10 days until I am not legally allowed to drive in Spain.... (+Splinterlands)
… even though I have Spanish residency, and a valid English driving license.
On the 31st of October 2021, UK driving licenses will become invalid, except if you are just in the country for up to 6 months holiday. However, for those of us who spent 7 months gaining residency here, our UK licenses are worthless.
Broken car photo in first position for added effect
The original deadline was the 31st June 2021 but, due to the backlog of those wanting to switch their license over, it was extended until the end of the current month. Apparently, negotiations between the UK and Spanish government are taking place, but what a load of shite, really?
So if I pretend I don't live here and carry a $15 'homeward' flight ticket in my car, and show that if I get stopped?
I've spoken to my Gestoria (people that sort stuff out for you when you are scared of forms written in non-native language) and they have told me that at present, and for the past few months, the system has been locked. I have had, since the turn of the year, to exchange my license that even coupled with a residence card, will expire in 10 days.
If you spoken to me a year or 2 about not being able to drive, I would have not been to fussed. Since I've moved country and got my (first) car, and recently moved away from friends/family, not legally being able to drive is a bit crap - especially when there are no options at present to change that!
I have a feeling that many Brits in my situation will continue to drive, and just hope that luck is on their side whilst the governments sort their shit out
Meanwhile, people with a Spanish driving license are still allowed to drive in the UK on a permanent basis. For once, it's not the UK being seemingly more stubborn.
Taking the other side for a moment, the UK did decide to leave the European Union (whilst never switching from Pound to Euro), and so I think it is expected that countries are not so keen to play ball. It's possible that doing this, especially if the UK post covid-19 blues, will discourage other countries from leaving the single currency. There are a lot of Germans here, and seeing as Germany holds around a quarter of the EU countries GDP, I'm not sure it would be great for the EU if they left and went back to Deutsche Mark.
Enough politics for this year, but can I drive here some more please?
Shit, not even 500 words....
Any other business?
I thought about doing a Splinterlands post this evening, but the seasonal report card was showing some parts offline. What I did want to see though was the income from playing v rentals.
With DEC at $0.01278719, that's $208.94 for playing, and $1347.05 for renting.
The difference is rather substantial, but if you consider the fact that I'm renting mostly duplicate cards, or those of Splinters I don't play, this is a huge difference. Conservatively, I think I could rent my full deck for 2/2.5x average daily income prices, around $3000 a month.
Why don't you rent all your cards then?
Well first, my guild have been good to me - encouraging me to buy 10 plots of land (currently worth around 7000$), and they recently dished out a bunch of cards to all members, easily $2000 worth at current prices. Then there are the other bonuses of being in a guild, Brawl prizes, and discounts in the shop to name but two.
At present I'm wondering if I can do some days of full rental, and then pull the cards back for the times I'm required to brawl. This, if my luck is in and I can have all my cards available for rent at the end of the season, could well turn out to be the optimal approach - I'll ask :)
I've seen people buying relatives car and delegation accounts with a 50% profit split covering living costs, as well as hearing about people quitting their job to full-time Splinterlands. It's pretty incredible really.
Meeting @aggroed and @yabapmatt in Poland, I had a good opportunity to ask and listen to just how bullish they were about the game, which wasn't having it's best time in November 2018. I remember Matt saying he was sad about people selling their cards so cheap, and I also remember @aggroed talking about what was planned - should have listened even more carefully, but I'm not too upset with the current position.
Vouchers, I'm a buyer in small bits as I want 300 packs (to buy 100 at a time), 500 if the price really dips.
Been staking and now selling a bit of SPS. When a daily airdrop is double your take-home pay, got to offload a few!
Cards, not selling any!
Buy orders in for HIVE after lucking out on a recent spike due to needing a pee at 2:30am.
Time for bed :)
Age is catching up...
Is there ever a time to sell?
On the license thing - I drove in Finland for about 5 years after I wasn't meant to, but the police here don't pull people over unless they are driving an older car and they can see you are foreign. I was driving a newer car by then - however, the trick is to say "G'Day" when they come to the window :)
Yeah, similar story over here.
It works wonders!
Moro!
No niin....
Can't say I miss hearing that language. :p
It annoys me when my daughter and wife speak it :)
That pee was a great earner!
Selling cards? I don't think so, but ask me again if they 5x from here :)
My car is about 16 years old, and I don't look that Spanish, I think....
