Traveling along a Spanish highway in search of a gas station can be more problematic than one imagines.. Not all drivers are clear about how the pre-signaling stipulated in the General Traffic Regulations works, so it is quite common for there to be discrepancies or confusion in this regard.
Added to this is that, many times, the interpretation of road signs is done incorrectly. That is why we want to tell you here the definitive trick to know if a gas station is near the highway. Believe it or not, it is much simpler than you might think.
One of the points that generates the most confusion is the color of the pre-signaling signage. A fairly common theory is that, if the sign is white, you must get off the highway to get to the gas station. While if the sign is blue, you will find it at the foot of the highway or highway in question; that is, without needing to deviate too much from your path.
This is not necessarily so. The General Traffic Regulations establish that blue pre-signaling is used on both motorways and highways, while white pre-signaling corresponds to conventional roads. What you really need to keep in mind is whether or not the sign includes a shared exit sign.
The shared exit, key to knowing if the gas station is close to the highway
To identify a shared outlet, you should look for the symbol of the two lanes of the highway with an arrow pointing up and to the right. If the pre-signage shows a single arrow and the distance in meters to a service area or a service road, it means that they have an exclusive exit.
If the gas station signage on the highway or highway also includes the shared exit symbol, you will have to take a little further detour to get to the pump and refuel. Below we share the examples of pre-signaling stipulated by the General Traffic Regulations.
Thus, identifying whether the service area has an exclusive or shared exit is crucial to know if the gas station is close to the highway. This is, without a doubt, a very simple point, but it will be of great help to avoid wasting time during a trip.
It is worth saying that, regardless of the pre-signaling signage, there are other simple methods to know if a gas station is close to a highway. For example, use a navigation app like Google Maps. If you have to travel from point A to point B, and you have already planned which highway you will use, you can see in advance where the gas stations are.
You can use the app’s directions to get directly to the pump, if you know you’ll need to refuel halfway. Once this is done, you can establish new directions to your next stop or final destination.
In this way, you can follow the route on your mobile or on the screen infotainment of your car, if it has navigation. Of course, beyond technological help, never stop paying attention to the road signs on your way.