Would you drive through France and Spain without a driving licence? (1 Viewer)

[Barclaybasher]

I have been trying since the first week in October to get my C1 licence back

The DVLA , having 'lost' my D4 medical eventually have just asked for an 'Exercise ECG', which, I assume will prove nothing more that I am actually alive.

I am booking the ECG but according to the DVLA it may take up to 3 weeks to receive and a further 3 weeks to 'consider'

I have been told by the DVLA that I can drive my over 3500kgs MH because I previously had a licence and had applied (D2) for reinstatement.

I had planned to head to Spain in January

I have decided that I will go after the ECG and not wait for my licence...........

I have now have no photocard licence but have never been asked for it.

I'm going anyway - would you?

 

[Glandwr]

Yes

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Ask for a letter to confirm you can drive

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[Riverbankannie]

Do you need the C1 for this trip? If not you could ask DVLA to issue you a photo card licence without C1 in the meantime. This is what we had to do. Would not like to travel without although like you, have never had to produce it, sods law though then applies!
We had to wait more than 3 weeks for exercise test in Bristol, done at main hospital so booked in after hours. It does test you heart’s reaction to walking at a certain pace and when on slight incline.
The “consideration “ time in our case got to 7 months and then we had to put pressure on through complaints and MP to get the consideration done!
Edit: just read that your MH is over 3500 so you do need the C1 - sorry but I hope you get a quicker response than we did. We are on the limit and we were considering up plating but glad we didn’t.

 

[EX51SSS]

I have been told by the DVLA that I can drive my over 3500kgs MH because I previously had a licence and had applied (D2) for reinstatement.

Ask them to send an email and you can print or a letter confirming that. They dud for me when they had a massive delay in completing and returning licences and I worked for a company that you had to produce every shift plus a requirement by law that licence was carried but letter allowed.

 

[Wildbill]

i don't know but i think it law in thos two country's to carry you licence with you @gus-lopez or @Don Quixote shuld know
bill

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[Bognor Saint]

There are many driving in this country without a licence!

 

[EX51SSS]

There are many driving in this country without a licence!

Not a requirement to carry AFAIK but yes in HGV (and PSV) plus DCPC and ADR (if carrying ADR goods)
Sorry @Bognor Saint, did you mean people driving who haven't passed a test in this country?

 

[Freespirit1]

I have been trying since the first week in October to get my C1 licence back

The DVLA , having 'lost' my D4 medical eventually have just asked for an 'Exercise ECG', which, I assume will prove nothing more that I am actually alive.

I am booking the ECG but according to the DVLA it may take up to 3 weeks to receive and a further 3 weeks to 'consider'

I have been told by the DVLA that I can drive my over 3500kgs MH because I previously had a licence and had applied (D2) for reinstatement.

I had planned to head to Spain in January

I have decided that I will go after the ECG and not wait for my licence...........

I have now have no photocard licence but have never been asked for it.

I'm going anyway - would you?

No Licence - will invalidate any Insurance surely that’s more a risk than a routine stop!

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[gus-lopez]

Don't know re; France but here there is a requirement to be in possession of it.

 

[EX51SSS]

Don't know re; France but here there is a requirement to be in possession of it.

In Spain?

 

[Riverbankannie]

No Licence - will invalidate any Insurance surely that’s more a risk than a routine stop!

He is legally allowed to drive the MH while he is waiting for the application to be processed therefore I don’t see why the insurance would be invalidated.
The problem is not having the physical licence whist in France and Spain.

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[Barclaybasher]

Do you need the C1 for this trip? If not you could ask DVLA to issue you a photo card licence without C1 in the meantime. This is what we had to do. Would not like to travel without although like you, have never had to produce it, sods law though then applies!
We had to wait more than 3 weeks for exercise test in Bristol, done at main hospital so booked in after hours. It does test you heart’s reaction to walking at a certain pace and when on slight incline.
The “consideration “ time in our case got to 7 months and then we had to put pressure on through complaints and MP to get the consideration done!
Edit: just read that your MH is over 3500 so you do need the C1 - sorry but I hope you get a quicker response than we did. We are on the limit and we were considering up plating but glad we didn’t.

Asked DVLA to send my current photocard licence......still waiting
Doctor doing the ECG received a letter today - dated 20/12.......

 

[Hollyberry]

In France you are supposed to carry all vehicle documents and licence with you when driving. In 6 years I was only stopped once ( young officer in training I think). It's luck of the draw if you get stopped routinely or not but if you're involved in an accident......

 

[The Nomad]

If it was me I'd be a bit worried about a Police stop-check in France or Spain (it is DEFINITELY a legal requirement to carry it in Spain); but I'd be VERY VERY worried about the insurance implications of driving without a licence to do so.

