Thread: Spanish drivers !

Bad as they all seem, it is one of the hardest driving tests in the world.

The spanish driving test is the hardest ? so thats why they didnae bother doing just went straight on the roads

Here where i live they are actually taught that on a two lane roundabout, to turn left from the right hand lane! I see an accident every week where the car in l/h lane turns right and car in r/h lane turns left! With regards to slowing down and speeding up,i worked out long ago that they slow down for the curves on the autovias, then speed up on the straights. So when they overtake just before a curve if you maintain your speed you find yourself driving away from them. Why do they brake for curves on the autovia?

Originally Posted by country boy

We've lived here for 8 years now. When we first came I assumed the worst intentions for all the Spanish Peoples apparent lack of basic courtesies.
I now have decided that it is not that they are rude, or even inconsiderate...they just have absolutely no IMAGINATION. They can't imagine that there might be a car coming round the bend in the opposite direction while they are overtaking. They can't imagine that they are holding you up while they park in the middle of the road to converse. They can't imagine that by parking their car so close that you wont be able to get your shopping into it. They definitely can't imagine that you chose that remote piece of beach because you wanted solitude...etc etc. I think they'd be mortified if they thought they'd caused offence. That's my theory anyway and it keeps me sane

I think country boy is right, just keep your cool as if nothing happens and be cautious yourselve

Further to my post of 26th, i got info straight from the horses mouth yesterday.
A lady ,Jersey born and passed d/test there can't exchange licence because it's not classed as U.K. She's been taking lessons here ( and 2 tests and failed ) said that yes on a 2 lane roundabout you fail if you are not in the r/h lane,the left hand lane is only to go right round and back where you came from! Also if on a hill you have to stop,you fail if you put on the h/brake you are meant to ride the clutch only!! Defies belief, i could go on but i'm still laughing.

Originally Posted by Gus-Lopez

Further to my post of 26th, i got info straight from the horses mouth yesterday.
A lady ,Jersey born and passed d/test there can't exchange licence because it's not classed as U.K. She's been taking lessons here ( and 2 tests and failed ) said that yes on a 2 lane roundabout you fail if you are not in the r/h lane,the left hand lane is only to go right round and back where you came from! Also if on a hill you have to stop,you fail if you put on the h/brake you are meant to ride the clutch only!! Defies belief, i could go on but i'm still laughing.

Further to the above, good news, bumped into the Lady in question this morning and she's passed at the 3rd attempt! Only stalled twice on the test so the rest must have been acceptable. Not bad for a woman of 68, but it has taken her nearly a year, 1200 euros and 4 medicals!

Hola val,i totaly agree with you 1,ooo,ooo %.The worst thing in Spain in my opinion in 5 yrs here is the driving(and i'm spanish don't forget) but lets not forget that roundabouts are very new(about 15yrs i think)in Spain.The other is CUSTOMER SERVICES they don't know what that means,nor please,thank you ect, but i still would'nt swap this for UK.

Apart from boy-racers who can be of any nationality and of any age, the worst drivers around here are mostly the ones with GB on the backs of their cars and a tax disc that expired more than three or four years ago.

Need I say more?

I'm just back from the fire todayand both the driving and parking skills could only be described as "imaginative". The police seem to be on top of the worst parking offenders, noticable by the amount of green stickers on the kerbs.The moving traffic appears to driven by 5 year olds on some sort drug.