Beware - speeding! Corralejo.

[Ole Man River]

Hi All, an update on the above.
I was caught on camera on 08/07/2013 & fined 100€ (50€ if I paid quickly)which I have. This is since they changed the painted yellow road markings & no lights required anymore. It came in the post with a very clear photo. 
It happened on the road down to Corralejo, FV101, just before the Football Ground. I thought I had got the new Rules right but this the one place that does not show a speed limit, no sign. I assumed that once you were passed the new yellow lines at 60 K on the bend & on to white lines, it was normal speed. No, it is 70K. Going down, you go from the 60 sign nearly to the roundabout before the next one. I was doing 81K thinking it had resumed to 90K.
The "camera" must have been handheld (in a parked car), there is no Radar box or anything else where the photo was taken from. I call that bad luck/timing, but I do feel the signs are not adequate or clear on that stretch of road. Coming back up the road there is sign for 70K just by the Football ground! Anyone have any sympathy?
Just a warning!    

[bridlife]

I too went through this speed trap, exactly where you say. I did see it. It was a small unmarked car, parked on the left hand verge, heading into town, just before the bus stop and football ground, in a new 60k speed restriction. The camera was on top of his dashboard, and he was wearing guardia civil uniform. I think I slowed down to 60, just in time. I think we all need to be aware, the guardia civil, are using a lot more unmarked cars. There is also a Toyota Avensis, driving about with guardia civil drivers, stopping people, in the same area.

[Ivemovedon]

perhaps the bin snooper's been promoted

[bridlife]

You might be spot on Stedge, the bin police have gone missing.

[falkirkdan]

Wonder how many taxi drivers and locals get tickets.   Not many, if in fact any.

[bridlife]

I think the taxi drivers are treated the same as us. We have been stopped twice at night in a taxi, the first time they searched his taxi, the second time they breathalysed him.

[moonraker]

The Bin police are still on Tamaragua, they were spotted on Thursday about 5.30pm... not on his quad he was on a motor bike. Plus there has been a lot of police riding round in cars this past 3 or 4 days.....


Mawbeef

[yorkiecouple]

Yes we've been stopped in a taxi too, the policeman gave the driver a right telling off about something, and the driver become very submissive towards him.

[lionfish]

I think the heading needs to be "Beware - speeding!" i.e. not just around Corralejo.
In the last three days I have seen speed camera cars on the outskirts of Caleta, heading towards Atlantico from Salinas and also yesterday heading out of El Cottillo/El Roque. In both cases an older car parked on the right-hand side of the road.
Easy money this speeding, far easier than solving (other) crimes and muggings.

[Spike On Q]

 If people want to exceed the speed limit and break the law that is their choice. A fine could be the outcome and should be taken into account when the decision is made to speed

If you want to be in the "club" you have to abide by the rules. if you don't like the rules either leave the club or become a politician and change the rules

[Ivemovedon]

theres not a driver on gods earth who has'nt at one time exceeded a speed limit. That includes all the holier than thou club members and politicians as well.

Nobodys saying roads shouldn't be policed. Theres no doubt in my mind though the island is over saturated with traffic police whos sole aim appears to be to rake in as much cash as possible. Some might also say to the detriment of other areas of law enforcement which includes drugs.

[zedzedeleven]

theres not a driver on gods earth who has'nt at one time exceeded a speed limit. That includes all the holier than thou club members and politicians as well.

Nobodys saying roads shouldn't be policed. Theres no doubt in my mind though the island is over saturated with traffic police whos sole aim appears to be to rake in as much cash as possible. Some might also say to the detriment of other areas of law enforcement which includes drugs.

Couldn`t agree more Steve, Spike`s flippant sixthformer reply blithely ignores the behaviour of Fuerte`s finest with their blatant entrapment strategy, and the deliberately confusing speed limits on some roads, along with the approach to roundabouts where the limit can change almost by the metre.

