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26 Feb 2011
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Spain cuts speed limits during oil crisis
As of Monday March 7th Spain's maximum speed limits on motorways and dual carriageways (OK, divided highways if you must!) will be reduced from 120kms/hour to 110kms/hour for the duration of the current oil crisis - bad news for Barcelona, where the new Catalonian regional government has just spen a small fortune abolishing the environmentally friendly limit of 80kms/hour around the city's ring road system!
Read all about it here - in Spanish of course!
Simon 
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Last edited by TheSpanishBiker; 26 Feb 2011 at 08:52.
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6 Mar 2011
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out of gas?
Ok I hope they don't run out of gas before I get my trip out of the way next month. I'll be north to south starting mid April. And is 10km really going to make a difference. Whats next mandatory walk to work days.
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7 Mar 2011
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Sure, they were all doing 140-150kph on it anyways... I don't see how this would make any change. And anyways, they can take as many pictures of my muddy distorted reg plate as they want... 
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12 Mar 2011
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The difference is they had only just recalibrated all the radar traps to tolerate speeds of up to 135 kph before starting a ticket. But now they've shaved in down to the 110 limit!
But ordinary roads still have the 10% leeway rule. So the real answer is never to use an autovia and never ever use an autopista!
News latest is that the measures will be in force at least until the end of June and wil be reviewed then in the light of the unfolding crisis.
95 octane unleaded is now at around 1.33 €uros per l. - if you've got a huge tank to fill you can search for the cheapest gas here - and the latest radar traps!
The site is in Spanish: the map has the 30 cheapest stations in Spain, not much use really, but scroll down the right sidebar to search by province or find the nearest 20 stations to your location!
Regs
Simon
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The Spanish Biker - the invaluable guide to motorcycling in Spain.
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12 Mar 2011
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Was in southern Spain up till last week.
For anyone interested, there was occasional police radar presence around the tunnels on the new-ish autovia that runs east from Malaga.
Even without the police presence, ALL the traffic slows down to the 80kph limit in those tunnels. (That never happened in previous years).
Then a local paper announced that a permanent radar in one tunnel was now operating, the fine being up to E600 depending on speed.
Safest thing I think, if you're above the limit, is to go no faster than other traffic around.
I've been visiting regularly for about 8 years (including by bicycle) and general traffic speed has definitely come down. Maybe there're more police booking drivers over the speed limit now.
Simon, just found your website. Could be handy info when I next visit. 
Cheers
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12 Mar 2011
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Hi Mr C et al,
It's worse than that: most of the long tunnels on the major highways now trap vehicles on entry and exit - calculating the average speed through the distance - so that's why everyone is so speed conscious!
My message is - get onto the 'slow' roads and leave 'em all to it! 
Regs
Simon
and thank you indeed for you kind words about my guide!
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The Spanish Biker - the invaluable guide to motorcycling in Spain.
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24 May 2011
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Possible increase in speed limits!
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheSpanishBiker
As of Monday March 7th Spain's maximum speed limits on motorways and dual carriageways (OK, divided highways if you must!) will be reduced from 120kms/hour to 110kms/hour for the duration of the current oil crisis - bad news for Barcelona, where the new Catalonian regional government has just spen a small fortune abolishing the environmentally friendly limit of 80kms/hour around the city's ring road system!
Read all about it here - in Spanish of course!
Simon |
Hot of the (highly right-wing!) press: the private company that runs the toll roads in Spain - the Autopistas - are proposing to increase the maximum speed limit to 140 kph in response to a 5.5% drop in traffic levels - aka profits! - over this time last year.
In fact the tendency has gone on for longer than the recent reduction in speed limits, which reduces the advantage the toll roads have over the conventional ones. The non-toll ' Autovias' are now much more extensive, the most obvious example of this is along the Catalan coast south of Tarragona, where the two run side by side for about 50 kms, the one empty and the other, brand spanking new and much better engineered, clogged - a barking state of affairs!
Ho hum . . .
Simon
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7 Jun 2011
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Simon,
I am Spanish and I just have to say: YOUR SITE IS COOL.
Let's get on that instead of our excentric government policies...
