Latest on driving in Spain.

Those of us who experience Spain know full-well that nothing of any significance happens during any August (ask anybody on a hospital waiting list). Anybody who thought the UK driving licence issue would be resolved quickly (even outside of August) doesn't know Spanish bureaucracy either. Spain is what it is and has been doing the same for hundreds of years. Any interference by foreign nationals to try and change this is usually treated with contempt. Spain has enough problems of its own, you know!

But, if you wish to drive legally and soonest please do a driving test in Spain. But, don't be unfriendly towards to Driving Tester.

I'm in Mojacar still having toured the greater Andalucía region (and much more) in our new campervan. Some Brits are using their campervans too and our convoys are reduced in size as we don't wish to alienate anybody (many cyclists do enough to tantalise other road users already).  We meet people everywhere and by far the most discussed subject is the Spanish Driving Licence issue for Brit expats. Most of you know I'm an unrelenting softie with little street-cred. But, the Brit-in-Spain has been "sold-a-sooner" by the Tories and now know that driving licence  negotiations will continue for quite some time and the end is not near. 

My advice is to be patient and this and some other issues will eventually get resolved. Bear in mind that it wasn't the Spaniards that started this and like most other people don't like to be dictated to by non Spanish people. It is their country; they were a world power some years ago and have spent hundreds of years coming to terms with their non world dominance. 

This is a minor issue for Spaniards; they have enough problems of their own (high inflation, unemployment, health-care etc). The last thing they need is us trying to run their country. 

If I hear one more moan about this, I'm going to lose my shit. I only holiday at my place in Spain, so it has no affect on me. But Jeezus.

When people knew that they had to exchange their licences by a certain date, and didn't, I have zero sympathy for the whingers and whiners who couldn't be arsed, thought they could ignore the rules, whatever excuse they have.

You live in Spain, abide by their rules or come back to the Shithole that is the UK.

You want to drive legally? go take a Spanish driving test. It can't be hard looking at how the majority of Spanish drive.

It's probably what I'll have to do if we turn holidays into a permanent arrangement.

And to keep you all abreast, here’s the latest from UK Embassy in Madrid

*Driving licence negotiations*

The negotiations remain a top priority and teams are working hard to conclude them as quickly as possible. In the last two weeks, we have made further progress on the annexes and we and DfT are currently waiting for the Spanish to come back to us on some outstanding points. As soon as we have anything further to update on, we will let you know. 

So there you have it - status quo.  I recall saying when they were gaily announcing resolution by the end of July that sod-all happens in August.  People will start coming back from vacations now, but beings they haven’t even finished fine tuning the Annexes, let alone got in front of either of the parliaments, I’d say there’s at least another 6 - 8 weeks before this is resolved - and that’s only if a new Tory leader and Prime Minister on Monday doesn’t try and stamp her own mark of authority and scupper things completely. 

. . . . full of the milk of human kindness Geordie. I hope my campervan is not in front of you at busy traffic lights in Newcastle when the lights turn green. Good knows what you'd do to me when I wouldn't take off at a millisecond beyond green!

They wouldn't let you in.

. . . . Touché! - Good Reply .

So you only holiday here in Spain so that gives you the right to comment on something that doesn’t really effect you or shouldn’t concern you but you felt the need to make a blasé comment!

You don’t know the reasons why people here in Spain haven’t been able to exchange their licences for a Spanish one. I agree residents that have lived here for a number of years have no real excuse for not changing their licence, but in a lot of circumstances there is a legitimate reason why this has not been possible.

So before you start “losing your shit” take a moment to put your brain into gear and stop thinking about yourself, there are genuine residents that are suffering through no fault of their own. 

If people have a genuine reason that they couldn't exchange their licence, fair enough. But genuine reason or not, the rules were made plain and simple to everyone. I was in UK and I knew, so why did those resident in Spain not know?. 

As for whether it concerns me or not, well I do have an opinion and as an as a member of this forum, have every right to voice it. Same as you do.

But these whingers and whiners do more to alienate the Brits from normal everyday Spanish people as they come across as arrogant and entitled so and so's thinking that Spain owes them something. Err wake up, they owe you nothing!

I try to be respectful to my hosts when I visit Spain. I'm the visitor in their country, its only right.

I've have put my brain in gear and I've decided that a lot of people have just took the piss and buried their heads in the sand.

Maybe you should be more considered in your reply.