Can you be fined in Tenerife for not applying your handbrake at a stop sign?

[john b]

On another forum, someone claims to have been fined €100 for not applying the handbrake at a stop sign. This seems OTT to me, can anyone confirm if this is Spanish law, preferably by quoting the ley, not from anecdote.

[Malteser Monkey]

I know we probably don't all do it but isn't that how it should be ? I seem to remember being told it was so if someone went into the back of you - you would roll into the back of someone else and so on !

I'm terrbile for sitting in clutch position ..............clutch I said:D

[ilyadis]

it is a
law in all european countrys for safety reasons, now they are looking everythink because they need money!!!

[Malteser Monkey]

it is a
law in all european countrys for safety reasons, now they are looking everythink because they need money!!!

Good point I'm sure someone posted that they were fined for wearing flip flops.....wasn't it ??

Cuidado todos

[casabonny]

You can be fined and loose points for not stopping at a stop line or sign( even if you can see that you can go clearly ) . The Guardia , in particular use this a lot . Think you will find details of this on Motorworld web site , follow the link in my signaTure or if not on DGt site regarding fines and points etc but that's of course in Spanish .

[KirstyJay]

Google is your friend ;)

From a quick search I found this :

STOP & GIVE WAY signs ~ Use of Handbrake

Although there is no legal requirement to apply the handbrake at a STOP sign, the only way to avoid any doubt is to apply the handbrake. Your vehicle MUST come to a complete halt.

At GIVE WAY signs and other situations where the vehicle is stopped for some time, the handbrake should be applied if the pause exceeds a wait.

As we are all under European law, I'd expect the same rules here, but you'd have to google yourself to get more in depth info as I haven't got time :)

Source : http://www.bafam.org.uk/examinerexpectations.html

[Loaded]

I learned to drive here in 2000 and can confirm that back then at least we were taught NOT to use the handbrake!!!

Even at traffic lights on a hill we had to balance the clutch after letting go of the foot brake!!!

If we used the handbrake or reached for it we were told off!

As soon as I passed I started using the handbrake to avoid Rolling backwards and destroying the clutch!!!!!

[Medanoman]

Unlike the uk you are allowed to roll backward a couple of inches, and still pass your exam. At a give way on an incline for example, because they do not use the hand brake. The number of times i have had canarians roll back into me is unreal.

I suspect that the person got the fine for not stopping completely at a stop. When challenged by an irate citizen the officer would have replied "did you apply the hand brake?" Since they did not apply the hand brake one could argue there was room for doubt and the officer wins..

Don't talk about roundabouts here that will really get me going...

edit..found a multiple choice question here http://www.autoescuelarsm.es/testonline.php in a Spanish test

25.- ¿ES RECOMENDABLE EL USO FRECUENTE DEL FRENO DE MANO CUANDO SE CIRCULA?
Is it correct to frequently use the hand brake while driving?


A..SÍ, SE DEBE UTILIZAR EN LAS CURVAS CERRADAS
B..SÍ, SIEMPRE QUE EL VEHÍCULO DISPONGA ABS
C..NO, SÓLO SE DEBE UTILIZAR EN LOS CASOS DE INMOVILIZACIÓN DEL VEHÍCULO

Correct answer ...C , you should only touch it to immobilize the car..i.e only when parked, and not in between to stop you rolling down a hill at a giveway sign.

[canarybird]

I can verify Loaded's comment as I also took the Spanish course and exams here to get my Spanish licence (lifelong Canadian driving licence not valid here) and the handbrake wasn't allowed when stopping at a red light or stop sign even when it was on a hill. Had to use the clutch/gas pedal/footbrake combo depending on whether it was uphill or downhill.

What was stressed though was coming to a complete stop just before the white line at a stop sign, or before the intersection if there was no white line at the sign, counting slowly up to about 4 before moving forward again. And if vision was blocked while stopped at the white line, one had to go forward a little, come to a complete stop and count again before moving on. The emphasis was on the complete stop then pause, done without use of handbrake.

And flipflops or bare feet are dangerous when driving as the foot can slide backwards and off the brake when braking. Or worse yet, the flipflop can get stuck under the gas pedal. Accidents have happened because of this. And I nearly had an accident once while driving in high heels because the foot can't press the brake down to the floor when a high heel keeps the foot away from the floor. When I was working and had to wear heels, I learned to keep a pair of flat slipon shoes in the car and change into heels when I arrived at work.

[ilyadis]

You can be fined and loose points for not stopping at a stop line or sign( even if you can see that you can go clearly ) . The Guardia , in particular use this a lot . Think you will find details of this on Motorworld web site , follow the link in my signaTure or if not on DGt site regarding fines and points etc but that's of course in Spanish .


That s very true i had a fine, in Lanzarote just out side my friend house i was living turning to the right there is a stop sign it was clear no one was coming , just continue to drive , next think they were waiting around the corner , and find me not stopping on stop sign. we have to be very carefull now.

[john b]

Thank you all for the replies. It seems that there is no law, and it would be unlikely the police could see the handbrake, especially in a modern car with an electric one!

[peaches2012]

Oh gosh we're going over next week and hiring a car, now I'm worried I will do something wrong and get fined :dontknow:

SO what is the best advice? Always use the handbrake (if i remember as i'm not used to it) ? Always to complete stop at stop sign.

Can I get the roundabout rules please? Or have I opened a can of worms :lol:

[cainaries]

This is a very informative thread! This explains why when I took my car to the garage to ask them to tighten up the handbrake because it wasn't working all that well they told me I didn't need to bother to fix it as I didn't need to use it! It also explains why every car on a hill here rolls back a few feet at the traffic lights. What a weird law!

[Medanoman]

Drive as you would in the uk , i.e. stop at a stop sign.

as for the roundabouts , The Canarians way of tackling a 2 or 3 lane roundabout is to ignore the existence of the other one or 2 lanes. One always goes in the outside lane here regardless of the exit you want to take. It could be first exit or last, or perhaps you don't know where you are going, you should then circulate in the outside lane. Everyone sticks to the outside lane. As a visitor you should not try and re write the laws of the canarian goat trail or "camino de Cabras"

If like the reckless English driver you are , you enter a roundabout with the intention of taking the third exit. i.e. you approach in the left hand lane to take a left turn around the roundabout to take the 3rd exit you will reach a point where you will have to change from inside lane to outside lane. This is where you will find that no one will let you in/out. One should not worry . just raise hands over head in the traditional Canarian sign of exasperation and the canarian drivers will give way once they realize you are driving a hire car.

Hire cars here normally have prominent signs on them, not to advertise the services of the hire car , more to act as danger flags to the locals.

I am just being tongue in cheek you will be fine...

[Vortex Wake]

Woot stop sign :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hy0RGR5Tug&feature=youtube_gdata_player