Gibraltar Social scene and Driving Licence HELP !

Ricky Willis · #1 (**permalink**) 2nd December 2010, 02:48 PM

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post so appologies if im posting in wrong area or whatever but im sure ill get the hang of it ! Anyway, im moving out to La Linea in 2 weeks and will be working in Gibraltar i would like to get a GIB driving licence rather than a spanish one but as i understand i would be a resident of spain ??? Is there any way to get a GIB licence whilst living on the spanish side of the border ?? also im moving out there by my self and was wondering what the people and social scene are like ? as gibraltar is part of the uk i would immagine it would be mostly english speaking ?? and are there many people from UK working over in GIB ?

Thanks for your help !!

Ricky

Alcalaina · #2 (**permalink**) 2nd December 2010, 03:19 PM

Hi Ricky, welcome to the forum! I live about 50 miles northwest of Gibraltar.

According to this website you have to have been resident in Gib for 6 months before they will give you a driving licence. Why do you not want a Spanish licence?
Persons wishing to reside in Gibraltar

English is the official language but about a quarter of the population are Spanish. They speak Spanish with a local dialect called llanito which contains lots of hybrid "Spanglish" words like "chingum" (chewing gum). There are lots of other nationalities there too - Moroccans, Portuguese, Italians ...

Because of the presence of the British military and lots of tourists there are loads of bars, clubs, restaurants etc to suit every taste. Lots of Brits commute from Spain into Gib to work and shop, and the traffic queues can get horrendous. If you are living in La Linea you should seriously consider getting a bike!

Ricky Willis · #3 (**permalink**) 2nd December 2010, 03:33 PM

Thanks for the quick reply, yeah I suppose a spanish licence is probably the way forward . . . just heard the test in Gib wasn't half as difficult, plus i dont speak any spanish (yet). A bike sounds a good idea to get from la linea to gib so will more than likely opt for that option ! Are there any other towns which I could live within cycling distance to the border ?? have been looking arround for a place to rent but the prices seem to differ dramaticly anything from 450 - 750 euro from practicly the same thing ! will have to do a bit of searching on my trip over next week !

Alcalaina · #4 (**permalink**) 2nd December 2010, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky Willis

Thanks for the quick reply, yeah I suppose a spanish licence is probably the way forward . . . just heard the test in Gib wasn't half as difficult, plus i dont speak any spanish (yet). A bike sounds a good idea to get from la linea to gib so will more than likely opt for that option ! Are there any other towns which I could live within cycling distance to the border ?? have been looking arround for a place to rent but the prices seem to differ dramaticly anything from 450 - 750 euro from practicly the same thing ! will have to do a bit of searching on my trip over next week !

Are you starting to learn to drive from scratch then? If you already have a UK licence you don't need to take a test to change it for a Spanish one. If you don't drive at all yet, it sounds like a moped might be a better bet!

San Roque is also worth looking at, not too far away, a bit more up-market and the public transport is very good. There are lots of rather seedy apartment blocks in La Linea so don't commit yourself to anything until you've seen it.

Ricky Willis · #5 (**permalink**) 2nd December 2010, 06:47 PM

I can already drive but got pulled over the morning after a stag doo and was slightly over the limit . . . so licence is gone, which is the reason for the spanish or Gib licence. Do you have learner or provisional licences in spain which you could drive a moped or motorbike ?? without having a full licence ??

Alcalaina · #6 (**permalink**) 2nd December 2010, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky Willis

I can already drive but got pulled over the morning after a stag doo and was slightly over the limit . . . so licence is gone, which is the reason for the spanish or Gib licence. Do you have learner or provisional licences in spain which you could drive a moped or motorbike ?? without having a full licence ??

There is no equivalent to a provisional licence here but you can drive a moped up to 50cc with a Category B licence - How to Drive a Moped in Spain | eHow.com

Stravinsky · #7 (**permalink**) 2nd December 2010, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky Willis

I can already drive but got pulled over the morning after a stag doo and was slightly over the limit . . . so licence is gone, which is the reason for the spanish or Gib licence. Do you have learner or provisional licences in spain which you could drive a moped or motorbike ?? without having a full licence ??

So ... you are saying that you have lost your National licence by drink drive and you are wanting to take a Spanish / Gib licence instead by taking a new test?

Ricky Willis · #8 (**permalink**) 2nd December 2010, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stravinsky

So ... you are saying that you have lost your National licence by drink drive and you are wanting to take a Spanish / Gib licence instead by taking a new test?

Basicly ive lost my UK licence but am only banned from driving in the UK, im free to drive in any other country aslong as I have some sort of valid licence, obviously my UK one has been revoked so a spanish one will be an alternative so I can continue with my career, what is a cat B licence ?? is there any sort of test involved with getting one of these ??

Ricky Willis · #9 (**permalink**) 2nd December 2010, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky Willis

Basicly ive lost my UK licence but am only banned from driving in the UK, im free to drive in any other country aslong as I have some sort of valid licence, obviously my UK one has been revoked so a spanish one will be an alternative so I can continue with my career, what is a cat B licence ?? is there any sort of test involved with getting one of these ??

Thanks for all the help and info, Have just seen there is a test and exam to complete for a cat B, what exactly do spain class as a moped ?? is it 50cc or less or could you say ride a 125cc on the same cat B licence ??

Stravinsky · #10 (**permalink**) 3rd December 2010, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky Willis

Basicly ive lost my UK licence but am only banned from driving in the UK, im free to drive in any other country aslong as I have some sort of valid licence, obviously my UK one has been revoked so a spanish one will be an alternative so I can continue with my career, what is a cat B licence ?? is there any sort of test involved with getting one of these ??

Thats true, you can take another test in a different country, but you wont be able to drive in the UK with it for the duration of the ban

Spanish tests iirc are conducted in Spanish, so that may be a problem for you

What are you going to tell the insurance company you decide to use, as they usually aske about previous offences?