Driving with no licence on a motorway
Discussion
Chipmunk1 said:
Asking on behalf of a neighbour, nice chap
Anyway he came over with a letter from the police wanting advice
It basically says he was caught driving on the motorway with a provisional driving licence.
Driving a motor vehicle otherwise then in accordance with the licence is the exact wording, it says we have began building a file to prosecute you.
Basically he wants to know what's going to happen to him now.
Bit of background I've been living here for 7 years and he is quite old, so I'm as shocked as anyone that he has been tootling around on a provisonal!
Why on earth were the police wanting advice from your neighbour? I know many of them are pretty ignorant of the law, but really? Anyway he came over with a letter from the police wanting advice
It basically says he was caught driving on the motorway with a provisional driving licence.
Driving a motor vehicle otherwise then in accordance with the licence is the exact wording, it says we have began building a file to prosecute you.
Basically he wants to know what's going to happen to him now.
Bit of background I've been living here for 7 years and he is quite old, so I'm as shocked as anyone that he has been tootling around on a provisonal!
R0G said:
The exception is also for learners with B auto doing B or B+E manual
Is that written down in law somewhere? That was my understanding, as the B Auto driver had a full licence for that class of vehicle (car), but some ADI comments implied that the B Auto licence acted only as a provisional licence for B training.Vaux said:
R0G said:
The exception is also for learners with B auto doing B or B+E manual
Is that written down in law somewhere? That was my understanding, as the B Auto driver had a full licence for that class of vehicle (car), but some ADI comments implied that the B Auto licence acted only as a provisional licence for B training.again it;s onoe of these legislative corners where things arenot enitrely clear.
Vaux said:
R0G said:
The exception is also for learners with B auto doing B or B+E manual
Is that written down in law somewhere? That was my understanding, as the B Auto driver had a full licence for that class of vehicle (car), but some ADI comments implied that the B Auto licence acted only as a provisional licence for B training.In 1970 in the forces, I held a motorcycle licence only. When I joined the FCDT, I was told I was the truck driver, not having a licence I applied for a car provisional, which allowed me to obtain an HGV provisional, and in those days I think an HGV learner was allowed on motorways.
After getting the HGV provisional never having driven a car done a 4 week driving course in a 3 tonner, passed and of course got a car licence and HGV3
So in theory, I was allowed to take an HGV on the motorway never having ever driven a car.
Anyway I went from a bike licence to HGV3 which covered a car, hence I have never taken a test in a car.
Not sure what the position is these days.
After getting the HGV provisional never having driven a car done a 4 week driving course in a 3 tonner, passed and of course got a car licence and HGV3
So in theory, I was allowed to take an HGV on the motorway never having ever driven a car.
Anyway I went from a bike licence to HGV3 which covered a car, hence I have never taken a test in a car.
Not sure what the position is these days.
Vipers said:
In 1970 in the forces, I held a motorcycle licence only. When I joined the FCDT, I was told I was the truck driver, not having a licence I applied for a car provisional, which allowed me to obtain an HGV provisional, and in those days I think an HGV learner was allowed on motorways.
After getting the HGV provisional never having driven a car done a 4 week driving course in a 3 tonner, passed and of course got a car licence and HGV3
So in theory, I was allowed to take an HGV on the motorway never having ever driven a car.
Anyway I went from a bike licence to HGV3 which covered a car, hence I have never taken a test in a car.
Not sure what the position is these days.
currently you must have a full cat B licence before you can get a Group 2 provisional.After getting the HGV provisional never having driven a car done a 4 week driving course in a 3 tonner, passed and of course got a car licence and HGV3
So in theory, I was allowed to take an HGV on the motorway never having ever driven a car.
Anyway I went from a bike licence to HGV3 which covered a car, hence I have never taken a test in a car.
Not sure what the position is these days.
the only thing you can 'skip' is C1/D1 and B+E
you have to go B-C-C+E or B-D-D+E
Vipers said:
In 1970 in the forces, I held a motorcycle licence only. When I joined the FCDT, I was told I was the truck driver, not having a licence I applied for a car provisional, which allowed me to obtain an HGV provisional, and in those days I think an HGV learner was allowed on motorways.
After getting the HGV provisional never having driven a car done a 4 week driving course in a 3 tonner, passed and of course got a car licence and HGV3
So in theory, I was allowed to take an HGV on the motorway never having ever driven a car.
Anyway I went from a bike licence to HGV3 which covered a car, hence I have never taken a test in a car.
Not sure what the position is these days.
Perhaps not relevant to the OP's question, but as late as 1989 I was posted to Germany and learned to drive an FV432 (tracked Armoured Personnel Carrier for those not familiar). Now, you'd never be out without a vehicle commander, but I was driving 15 tons of armour on public roads having never driven a car. Then, in 1990, I was sent to the Royal Engineer wing at Bovington, where I was taught to drive a Chieftain tank. 19 years old, and in charge of the controls of 56 tonnes of rattling, clanking tank, having had no experience of driving a car is quite a scary thought now. It was even scarier for the lady waiting at the 'T' junction near Clouds Hill. I kicked down the gears to make the left turn (she was waiting to turn right out of the junction) but the engine revs were too high, and the gearbox didn't change down, so when I hauled on the steering lever the turning circle was way too big, and I damn near squashed the poor woman, and her kids, who were sat in the Volvo. Only a two-footed stomp on the big pedal in the middle managed to avoid a collision.
