Heading to Spain

[Scorpy]

Hi All
Heading to Spain on 9th Septemeber via Portsmouth-anyone else on this boat?
Slight problem is, can't find out if the 48hr health test is for getting on the boat (ie 10pm 9th Sept) or arriving in Spain (8am 11th September) Cuts it a bit fine for us as 48hrs previous is about the time we should be leaving home for the ferry and didn't really want to be messing about printing QR codes as we're trying to load/hitch the van up.
Also I believe we can't take any foodstuffs or dairy products into Spain now-just wondering, does anyone come and check your fridge at Santander?-anyone got any up to date experiences?
Thanks
Mike

 

[PTA]

We arrived in Bilbao last week having jettisoned all questionable foodstuffs. Absolutely nobody checked anything. Checks at Portsmouth were solely related to NHS vaccination QR code (without which you cannot board ship ) and the Spanish Passenger Locator form. Because we were going on to Portugal we also booked PCR tests at Boots in Fareham. We have never been asked for PCR test results anywhere!

 

[Beachball]

We arrived in Bilbao last week having jettisoned all questionable foodstuffs. Absolutely nobody checked anything. Checks at Portsmouth were solely related to NHS vaccination QR code (without which you cannot board ship ) and the Spanish Passenger Locator form. Because we were going on to Portugal we also booked PCR tests at Boots in Fareham. We have never been asked for PCR test results anywhere!

I hope you have a fantastic time enjoy

 

[Ern]

Hi All
Heading to Spain on 9th Septemeber via Portsmouth-anyone else on this boat?
Slight problem is, can't find out if the 48hr health test is for getting on the boat (ie 10pm 9th Sept) or arriving in Spain (8am 11th September) Cuts it a bit fine for us as 48hrs previous is about the time we should be leaving home for the ferry and didn't really want to be messing about printing QR codes as we're trying to load/hitch the van up.
Also I believe we can't take any foodstuffs or dairy products into Spain now-just wondering, does anyone come and check your fridge at Santander?-anyone got any up to date experiences?
Thanks
Mike

There are a couple of threads running on Caravan Talk Forum which are very informative.
Have a good trip.

 

[Scorpy]

We arrived in Bilbao last week having jettisoned all questionable foodstuffs. Absolutely nobody checked anything. Checks at Portsmouth were solely related to NHS vaccination QR code (without which you cannot board ship ) and the Spanish Passenger Locator form. Because we were going on to Portugal we also booked PCR tests at Boots in Fareham. We have never been asked for PCR test results anywhere!

Hi & thanks for reply. We have all the documentation, (which I may have to update on day of travel for 48hr window!) and the new UK plates etc and we are going to leave our fridge empty apart from the Mrs's medication so as not to create any reason for obstacles.
Best play it 100% safe with this being our first post Brexit/Covid trip!
I'll post how things pan out!
Mike & Jackie

 

[Scorpy]

I hope you have a fantastic time enjoy

thanks

 

[PTA]

I agree. Better to play safe. Like you we have affixed new UK plates. A waste of time tbh. Nobody gives a monkeys'. Plenty of "foreign " cars here with no nationality plates and UK cars with EU plates and zero nationality plates.
Enjoy your holiday! We are loving it here.....and feel entirely safe.

 

[Hutch]

I agree. Better to play safe. Like you we have affixed new UK plates. A waste of time tbh. Nobody gives a monkeys'. Plenty of "foreign " cars here with no nationality plates and UK cars with EU plates and zero nationality plates.
Enjoy your holiday! We are loving it here.....and feel entirely safe.

Thats true, until the local Plod hit you with a €100 fine, as a friends wife got . In Southern France.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Scorpy,
I have never caravanned abroad so I can't comment on what you MIGHT get away with, but I question why you should want to get away with anything. It has always been necessary to make additional preparations before travelling abroad, and even when we were part of the EU, it still needed careful planning for example making sure your insurance cover was adequate, Most still took passports, and for some countries you needed to have certain inoculations, so why obtaining the vaccination record or sorting what you are permitted to carry or not should be viewed as an onerous activity is very strange.

I echo Hutches comment, and why on earth anyone would want to risk fines or worse for carrying contraband into other countries I don't know.

Follow the rules and avoid awkward situations.

