# Securing stuff on the back seat of the car



## JaneyO (Sep 24, 2012)

A friend told me he's heard it is now the law that shopping bags etc on the back seat of the car have to be secured with the seat belts. As most people round here don't even bother strapping the kids in I was rather surprised to say the least. Anyone else heard about this?


----------



## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Totally agree about kids not being strapped in!!

I have heard that it is not permitted to put your shopping on the back set - but not the bit about the seat belts. It makes sense though - you wouldn't want to get brained by a case of rioja if you turned the car over.

We put all our shopping in the back bit behind the anti-dog grille which is also obligatory if you carry dogs or you can strap them in on the back seat.

The only thing we put on the back seat is a 12 volt cool box - strapped in by the seat belt.

We also get replacement gas bottles. These I put zipped up in an old suitcase (the floppy kind) on the back seat with the seatbelt around it and through the handles. This is safe enough but probably still illegal.


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

There was new road safety law passed in July, but strapping in your shopping wasn't mentioned!

However the laws on safety seats for children HAVE been strengthened, as there are other measures like compulsory helmets for cyclists under 18.

There will also be an increase in the speed limit to 130 kph on certain roads and increased fines for drink-driving.

The changes come into effect at the end of the year.

Cómo son las novedades de la nueva Ley de Tráfico - Educación vial - Motor - Practicopedia.com


----------



## JaneyO (Sep 24, 2012)

jimenato said:


> Totally agree about kids not being strapped in!!
> 
> I have heard that it is not permitted to put your shopping on the back set - but not the bit about the seat belts. It makes sense though - you wouldn't want to get brained by a case of rioja if you turned the car over.
> 
> ...


Oooohhh! Brained by a case of Rioja- what a way to go!


----------



## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

No brainer for me... that is, I don't have a brain... so send the Rioja my way.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

'A friend told me'........all new immigrants should take such with a hge pinch of salt.


----------



## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

My daughter's currently studying for her car license here and she says it's not in the current rules nor due to come into force.


----------



## Aron (Apr 30, 2013)

JaneyO said:


> A friend told me he's heard it is now the law that shopping bags etc on the back seat of the car have to be secured with the seat belts. As most people round here don't even bother strapping the kids in I was rather surprised to say the least. Anyone else heard about this?


Not heard about it, and all the locals here strap their kids in the car and have the correct booster seating.


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

There is a sort of catch-all rule about not having things loose on the back seat that could distract the driver and/or lead to dangerous driving - I remember it from when we were discussing bombonas, or maybe it was dogs?

So I guess if you are stopped by a grumpy GC looking for something to catch you out, loose Rioja might just cop you a fine. They have a ridiculous amount of discretion on how they interpret the rules.


----------



## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Just over the border into Almeria.,The wild west, they've been doing it for ages.

No shopping on any seat even with seat belt around it
Nothing slid through from back to front on the floor. 
All fined as 'insecure' loading. 
No shoes without backs.
No arm hanging out of window. ( Normally only a summer one this )
No driving without a shirt. ( Mainly spaniards get stuck with this one.
Failing to stop at a stop sign for 4 seconds ! Yes , the GC here consider that to be the only true 'stop'.
Dazzling a GC officer. Normally not dipping quick enough . He's normally got to have the right hump for you to get caught with this one. I only know of one person done for this & he was an old spaniard.


They just make them up.

Why do manufacturers fit armrests in the rear of many vehicles & advertise that it is for 'Keeping your ski's secure' ?
Why do they fit seats that fold down if not to allow loading on top?
Why do they make the seats completely removable if not to allow floor to ceiling, front to back loading ?
All these vehicles are EC homologated so if by removing all the seats for loading they become illegal , why do they not have to supply restraints behind the front seats ?

When you point out to them that a Spanish 'furgoneta'(van) has to have a partition behind the drivers seat to prevent the load coming forward but if you buy the same vehicle as 'mixto-adaptable' ( combined van/passengers ) there is no requirement to have a partition behind the rear-most passengers even though you can still transport goods; the only reply is a shrug .:lol:


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

gus-lopez said:


> Just over the border into Almeria.,The wild west, they've been doing it for ages.
> 
> No shopping on any seat even with seat belt around it
> Nothing slid through from back to front on the floor.
> ...



same around here, pretty much - for years, as you say


----------



## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

I drove a VW Transporter van for many years here with no partition behind the seats. Got stopped loads of times and put it through at least 6 ITVs. No problem


----------



## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

jimenato said:


> I drove a VW Transporter van for many years here with no partition behind the seats. Got stopped loads of times and put it through at least 6 ITVs. No problem


Yes , it's amazing what you can get away with when they aren't bothered. 
the van we ued to use for work , a vw Lt 28 , we fitted a big aluminium step to the back doubling as bumper & wide step. After 14 itv's ,last october they decided it wasn't 'as homologated' & my friend had to refit the 2 half-bumpers.:lol:

I've just been to feed someone's dogs & as I stopped I remembered another one.
Folding in electric wing mirrors whilst moving to get through a gap caused by an illegally parked vehicle ; that wasn't possible to get through with them out.
I do this one all the time. :lol:
You can't make them up.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

We must have a totally different kind of police round here. 
All the forces - Local, Nacional, GC - must either be very laid-back, easy-going or have a different mindset to that described in other posts.
I have never heard of anyone being fined for the 'offences' mentioned in these posts.
Long may it continue to be so.


----------



## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> We must have a totally different kind of police round here.
> All the forces - Local, Nacional, GC - must either be very laid-back, easy-going or have a different mindset to that described in other posts.
> I have never heard of anyone being fined for the 'offences' mentioned in these posts.
> Long may it continue to be so.


Don't come to the Murcian end of Almeria then , as you'll have a shock.


----------



## Aron (Apr 30, 2013)

gus-lopez said:


> Don't come to the Murcian end of Almeria then , as you'll have a shock.


I have friends in that area and do come regularly. I have never had a problem driving in that area, or anywhere else in Spain. 
We recently drove back to the UK with the back seat loaded as we usually do. In all my years in Spain, the only time I heard about it was here when the question was asked!


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> We must have a totally different kind of police round here.
> All the forces - Local, Nacional, GC - must either be very laid-back, easy-going or have a different mindset to that described in other posts.
> I have never heard of anyone being fined for the 'offences' mentioned in these posts.
> Long may it continue to be so.


Same here, I've only heard of one incidence of a spot fine and that was someone who left her dog loose on the back seat.

People do often get stopped by the GC on or near the Atlantic coast, but they are looking for drugs (smuggling is big business there) and aren't interested in more trivial offences.


----------



## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Aron said:


> I have friends in that area and do come regularly. I have never had a problem driving in that area, or anywhere else in Spain.
> We recently drove back to the UK with the back seat loaded as we usually do. In all my years in Spain, the only time I heard about it was here when the question was asked!


Unless I'm absolutely desperate, & that's not likely to happen, I avoid going down around there anymore. I've even told the wife not to even consider using Almeria airport anymore, although in fairness the autovia isn't too bad as they tend to stick to the towns & villages & intimidate & harass the locals. 
On one trip down there earlier in the year I counted 40 at roundabouts cross-roads. Junctions etc. 
They appear to have a serious over-employment situation of GC's in the area. Up here you'll be lucky to spot one. If you want one the only place guaranteed to find one is in the Cuartel !


----------

