Theoretical question for plod - no UK license

[texasjohn]

Pull over a driver for something minor, say speeding or failing to indicate. A better example might be undertaking (as driver is used to driving on the right hand side, and/or undertaking is legal where he lives)...

Driver is in a hire car and is a visitor from the USA, hands you a US license.

All seems to be valid, hire car is insured, license valid, etc. Driver claims to have no UK postal address as just in the UK on business/holiday.

Do you charge the person for undertaking / minor speeding offence etc, or just let them go?

Now re-read the question again but assume the driver speaks to you with an English accent. Would you do anything different, maybe check the driver name and D.o.B on the US license to see if that matches a UK license?

Thanks for taking the time to read my question.

Edit: Yeah I spelt licence wrong in the thread title before anyone points it out!



>> Edited by texasjohn on Wednesday 8th February 17:58

[^Slider^]

Depends if they had an address suitable for service of summons.

Technically if they are only in the UK for a week then they could be arrested and put before the next avaliable court.

What difference does the accent make if there is no suitable address for service of summons?

[texasjohn]

^Slider^ said:

Depends if they had an address suitable for service of summons. Technically if they are only in the UK for a week then they could be arrested and put before the next avaliable court. What difference does the accent make if there is no suitable address for service of summons?

Accent might suggest they are 'trying it on' so to speak, and lead you to check name and d.o.b to see if they have a UK license (which you can add points to).

Agreed, they could still in theory be subject to a fine regardless of what license they have, but you cant put UK points on a US license, and that is what I was getting at really.

[^Slider^]

No but we can create a skeleton UK license and endorse that should they return to the Uk at any time as this will be matched to the US license.

All checks should be completed regardless such as PNC person, Driver License, Voters checks etc regardless especially when you are talking endorsing or reporting for offences.

We can check DL details just using name and date of birth and a license should always be checked anyway before reporting or endorsing a license as it could be a case of they either do not have a license, already have 9 points or could be disqualified.

Its not just as simple as saying "here you go heres the ticket" without checking as much as you can at the roadside and at the very least confirming they have a full UK license.

If in doubt you can always arrest untill you are satisfied as to who they are and where they live and release once confirmed or have put before the next court.

[texasjohn]

Thanks for the advice, slider.

Over here (when pulled and you hand over a UK license) it does seem as simple as 'do you have a US mailing address?' then 'here's your ticket, on your way'.



>> Edited by texasjohn on Wednesday 8th February 19:01

[Dwight VanDriver]

Coming soon Texas in the Road Safety Bill currently before Parliament will be the power to take off the visiting offender the amount of fine offence attracts there and then and argue the fact later should they wish to do so.

dvd

[hugoagogo]

^Slider^ said:

No but we can create a skeleton UK license and endorse that should they return to the Uk at any time as this will be matched to the US license.

can euro licence holders be banned from UK roads though? (as UK drivers can be banned from european countries roads) ie, do uk police have the right to take a licenec at the roadside?

[^Slider^]

We cannot ban someone on the spot and remove the license. We can disqual them via the courts and match the EU license to the a UK one. Even though we are sposed to have a system called Sirene which is a EU wide PNC database we still need to use the old system as it err doesnt seem to be accessable by the PC at the roadside.

[texasjohn]

Thanks for the update DVD, useful to know these things.

[g_attrill]

EU licence holders living the in the UK can register with the DVLA and receive a UK counterpart, this means they can accept FPN's instead of having to go to court.

Gareth