 

[Hutch]

Hello Scorpy,
I have never caravanned abroad so I can't comment on what you MIGHT get away with, but I question why you should want to get away with anything. It has always been necessary to make additional preparations before travelling abroad, and even when we were part of the EU, it still needed careful planning for example making sure your insurance cover was adequate, Most still took passports, and for some countries you needed to have certain inoculations, so why obtaining the vaccination record or sorting what you are permitted to carry or not should be viewed as an onerous activity is very strange.

I echo Hutches comment, and why on earth anyone would want to risk fines or worse for carrying contraband into other countries I don't know.

Follow the rules and avoid awkward situations.

Thanks Prof, when we were traveĺing to Switzerland frequently, we were only allowed 1 kg og meat each plus 1 days travel meat.and although we were only stopped twice out of 12 times the authoritys checked. Maybe they wanted a good BBQ.

 

[Scorpy]

Hi
I wasn't trying to get away with anything.
On the contrary I was emphasising that you are no longer allowed to take Dairy or meat products into Spain or any EU country for that matter. I was simply asking if anyone had experience of the Border Force in Spain physically coming on and checking the contents of the fridge!
I have no intention whatsoever of risking any fines to 'Try and get away with' anything.
The only thing we will be carrying in our fridge on Thursday will be my wifes medication which we also have NHS proof in writing that she has to have it kept cold and some cans of Guinness.
Having travelled all over Europe, with a Motorhome/Caravan many times over many years, I always make sure we are adequatley insured for health, breakdowns, repatriatation etc and we always carry our Passports & EHIC cards.
My lights dip to both the left or the right.
Furthermore, I have fitted UK plates to the car & caravan to comply with the new rules, which then throws up another question. Are we actually breaking the law with UK plates as the current GB ones are the law until 27th September then UK plates must be fitted from the 28th?!
I have decided put UK sticker on numberplate & to leave the GB sticker on the Caravan until 27th and then cover it with a UK plate-I don't want the Spanish Police pulling me thinking I am not complying with their laws. Not worth risking in my opinion
Mike

 

[otherclive]

Hi
I wasn't trying to get away with anything.
On the contrary I was emphasising that you are no longer allowed to take Dairy or meat products into Spain or any EU country for that matter. I was simply asking if anyone had experience of the Border Force in Spain physically coming on and checking the contents of the fridge!
I have no intention whatsoever of risking any fines to 'Try and get away with' anything.
The only thing we will be carrying in our fridge on Thursday will be my wifes medication which we also have NHS proof in writing that she has to have it kept cold and some cans of Guinness.
Having travelled all over Europe, with a Motorhome/Caravan many times over many years, I always make sure we are adequatley insured for health, breakdowns, repatriatation etc and we always carry our Passports & EHIC cards.
My lights dip to both the left or the right.
Furthermore, I have fitted UK plates to the car & caravan to comply with the new rules, which then throws up another question. Are we actually breaking the law with UK plates as the current GB ones are the law until 27th September then UK plates must be fitted from the 28th?!
I have decided put UK sticker on numberplate & to leave the GB sticker on the Caravan until 27th and then cover it with a UK plate-I don't want the Spanish Police pulling me thinking I am not complying with their laws. Not worth risking in my opinion
Mike

I think your proposal for the plates is pragmatic, duct tape for number plates, plus large stickers on car and van should do the job in the event of any complications. Good luck.

 

[Buckman]

We are a bit naughty. The first time we went to France we fitted the deflectors for the lights. On subsequent trips we never bothered although I do have them in the car. Apparently it is not law on the Continent to have them fitted however in our case we never saw the need and that was before we found out it was not law anyway?
We avoid driving at night even in the UK mainly due to these new type of headlights on some cars that blind you because they are so bright even on dip!

 

[ProfJohnL]

According to

https://www.headlampconverters.co.uk/

"Are Headlamp Converters Compulsory in France?

Yes they are compulsory. It is the law in France and most other mainland European countries that UK cars fit these headlight beam deflectors. This is simply to make sure you don’t cause an accident by dazzling oncoming traffic.

They do have to be fitted even if you are only driving during daytime. Failure to comply with this law is going to mean that you can suffer a hefty on the spot fine as it's a legal requirement while driving in France. Remember even during daylight hours, you MUST divert the beam of your headlights to make sure you do not dazzle oncoming traffic."

This website does not mince its words, and I doubt they wold use words like compulsory if it wasn't the law.

