James57 · 61-69, M
Worked in Spain for six years and before sat navs. I would say driving is easier than the UK because there it is less traffic and more space. I would rather travel through any Spanish city than a British one. Been to central Madrid twice, The Granada bypass, 3 times, Central Granada and Barcelona, once. Always found a free parking spot. The danger time would be the early hours of the morning. I regularly travelled mountain roads at night and would come across vehicles travelling uneasily down the central white line. I would just follow behind, knowing full well the driver is on his way home from the bar. I was regularly stopped by the Guardia for routine checks and breathalysed even though I had only had tea to drink. They were always friendly. I did once go round a roundabout the wrong way and in my own town.
peterlee · M
@James57 I agree there is far less traffic, the towns are so distant from each other, and the tourist towns are discretely far away. Let them stay there. With the married guys on lads holidays, claiming they are single. How the women fall for them amazes me, but they do!
Today I experienced rain. Heavy rain. The few cars on the road travelled faster than usual as if it was a Grand Prix.
Parking is easy, and free. Unless again you are in the tourist areas. Malaga is easy to negotiate.
Yes, the Guardia Civil are polite. Always carry your paper work, the Spanish love paperwork, especially with red seals. They give up on you quickly though, when it is in English.
Never drink and drive. I walk to the Tapas bars, even if they are two miles away.
Today I experienced rain. Heavy rain. The few cars on the road travelled faster than usual as if it was a Grand Prix.
Parking is easy, and free. Unless again you are in the tourist areas. Malaga is easy to negotiate.
Yes, the Guardia Civil are polite. Always carry your paper work, the Spanish love paperwork, especially with red seals. They give up on you quickly though, when it is in English.
Never drink and drive. I walk to the Tapas bars, even if they are two miles away.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
I don't suppose any city is at all pleasant to drive in!
I have been on several day-trips to London with groups of friends, and although our destination was well out of the centre it was still a couple of miles or so within the North-South Circular Road Corrall.
Although everyone around us seemed to be driving fairly sensibly, at least by British urban driving standards, I was glad I was not the driver. I could not cope with it.
Some years ago I had to drive to a place well East of London but most of that was via the M3 then nearly half the circumference of the M25 - which I was surprised to find is well out in the countryside once past the A1. The "sat-nag" still played a mean trick on me only a mile or so short of my destination.
I have been on several day-trips to London with groups of friends, and although our destination was well out of the centre it was still a couple of miles or so within the North-South Circular Road Corrall.
Although everyone around us seemed to be driving fairly sensibly, at least by British urban driving standards, I was glad I was not the driver. I could not cope with it.
Some years ago I had to drive to a place well East of London but most of that was via the M3 then nearly half the circumference of the M25 - which I was surprised to find is well out in the countryside once past the A1. The "sat-nag" still played a mean trick on me only a mile or so short of my destination.
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ArishMell · 70-79, M
@peterlee Without actually seeing the site I don't know, and I am not a civil-engineer, but they may have trenches across the width, or have prepared the carriageway for resurfacing and don't want vehicles on it until completed.
It may be irritating but there will be a reason for closing the road; and we'd have more to complain about if no maintenance or repairs were performed.
I sometimes drive through Yeovil, where there seems no end to the road-works around that Somerset town, many apparently just re-modelling junctions for no clear advantage. A resident told me these are planned in the County Town, Taunton, not locally, with little if any consulting the Yeovilians.
Such antics are unlikely on rural lanes though, and the works in your way might be by one of the utility companies. OpenReach perhaps, happily digging holes in roads all over the place so everyone can use web-sites like this at even faster broadband speeds.
It may be irritating but there will be a reason for closing the road; and we'd have more to complain about if no maintenance or repairs were performed.
I sometimes drive through Yeovil, where there seems no end to the road-works around that Somerset town, many apparently just re-modelling junctions for no clear advantage. A resident told me these are planned in the County Town, Taunton, not locally, with little if any consulting the Yeovilians.
Such antics are unlikely on rural lanes though, and the works in your way might be by one of the utility companies. OpenReach perhaps, happily digging holes in roads all over the place so everyone can use web-sites like this at even faster broadband speeds.
peterlee · M
And today someone reversed onto the roundabout. That was a new one.
Gingerbreadspice · F
Like France driving.