Incorrect speeds limits for Spain?

Surfer
Surfer Club Member Posts: 1,303
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For Spain the CC have the following on their website;

Car + caravan under 3.5t 50mph, 80km/h 44-50mph, 70-80km/h
Car + caravan over 3.5t 62mph, 100km/h 50mph, 80km/h
Motorhome under 3.5t 62mph, 100km/h 50-56mph, 80-90km/h
Motorhome over 3.5t 56mph, 90km/h 50mph, 80km/h

Surely it should be 62mph for units under 3.5t and 50mph for units over 3.5t?  If I am correct this is a major error by the CC and should be rectified urgently!

 

 

Comments

  • regiushightop
    regiushightop Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited October 2017 #2

    I agree with you that, considering the club prides itself on technical accuracy the official webpage

    https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/overseas-holidays/planning-your-route/european-speed-limits/

    is HIGHLY ambiguous.  You can get more detailed information from Wikipedia! 

    For instance, the club table classes motorcaravans as <3.5T or >3.5T.  What about the thousands of club members like myself who have car-derived campervans?    We are ignored.  My outfit is a high-top. What significance has this for speed limits in European countries? 

    The CC's website search facility is pants.  I have complained about it before.  I tried four different variations of 'speed limits in Europe' and it came up with thousands of hits mostly of camping sites in the U.K. !   Obviously the algorithm for the site has been weighted by the web-people  to sell pitches.

    When I resorted to trying to email the club under 'contact' the site forced me into a gmail option and did not give an email contact address for me to use in my usual web-mail which is registered with the club.  Whilst I do have a gmail surely the club's website should be joined-up and link enquiries with the member's registered email address?  

    Anyway I thought I'd waste some more of my time scanning the forum in case I got some info out of that but no joy yet and I spotted your complaint and thought I'd leave my comments on it to see if one of those whom our membership keeps in work will deign to provide what must be a very fundamental aspect of camping and caravanning. Accurate, reliable speed limits throughout Europe!

     

  • regiushightop
    regiushightop Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited October 2017 #3

    Decided to resort to Google.

    Within minutes found this website:

    https://www.drive-alive.co.uk/driving/

    which has all the information you could ever want on European speed limits.  Click on the country link for lots of additional restrictions which the club misses out, such as dropping the speed by 10kmph in France when it rains.

    The club might just ask them if they could copy it.

     

     

     

     

  • Surfer
    Surfer Club Member Posts: 1,303
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    edited October 2017 #4

    What is even more amazing as the post is over 6 weeks old and no comment from the CC or one of the moderators regarding a major bit of misinformation!

    This makes you wonder what else they have wrong and if any member has incurred a fine because of misinformation?

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2017 #5

    Posted in August and only just "noticed" by any onesurprised

  • Unknown
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    edited October 2017 #6
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  • Surfer
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    edited October 2017 #7

    By the same token the signs do not differentiate between solo cars and cars towing a caravan over 12m or 3.5t so obviously for that purpose they are no good.  However the post is about why the CC are posting incorrect information?

  • Unknown
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    edited October 2017 #8
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  • Vicmallows
    Vicmallows Forum Participant Posts: 580
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    edited October 2017 #9

    That's what I understand too.  However 80km/h  IS slow, and will certainly annoy other drivers on the busy urban sections of motorways. 90-100km/hr is much more realistic.

    OTOH  on some of the hilly sections, I am probably below the MINIMUM motorway speed!  ...... but still overtake some of the really heavy trucks.

  • Unknown
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    edited October 2017 #10
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  • Surfer
    Surfer Club Member Posts: 1,303
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    edited October 2017 #11

    I think we are losing focus on the PO which is that the CC are posting incorrect information.  Has it been corrected?  BTW in France I am sure that we can tow at 55mph even though our unit is over 3.5t.

  • Unknown
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    edited October 2017 #12
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  • Surfer
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    edited October 2017 #13

    Again very bad wording by the CC as it should really read that if the combination or unit is over 3.5 ton then the speed is restricted to 50mph.  I regard a unit as being the car + caravan.

    What else have they got wrong and have not bothered to correct?

  • Jaydug
    Jaydug Forum Participant Posts: 52
    edited October 2017 #14

    Here are some more speed limits for Spain taken from the ACSI sites directory (Page 524)

    On motorways towed caravans can do 90kph/56mph.

    Motor vans  under 3.5T can do 100kph/62mph.

    On non-Motorways towed caravans do 70kph/44mph 

    Motorvans under 3.5T can do 80kph/50mph 

    Although I've been towing caravans in Spain for 24 years I must admit that I've always believed that the speed limit was 80kph/50mph.  

  • Wex
    Wex Forum Participant Posts: 139
    edited October 2017 #15

    If I really wanted the CMC to take notice and change something, I'd send a reasoned argument direct to them. Complaining on a Forum isn't likely to cut it.

    Personally, I view this sort of detail as useful information but, having never read the CMC information in such detail, I have never been misled by it and I suspect that's the same for a vast number of others. I just use the signs in whatever country I'm in, having also researched their driving rules in advance (but not via CMC).

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited October 2017 #16

    And even up to date sat nags get caught out with altered speed limits on uk roads

  • Unknown
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    edited October 2017 #17
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  • Vicmallows
    Vicmallows Forum Participant Posts: 580
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    edited October 2017 #18

    The real problem seems to be that there is conflicting information wherever you look.  It is quite possible that the detailed regulations have changed over time, and some sources may now be out of date.

    Official sources, if you can find them, will be in Spanish. Google Translate may make a good effort, but it is not yet up to the subtle interpretation needed for legal situations.

    We really need the help of a native Spanish caravaner who genuinely understands the regulations.  (Is it also possible that different regions of Spain have differing motoring rules??).

  • Wex
    Wex Forum Participant Posts: 139
    edited October 2017 #19

    Good point AD. Let's see if this one is picked up.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2017 #20

    I have reported the thread with the following comments 

    Please can this information on the website be examined and amended if necessary? Could you also please acknowledge this is being investigated by commenting on the thread? Thank you

    Hopefully they'll be some response but I know Rowena is at NEC.

  • Surfer
    Surfer Club Member Posts: 1,303
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    edited October 2017 #21

    As our combined unit is over 12m we have the reflector plate son the rear of the caravan.  Also as the combined unit is over 3.5t we have always stuck to 80kph (50mph) as I was told that is the law in Spain.

  • RowenaBCAMC
    RowenaBCAMC Forum Participant Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2017 #22

    Thank you for reporting the post. I have forwarded this to the travel team to be investigated. 

  • Surfer
    Surfer Club Member Posts: 1,303
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    edited October 2017 #23

    Thank you for getting it resolved, but I am wondering why it has taken 2 months for the information to be corrected as surely this could have had a serious impact on someone visiting Spain thinking the speed limit for units over 3.5t were higher?

  • Wex
    Wex Forum Participant Posts: 139
    edited October 2017 #24

    It's being reviewed. Let's not get into the whole 'too little, too late' thing.