Carrying your V5 when in Europe. (1 Viewer)

When travelling on the Continent, have you ever been asked to produce your V5?

  • Yes

    Votes: 39 30.2%
  • No

    Votes: 90 69.8%

  • Total voters
    129

glenn2926

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Sep 11, 2012
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I really do not like having the V5 in the van as, if someone nicks the van they have the V5 and can scribble a signature on it and get a new one in their name. How would you then prove it is stolen?
 

Lot lover

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Novel approach - don't leave it in the van when you are not ?

This is a problem that millions of us in France face every day.

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DBK

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Jan 9, 2013
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Experience of others seems to be you can probably get away with a good copy but the policeman we met at Santander in July who demanded the V5 was remarkably short in the sense of humour department. I had the original with me so I am not sure how he would have taken to a copy. Ultimately, what can they do if you don't have it? I guess ask for more proofs of identity and insurance documents showing the vehicle registration. Which I had but they were only printed out from emails sent to me!
 

Hollyberry

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You can be fined in France for not carrying all your documents with you.
I was stopped ( new gendarmes training) within a few weeks of moving to France. I was so flustered I thrust every piece of paper I had at the poor lad, including my leccy sign up agreement. He was very polite and kept asking for something else--- finally sunk in he wanted my driver's licence.
You find most ex pats carry a passport type wallet with all documents in it. You can also be fined for not carrying I.D.
 

vwalan

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Sep 23, 2008
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thats why the germans that travel still very often wear the leather or suede waistcoats .
i do as well .
they have big pockets with zips etc for id/passports log books insurance . ferry tickets . etc . great bits of kit and unless your going swimming or are a naturist handy to have with you.
 

maxi77

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Most countries require original documents, and their policemen carry guns and will draw them if you get to uppity with them, and use then to encourage you to go with them to the nearest cash machine. Also I think it is not that difficult to get a new V5 from DVLA if the vehicle is stolen as most cars etc are stolen with no V5 inside.

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Last edited:
Jan 3, 2008
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Most countries require original documents, and their policemen carry guns and will draw them if you get to uppity with them, and use then to encourage you to go with them to the nearest cash machine. Also I think it is not that difficult to get a new V5 from DVLA if the vehicle is stolen as most cars etc are stolen with no V5 inside.

Sorry Max, I cannot believe that they would draw a gun on you and use it to encourage you to go to a cashpoint. But your joking aren't you, ......aren't you. It is an offence in this country and in most others, to demand money with menaces and that includes a legally enforceable debt. There are proper means the authorities can use to secure the payment of fines and that may include impounding vehicles in some countries, not sticking a gun up someone nose.:unsure:
 

Lot lover

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There is no evidence that any gendarme would stick a gun up your nose but can you think of a better way of collecting an on the spot fine? though personally I would impound and sell your motorhome if you cannot pay on demand.

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vwalan

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in spain even the motorbike police have card machines so you can pay on the spot .
if not they arrest you arrange transporter to pickup your vehicle untill its payed .
mind paying within a certain time gets a 50%reduction of the fines .
they dont seem to pull their guns though .
 

maxi77

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Sorry Max, I cannot believe that they would draw a gun on you and use it to encourage you to go to a cashpoint. But your joking aren't you, ......aren't you. It is an offence in this country and in most others, to demand money with menaces and that includes a legally enforceable debt. There are proper means the authorities can use to secure the payment of fines and that may include impounding vehicles in some countries, not sticking a gun up someone nose.:unsure:

My meaning was despite the Colonel Blimp attitude of some they will get their way and they will extract the fine for breaking their law. You get away with a lot with foreign plates in most countries but once they have got you...... In 30 years of driving in many countries I have only been involved in a police stop twice and on both occasions the police have been most polite.
 

