PAGE 38 www.thecamposoldistrictjournal.com June 2009

LEGAL ISSUES

LEARNINGTO THINK

IN ADIFFERENT

WAYAll my articles relate to various crucial issuesand responsibilities for those of us that nowreside in Spain or at least have that incontemplation.I once asked my friend, a skilled Maths teacherabout his mental processes in dealing with figures his reply was simply I JUST LEARNT TOTHINK IN A DIFFERENT WAY - thatcomment iillustrates how a substantial changein our mental processes will ease our transitioninto Spanish life and society.For example, we need to understand and get tuned in to not only themotoring laws in Spain but the way the Police here carry out theirduties. How odd it is to have to keep our documents in the car andbe asked on demand to produce the same. Failure to produce suchdocuments can result in fines, not to mention worry and inconvenience. In the UK we are free to walk around without any evidence of ourown identity - our car registration documents likely being held inan A-Z file in the house produced as and when required to betaken to the Post Office for the re-taxing of our cars, and thensquirrelled back into the file upon our return home! In the UK aPolice Officer would be surprised if you were able to produce yourdocuments on demand ! However, Spain is a very large countrywith a large population and a growing number of immigrants, henceit is not practical for the law to permit production of documentationwithin 7 days of being stopped by the Police. If you are especiallyconcerned to have your original documents in the car, then havenotarised copies of the originals instead anyone who would liketo do this and does not know how to go about it, please contact meand I will assist with that procedure. Please take special note thatsuch service is NOT provided by the Police themselves or the localauthority !A justifiable issue so far as driving in Spain is concerned is that wehave valid insurance cover for the particular vehicle we drive . Ifthe vehicle has only one insured driver, then nobody else is insuredto drive that car ! It is very easy to add an additional driver onto apolicy for a small charge attention to that can prevent not justfinancial expense and worry in event of an accident , but a prosecutionin the Spanish Courts !!For those that have come to Spain from the UK with 90 days Europeancover make a note in your diary when that 90 days expires if youhave an accident afterwards your insurance company may well notmeet your claim. Even if an insurance company affords full 12months European cover, make sure they are aware you are residentin Spain a material fact they could rely on to avoid paying up !!I can personally recommend a reputable UK insurance company withvery competitive premiums, who will insure you on English orSpanish plates !!Following on with the issue of registration of your vehicle in Spain the general rule is that the law here permits you to drive your caron English plates for 6 months in a 12 month period , followingwhich you should undergo the process of registration in this country,including obtaining an ITV test on your vehicle and payment of thepertinent taxes. Chinese whispers say production of flight/ferrytickets indicating recent arrival in Spain can sidestep the law wellyou can risk it for a biscuit but at the end of the day if you are stoppedby the Police it is them you have to satisfy that you are drivinglegally.This area is quite complex and the process takes account of, butnot exclusively, issues such as age, medicals, type of vehicle,

particular area of residence, so on and so forth. Certainly an areawhere it is essential to have correct advice from someone who isexperienced.Well all that gives the brain a lot to think about but LEARNINGTO THINK IN A DIFFERENT WAY means that you ask questions,obtain information, become informed, understand and IN CONTROL For any queries regarding this topic or any other legal matters, donot hesitate to contact me for an informal discussion on 634 053976 or email me at shirleyfisherlegalservices@gmail.com.Shirley Ann Fisher, Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives &Commissioner of Oaths, Camposol Business Centre, Calle MadridSector A, Camposol, Mazarron, Murcia 30870Tel. No. 968 103 008.

PAGE 39www.thecamposoldistrictjournal.comJune 2009