Foreign Driving Licences
Discussion
Just a question to see if any of you had any thouhgts.
What do you think would happen to a driver with a non EU driving license driving a UK registered vehicle that had been Gatso'd?
I can understand a fine but how would points etc be apportioned?
JR, official word?
Just curious as I wonder how many dodgy drivers licenses there are out there.
Matt.
What do you think would happen to a driver with a non EU driving license driving a UK registered vehicle that had been Gatso'd?
I can understand a fine but how would points etc be apportioned?
JR, official word?
Just curious as I wonder how many dodgy drivers licenses there are out there.
Matt.
Depends on the circumstance.
If you are resident, you should obtain a local licence (this is the case in Germany). If you are a 'tourist' (very flexible description that especially in Europe
) with a foreign plate then they cannot find you. Due to some human rights or data protection, european police forces don't cooperate.
My brother played the dumb foreigner on the M25 and got let off 120mph with a car on non UK plates. Helps if you speak another language.
Sparks
If you are resident, you should obtain a local licence (this is the case in Germany). If you are a 'tourist' (very flexible description that especially in Europe
) with a foreign plate then they cannot find you. Due to some human rights or data protection, european police forces don't cooperate. My brother played the dumb foreigner on the M25 and got let off 120mph with a car on non UK plates. Helps if you speak another language.
Sparks
Sparks, that is not quite correct. If you recived your licence 3 years ago you can drive on a UK license for as long as you like in Germany. If you passed your test in the last 3 years you should change it to a local one in the first 6 months of arriving.
I crashed a car (uk plates) in Germany last Christmas in to a set of Stepladders on the Autobahn, the German police were great but when they asked for my car documents (a must have if driving a German car in Germany) and all I could produce was my dl they asked me if that was my insurance document. I told them it was my dl and they just looked blankly at it before handing it back:-)
450 Chimp
I crashed a car (uk plates) in Germany last Christmas in to a set of Stepladders on the Autobahn, the German police were great but when they asked for my car documents (a must have if driving a German car in Germany) and all I could produce was my dl they asked me if that was my insurance document. I told them it was my dl and they just looked blankly at it before handing it back:-)
450 Chimp
quote:
Sparks, that is not quite correct. If you recived your licence 3 years ago you can drive on a UK license for as long as you like in Germany. If you passed your test in the last 3 years you should change it to a local one in the first 6 months of arriving.
I crashed a car (uk plates) in Germany last Christmas in to a set of Stepladders on the Autobahn, the German police were great but when they asked for my car documents (a must have if driving a German car in Germany) and all I could produce was my dl they asked me if that was my insurance document. I told them it was my dl and they just looked blankly at it before handing it back:-)
450 Chimp
forgive my stupidity, does DL mean driving licence? They probably looked at blankly because it was an english one.
You can now apply (at least you can in Germany) for a (truly revolting looking) european licence, ad drive with that everywhere. You don't need to retake tests. Some cops now try to tell you that you MUST have a european licence. Not true, by the way.
Rgds, WalterU
I stand corrected. My comments were based on living in Germany a few years ago, and I was told that I should apply and get a german driving licence. What put me off was having to surrender my british licence. It was a straight swop no test.
Things must have changed, or I was misinformed.
Sparks
Edited by Sparks on Tuesday 20th November 08:48
Things must have changed, or I was misinformed.
Sparks
Edited by Sparks on Tuesday 20th November 08:48
As an Englishman living in Hungary I find some strange laws here, the law says if you are resident here you must exchange your driving license for a Hungarian license within six months of becoming a resident. I tried to do this (with my spare English license - I am not going to give it up completely!) and was refused a new license because 'I did not have 12 months left on my 1 year residence permit'. It is impossible to have 12 months left on a one year permit because it is issued to expire the same date as your work permit, which is issued before you can get a residence permit. Real daft decision.
As far as speeding goes, I got stopped in my UK registered R/Rover a bit (55%) over the speed limit. My license and passport were confiscated and I had to report to the local police station the next day. The case is decided at the police station and I was fined about £75 and had my license and passport returned. No points or any notification to UK. Bit of a reasonable result considering I was told the fine could be double and my license confiscated for up to 12 months. This is the only time I have ever been stopped for speeding, and in a R/Rover and not a TVR!
As far as speeding goes, I got stopped in my UK registered R/Rover a bit (55%) over the speed limit. My license and passport were confiscated and I had to report to the local police station the next day. The case is decided at the police station and I was fined about £75 and had my license and passport returned. No points or any notification to UK. Bit of a reasonable result
considering I was told the fine could be double and my license confiscated for up to 12 months. This is the only time I have ever been stopped for speeding, and in a R/Rover and not a TVR!WalterU and Sparks,
Having lived in Germany as a Brit now for 30 years, you MUST have a german licence here if resident. The European Licence is NOT accepted except for visitors. This has been confirmed by the Baden Württemberg police. A GB licence is valid (after takingg up residence) only for 14 days and this must be exchanged foc for a german one (no test, no cost, except the legal translation as german civil servants are not allowed by law to understand another language). This licencing trick contravenes EU law!
The same applies in France (after speaking to Brit friends there) but the French are usually very lax.
Your GB plate must also be transferred to a german plate within 364 days of residency and the German MOT (156 checks) must be complied with, again contravening EU law! EU law states that the national inspection must be accepted by another state as must another (EU standard) licence!
Sparks, you do NOT have to surrender the GB licence! I still drive on it in GB!