DanielFord

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I did once get stopped in France on the way back from the 24 hour race. But I was driving a banana yellow MR2 roadster, and I revved the engine unnecessarily (apparently) for a crowd at a roundabout. The Gendarmes kept us there for about 45 mins, checking all paperwork in very fine detail!

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Sep 12, 2016
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Sorry Max, I cannot believe that they would draw a gun on you and use it to encourage you to go to a cashpoint. But your joking aren't you, ......aren't you. It is an offence in this country and in most others, to demand money with menaces and that includes a legally enforceable debt. There are proper means the authorities can use to secure the payment of fines and that may include impounding vehicles in some countries, not sticking a gun up someone nose.:unsure:


Slightly off topic but

OH Yes they would @iandsm got a gun drawn on me in Rome for trying to photograph trains at a station so they wouldn't hesitate if they think you are engaging in criminal activity
 
Aug 18, 2014
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& I had a gun drawn on me in Belgium for crossing the road other than in the correct place. Quite frightening when you are only 12 & have no idea what he's going on about.:LOL:
 

denisejoe

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Yes when getting van repaired in Rennes I'm not sure why but he took details from it

Joe

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Dec 23, 2014
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I carry a high quality colour photocopy of our V5. I have once been asked to produce it and the Gendarme was perfectly happy to accept it.
 
Jun 17, 2012
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Not been stopped, have been waved through with a smile as the Gendarmes were spot-checking the French drivers :D
I do carry all the documents, when in Rome etc.
 
Jan 3, 2008
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Slightly off topic but

OH Yes they would @iandsm got a gun drawn on me in Rome for trying to photograph trains at a station so they wouldn't hesitate if they think you are engaging in criminal activity

Not having your V5 is hardly criminal activity but might lead the cops to think you had nicked the vehicle which would be a different scenario.

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Lenny HB

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As I've said before it is not just a case of being fined that is the least of your worries.
If you have an incident where you need a police/crime report for your insurance claim they will not do anything until they have seen your V5. Shooting yourself in the foot by not carrying it.
I speak from experience happened to us twice.
 

Kingham

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Always carry mine, never been asked to produce it. In fact, I've never been stopped and long may it continue :)
 
Apr 27, 2008
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Needed mine for repairs in France. I didn't have and had to get it faxed through. I always now carry it and a copy.

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obanvanman

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& I had a gun drawn on me in Belgium for crossing the road other than in the correct place. Quite frightening when you are only 12 & have no idea what he's going on about.:LOL:

I had a gun drawn on me in London.
Oh, hang on a minute, I remember now. I was a young PC and he was an armed bank robber.:imoutahere:
Wrong forum......sorry!
 

mustaphapint

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I do carry all the required docs when driving or riding in France. I've been stoped for routine checks 3 times in 30 odd years of coming here. Each time they only wanted to see driving licence and insurance. I think it would be different if I had an accident or committed an offence though.
 

Theonlysue

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Not long enough!
Have you seen the way the police look at you? :eek::eek:

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JockandRita

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Like some others, I've not been asked, other than when applying for a replacement Umwelt Plakette (Germany), but I do carry quality coloured photo copies, as I do of all our important documents, when travelling abroad.
I also have them copied electronically as well. Belt & Braces. ;)

Cheers,

Jock. :)
 
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Aug 19, 2013
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I cannot believe that they would draw a gun on you
... which reminds me of a friend's tale ... he was sitting on his portaloo in his campervan in a town square in a Spain while his wife went shopping. His van alarm went off. Obviously he couldn't get up to turn it off. Someone called the police, he'd left the side door unlocked, it was flung open and he found himself looking down the barrel of a police gun. Of course, he really needed the loo at that point, no problem with his constipation. They wouldn't believe it was his van, and his wife had all the documents in her handbag. And she really likes shopping. So the moral is, keep your V5 with the van. And the doors locked.

And I do believe some of his stories ...
 
May 31, 2015
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I have my ins docs sent from company readily available on iPad would they accept that..?

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