Don’t drink and drive take a taxi instead

FOR the festive season, the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) announced tough new measures to combat drink-driving because they note that alcohol is present in one third of fatal accidents.

Over the 12-days of Christmas, there will be1,000 points established to check drivers with an expected 20,000 daily checks, especially in the afternoon and evening.

The awareness campaign is a reused campaign form 1985 featuring singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder with the simple slogan “If you drink, do not drive” with the idea that despite 26 years having passed, the message remain the same, “If you drink do not drive.” (www.DGT.es)

The police are well aware of the ‘illegal black taxis’ that frequent the airport but one should be aware that if the Police stop a ‘black’ taxi, they can and have been known to impound the car, which at the very least means that the passengers will now have to try and summon another ‘real’ taxi to continue on their journey!

As it happens, the difference in price is negligible between what an illegal Taxi charges and those regulated by local councils. For instance, from Torrevieja, the difference in price for a typical airport run from Torrevieja to Alicante or Murcia is less than €50, possibly just €100 more than a ‘Black Taxi’ would charge.

And what does that €10 extra get you? For a start, you are legal, you are insured, you will not be faced with the possibility of being stopped on route or at the airport and possibly turfed out of your ride. The most important aspects are the fact that you are travelling legally and with full insurance in case of an accident.

And should you be unlucky enough to be involved in an accident or breakdown, they can call one of their associates to pick you up and continue the journey.

Try asking for your money back from one of the budget airlines because you are late for your flight because the police stopped your ‘Black Taxi’.

If you think that Michael O’Leary will show you any sympathy, think again. One of Torrevieja’s few English speaking Taxi drivers is Roque Vicente, Taxi number 43, who said, “we have a professional group of drivers in the city and offer a 24-7 service, including Christmas and the New Year.

We are usually only ever 10-15 minutes away when you call us and we also offer a pick-up service from the airport, can take you shopping, to play golf, or go wherever is needed.”

For more information on Taxis in Torrevieja please visit www.torretaxi.es or call Roque on 670445730.

But please, drive carefully and don’t drink and drive.