[Ole Man River]

 Yes,  zedzedeleven, exactly what happened to me. With no sign to say what speed I should have been doing. 

[Spike On Q]

Sixth former here! - as always folks, as outsiders, if you don't like it go to France [nightmare speed police on main road bridges ambushing everyone] or Holland [every town has a special "Foreign Police" department there!] or even Turkey, the police there are much more lenient, have you seen Midnight Express?

The general speed limit here is 90 kph here and reduces to 50 kph in built up areas, a difference of 40 kph or 25 mph. It doesn't take many meters to reduce speed by that much - in my 14 years visiting and living here I've never been stopped for speeding, just for document checks and have never been nicked. I am such a good school boy, ask my mummy!

[thomo]

Been here eight years and never had any problems with traffico and just for the record  ten drugs dealers arrested earlier this month  Link
keep up the good work lads

[Ivemovedon]

oh goody they've actually caught someone drug running other than themselves. Bring on the dancing girls.

Spike not exactly an outsider as i own property there so its only Fuerteventura that affects me. Therefore i couldn't give two hoots about the standard of policing in Holland or Turkey.

Despite a few druggies being collared i still think the islands roads are over policed and if you ex pats don't find it so i can only assume they target hire cars.

[thomo]

or is it the paranoia that goes with lawbreaking that gives the impression that there is a cop around every corner try driving within the law then you won´t have to worry.

[Ivemovedon]

There lies the problem. You don't have to break the law to be harassed.

I'm paranoid about all you perfect drivers over there. The worrying bit comes if i get stuck behind one of you on the way to the airport. 

I think the forums playing up a bit

[thomo]

leave ten minutes earlier and then you will have time to enjoy the scenery

[Ivemovedon]

what spikes rear bumper

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

thomo, that link of yours has messed the thread up, hopefully admin can rectify it 
Anyway..while things like this are being posted on tripadvisor it's not very encouraging for visitors..a lot more people read those reviews than they do the forum stuff..no insult to admin meant 
So maybe stedge does have apoint there 

Guardia civil
25 January 2013, 20:19

holidaying in Fuerteventura at the moment. warning to others who are going to hire a car. the Guardia civil are out in force booking tourist for the least little thing. they have been told to boost their productivity or they will lose their 240 euros per month road safety bonus. we were unfortunate to be fined 100 euros for crossing over a single white line prior to parking. the fine was on the spot 100 euros or 200 if paid later. I have been holidaying here for the past 18 years & I have never seen the police out like they are now we are afraid to drive anywhere, they are on every corner. only yesterday we were coming back from the beach & were stopped at a checkpoint with all other vehicles going in the same direction. I suppose with the Spanish 26% unemployment rate they have to look at ways of making money. however we the tourist are putting money into their economy by just coming/being here. I shall think twice before I hire a car again.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g187467-i272-k6080049-Guardia_civil-Fuerteventura_Canary_Islands.html

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

Just noticed these 2 replies on there..

11. Re: Guardia civil
23 March 2013, 20:50

The easy way to answer money grabbing tactics like this is to stay away and let the place go to ruin, tourists are the lifeblood of the canaries and should be appreciated, not taken for granted and abused.

Greece for instance would be grateful for an extra influx of tourists.

I was planning on Fuerteventura next summer but will look elsewhere as a way of sticking up two fingers .

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

0. Re: Guardia civil
23 March 2013, 16:13

This does all come as a shock to people from Britain, as they are not used to seeing any Police on the streets at all.....

[Ivemovedon]

Thanks for the input hev as i was beginning to think it was just me and zz. I had actually seen some of these comments on trip adviser. Could be when you live there for some time you get used to the constant police presence but visitors must think its over the top. I've seen many articles involving spanish police practices not just on Fuerteventura. One was from a guy who lived on the mainland who could not believe the amount of different police departments and the money spent on them. He pulled some out of the bag most of us wold never have heard of, and as he said someones got to pay for it all.  Theres always a fine line between prioritising motoring offences and just becoming  a constant pain in the ar*e for tourists with a view to money grabbing. I think they are over stepping that line at the moment.

