Just received a speeding fine in the post from Spain!

bevawelly

It looks legitimate, the dates etc match up and I am not denying that I probably was speeding (I drove 600km in Spain so my husband could go fishing!)

It has been issued by "Servei Catala de Transit" and says I must pay a reduced fine of 50 euros within 20 days or it will then go up to 100 euros.

Has anyone else had a fine from Spain? If so, did you pay it? I am just wondering what the implications are if I don't pay it i.e. what action could be taken against me?

Many thanks to anyone who can help!

bargepole

bevawelly wrote: »

It looks legitimate, the dates etc match up and I am not denying that I probably was speeding (I drove 600km in Spain so my husband could go fishing!)

It has been issued by "Servei Catala de Transit" and says I must pay a reduced fine of 50 euros within 20 days or it will then go up to 100 euros.

Has anyone else had a fine from Spain? If so, did you pay it? I am just wondering what the implications are if I don't pay it i.e. what action could be taken against me?

Many thanks to amyone who can help!

They can't take any action against you in the UK.

If you're planning to go back to Spain in the near future, you might get stopped if it's the same vehicle, but otherwise just bin it.

bevawelly

Many thanks for the reply. Do you mind me asking how you know that though? I just don't want to risk being sued - I have a clean credit rating at the moment!

arcon5

You admit you was speeding so pay the fine, problem solved!

Otherwise lets hope your details aren't stored somewhere in case you go back to Spain in the future.

Iceweasel

Despite the UK, Ireland, and I think Denmark not signing up to the agreement on traffic offences within the EU, the Catalonian police have your car details and even access to your passport number.

How do you think they managed to send you the fine?

I would be very wary of ignoring this if I had any intention of driving abroad with the same car or passport.

Certainly returning to Spain (even on a flight to a holiday island) would possibly bring up your details as a non-payer.

I know that the UK does not chase foreign drivers who get caught by cameras etc. unless it's repeat offender truck-drivers. But tit for tat ignoring on that basis might not be a good idea.

25 EU countries signed up to a shared data-base for traffic offences. So it's not just Catalonya who will have access to your driving offence history.

I was stopped in a routine check in Germany last year and they knew all about me - they smiled and said I must be a law-abiding soul as the data base showed a clean licence. Scary 1984 big brother stuff.

I would treat it is an extra tax on your journey and just pay up.

bevawelly

Thank you for the reply.

I was driving a hire car, so they must have got my details from the car hire company. So I won't be needing to drive the same car again in Spain but I didn't think about them having my passport number (which they can obviously get from the car hire company).

I think you're right and I need to pay up and learn a lesson from it!

Iceweasel

Yes - I would be paying too - there is a big temptation not to pay, but I can assure you that things have changed a lot in the last couple of years.

If you have hired a car - not only might they have your passport number - but they will likely have your driving licence number too.

Coupon-mad

bevawelly wrote: »

Thank you for the reply.

I was driving a hire car, so they must have got my details from the car hire company. So I won't be needing to drive the same car again in Spain but I didn't think about them having my passport number (which they can obviously get from the car hire company).

I think you're right and I need to pay up and learn a lesson from it!

I agree with Bargepole. Bin it, and we do know about these (Google it).

Iceweasel

Coupon-mad wrote: »

I agree with Bargepole. Bin it, and we do know about these (Google it).

Very interesting comments there Coupon-mad.

I have great respect for your opinions and advice so I need to ask -

Are the Catalonians trying on a scam against innocent motorists, or

are you suggesting that we ignore speed limits when we are abroad.

Surely not.

Coupon-mad

Are the Catalonians trying on a scam against innocent motorists, or

are you suggesting that we ignore speed limits when we are abroad.

Neither. But as Bargepole said, they can't take any action against you in the UK.

Stroma

Iceweasel they get the details from companies like Euro Parking Collection who deal with this kind of thing, they are in the aos and basically scam on behalf of police and local authorities abroad.

Due to increasing international travel by car and the high number of cross border traffic violations committed by foreign registered vehicles or by vehicles registered outside the country where the violation took place, Euro Parking Collection plc (‘EPC’) has been authorised by various Issuing Organisations throughout Europe to act on their behalf in administering the issuing of penalty notices.

http://www.epcplc.com/

They cannot access passport or driving licence details, I'm sorry but that is utter garbage, they simply got RK details from someone like the above. Or if hired through the company involved. They are basically powerless and cannot enforce anything.

As you know we don't endorse anything illegal, but the situation is the same here with foreign car owners