Whilst I have read about some of the risks to driving standards implied by a driving licence obtained in one EU state - where standards mught be low - necessarily being legally accepted in another, until a few minutes ago I had never read about something that is actually rather obvious; overt driving licence tourism.
This is the concept of new drivers within the EU (i.e. drivers who don't yet hold a licence at all) deliberately travelling to another EU country to take their driving test.
Why?
Because they then hold a driving licence issued in another member state and can't accumulate points or be disqualified from driving in their country of actual residence.
Given widespread low cost travel within the EU, I'm amazed I haven't seen a 'shock-horror-scoop' story on this subject in one of our daily papers or read about an agency with less than acceptable morals having been set up simply to "specialise" in handling the paperwork down to flight tickets and test dates! Maybe both have happened and I need to get out more, but anyway.
This got me thinking in a hypocritical manner though; whilst I disapprove of such blatant chicanery and wish that points accumulation was indeed pan-European, there is no way on God's Earth that I would ever want my UK licence to be withdrawn by officialdom in another member state. Yes, this contradicts the convention that prosecution be in the country of offence, but mistakes though we make, I would trust the chain of prosecution in the UK rather more than I would in some other EU member states (just pause and think of the list). In fact should dishonesty prevail, this opens up a right old can of worms whereby drivers could be held to ransom, and I hope that suitable safeguards are put in to place.
Have any other BRers thought about this subject, and if so, what are your opinions, please?
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This is a worrying thought for professional drivers. at the moment spot fines are issued throughout the world, we do not yet have that system. However in a previous employment I worked away from home and could easily drive through 25 countries every week. Its very different to taking a hire car to the airport in Spain.
At present I only drive to France every week so the risk of points is less, but the law differs in many respects. Some things that matter here are not so important. but the important ones like crossing solid white lines or failing to stop at a junction carry massive fines. I hope we copy some of the French laws soon
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I thought that if you held a foreign licence you had two years or so to send it off and have it converted to your native licence.
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\"Nothing less than 8 cylinders will do\"
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I've heard about people getting an Irish license aswell as their UK one, in order to put any points accumulated onto their Irish one, thus keeping the UK one clean.
Can this work, or is it an urban myth?
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I believe that it used to be possible to have a Northern Ireland driving licence as well as a GB driving licence.
It was popular with drink drivers who could take the ban on their GB licence and continue to drive on their NI licence.
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Sorry, I should have added that this loophole has now been closed.
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