 

[Beachball]

According to

https://www.headlampconverters.co.uk/

"Are Headlamp Converters Compulsory in France?

Yes they are compulsory. It is the law in France and most other mainland European countries that UK cars fit these headlight beam deflectors. This is simply to make sure you don’t cause an accident by dazzling oncoming traffic.

They do have to be fitted even if you are only driving during daytime. Failure to comply with this law is going to mean that you can suffer a hefty on the spot fine as it's a legal requirement while driving in France. Remember even during daylight hours, you MUST divert the beam of your headlights to make sure you do not dazzle oncoming traffic."

This website does not mince its words, and I doubt they wold use words like compulsory if it wasn't the law.

Hi Prof Thanks i will have to get some before we go to France

 

[Buckman]

According to

https://www.headlampconverters.co.uk/

"Are Headlamp Converters Compulsory in France?

Yes they are compulsory. It is the law in France and most other mainland European countries that UK cars fit these headlight beam deflectors. This is simply to make sure you don’t cause an accident by dazzling oncoming traffic.

They do have to be fitted even if you are only driving during daytime. Failure to comply with this law is going to mean that you can suffer a hefty on the spot fine as it's a legal requirement while driving in France. Remember even during daylight hours, you MUST divert the beam of your headlights to make sure you do not dazzle oncoming traffic."

This website does not mince its words, and I doubt they wold use words like compulsory if it wasn't the law.

Then that site is totally incorrect as there is no such legislation in France. That site is there to use fear tos ell their goods. The actual offence refers to the headlights being positioned in such a way that it dazzles or blinds oncoming motorists.
I admit I thought the same until I was quoted a direct translation of the French legislation from someone living in France. That makes more sense than having legislation aimed specifically at drivers of British vehicles.

 

[Scorpy]

It is true that 'converters' are not compulsory. However, Headlights must dip to the right in Europe & that is compulsory. Consequently unless you have headlights which will alter the dip direction, you do need converters.
As for only driving at night, that isn't a valid reason as it is also compulsory in some EU member states (if not all) that Headlights are compulsory in bad weather, ie rain, snow, fog and they must dip to the right so if you'r driving through the day even and it is bad weather you still need them.
Hope this helps
Mike

 

[Buckman]

It is true that 'converters' are not compulsory. However, Headlights must dip to the right in Europe & that is compulsory. Consequently unless you have headlights which will alter the dip direction, you do need converters.
As for only driving at night, that isn't a valid reason as it is also compulsory in some EU member states (if not all) that Headlights are compulsory in bad weather, ie rain, snow, fog and they must dip to the right so if you'r driving through the day even and it is bad weather you still need them.
Hope this helps
Mike

The above is 100% correct, but it never rains on the continent in summer. LOL! As said we do carry them in the car.

 

[ProfJohnL]

If the local legislation says that the headlights must dip to the right, then its is a natural consequence that British cars must have the deflectors fitted to comply with the local construction and use laws.

Having them in the car would not be a defence, they should be fitted. If you know enough to have obtained the deflectors, why temp fate by not using them?

 

[Ern]

I understand that European spec cars have a central dip. Uk cars with left dip can have deflectors fitted, which simply cut the light from the left side.

 

[Gafferbill]

Never understood why vehicles built for the UK market aren't fitted with central dipping headlights the same as European vehicles.

 

[otherclive]

Never understood why vehicles built for the UK market aren't fitted with central dipping headlights the same as European vehicles.

I don’t know why but I much prefer mine dipping to the left as it makes night driving on our minor A roads and below a bit easier in that it helps picking up the edge.

 

[Buckman]

I don’t know why but I much prefer mine dipping to the left as it makes night driving on our minor A roads and below a bit easier in that it helps picking up the edge.

Is it actually a law that headlights need to dip to the left or is it a preference? I agree about being able to see the edge of the road as on many rural roads the edge is broken and you can hit a large hole at the side of the road.

 

[Beachball]

I don’t know why but I much prefer mine dipping to the left as it makes night driving on our minor A roads and below a bit easier in that it helps picking up the edge.

I am in agreement with you picking up the edge that is helpful

 

[Ern]

Our Tiguan has an option in the settings to switch from continental to UK dip. One dark evening I sat with my lights facing a wall on a nearby industrial estate, and by switching I was able to see the difference. It was hardly noticeable.