Buggy Tours- Excursions

[hogfather]

La Oliva notifies the cessation of buggies and quads to five companies

https://www.ondafuerteventura.es/la-oliva-notifica-cese-las-excursiones-buggies-quads-cinco-empresas/

Shame, but should be some cheap Buggy's coming on the market 

[Tamkid]

Sad for Mark and Ian, knowing them two it will not keep them down for long.

[Archer]

What happened to licencing those companies who agreed to follow the simple rules? We don't want any more of these, and quad bikes, on the market.
There are enough little sh*ts tearing around the dirt tracks causing nuisance from noise and dust. Much prefer controlled licencing and encourage sensible usage...this island is big enough to have fun w/o causing grief to homeowners.
Some riders only look 10 yrs old!

[suendrob]

I think it's a great shame that the buggy and quad tours are being stopped from operating.

Fuerteventura advertises itself as a holiday destination. Quad tours are a natural part of holiday activities for many people. Watching the tours pass by is entertainment for many, even just seeing the machines parked up, offered for hire shows the resort to be forward-thinking, encouraging more tourist spend.

Sure, they will cause some annoyance as they pass, but they're soon away, the dust settles and peace reigns again.

We'll miss them, though.

[Can the Man]

I think it`s a great opportunity missed. They could have set up rural tracks, and ferried people out on busses to experience real rough track buggy and quad tours. Plus of course they could have been licensed etc.....
Tunnel vision by the Fuerteventura authorities again.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

The article actually says that the tours have to cease until the companies have obtained all the correct licences so they may be back, depending on whether the various councils etc will actually grant the licences!

[calculator]

Well on reading about all the laws that these 5 scum companies were breaking, it's about time they were dealt a heavy blow!!

It's clear that the tourists using these services weren't insured in the event of an accident. No amount of BS can cover up that fact. If it happened in Turkey or Thailand people would be complaining big time. They didn't even follow the transport regulations. Some not even licenced to sell excursions. It's laughable.

It also proves my point about not believing anything you're told in Fuerteventura, particularly by long term foreign residents who claim to know everything. All liars!! See it on this forum all the time.

These companies can redeem themselves by following the rules and the law. So now we'll see what they're made of.

Unfortunately, it doesn't resolve the massive problem of private individuals in groups (motocross) speeding through the island and its villages, destroying the landscape and of course the tranquility.

[malabu]

I wonder how many other companies comply fully with the law, ie 4x4 tours, surf training, diving, bicycles, even local bars, restaurants, and on and on, i think if the old bill checked everyone on the island or rather islands it would mean a shut down to any form of activity's, i think after the relevant checks they should give them all a time period to put there house in order and then take some form of action, with temporary suspension of trading. but not just put people out of business.

[spitfire58]

I wonder how many other companies comply fully with the law, ie 4x4 tours, surf training, diving, bicycles, even local bars, restaurants, and on and on, i think if the old bill checked everyone on the island or rather islands it would mean a shut down to any form of activity's, i think after the relevant checks they should give them all a time period to put there house in order and then take some form of action, with temporary suspension of trading. but not just put people out of business.

I suppose that depends on the level of non compliance tbh. If a buggy company for instance uses unsafe, uninsured & unlicensed vehicles it is a lot more serious than somewhere that say doesn`t have something relatively minor in place or up to date. In that instance the buggy company should be shut down immediately, the other company given a warning to comply or face stiffer consequences. The kicker would be if the authorities actually followed up on the warnings efficiently, if not (as I am sure happens) it leads to all ignoring them !!

[spitfire58]

ignoring them !!

like all these scooter companies, 2 years ago they said they where having a clampdown on them, now you cant turn a corner without noticing another brand new scooter hire company has popped up.

Not surprising then if it`s general knowledge that the authorities don`t follow through !!

[GSD Girl]

So have the tours actually stopped or not yet?

[gattaca66]

It's  abundantly clear that the Ayuntamiento de La Oliva would have us living in a world of cheese museums, gofio plantations and goat farms. A laudable goal if we want to see the island slide back into the era, just forty years ago, of subsistence living and gradual decline. However, the island lives on tourism, like it or not, and the attitude of this particular government body is killing it. They appear to favour enclaves of all-inclusivity, where visitors have nothing to do outside their hotels (unless cheese museums are their thing). The authorities can raise their tax levies, their extended families can have the contracts for building/running hotels and infrastructures, and anyone with a modicum of real business sense, with a bit of entrepreneurial 'get-up-and-go' can just go whistle.

As already mentioned, there is huge scope for establishing off-road routes which would interfere with no-one, other than a few goats. Mind you, I note one of the obscure and previously un-mentioned 'regulations' the buggy companies failed to adhere to was to get governmental permission to use roads or tracks where livestock may be present (i.e. Goats!). Next in their sights, genuinely, are jet skis, pleasure boats, and all trips to Lobos!

