In the Spain guidebook, it says that drivers "who use eyeglasses are required by law to have a spare pair in the car." Can you tell me if prescription sunglasses will fulfill this requirement of a second pair of glasses? Thank you, Richard
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
This amazed me, and I was curious, so I did a quick search. Everything I found said the same one-sentence thing, as above, except for this:
35. Drivers who wear eyeglasses are required to keep a spare set of glasses in the car. If one is stopped by authorities, one can plead innocence because one is a foreigner and does not know of this requirement. Most of the time they will let one go. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187438-c86680/Malaga:Spain:Driving.Guide.For.Foreigners.html
Posted by
winston salem, nc, usa
1078 posts
I know they are in France, so pretty sure they would be there also.
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
Jerry, don't tell me they have the same requirement in France? I've been driving there on vacation for 25 years and have never had a spare pair of glasses with me. Unless you count my wife as my second pair.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33837 posts
For prudence sake I always carry a second pair, and a pair of prescription dark sunglasses whenever I drive in Europe. I remember a few years ago my wife fell down and bashed her glasses and the rest of our holiday was less pleasant. We spend nearly a whole day finding a good glasses place (Paris) and getting running repairs made but it wasn't until we left them off at our usual optometrist for a day or two proper repair that they were correct. I don't want any small incident to mess up my vision, especially when I am driving. The glasses law is a good idea.
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
Since I saw the same statement about Spain in so many places, I don't doubt that it's accurate, but it still seems rather absurd. I always bring a second pair along to Europe, but they're rarely if ever in the car. If my glasses suddenly crumble while I'm driving on the French autoroute at 110 km/hr, the lack of a second pair in the glove compartment will be the least of my problems. And if it happens while I'm driving on a back road, I'd just stop, get out, and let my wife take over till we get back to our house or hotel.
Posted by
Tilburg, Netherlands
2829 posts
I think carrying a second pair of glasses or contact lenses on a trip abroad is something to be done, driving or not, to avoid the hassles of having to get a new one should you break/lose them. Since they don't have my toric lenses readily available on drugstores or else, I always carry a replacement pair.