Driving licence update - if you can call it that!

i thought there was going to news at the start of this month regarding driving in spain

MichaelC wrote:Without going into timescales and who has done this or that, why has Spain got any issues with exchanging UK driving licenses?

You can go and live virtually anywhere in the world and host countries accept UK driving standards are sufficient to allow straight exchanges. So why has Spain got an issue when its own driving standards appear below those in many other countries, such as the US, Australia, New Zealand and even many Asian countries.

Recognising someone's basic driving ability if a long term license holder from a major country seems completely reasonable.

Or this just all just about being unnecessarily difficult because the UK left the EU?

I often wonder why people actually come to Spain if they have the attitude that the Spanish are constantly trying to rip off the Brits and make life hard for them. Whether it's the charging for air (which, of course, they only do to Brits), some seem to think they have two menus - 1 with prices for Brits and 1 for the Spanish - or they try to make things difficult for us.

Firstly, the Spanish driving test is one of the hardest in Europe. OK, they may change after they have passed but if you think UK drivers are paragons of advanced driving then you need to take your sunny glasses off and see the reality. Many of the drivers round here who regularly speed, don't use indicators or come too close are actually Brits. And after visiting UK fairly recently I don't think I've seen much worse driving anywhere.

The Spanish authorities bent over backwards to assist Brits in regularising their status. There was advice from Moncloa (in English) all over the web, we were sent letters explaining what to do and they even opened up special centres with English speaking personnel to do all those things.

Prior to Brexit (and this has been explained several times) the Spanish had access to DVLA records. There were many, and mainly Brits, who were skipping the country without paying fines and so on. When you applied for a Spanish licence (and that was very easy) they had access to records at the DVLA and all well and good.

Now, after Brexit, UK has said this breaches data protection and will no longer give Spain access to those records. Why it was not against data protection before Brexit I have no idea. This is the sticking point. Whilst Britain refuses to open up the records then Spain has the perfect right to say no. It accesses the records throughout the rest of the EU but it is up to individual countries to lay down what they require.

Of course, kicking the Brits down because they withdrew from the EU is the typical thought process of many even though that is not the reason. Just a big chip on the shoulder and, as I said, I often wonder why people even bother to come to Spain with an attitude like that unless they are just being happy when they are miserable and find something else to complain about.

Now enjoy the rest of your forum.

marcliff wrote:

MichaelC wrote:Without going into timescales and who has done this or that, why has Spain got any issues with exchanging UK driving licenses?

You can go and live virtually anywhere in the world and host countries accept UK driving standards are sufficient to allow straight exchanges. So why has Spain got an issue when its own driving standards appear below those in many other countries, such as the US, Australia, New Zealand and even many Asian countries.

Recognising someone's basic driving ability if a long term license holder from a major country seems completely reasonable.

Or this just all just about being unnecessarily difficult because the UK left the EU?

I often wonder why people actually come to Spain if they have the attitude that the Spanish are constantly trying to rip off the Brits and make life hard for them. Whether it's the charging for air (which, of course, they only do to Brits), some seem to think they have two menus - 1 with prices for Brits and 1 for the Spanish - or they try to make things difficult for us.

Firstly, the Spanish driving test is one of the hardest in Europe. OK, they may change after they have passed but if you think UK drivers are paragons of advanced driving then you need to take your sunny glasses off and see the reality. Many of the drivers round here who regularly speed, don't use indicators or come too close are actually Brits. And after visiting UK fairly recently I don't think I've seen much worse driving anywhere.

The Spanish authorities bent over backwards to assist Brits in regularising their status. There was advice from Moncloa (in English) all over the web, we were sent letters explaining what to do and they even opened up special centres with English speaking personnel to do all those things.

Prior to Brexit (and this has been explained several times) the Spanish had access to DVLA records. There were many, and mainly Brits, who were skipping the country without paying fines and so on. When you applied for a Spanish licence (and that was very easy) they had access to records at the DVLA and all well and good.