Dang man, that sucks with the license nonsense! Matthew you can bribe them with some SPS :0D
Who is Matthew? :D
Hahaha, oh man. Sometimes, I look back on what I have written via my phone in absolute bafflement!!
It is a bit of a farce, but Matthew to the rescue?!
He's never let me down!! :0D
Vaya putada! como español mis disculpas por la estupidez de mi gobierno
jaja :) Espero que no estén de vacaciones la semana que viene y hago una prórroga de mi licencia!
de vacaciones , o desayunando , o de baja por dia de asuntos propios , o han salido a comprar ropa de rebajas....
Bloody brexit! Fingers crossed the punitive measures don't last too long, what a wacky sticking point for the spanish government.
Splinterlands is wild, got into it at the start of the year and my meagre collection 10x'd in value and my rental and play earnings are like 10% my initial investment each season. Absolutely cracked.
Cheers, hopefully a last minute extension is coming.
Sounds like you got in to SL at the right time, nice one!
Ugh on the licensing being fubar, but on the plus side, I thought for a moment your car was broken again - glad that's not the case.
And in other acronyms, I'm totally fomo'ing over Splinterlands atm!
I've not broken it again yet!
It's a bit crazy in the Splinterlands at present, glad I played all those daily quests for what was peanuts at the time :)
I could move to spain and drive ;-) what would you pay for a diver? ;-)
Thats so crazy what problems the EU governments deal with. Where is the problem alowing one to drive whereever he got his licence? No they have to make a problem out of it. Crazy crazy.
Hope you find a good solution!
Do you take DEC or SPS? :D
It is a bit of a joke, but hopefully some news will arrive in the final hours so I'm not being a naughty boy :)
Oh no matter what .... coins, gold, diamonds ;-) I thought a little joke and smile would be helpful :-)
Hope it will be good news arriving! If not, how about those little motorcycles like a Vespa? Dont know you need a licence to drive for them in spain. Here you just can drive them without licence.
Dude! What you're getting for your rentals is absolutely bonkers. I thought I was doing okay but you're easily clearing 5x more than me.... and you still beat me in battles. You're doing amazing dude!
Thanks dude :)
Not quite sure how I've ended up with a reasonable deck for playing and renting, I'll take it though!
And some people thought Brexit was a good idea?
Posted using Dapplr
Terrible idea!
There were ex-pats living in Spain who voted to 'leave', and then had to leave Spain. Not so smart!
That's the first time I've hear that one. Bloody hilarious!!! 😂
Dreadful. So misguided. Watching it from here, we were astounded. Just stupid. The South African government is very fond of "unforeseen consequences". Brexit has a lot of those. And mere mortals like you and I could foresee many... Hope it resolves yourself and you're soon driving around my favourite part of the Balaerics... :D
Good weekend!
I drove without a license for 2 years, got stopped twice but didn't ask to see it, just an alco test. After I got it back they stop me a week later, don't do alco test but ask to see my license. Luck was on my side those years as I drove a lot.
Nice :) Yeah unless the governments sort something out, I'll be hoping for a bit of luck. Might have to buy a cheap flight for backup though.
I can't belive you checked your phone when you got up to pee at that time. Did you set off a Rising Star mission too? If not, you're missing a trick there. 😂
Actually my bro has sent a whatsapp with a clue, or else I wouldn't have logged onto Binance. I owe him a beer!
No Risingstar on the phone for me, I am missing more than one trick!
Ahhhh welcome to the foreign burocracy (burocraazy) but damn this is really an annoying one. I remember that I need an eye test for my Swiss driverse license but i also needed a Swiss license for the eye test. Huh? Circle misery is just annoying sometimes. (How much effort and money is it to get a Spanish license by taking lessons?)
Dude you have a good guild indeed there! Aiming and saving for the 100 packs here which seems decent and complementary to my level 4 deck in general.
But uhhh..living and paying the rent from cards....isn't that how we would want it?
Leave the EU, they said, it will be fun they said :)
Brexit! Eyeroll
God I love Splinterlands, and I don't even have THAT much to rent out. Earning a modest salary from it currently :D (Well, only 'earning' it when I actually pay out, maybe after the airdrop I'll start moving some to Stablecoins?)
Hoping to buy 100 packs + 10 in Bonus before the end of the pre-sale! Fingers crossed :D
Sorry about your licence mate.