasses must also be carried in the vehicle. 7. Your vehicle also needs to display it's country of EU origin on it's registration plates (ie nowadays this is usually the little "GB" sign at the side of your numberplate) Right, that's the law as I recall it; now to the practice: EVERY single time that I, or anyone else I know has been stopped here in Spain, the ONLY thing that the Police were interested in is personal ID, and proof of vehicle insurance. I have been stopped maybe 20 times, and have NEVER been asked to show any of the other things. This is because many many vehicles are driven in Spain without insurance ('cos insurance premiums are very expensive over here). Also, try to carry at least a couple of hundred euros in cash (hidden in the van if needs be), 'cos if you do get an on-the-spot fine for a traffic violation, you need to be able to pay it there and then (you also get a discount for doing so). I'm not saying that you shouldn't bother with the other stuff, I am simply speaking from 5 years worth of experience of living here permanently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 snobbyafghan - 2007-10-16 10:00 AM michele - 2007-10-15 10:15 PM Don't stop for anyone looking dogy or anyone that trys to tell you they are the police . What about if they actually ARE the police? Doug You'll know if they really are the Police, because if you don't stop when they first ask you to, then they'll aim pistols or rifles at you and tell you once more to stop, and if you don't do so at that final warning, they will then shoot you. I am not kidding. I live here, and you DO NOT mess around with the Police/Guardia Civil in Spain. They are NOT polite British Bobbies, who are terrified of breaching political correctness by being impolite to suspects. In Spain, the Police do the job they have to. Many dozens of them are shot dead each year by robbers/drugs gangs etc, and simply to protect themselves they really will shoot first and ask questions later if needs be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briarose Posted October 17, 2007 Author Share Posted October 17, 2007 Thanks for the replies much appreciated..............so we are ok not to send in our driving licenses to have photos added so long as we take passport ID is that correct ? as we were going to send in our old style licenses ASAP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 That may depend on how old your lisence is, with the earlier one's you required a translation for use in Italy(your not going there I know), not sure about Spain, the later one's are I believe accepted all across europe. From memory there are three paper lisences, green, green/yellow and green/pink, anyone got more details than me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Briarose - 2007-10-17 9:12 PM Thanks for the replies much appreciated..............so we are ok not to send in our driving licenses to have photos added so long as we take passport ID is that correct ? as we were going to send in our old style licenses ASAP Certainly in Spain at least, you don't have to have a photo driving licence, but you DO need to carry some form of photo ID with you - and the EU photo driving licence is one type of Photo ID that the Police here accept readily. As I said before, if you don't have a photo driving licence, bring your paper one along, but just make sure you carry your passport with you - as that is (of course) another form of photo ID that the Police here accept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briarose Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share Posted October 19, 2007 Briarose - 2007-10-17 9:12 PM Thanks for the replies much appreciated..............so we are ok not to send in our driving licenses to have photos added so long as we take passport ID is that correct ? as we were going to send in our old style licenses ASAP Ours are green.............it is around 11 years since we moved house so that is how old the licenses are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Briarose - 2007-10-19 9:13 PM Ours are green.............it is around 11 years since we moved house so that is how old the licenses are. Are you sure? We moved here 14 years ago and ours are the pink acceptable ones, the green one are not acceptable, and can lead to on the spot fines or at least inconvinience (or as it says in the Caravan Club Europe books 'some local difficulties'), as they do not have a translation in them. You can still get an International Driving Permit from the motoring organisations i.e. AA, RAC, Green Flag, which is acceptable with the green license. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briarose Posted October 20, 2007 Author Share Posted October 20, 2007 Oh heck I think you are right and they are pink LOL just goes to show what can stick in your mind...........green from all those years ago. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinfrier Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 Hi If breakdown in Spain you have 1 hour to clear your vehicle from the road you are not allowed to repair it on the road save for changing a wheel.Make sure you have adequate cover insurance policies Spain all include breakdown cover. You should carry a spare set of bulbs and the tools to change them and make sure your high visibility jackests are in the front cab dont set foot on the road without them. Spanish police tend not to look for detailed problems but they are hot on Mobile Phone use and Seat Belts. Also in Spain headlights on in tunnels and there are plenty of them. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevheyes Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 Scan and print, or photocopy all your documentation. i.e. Passport, driving license, vehicle registration document, insurance etc. and put the originals somewhere seperate and safe. An intenational driving permit is very useful for the cops and identification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briarose Posted October 21, 2007 Author Share Posted October 21, 2007 Thanks everyone it is helpful to get everyones tips and thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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