Now, after Brexit, UK has said this breaches data protection and will no longer give Spain access to those records. Why it was not against data protection before Brexit I have no idea. This is the sticking point. Whilst Britain refuses to open up the records then Spain has the perfect right to say no. It accesses the records throughout the rest of the EU but it is up to individual countries to lay down what they require.

Of course, kicking the Brits down because they withdrew from the EU is the typical thought process of many even though that is not the reason. Just a big chip on the shoulder and, as I said, I often wonder why people even bother to come to Spain with an attitude like that unless they are just being happy when they are miserable and find something else to complain about.

Now enjoy the rest of your forum.

marcliff wrote:
Now, after Brexit, UK has said this breaches data protection and will no longer give Spain access to those records…. This is the sticking point. Whilst Britain refuses to open up the records then Spain has the perfect right to say no. It accesses the records throughout the rest of the EU but it is up to individual countries to lay down what they require.

Now enjoy the rest of your forum.

Brilliant. Thank you marcliff.

I agree with what Marcliff says, but in addition to exchanging my UK license to a Spanish one, I have held licenses in 4 other countries.

None of those countries required a UK license holder to take an actual driving test after they had been driving for many years.

Whilst part of the EU, there was no issue exchanging s UK license for a Spanish one and the UK driving standards where accepted.

I indeed exchanged mine like I have on 4 other occasions for a Spanish one.

I also have little time for those who failed to exchange their licenses despite all the warning and information and a clear deadline.

However, that said, just because the UK left the EU, does that mean thr UK driving standards have suddenly dropped so no longer good enough?

As said, most countries outside the EU accept UK licenses in straight exchange.

It's not, and never has been, about competency!

If you think that then you've missed the point entirely!

Nothing new here but out of interest:

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/u ... g-licenses

marcliff wrote:

MichaelC wrote:Without going into timescales and who has done this or that, why has Spain got any issues with exchanging UK driving licenses?

You can go and live virtually anywhere in the world and host countries accept UK driving standards are sufficient to allow straight exchanges. So why has Spain got an issue when its own driving standards appear below those in many other countries, such as the US, Australia, New Zealand and even many Asian countries.

Recognising someone's basic driving ability if a long term license holder from a major country seems completely reasonable.

Or this just all just about being unnecessarily difficult because the UK left the EU?

I often wonder why people actually come to Spain if they have the attitude that the Spanish are constantly trying to rip off the Brits and make life hard for them. Whether it's the charging for air (which, of course, they only do to Brits), some seem to think they have two menus - 1 with prices for Brits and 1 for the Spanish - or they try to make things difficult for us.

Firstly, the Spanish driving test is one of the hardest in Europe. OK, they may change after they have passed but if you think UK drivers are paragons of advanced driving then you need to take your sunny glasses off and see the reality. Many of the drivers round here who regularly speed, don't use indicators or come too close are actually Brits. And after visiting UK fairly recently I don't think I've seen much worse driving anywhere.

The Spanish authorities bent over backwards to assist Brits in regularising their status. There was advice from Moncloa (in English) all over the web, we were sent letters explaining what to do and they even opened up special centres with English speaking personnel to do all those things.

Prior to Brexit (and this has been explained several times) the Spanish had access to DVLA records. There were many, and mainly Brits, who were skipping the country without paying fines and so on. When you applied for a Spanish licence (and that was very easy) they had access to records at the DVLA and all well and good.

Now, after Brexit, UK has said this breaches data protection and will no longer give Spain access to those records. Why it was not against data protection before Brexit I have no idea. This is the sticking point. Whilst Britain refuses to open up the records then Spain has the perfect right to say no. It accesses the records throughout the rest of the EU but it is up to individual countries to lay down what they require.

Of course, kicking the Brits down because they withdrew from the EU is the typical thought process of many even though that is not the reason. Just a big chip on the shoulder and, as I said, I often wonder why people even bother to come to Spain with an attitude like that unless they are just being happy when they are miserable and find something else to complain about.

Now enjoy the rest of your forum.

Brilliant post.