[gattaca66]

So have the tours actually stopped or not yet?

Yes, completely!

[Johnrgby2]

So have the tours actually stopped or not yet?

Yes, completely!

I am assuming The operation down south which I believe is German owned is not affected as it is in a different Ayuntamiento. seems slightly unfair!

[AviationFanatic]

So have the tours actually stopped or not yet?

Yes, completely!

Negative, someone I know has recently came back from Corralejo and said that the company that operate outside Wendy's car hire are still doing tours but the route has completely changed. They are going down the coast road, past the RIU Hotels, down to the Parque Hollandes roundabout then turning inland and going through the mountains back up to Corralejo

[yorkiecouple]

So have the tours actually stopped or not yet?

Yes, completely!

Negative, someone I know has recently came back from Corralejo and said that the company that operate outside Wendy's car hire are still doing tours but the route has completely changed. They are going down the coast road, past the RIU Hotels, down to the Parque Hollandes roundabout then turning inland and going through the mountains back up to Corralejo

Negative, the buggy excursions was stopped from last Sunday.

[paully]

Apparantly it was the bus company this time, complaining on the grounds of road safety, that caused them to stop the tours on public roads as well as off.

[erik_tonny]

However, the island lives on tourism, like it or not, and the attitude of this particular government body is killing it.

Or is the island already dying due to the abundant amount of cheap tourism ?

[suendrob]

 

However, the island lives on tourism, like it or not, and the attitude of this particular government body is killing it.

Or is the island already dying due to the abundant amount of cheap tourism ?

How would you define 'dying'?

By visitor numbers reducing?
By overall income reducing?
By changes in perceived quality of life for local residents?
By changes in perceived quality of life for immigrant residents?
By your own definition?

Please elaborate

[erik_tonny]

#3 #4

[spitfire58]

I have been coming to Fuerte for between 15 & 20 year`s. In that time the economy (& by dissemination, the populations) has come on in leaps & bounds. I think it would be hard to accept that the island is “dying”

[malabu]

“dying” you must be joking its quite the opposite,

[dagwood]

The closest Fuerteventura came to dying was when Ryanair stopped flying to the island. We got there with all kind of jobbers but the place was like something from a wild west movie. 
Thank goodness this has all changed and the whole place is very much alive again. You will find a few undesirables here and there but that's probably the price you pay.     

[erik_tonny]

You will find a few undesirables here and there but that's probably the price you pay.     

That is exactly the problem. The few undesirables are getting more and more numerous.
The island is lossing its charm, its cool way of life, the stressfree attitude.
It is at risc of becoming a small Benidorm dominated by cheap, loud and drunken tourists.
For us the degradation has reached a point where we have decided to leave (the price we pay)

[Tamkid]

I bet if your honest with yourself Erik there are a few other reasons other than the undesirables, you get them anyway you go, and if you live in some of our main UK towns and Citys these days, Corralejo is more like Vatican City in comparison.

[spitfire58]

Well Erik, you must live in a very different world to us !!
I have never encountered any “undesirables” on the island (yet, anyway).
I could see more going for a walk around my local town in the UK !!

[dagwood]

Well Erik, you must live in a very different world to us !!
I have never encountered any “undesirables” on the island (yet, anyway).
I could see more going for a walk around my local town in the UK !!

The odd noisy drunk and the likes of the undesirables that burgled the homes on the golf course a few weeks ago that's most of it Id say. The islands population is too small for real villains to feel comfortable. In fairness the problems are few compared to any town or city anywhere even the peaceful ones.
When a bit of a bar fight in the Flower of Scotland made news it proves how exiting Fuerteventura can be.     

[suendrob]

Undesirable is a very subjective term.

What one person might call undesirable, another may welcome with open arms. 'Undesirables' may include shell-suit wearers, flabby pink barechested football fans, bus loads of little old ladies, hikers, cyclists - indeed, any shared-interest group en masse, over-opinionated incomers, in fact, anyone who doesn't fit with the viewer's choice of personality.

[Ivemovedon]

Met plenty of undesirables on FV.  No tourists I might add but so called solicitors, Estate Agents and developers that were queuing up to rip off home buyers in the early 2000's. Think they have mostly gone now.

I have a feeling sperik is referring to undesirables as anyone who arrives on a budget flight, can't afford a 5* luxury hotel, is fat, sports a few tattoos, has more than 2 kids and is generally British or Irish.

Personally its little old ladies wind me up...LOL.

[erik_tonny]

You will find a few undesirables here and there but that's probably the price you pay.     

Your citation Dagwood !