here's another one

[aerotec]

is it better to have driving documents with you or not.
i was always under the impression you should never have or tell the bib you have your licence with you if you are stopped.
what do you think.

[hertsbiker]

NEVER have your license, but some ID is good. If you surrender the license, 10 times more likely to get points... (experience of friends handign theirs over vs me not handing mine over).

[dick dastardly]

That is the same impression I've got, but why does handing/not handing over the licence make a difference? I read somewhere that it could be seen as admitting fault but I don't really see how

[madcop]

aerotec said:

is it better to have driving documents with you or not. i was always under the impression you should never have or tell the bib you have your licence with you if you are stopped. what do you think.

Up to you. If you are required to produce it, then having it to hand is much easier than lying and having to produce it later at the Police station.

If it is in conjunction with an endorsable FPT, the Police have no power to seize your licence unless they think it is fraudulent.

You can voluntarily surrender it and be given a counterfoil from the endorsable FPT which acts as your licence if you are further required to produce pending the return of the real thing.

If an officer offers you the choice of a FPT which you accept and you do not have your licence (provisional FPT), you will be required to attend a Police station to hand it over.

You do not have to hand over your licence if you do not want to. You can accept or refuse an FPT at the time it is offered, the choice is yours. If you refuse, then you will most likely be reported for the relevant offence and receive summons. To show your licence at the time will save you a trip to the Police station which is generally a nuisance because most are only open for document production during office hours these days!

You will not gain any benefit from concealing your licence from a Police officer on his/her request for its production. You may be further inconvenienced, charged more in fines if found guilty of the original offence by a court or the officer will obtain the details for his file direct from DVLA under the Police DQ1 enquiry system (name and date of birth are sufficient to reveal the whole driving record for each driver listed)