Gracias,
Esteban
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7 Jun 2011
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Hi Esteban,
Muchas gracias por su respuesta - ¡Me siento muy halagado!
Well, it's not all bad. The big news here in Catalonia is that the Transit is opening another 30 radar speed traps this month, making about 150 altogether - and they're kind enough to tell us where they all are! - given the same area in southern Great Britain, which is similar in urban density, highways, etc. to the coastal areas of Catalonia, there would be around 150,000!
¡ Salud!
Simon
PS - no beach today - June 6th, 2011 - torrential rain hits all regions of the Spanish Peninsular!
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7 Jun 2011
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Nice website, I will be travelling down through France & Spain in July heading to the Faro bike meet then back up to the Picos for some leg stretching before catching the ferry back to Blighty, will be using your info as a resource, many thanks 
Andy
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Andy L
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7 Jun 2011
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Hi Andy,
Thanks for the feedback.
If my new shock absorber eventually comes through from Wilbers (and that's a big 'if' as it appears at the moment  !) I'll be travelling from Catalonia through to Mid-Portugal by the back roads - and blogging each stage - from June 20th-ish.
I know lots of locations/roads east of Madrid but from then on it's all discovery - wild places in Estremadura!
Later I'll be heading back along the north coast and the sierras just inland - definitely the place to be in July! - if you're in that area send me a PM nearer the time.
I hope to be in the central Pyrenees during the last week of July of you're on your way home fom Portugal. ditto the above.
Cheers
Simon
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The Spanish Biker LLP: Events, Guide and Support Services
Last edited by TheSpanishBiker; 8 Jun 2011 at 07:22.
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8 Jun 2011
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I had a Wilbers shock fitted to my Strom in May, made a big difference, have been quite impressed so far.
Four years ago I rode through the Pyrenees just East of Andorra & down the East coast of Spain to Valencia then across the centre (Cuenca,Toledo,Caceres,Merida) to Evora in Portugal in July so I hear what your saying  !
We will be be coming through the Pyrenees through the Valee D'Ossau & Valle de Tena in the 2nd week in July, plan to camp in Anzanigo, then a fairly rapid ride down Spain to get to Faro for the meet by the evening of the 14th.
Heading back up through Portugal via Tomar to the Picos from the Sunday onwards, plan to walk the Carres gorge again, then ferry from Bilbao on Sat 23rd.
If your not a million miles away would love to meet up for & a yarn.
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From the midnight sun to the silk & rhubarb roads, 2014
I am not an adventure rider, just a biker that has adventures.
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9 Jun 2011
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Wotcha,
Thanks for the encourageing review of the Wilbers shox - it's now four weeks less a day since I made my order and no news, not even confirmation: the product had better be good because with this level of un-professionalism I'm amazed that they're still in business 
Back to the good bits. Small world dept. - I'm booked into Anzanigo from July 25th - doing their amazing four nights camping plus breakfast and evening meal (for bikers only!) - for just 55 Euritos! Strikes me as a great base to explore the central Pyrenees- Barcelona Pat also tells me that the owner, Emilio, is a really great geezer who makes sure everyone fits in together and is a huge source of information about the area and its biking.
If I ever get off the ground I may even have my knobbly tyres on again by then, so that would be cool!
Back to your trip, here's my map. I hope (Herr Wilbers willing!) to be setting off around June 20th, staying for two nights at each location and exploring each area during the day in camp. I hope to be able to blog each day as it happens so if you find yourself in my zone just let me know by PM.
I'm leaving Mrs Spanish Biker with my mobile so I'll let you know my temporary number when I have it.
Cheers mate
Simon
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10 Jun 2011
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Mate Great web site, I was in Andalusia for 10 days, round Alozine, Rhonda & many other places.
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26 Jun 2011
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Hot off the press: the speed control is to be scrapped as of July 1st -Yippee
Hi Sealous - thanks for your kind words. I'm jealous of you being down in Andalusia. It's too late now for me to go there on my Grand Tour - I'm staying up north where it's nice and cool!
Meanwhile I've been road testing my luggage handling and new shock absorber around the Pyrenees - luvely-jubbly! 
Enjoy
Simon
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
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Spain cuts speed limits during oil crisis
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