The CSIF trade union has complained that the Traffic Department issued a speeding fine against a fire engine that had been called out to a fire.

The driver was doing 87 in a 60-kph limit on the road from Las Gabias to Churriana de la Vega and was nabbed by a fixed speed camera.

The union point out that it had been obvious that it was a fire engine, quite apart from the fact that it had all its emergency lights flashing, which would have been plainly visible in the photo. This being the case, why did the DGT not stop the fine from being issued, they ask.

The union also pointed out the obvious; public vehicles on emergency call outs; i.e., police, fire and ambulance, do not have to adhere to speed limits under Spanish law.

The union spokesman added that this was not the first time that this kind of thing had happened, and even so, the Fire Department always pays its fines, although it would be nice if the DGT actually got around to refunding them.

Firemen fined for Superman impression

Back in May last year off-duty firemen in Galicia were fined for doing a Superman impression: a rear-seat passenger stuck half his body out of his window and knocked on the front-seat passenger’s door, as if he were flying alongside, to ask for directions…

See the video

The driver was fined for dangerous driving and the ‘Superman’ was fined for reckless behavior.

Some people think that it was just a prank that endangered nobody but themselves and that they were just young men who regularly risk their lives saving those of others and were letting off steam.

Whereas not everybody agrees with this take, most do agree that the DGT doesn’t have a sense of humour…

(News: Churriana de la Vega, Vega de Granada, Andalucia)