Thankfully, nowadays I think the MOD's rules have changed, and you have to get a 'B' licence before you can drive any kind of larger vehicle, tracked or not. Back then, though, there were lots of teenaged lads with very little experience of road driving, trundling around in tracked vehicles on public roads.
After getting the HGV provisional never having driven a car done a 4 week driving course in a 3 tonner, passed and of course got a car licence and HGV3
So in theory, I was allowed to take an HGV on the motorway never having ever driven a car.
Anyway I went from a bike licence to HGV3 which covered a car, hence I have never taken a test in a car.
Not sure what the position is these days.
Perhaps not relevant to the OP's question, but as late as 1989 I was posted to Germany and learned to drive an FV432 (tracked Armoured Personnel Carrier for those not familiar). Now, you'd never be out without a vehicle commander, but I was driving 15 tons of armour on public roads having never driven a car. Then, in 1990, I was sent to the Royal Engineer wing at Bovington, where I was taught to drive a Chieftain tank. 19 years old, and in charge of the controls of 56 tonnes of rattling, clanking tank, having had no experience of driving a car is quite a scary thought now. It was even scarier for the lady waiting at the 'T' junction near Clouds Hill. I kicked down the gears to make the left turn (she was waiting to turn right out of the junction) but the engine revs were too high, and the gearbox didn't change down, so when I hauled on the steering lever the turning circle was way too big, and I damn near squashed the poor woman, and her kids, who were sat in the Volvo. Only a two-footed stomp on the big pedal in the middle managed to avoid a collision.
Thankfully, nowadays I think the MOD's rules have changed, and you have to get a 'B' licence before you can drive any kind of larger vehicle, tracked or not. Back then, though, there were lots of teenaged lads with very little experience of road driving, trundling around in tracked vehicles on public roads.
I once met a chap who told me he had learned to drive in a wartime ambulance aged about 15 (this is going back a few years...)
He had been driving ever since but didn't possess a modern license (his standard of driving backed this up
)
It might've been a load of waffle but just how old is this chap the OP is referring to?
Could this be a 'grandfather rights' issue?
He had been driving ever since but didn't possess a modern license (his standard of driving backed this up
)It might've been a load of waffle but just how old is this chap the OP is referring to?
Could this be a 'grandfather rights' issue?
DJFish said:
I once met a chap who told me he had learned to drive in a wartime ambulance aged about 15 (this is going back a few years...)
He had been driving ever since but didn't possess a modern license (his standard of driving backed this up)
It might've been a load of waffle but just how old is this chap the OP is referring to?
Could this be a 'grandfather rights' issue?
He's going to have to be unbelievably old for at to be true. He had been driving ever since but didn't possess a modern license (his standard of driving backed this up
)It might've been a load of waffle but just how old is this chap the OP is referring to?
Could this be a 'grandfather rights' issue?
LoonR1 said:
DJFish said:
I once met a chap who told me he had learned to drive in a wartime ambulance aged about 15 (this is going back a few years...)
He had been driving ever since but didn't possess a modern license (his standard of driving backed this up)
It might've been a load of waffle but just how old is this chap the OP is referring to?
Could this be a 'grandfather rights' issue?
He's going to have to be unbelievably old for at to be true. He had been driving ever since but didn't possess a modern license (his standard of driving backed this up
)It might've been a load of waffle but just how old is this chap the OP is referring to?
Could this be a 'grandfather rights' issue?
DJFish said:
It was about 20 years ago and the old fella was past retirement age so the dates stack up.
Very possible that he never had to pass a test, but I doubt he was as young as 15. Probably a year or two older at least.
My late mother turned 24 two months after Britain declared war on Germany in 1939. Up to that time she had never driven any vehicle. Driving tests were suspended from 2nd September 1939 to 31st October 1946. She volunteered to drive an ambulance and was given a wartime provisional licence. This was subsequently converted to a full licence without her ever having to pass a test - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/history...
Red Devil said:
LoonR1 said:
DJFish said:
I once met a chap who told me he had learned to drive in a wartime ambulance aged about 15 (this is going back a few years...)
He had been driving ever since but didn't possess a modern license (his standard of driving backed this up)
It might've been a load of waffle but just how old is this chap the OP is referring to?
Could this be a 'grandfather rights' issue?
He's going to have to be unbelievably old for at to be true. He had been driving ever since but didn't possess a modern license (his standard of driving backed this up
)It might've been a load of waffle but just how old is this chap the OP is referring to?
Could this be a 'grandfather rights' issue?
DJFish said:
It was about 20 years ago and the old fella was past retirement age so the dates stack up.
Very possible that he never had to pass a test, but I doubt he was as young as 15. Probably a year or two older at least.
My late mother turned 24 two months after Britain declared war on Germany in 1939. Up to that time she had never driven any vehicle. Driving tests were suspended from 2nd September 1939 to 31st October 1946. She volunteered to drive an ambulance and was given a wartime provisional licence. This was subsequently converted to a full licence without her ever having to pass a test - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/history...
mrtwisty said:
Ridiculous cul de sac of the law. You can drive on a 3 (or more) lane A road, but not a motorway. Yet the moment you pass, having perhaps never driven on anything more than a single carriagway road, you are somhow magically able to drive from Exeter to Edinburgh completely on your own should you so wish.
It's not that ridiculous. The law doesn't exist so that learners are spared the 'scary' motorway. It exists so the rest of us can use the motorway safe in the knowledge that there are no learners on it.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff