Portugal - Drivers Beware

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GrahamM376

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Happy New Year. In Portugal from 1st January, being in the wrong lane at a roundabout now costs 300 euro fine if caught!

Assuming there are two lanes around the roundabout - only vehicles turning right at the next turnoff are allowed in the right hand lane so, if going straight ahead you must be in the left hand lane until past the right turn. Likewise when turning left, you must be in the left hand lane until past the right hand and the straight ahead turns.

There have also been changes to child seat regs and the alcohol limit has been reduced for taxi & public transport drivers and new drivers.
 
Barnac1e said:
Not just Portugal, Switzerland too - and to ZERO percent. Switzerland, as a quasi-member, follows EU policy closely, this could be more wide-ranging in Europe, worth watching for those who drive abroad.
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I believe that zero percent is very rare. I have read that the alcohol content of the breath after eating a fresh bread roll is equivalent to half a pint of beer. More on it here http://www.azduiatty.com/driving-under-the-influence-of-bread.htm
 
vyv_cox said:
I believe that zero percent is very rare. I have read that the alcohol content of the breath after eating a fresh bread roll is equivalent to half a pint of beer. More on it here http://www.azduiatty.com/driving-under-the-influence-of-bread.htm
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Yes Vyv, you are right. I made the mistake of believing my neighbour with whom we had a New Year's alcoholic drink yesterday, who stated that. I now see that the reduction from 1st January, 2014, is from 0.5 mg/ml to >0.10 mg/ml.
 
GrahamM376 said:
Happy New Year. In Portugal from 1st January, being in the wrong lane at a roundabout now costs 300 euro fine if caught!

Assuming there are two lanes around the roundabout - only vehicles turning right at the next turnoff are allowed in the right hand lane so, if going straight ahead you must be in the left hand lane until past the right turn. Likewise when turning left, you must be in the left hand lane until past the right hand and the straight ahead turns.

There have also been changes to child seat regs and the alcohol limit has been reduced for taxi & public transport drivers and new drivers.
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The range of fines is €60- €300 so the lower figure will be the usual one. Cyclists are excluded from this regulation as are horsedrawn and extra large vehicles.
Adapted seats are now required for heights below 1.5m (was 1.35 )
The 0.2 alcohol limit applies to those who have held a licence for less than three years as well as professionals.
 
One of the Christian parties in Norway argued for a zero percent alcohol limit for drivers. A journalist took one of the main campaigners, and a strict teetoaller out for a meal and served a yoghurt drink.

Then her asked her to blow into a breathalyser. She blew something like 0.01 - trace amounts, and asked if she felt she should have her licence taken away, fined and jailed for drinking kefir.

They backed down.
 
25931 said:
The range of fines is €60- €300 so the lower figure will be the usual one.
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I wouldn't want to bet on that, much will depend on the mood of the cop who pulls someone. My sister in law was fined 125 euro for not wearing a seat belt in the back of my car, no allowance for the fact she'd had a mastectomy 2 weeks before.
 
GrahamM376 said:
I wouldn't want to bet on that, much will depend on the mood of the cop who pulls someone. My sister in law was fined 125 euro for not wearing a seat belt in the back of my car, no allowance for the fact she'd had a mastectomy 2 weeks before.
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That is the minimum ( actually €120) up €600
 
25931 said:
Adapted seats are now required for heights below 1.5m (was 1.35 )
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Portuguese News (the free English language paper) quotes the opposite, "A reduction in the height of children required to use booster seats from 1.5m to 1.35m" Who's right? Getting it wrong could prove expensive!

A thought, given the height of many Portuguese (especially the ladies) do drivers who are less than 1.5m tall have to use a booster seat? Sounds a bit hairy to me:rolleyes:
 
nortada said:
A thought, given the height of many Portuguese (especially the ladies) do drivers who are less than 1.5m tall have to use a booster seat? Sounds a bit hairy to me:rolleyes:
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Snow White's friends wouldn't need one, no mention of vertically challenged adults:)

Seems the Portuguese aren't taking any notice of the laws anyway, still using the right hand lane when turning left. 40,000+ drivers were breathalysed during Christmas period and over 30% were over the limit. No wonder fully comp insurance is expensive here.
 
nortada said:
Portuguese News (the free English language paper) quotes the opposite, "A reduction in the height of children required to use booster seats from 1.5m to 1.35m" Who's right? Getting it wrong could prove expensive!

A thought, given the height of many Portuguese (especially the ladies) do drivers who are less than 1.5m tall have to use a booster seat? Sounds a bit hairy to me:rolleyes:
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Sorry I phrased it badly and should have said that it applies to children under 12.
 
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