[Spike On Q]

Have a lovely time in Greece hev - but before you venture out onto their roads check out their road accident statistics

[KWC]

Followed this thread with interest, why! because I do drive a lot when over there and to hear that the police are stepping up their "stop and fine" efforts will do the island no good in my opinion.

Now don't get me wrong, I have been done a few weeks ago for speeding (UK) and I will accept my puishment like the rest, and I'm certianly no boy racer, but if the police on the island are going to heavily fine you for silly little things like momentarily slipping over a line or failing to stick on your hand brake etc, they are coming down too heavy handed in my opinion.

Yes fine them that speed into town, over the limit and other more serious "crimes" but lay off the silly little things, as it will make people think either about hiring a car or as some have said, will go elsewhere.

Now when Im over in September will I get done for driving too slow if I'm unsure of the speed limit 

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

Have a lovely time in Greece hev - but before you venture out onto their roads check out their road accident statistics

What a silly post  If I do any reviews on TA my pen name is Hev_and_Bob and has the same pic as is on my facebook. I dont hide under a silly name 

[zedzedeleven]

A couple of fools is what they are Hev, did you notice that one actually advocates dawdling along gawping at the scenery? wonder which highway code that came from, driving without due care and attention is what it is. I`m surprised our born again admin hasn`t removed it or banished it to the bottom of the index where it can languish with the dross. One day one of those holier than thou woodenhead`s will pick a strange envelope up off the doormat and then, like the rest of us, will wonder how? when? and come to realise they are not as smart, not as observant or cognisant as they thought they were. Good news is it`s only peanuts and you don`t have to pay it anyway, hell, I`d like to pay 35quid at the Cicar desk if it enabled me to drive at a speed of my choosing.

[Spike On Q]

Those of us using this forum for years have noticed the number of contributor declining rapidly. The main reason is the use of personal slurs, insults and bullying. When someone says something the bullies don't agree with, they gang up and turn on the "nasty stuff". Soon there will be just a few contributors left - will they then turn on one another?

Spike On Q is a Fuerteventura / Lanzarote magazine radio program that features regular items about forthcoming events, news items, etc. and has many contributors from the two Islands - some names you see here.  We feature the main events here as they happen - World Championships, Charity Summer Shows, Golf Tournaments, etc. and cover forthcoming events, weather conditions for various sports, etc every week

It is broadcast every Friday between 6pm and 8pm on www.canaryuk.com and has been a regular radio program on the Island for over three years

There is a Facebook page - Spike On Q which is connected to the program. If you wish to express an opinion on air please contact the show via the Facebook page and we will call you via Skype when time allows

Sorry if you think my forum name is silly but it is connected to the radio show started on Radio QFM in the old days hence the title - Spike [my presenters name, as it has been since 1964] on Q [referring to the radio station]. Many local people and people from around the world do listen to the show every week and I hope they enjoy it.

[Ivemovedon]

Spike the contributors aren't declining they are just changing. Some move on for one reason or another and others take their place its the natural progression of things.

But the years i've been on here the one thing that has struck me was the way long term residents take any form of criticism of the island as a personal insult especially when it comes to restaurants and bars. Its only natural to an extent to defend the place you live but thats no good to holidaying visitors who as well as the positive aspect need to know the things and places to avoid and watch out for. People in blissful retirement on the island may well be happy with the traffic police but anyone who relies on tourism doesn't want to see over zealous coppers stressing out hire car drivers with silly fines and arrogant behaviour. We are all entitled to our say and your shove off if you don't like it attitude could just as easily be misconscrued as offensive as anybody elses.

[zedzedeleven]

Spike, make the cheque out to Fuerteventura.com please.