Rant over,gone back to sleep!
Edited by JMGS4 on Tuesday 20th November 09:38
Having lived in Germany as a Brit now for 30 years, you MUST have a german licence here if resident. The European Licence is NOT accepted except for visitors. This has been confirmed by the Baden Württemberg police. A GB licence is valid (after takingg up residence) only for 14 days and this must be exchanged foc for a german one (no test, no cost, except the legal translation as german civil servants are not allowed by law to understand another language). This licencing trick contravenes EU law!
The same applies in France (after speaking to Brit friends there) but the French are usually very lax.
Your GB plate must also be transferred to a german plate within 364 days of residency and the German MOT (156 checks) must be complied with, again contravening EU law! EU law states that the national inspection must be accepted by another state as must another (EU standard) licence!
Sparks, you do NOT have to surrender the GB licence! I still drive on it in GB!
Rant over,gone back to sleep!
Edited by JMGS4 on Tuesday 20th November 09:38
quote:
.......
Having lived in Germany as a Brit now for 30 years, .....
Blimey I only managed 18 months!
Obviously I *was* misinformed.
I assumed my (EU) british licence would be O.K.
I had no problem hiring cars and vans, and thankfully never got stopped.
Thanks for clearing that up
Sparks
Another clarification I recently got driving a german reg car in GB given after having been caught speeding by a considerate plod in his Jap Junk(105mph and only a fixed penalty as his speedo was only accurate to 99.9mph(?)).
A "foreign" car and licence can lead to an arrest and "up before the beak" next morning, at least in Lancashire!
I'lll reword this...... If caught speeding and a policeman judges it should be brought to the attention of the magistrates, etc
sorry I'm thinking in german and French and trying to write in english!
Edited by JMGS4 on Tuesday 20th November 10:03
A "foreign" car and licence can lead to an arrest and "up before the beak" next morning, at least in Lancashire!
I'lll reword this...... If caught speeding and a policeman judges it should be brought to the attention of the magistrates, etc
sorry I'm thinking in german and French and trying to write in english!
Edited by JMGS4 on Tuesday 20th November 10:03
Strange but could this post be linked to the recent upsurge in forms for driver details being returned stating that it was my friend/cousin/colleague from Germany/France/Australia driving the car at the time. Just in case it is make sure that he is named on the insurance before it is sent in, a few have tried it only to find that 'permitting no insurance' carries 6 points and a much higher fine and also that the insurance companies take a dim view of this type of conviction. Just thought that it may be of interest as a few have tried it and been done in my area.
quote:
Does that mean that the owner of the vehicle is responsible for making sure the driver has adequate insurance - i.e. if I let my uninsured Nigerian step-sister ;-) drive my motor and I get a NIP only to inform you that it was here driving then I would get the 6 point and fine?
Or worse by that logic if your car is nicked you then get done for letting the driver drive with no insurance.
Look, that is dumb stupid. If my mate says he is insured to drive any car - who am I to disbeleive him?
It is surely up to the Police to prove otherwise. Innocent until proven guilty anyone?
All a gatso piccie proves is that a car that looked like yours was measured over a fixed distance.
Apart from that, it may not be your car (could be cloned), the gatso might be out, or your mate was driving.
It is simply absurd to for the Pols to charge "driving without insurance".
Is the system really that vindictive? they wouldn't get away with this in another country. No wonder people would sooner run from the law than face up to it.
It is surely up to the Police to prove otherwise. Innocent until proven guilty anyone?
All a gatso piccie proves is that a car that looked like yours was measured over a fixed distance.
Apart from that, it may not be your car (could be cloned), the gatso might be out, or your mate was driving.
It is simply absurd to for the Pols to charge "driving without insurance".
Is the system really that vindictive? they wouldn't get away with this in another country. No wonder people would sooner run from the law than face up to it.
It looks as I may get charged with driving without insurance as I got stopped for speeding (which I was obviously) and told to produce my documents at my local station.
I couldn't supply my policy document and the cover note I did have was out of date. The police officer said that as I have no valid cover note / policy then I was not covered - whether or not I have paid the premium.
Now surely the insurance has some culpability here as they have been promising to send me my policy documents since the end of October and every time I ring them up they say they are "very sorry", "don't know what happened", "will send them registered today", etc.
I couldn't supply my policy document and the cover note I did have was out of date. The police officer said that as I have no valid cover note / policy then I was not covered - whether or not I have paid the premium.
Now surely the insurance has some culpability here as they have been promising to send me my policy documents since the end of October and every time I ring them up they say they are "very sorry", "don't know what happened", "will send them registered today", etc.
To clarify a little. Foreign insurance policies do not cover the policy holder to drive a car in the UK the same way as a UK policy dosn't cover you in another country. Also no Insurance is an 'absolute offence' its down to you to prove you have it, which includes checking that anyone you allow to drive your car is covered. This does not mean "he told me it was insured so I took it as gospel" ask to see the insurance
A question for John
Whats the story with European Drivers in the U.K. in relation to speeding offences
e.g. Irish (Rep of Ireland (South Irland) people living in the U.K who have U.K registered cars. Do they get points on their licenses for speeding offences ?? (note in Ireland there is no points system as yet)
Any info is much appreciated
Whats the story with European Drivers in the U.K. in relation to speeding offences
e.g. Irish (Rep of Ireland (South Irland) people living in the U.K who have U.K registered cars. Do they get points on their licenses for speeding offences ?? (note in Ireland there is no points system as yet)
Any info is much appreciated
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