driving licence question

the reason i didnt hand it over is because i was chatting to a retired garda some months ago,and he told me never to hand over my licence on the side of the road,always say you will produce it at the station. he didnt go into too much detail,but it seems there are a lot of codes and numbers on a licence that lets a garda gleen personal information about the holder.maybe its an urban myth....but better safe than sorry. i agree with you about the credit card size licences,its a good idea......but it think even more information can be stored in them!!!!
Well urban myth aside, possibly the Garda you spoke to had retired prior to it becoming an offence to drive without a licence and penalty points being applied to your licence for not carrying it while driving which came into effect at least two years ago? I'd recommend that you keep it on you at all times while driving and hand it over while stopped for whatever you may have done to warrant being pulled over.
 
he said the amount of running around he had to do was unreal....getting forms singed going to the gaurds to get them stamped..ect back again to the tax office....and after all that he said still took quite some time to come through. a nightmare.....his words not mine.
This seems a little OTT.

It requires one form (which can be picked up in a Motor Tax Office or Garda station) to be stamped by a member of the Gardai and then returned to the Motor Tax Office with the €5 cost and two passport photos.

Compared to what is required for setting up a bank account or getting a parking permit (two utility bills, car re-registered in the local tax office with associated inquiry form, on the local register for voting, certificate of insurance with relevant address, letter from PRTB etc.) it seems fairly painless and straight forward. IMHO.
 
starlite , i do see the problem in hsnding over you licence if u are stopped.the guard will only check it and hand it back to you.What personal info do you want to hide like you address ans age.Come on be realistic.just another excuse for not having it on it.Its the law so dont see what the problem is.keep it in the car.
 
i think there is a bit more on there than just your age and address,which i would have no problem with a garda having this.
 
correct me but you cannot get points for not having your license with you , they intend to give you 1 point for this but the system is not in place yet, i read this over the weekend in newspaper.
 
I thought points were only supposed to be issued for Safety related offences?
 
You can get 1 point if you fail to produce, 3 if you fight the notice and are summonsed to court.

You don't get summonsed first, you get a penalty point and fine notice.

According to media reports over the weekend and also discussed on Matt Cooper show yesterday this is one of 40 "inactive" penalty point offences, i.e. points are not issued for it.

Hard to believe, but "driving with defective tyres" is also an "inactive" penalty point offence.

You can still be fined in court
 
anyway what was wrong with the system as it was? you produced your licence at your local station within nine days........and if you didnt you got a summons...simple and straightforward.......safer than always having to have it on your person or in your car.
 
anyway what was wrong with the system as it was? you produced your licence at your local station within nine days........and if you didnt you got a summons...simple and straightforward.......safer than always having to have it on your person or in your car.

Perhaps because it saves everyone time (and is more simple and straightforward) if you actually have it where you need it. i.e in the car you are driving...
 
Re: driveing licence question

Keep it at home in case I lose it - this was mentioned earlier. I dont want the hassle of getting a replacement (its a UK licence)

I would never leave it in the car in case the car got stolen or broken into.

2 things,

1. you can't drive on a UK license for extended periods in Ireland, you must get an Irish one.

2. What if your house got burgled ?

Besides, don't the UK now have credit card sized licences to accompany the A3 sheet of paper specifically so that you can carry it with you ??
 
Re: driveing licence question

2 things,
1. you can't drive on a UK license for extended periods in Ireland, you must get an Irish one.

You can drive on a UK licence in Ireland until it expires.

2. What if your house got burgled ?

I keep my valuables and important documents in a safe at home (was burgled in the past, so learnt the hard way)

Besides, don't the UK now have credit card sized licences to accompany the A3 sheet of paper specifically so that you can carry it with you ??

Yes, you are correct - I keep both in the safe at home so that I dont lose either.
 
Catch 22:

1) I have to carry my driving license with me when driving my Car.
2) I have to hand in my driving license to get the address changed

So, in theory, I have to leave my car at the county council building until they
send me out my new license.
 
Re: driveing licence question

You can drive on a UK licence in Ireland until it expires.



I keep my valuables and important documents in a safe at home (was burgled in the past, so learnt the hard way)



Yes, you are correct - I keep both in the safe at home so that I dont lose either.

Well, Conshine, you may find yourself experiencing bother on that account. Though the UK police are usually tolerant if a driver can only produce the laminated photo-card part of the licence it is a two-part licence and by law (Oh yes! ;) ) you are expected to have it with you in your vehicle, whatever the other considerations about safety, etc. may be. Here's the rule:-

Road Traffic Act 1988 Sections 164 and 165 "You MUST be able to produce your driving licence and counterpart, a valid insurance certificate and (if appropriate) a valid MOT certificate when requested by a police officer. If you cannot do this you may be asked to take them to a police station within seven days".
 
Road Traffic Act 1988 Sections 164 and 165 "You MUST be able to produce your driving licence and counterpart, a valid insurance certificate and (if appropriate) a valid MOT certificate when requested by a police officer. If you cannot do this you may be asked to take them to a police station within seven days".

That doesn't say you must carry it with you, only that if you are unable to produce it when asked, you must do so within 7 days at a police station....we not longer have that option in Ireland, you are expected to carry it with you or they can summons you and soon will be abe to issue points.
 
..........my response was to Con's regarding the UK situation. S(he) leaves licence at home for safety; the LAW here is that you have - both parts of your driving licence plus other motoring documents available (on your person/in your car) if requested by a policeman. I responded because I was in this situation a couple of months ago, offered my laminated photocard licence and was told by the officer who had stopped me that I was "obliged" to carry both parts of the licence but in his magnanimity he would allow me the alternative.
 
I've been driving since 1979. I have always, as a matter of course, had my licence on me, either in the car ( when it was the old booklet style one ) or in my wallet, now that it's a bit slimmer ( tho' I guess I'm not :rolleyes: )

I've never lost it or had it stolen, but if I had to get a replacement it's not such a big deal. I would consider the small risk of losing it or otherwise, are more than outweighed by the necessary compliance with the law in this regard.
 
but it in this regard the law seems to be an ass........if you hold a current licence you should be allowed produce it at a garda station of your choice,the same as you can with your insurance cert. simple
 
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