# Portugal Fine



## orange22 (Mar 7, 2009)

We have just received a legal document from Albufeira town hall telling us we are being taken to court and will be fined 100 to 200 Euro with 102 Euro legal costs.
We arrived at Paderne Washhouse where we have stayed for the last seven years without problems at 11.00 am on Feb 2015.. Police came at 1125 am and we were asked to leave after they took our details . They told us that they were moving on some French vans who had been there for nearly two months .We left straightaway.
The documents are in Portugese and as yet we have not been able to translate all of them .
Has anyone else had these problems in Portugal


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

We were in the Algarve between January and April, didn't attempt to stay at Paderne but when talking to a British couple they advised us they had been moved on from there and had been threatened with legal action.
They like you had stayed there on previous occasions with no problems, they did say that the area had been re-developed since their last visit and some areas had been chained off.


.


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## Webby1 (Mar 11, 2012)

Now I'm not being funny like.............................I presume this is some kind of free camping.....................you have been 

staying there for 7 years on and off.........the French vans had been there for 2 months.................and the Portugese 

authorities are trying to get some money out of you all ???????


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## Littlebt (May 19, 2012)

Hi,
Not too sure about Portugal but in Spain if the fine is €200 and you go to the town hall and pay within 14days they reduce the fine to €100. I'd guess it's similar.

If you don't pay and you are pulled over or cautioned over some matter you will be on the system,your details will be flagged up and they will "impound" your vehicle in a breath and the cost will be extortionate plus the original unpaid fine will have interest added.

Personally I would pay up, though you appear to have done nothing wrong it's not worth arguing about or looking over your shoulder every time you're on the move. And Hey Ho you've already had seven years free.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

It's always worth a letter indicating you were not aware of doing anything wrong. Both in English and Google's best version of Portugese.
I received a 'fine' from Honfleur Mairie for not showing my parking ticket. A letter explaining we only stopped to get medication for my wife and left for home immediately after brought a letter saying the fine had been annulled.

Ray.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi, sorry to hear about that.


We stayed a night there 15 May this year along with 2 French over by the toilets and a Dutch Van next to us on the other side..


We could see no signs to indicate parking for motorhomes or any other vehicles was not allowed so were happy to stay there.


Can't say as we noticed notice any areas chained off.


I would take Rays advice and fire off a letter to them.


Pete


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## provencal (Nov 5, 2008)

We were stopped yesterday because I wasn't displaying the board with diagonal stripes and fined

€120 on the spot, on a country road. I always use the board in Italy and Spain because I know it

is required by the authorities, but in Portugal have never bothered because it had seemed such a

tourist friendly country.

Now I know better and Brits are the main targets because the police speak English. According to

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/t...ic-police-in-Portugal-targeting-tourists.html
and http://algarvedailynews.com/news/4900-motorists-contribute-96-more-in-traffic-fines
it is government policy.

Will you want to go again?

Brian


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

provencal said:


> We were stopped yesterday because I wasn't displaying the board with diagonal stripes and fined
> 
> €120 on the spot, on a country road. I always use the board in Italy and Spain because I know it
> 
> ...


Brian, as I said on the other thread I was not aware of that requirement for the chevron board for Portugal but am aware that it is a requirement for Spain (plastic or metal) and Italy (must be totally reflective i.e. the metal one only), but if you had bikes on the back, presumably you had them on the back while driving through Spain.

So why did you remove them at the border? I am not being awkward but am simply aware that if I start the journey with the board up, it stays there for the whole journey - France - Spain - France, I would not think of putting g it on at a convenient place near the French/Spanish border - partly because I am not 100% sure where that is now.....

The fine was harsh IMO and I may not wish to revisit the country after being treated like that, but I would be thinking that PERHAPS my actions contributed towards the fine.....

In the same way I would be adopting the advice given to Orange22 above re the fine for parking in the wrong place; I would be sending a letter and attempting to pay the fine a.s.a.p. - unlike the very many UK drivers caught speeding in France who simply do not, or the very many French drivers in the UK who also are caught speeding but never pay up......

The old adage about the cap fitting may be relevant, you did not have a warning board up, the OP on this thread was moved on, he may not have been aware of the restrictions there but he was there......

Dave


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

provencal said:


> We were stopped yesterday because I wasn't displaying the board with diagonal stripes and fined
> 
> €120 on the spot, on a country road. I always use the board in Italy and Spain because I know it
> 
> ...


The Algarve news article disputes that anyone is being "targeted", whilst the Telegraph does suggest such a thing is likely.

You seem to be trying to discourage people from visiting!

Whilst I do agree that the fine you received does seem excessive, with any country visited if you stay within the law (however bizarre they may seem to you) you will not incur or receive fines or punishment.


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