Driver advised to carry driving license
Discussion
Sheepshanks said:
MarkwG said:
Care to prove that? https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/conte...
Section 164Sheepshanks said:
monthou said:
Sheepshanks said:
Section 164
You're ignoring subsection 7 then?Subsection 8 gives you a statutory defence - but the point is you still commited the original offence.
So if you produce within 7 days you have an automatic defence.
What's the significance of the original offence at that point (other than to win the internet)?
MarkwG said:
loskie said:
Showing your driving documents
If a police officer asks you to, you must be able to show:
your driving licence
a valid insurance certificate
a valid MOT certificate (if your vehicle needs one)
If you don’t have the documents with you at the time, you may be asked to take them to a police station within 7 days.
PLEASE NOTE: LICENCE
Not quite what the Government advice says - the police can ask to see it, & if you decline, may require you to produce it in 7 days.If a police officer asks you to, you must be able to show:
your driving licence
a valid insurance certificate
a valid MOT certificate (if your vehicle needs one)
If you don’t have the documents with you at the time, you may be asked to take them to a police station within 7 days.
PLEASE NOTE: LICENCE
https://www.gov.uk/stopped-by-police-while-driving...
monthou said:
Sorry, 8.
So if you produce within 7 days you have an automatic defence.
What's the significance of the original offence at that point (other than to win the internet)?
The point is that you're supposed to have them. I don't know what the original of the built-in defence is - maybe they didn't want to criminalise people who simply forget to pick up their wallet / purse etc.So if you produce within 7 days you have an automatic defence.
What's the significance of the original offence at that point (other than to win the internet)?
Sheepshanks said:
The point is that you're supposed to have them. I don't know what the original of the built-in defence is - maybe they didn't want to criminalise people who simply forget to pick up their wallet / purse etc.
It would be easy to impose a fine on anyone not carrying their licence. Ask yourself why no government has done that. It happens in other countries.I don't always carry my licence. I do have a photo of it available on my phone - which I'm much more likely to be carrying.
monthou said:
It would be easy to impose a fine on anyone not carrying their licence. Ask yourself why no government has done that. It happens in other countries.
I don't always carry my licence. I do have a photo of it available on my phone - which I'm much more likely to be carrying.
I did wonder if the reason was ID card thing. Labour was all set to introduce those ~15yrs ago, but it got knocked on the head.I don't always carry my licence. I do have a photo of it available on my phone - which I'm much more likely to be carrying.
Sheepshanks said:
monthou said:
It would be easy to impose a fine on anyone not carrying their licence. Ask yourself why no government has done that. It happens in other countries.
I don't always carry my licence. I do have a photo of it available on my phone - which I'm much more likely to be carrying.
I did wonder if the reason was ID card thing. Labour was all set to introduce those ~15yrs ago, but it got knocked on the head.I don't always carry my licence. I do have a photo of it available on my phone - which I'm much more likely to be carrying.
I lived in France for 10+ years - had to carry licence, insurance, registration, MOT equivalent, as well as fuses, triangle, spare bulbs, hi-viz - and a breathalyser that the law said I needed but the penalty for not having it didn't exist.
The uk is pretty relaxed in comparison.
In this respect the world is changing, in case any posters haven't noticed .....
The "MoT certificate" can be checked on-line by the police. I can print a copy myself, but it's only a copy.
The "Insurance certificate" can be checked on-line by the police. I can print it off, but it's only a print I made myself.
The "driving licence" can be checked on line by the police.
It's far more about proving identity, of either the driver or the vehicle, which are a necessary pre-requisite for the above on-line checks.
The vehicle has the VIN stamped indelibly on it somewhere. The police can find it and use it instead of the reg number.
A person doesn't have their ID stamped on them (yet) unless they've been fingerprinted or DNA'd in the past, in which case the police can use those instead of the driving licence.
One day the legislation will catch up with reality.
The "MoT certificate" can be checked on-line by the police. I can print a copy myself, but it's only a copy.
The "Insurance certificate" can be checked on-line by the police. I can print it off, but it's only a print I made myself.
The "driving licence" can be checked on line by the police.
It's far more about proving identity, of either the driver or the vehicle, which are a necessary pre-requisite for the above on-line checks.
The vehicle has the VIN stamped indelibly on it somewhere. The police can find it and use it instead of the reg number.
A person doesn't have their ID stamped on them (yet) unless they've been fingerprinted or DNA'd in the past, in which case the police can use those instead of the driving licence.
One day the legislation will catch up with reality.
Very different where I live In North America is required. Credit card size with photo. Used widely for ID beyond police stops i.e. young people getting into bars.
Not sure what the inconvenience is. I carry credit cards and bank card in my wallet as well as frequently used stuff like airline cards ( at least pre-covid!!)
Not sure what the inconvenience is. I carry credit cards and bank card in my wallet as well as frequently used stuff like airline cards ( at least pre-covid!!)
Same in Ireland for the past few years. You must carry it at all times driving. One reason is certain driving offences have an almost zero level of tolerance for newly qualified drivers and learners (;drink driving for example):and if you are bagged then they will arrest you and sieze your car if you can’t prove there and them which grade of license you have.
Good rule IMHO.
Good rule IMHO.
No number plate was probably the cause of his problems. Also possibly failure of the attitude test.
However it is a lack of knowledge by the officer. As others have posted it is not a requirement to carry your licence. In fact I was advised by a crime prevention officer not to carry my licence as the info on a licence plus the usual items in your wallet means that ID theft could be carried out very easily by those who were so inclined if you lost your wallet.
I'll happily produce my licence later if I ever need to.
However it is a lack of knowledge by the officer. As others have posted it is not a requirement to carry your licence. In fact I was advised by a crime prevention officer not to carry my licence as the info on a licence plus the usual items in your wallet means that ID theft could be carried out very easily by those who were so inclined if you lost your wallet.
I'll happily produce my licence later if I ever need to.
leef44 said:
I believe most countries require you to have your driving licence with you when driving. For UK drivers going to France, you even need insurance documents as well.
The licence is credit card size. So easy to carry in your wallet.
What is all the fuss about?
Any number of countries have differing rules etc: that's a function of the different rules regarding how driving insurance is handled, for example, you also need your V5C if driving a British car in France. As mentioned previously, carrying your licence has security risks attached to it, so it's not a clear cut choice between do or don't. The fuss is because the police force in the original post openly admitted they don't understand the law they're supposed to be policing...The licence is credit card size. So easy to carry in your wallet.
What is all the fuss about?
leef44 said:
I believe most countries require you to have your driving licence with you when driving. For UK drivers going to France, you even need insurance documents as well.
The licence is credit card size. So easy to carry in your wallet.
What is all the fuss about?
It's not required.The licence is credit card size. So easy to carry in your wallet.
What is all the fuss about?
What's all the fuss about?
I often don't carry my wallet. I've no problem with you carrying yours if you want to.
Hmmm, glad I've stumbled across this thread. I don't tend to carry my driving licence with me when I drive, simply because I don't have a wallet or anything with me (husband has his wallet, so that's all we need).
Might start taking my driving licence with me now though, in case of stoppage by the police!
We keep a copy of our insurance certificates in our cars as well as the DVLA 'confirmation of tax' thing printed online (oh wouldn't it be simpler to just have a disc in the windscreen!)
Certainly something to think about.
Might start taking my driving licence with me now though, in case of stoppage by the police!
We keep a copy of our insurance certificates in our cars as well as the DVLA 'confirmation of tax' thing printed online (oh wouldn't it be simpler to just have a disc in the windscreen!)
Certainly something to think about.
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