Fined

With not having got to bed last night till just after 6am I was rudely awoken by someone hammering at the door around 10am. They had been stopped by the Guardia Civil for a traffic offence and as they weren't quite sure what it was they were in trouble for they wanted me to act as translator.

Standing barefoot on the dirt road (just enough time to pull on T shirt and jeans), feeling very groggy and not quite knowing what was going on the Guardia officer gave me a very "oh Gawd here we go again" look as he wound down the patrol car window. It turned out that they were being fined for not carrying a copy of their insurance certificate (70€), their log book (10€) and their "MOT" (10€). They now have to produce the documentation at the local traffic office which is about 50 minutes drive away and where there is a remarkably long and time consuming queing system.

Providing the documentation is OK they will just have to pay the 90€, not at the traffic office but at a bank and that will be it.