Your vehicle insurer can't repudiate liability for the Third Party elements of any insurance claim having accepted you "on risk" at the start of the current contract, but they CAN refuse to pay out on injuries to you and damage to your own vehicle if you were driving illegally at the time.
You crash, write off the motorhome, become paralysed/very badly injured.....not a penny out of your insurers to cover the vehicle and far worse, not a penny to cover the hundreds of thousands or even more of all your future lifetime care needs.
Is that risk of literally becoming bankrupt, of then having to sell your house, and every other asset to pay for your own uninsured care costs really worth taking? Only you can answer that.

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[Camdoon]

Talking to a German in Spain last year and he could not believe that you could drive a car in the UK and not have any ID and or licence with you and that the Police would be happy for you to turn up at a local Police station a few days later. Cannot remember how the discussion ended as a bottle of herbes (?) got in the way but I think your chances of being caught are way less than 1% so even if you do not have your licence you should carry on regardless.

 

[Speve]

The chance of being stopped is very low how many folk reading this have been stopped in the last five years?

 

[Minxy]

If it was me I'd be a bit worried about a Police stop-check in France or Spain (it is DEFINITELY a legal requirement to carry it in Spain); but I'd be VERY VERY worried about the insurance implications of driving without a licence to do so.

But he has a licence in that he still has the legal approval of the DVLA to drive over 3500kg unless they rescind it which is the risk I suppose - at present the only issue is that he has no physical licence to take with him which is a different matter.

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[Euphony]

It is a legal requirement to carry ALL pertinent documents while driving in Spain, including your passport. I found this out to my dismay when driving from my villa to the airport on my first visit. I’d had the car valeted and left the docs on the hall table.

 

[Camdoon]

Oh, stopped in France in 2014 for a random breathalyser check. Not asked for breathalyser kit; not asked for licence/paperwork and lights not converted to lhd. Blew into their machine; perfect Monsieur, then on my way. I think the police in France an Spain tend to have more to do these days than worry about random motorhomers.

 

[EX51SSS]

Police would be happy for you to turn up at a local Police station a few days later.

AFAIK you don't even have to produce nowadays. It's all on computer and checked immediately so no need to carry any documents.

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[bobandjanie]

I would not if it was me, but then I would not drive in flip flops, or argue with a man with a gun.

But you have made your mind up, it would not be so bad if you had a licence because they might not have noticed what groups you had on it.

The thing with the Spanish is
Nothing is a problem........... until it is.

Safe travels enjoy your trip. Bob.

 

[Barclaybasher]

It is a legal requirement to carry ALL pertinent documents while driving in Spain, including your passport. I found this out to my dismay when driving from my villa to the airport on my first visit. I’d had the car valeted and left the docs on the hall table.

Thanks.... I have driven in Spain every year for 40 years....never asked for my licence except when hiring a car.... just pi$$ed at the mistakes by the DVLA that might have delayed my trip in my new van..............

I've vented now, thanks for the replies, I'll be booking straight after the ECG........

 

[EX51SSS]

The chance of being stopped is very low how many folk reading this have been stopped in the last five years?

Weirdly enough, not for years but just exiting a junction in Switzerland and all documents required.
However, I was stopped in Irlam (Manchester) by The Port of Liverpool Police in my wagon. I didn't question it but why were Port of Liverpool Police in a dead end street in Manchester?

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[Camdoon]

AFAIK you don't even have to produce nowadays. It's all on computer and checked immediately so no need to carry any documents.

Sounds about right. Nice guy and had a few laughs but just could not get his head around not having Id on you at all times and not having a driving licence on you if driving. Just one of the great things about being British for someone who is forever forgetting and misplacing things (we have twice lost our passports only to find them again after re-applying for new ones ).

 

[bobandjanie]

The chance of being stopped is very low how many folk reading this have been stopped in the last five years?

They don't need to stop you, but here in the Costa Blanca they often have road blocks / stop checks for drink and drugs, last year there was 3 accidents and cyclists died all drug drivers, so they are very hot on it.
If your involved in an accident, you will find out how efficient they are. Bob.

 

[Speve]

They don't need to stop you, but here in the Costa Blanca they often have road blocks / stop checks for drink and drugs, last year there was 3 accidents and cyclists died all drug drivers, so they are very hot on it.
If your involved in an accident, you will find out how efficient they are. Bob.

Well hopefully won’t be involved in an accident but that applies wherever you are in the world doesn’t it?

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[Minxy]

We've been asked on the odd occasion to supply docs, when going over into Croatia for example, or even Switzerland, and we have seen roadside checks quite a bit, they tend to be on the smaller roads rather than the main ones so that they catch people off guard. We were even parked up in a car park next to a lake in Croatia and the police came down the dead-end road and set up there to stop people for checks ... and they had BIG guns!

 

[EX51SSS]

Well hopefully won’t be involved in an accident but that applies wherever you are in the world doesn’t it?

Doesn't get round the road block situation though

 

[Sidney]

If I got to the border and realised I didn’t have my licence with me I wouldn’t turn back

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