Car taken away by the Grua (sort of pick up truck)

I had to call at a few places this morning. At my last call I went onto the quite small public car park, there were plenty of spaces. As I was returning to the car an English man came to me and asked if I spoke English. Having told him yes, he then said his car had been stolen and a sticker with a telephone number put where his car was, could I phone the police for him. I asked him where he had parked his car, he showed me.....right across the corner of a main road ! I told him his car hadn't been stolen, the police would have called the Grua to take it away as it was parked illegally and that he would have to go to the main police station in the town about 6 miles away to pay the fine and get his car back.

Oh boy was he hopping up and down furious ! "How can they do this, I'm a British tourist?". Obviously he thinks British tourists have immunity to Spanish law. I'm sure double yellow lines are not peculiar to Spain, and the majority of road signs are in English. I couldn't phone the number for him, I had no phone with me, and quite frankly I wouldn't have done so anyway, he was quite obnoxious. This cheeky man then asked if I would take him to the police station, I told him no. Cheek of the man, I told him to get a taxi, there were plenty of them. Whether he did I don't know, I left him standing fuming, no doubt he went to find someone else who spoke English.

Re: Car taken away by the Grua (sort of pick up truck)

The sometime arrogance of the British abroad sometimes makes you cringe..... Well done though Loretta, the bloke obviously didn't deserve help.

Re: Car taken away by the Grua (sort of pick up truck)

The Grua are the devil's spawn.

Re: Car taken away by the Grua (sort of pick up truck)

I would have helped him Barry had he not been so obnoxious, he was really "snooty" and thought because he was a British tourist he should have special treatment. I did forget to mention that I asked him if he would have parked like that in England, he said "no of course not, but this is Spain". Unbelievable.

Re: Car taken away by the Grua (sort of pick up truck)

haha, but we are very grateful for them if we break down. No towing allowed here, phone your insurance company, 24 hour service, the Grua will be with you inside half an hour or less, depending where you are, they will take you and your car wherever you want to go. However, park where you shouldn't and your car ends up in the police pound.

Re: Car taken away by the Grua (sort of pick up truck)

And this is how the English get a bad name abroad, all due to one ignorant person.

Re: Car taken away by the Grua (sort of pick up truck)

I was relieved of my parked car in Mijas.
€300 for tow and compound and parking ticket.

Re: Car taken away by the Grua (sort of pick up truck)

Indeed, that and the downright ignorance of some we have heard say "if it wasn't for us you Spanish would still be riding donkeys". Quite frankly I don't wonder why the British are often despised. I can't speak for others, but we ourselves have always found the Spanish friendly and helpful, and believe me in the early days when we understood virtually nothing we would have been lost without their help and their sense of humour.

Re: Car taken away by the Grua (sort of pick up truck)

Oh dear, did you park in the wrong place?

If you want up to date info on driving in Spain, try the N332 facebook page. It was set up by English speaking police and they will answer any question you might have, also lots of interesting stuff on it. If you use facebook the page is quite simply N332.

Re: Car taken away by the Grua (sort of pick up truck)

I parked correctly but a large truck parked behind me blocking my exit and causing mayhem. I went looking for the driver and when I got back my car had gone.

The Grua guy admitted the cop told him to tow mine as they didn't have anything that could move the truck.