Driving from a cafe in Tahiche, I pulled out of a small side street across a faint white line and was fined by the police 100Euro. I realise that ignorance of the law is no excuse but the law is significantly different from that in the UK and I had seen local drivers doing exactly the same thing. I should emphasise that the road was quiet with a clear view in both directions and at no time was either I or any other road user at any risk. In these circumstances, I think the fine was excessive, where a simple warning would have sufficed, and as perhaps more about raising revenue than protecting people.

We have vacationed in Lanzarote for each of the last two winters as an escape from the cold weather at home but this incident leaves a black shadow over the experience. I doubt if we shall return as there are several winter holiday alternatives, with a loss to the Lanzarote economy far in excess of the fine!

Was it an on the spot fine or did you have to go to the police station and pay it?

The police here have 2 operating modes.
1. Ignore it.
2. Fine it.

It was an on-the-spot fine.

How is this relevant?

A friend of mine who lives here and knows the ropes was fined 200 euros forthe same offence last week.

Yes I was going to say that as a tourist you got off lightly.
That offence carries a penalty of 4 points on your licence plus a much larger fine, if you have a Spanish licence.
I would prefer to pay €100 any day!
I can´t see how "because you thought it was safe to cross a double line," would be any excuse in a UK court of law; nor in Spain.

Where did "faint white line" become "double white line"?

BTW you would not be fined in the UK for simply crossing a line.

Unless you parked on it.

Are you sure about the UK, Robert? I thought a solid white line meant stop, whether or not a sign is displayed, and a dashed doubel or single one was a give way. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /index.htm

Knowing Tahiche well, I assume the original poster meant the solid line down the middle of the road which you can not cross to turn left down the other side of the road.
I was likening it to a solid double lines down the centre of the road that you have in the UK which are the equivalent.
It´s never seemed very "faint" to me.

Windylea said they were leaving a small cafe from a side street, I took that to be the German Bakery and the very small side road next to it which you briefly use to pull out onto the main road. However, we visit this bakery quite often and I always stop at that side road before coming out onto the main road as the visibility to the right is not that good. We are on the Island next week so I'll check it out.

You won't be fined for simply crossing it though.

The poster didn´t mean an ordinary stop line where the minor road joins the main road in Tahiche. You don't get fined here for that. He meant he went over to the other side of the road to turn left across the central reservation which was a solid line.
Can everyone cross a solid line running down the centre of the road in the UK? I assumed that you couldn´t overtake or turn across it like in Spain, for safety.
Next time I´m back in the UK, I´ll remember that the solid lines down the centre of the road are just there for decoration.
I wonder why they bother making some of them dashed ... just whimsical decoration for the motorists' pleasure?
Sweet.

Two things spring to mind:
when in Rome ............
and
When you decide on one of the many alternatives for winter sun, dont forget to see if their laws apply to tourists!!!

It's your own fault - take responsibility and get on with it.