UK Photocard Driving Licences start expiring in 2008

[timc17]

Sorry my mistake. It's just a bit odd that we were not asked to name the driver though.

[Clair]

A couple I know were both caught speeding within a few weeks of each other.

He was caught by a camera, paid the fine and although the letter said he would lose a point, he was never asked to present or send his UK licence.

She was stopped by a gendarme, fined and was told to exchange her UK licence for a French one so the point could be deducted. This was followed a few weeks later by a letter asking her to present her French licence to the gendarmerie.

[groslard]

[quote user="Clair"]

She was stopped by a gendarme, fined and was told to exchange her UK licence for a French one so the point could be deducted. This was followed a few weeks later by a letter asking her to present her French licence to the gendarmerie.

[/quote]

This is the standard practice: he was lucky!

"Vous avez la possibilité

de demander l’échange de votre titre contre un permis de conduire français, notamment

si sa validité arrive à expiration. Dans ce cas, il vous faudra impérativement

solliciter l’échange de votre permis communautaire avant la date de fin de

validité de celui-ci.

Cet échange sera possible si les conditions ci-dessus sont remplies.

Il sera obligatoire en cas d’infraction

au code de la route."

from

http://www.yvelines.pref.gouv.fr/D%C3%A9marches/echange.htm

 

[Bugsy]

[quote user="groslard"]

This is the standard practice: he was lucky!

[/quote]

So was I then and also my friend down the road. We have both been caught speeding, fined and given 1 point. I asked the gendarme at the time I was stopped and he advised that I would not have to exchange my licence this time but if I got any more points then yes, I would.

Luck of the draw I suppose................

[Danny]

I have a feeling that the first name that appears on the carte grise (ie 'Mr and Mrs So-and-So' would mean Mr is first) is the one that automatically gets the point/s. If the person driving was not the first person listed, then it is up to you to contact the necessary people (prefecture/gendarmarie?). This was noted on a speeding fine we received, from a fixed camera. Obviously, if stopped by a gendarme, they should take the details of whoever was driving at the time.

Jane

[Sunday Driver]

Just to expand on Clair's point about the different approach involving the speeding couple...

The processing of fixed radar tickets is automated and the deduction of points is automatically applied to the driver's licence record held on the central database.  However, in the case of non-French licence holders, the licence database would return a 'not found' report, so any further action to apply the point(s) would involve a lengthy and complex manual follow up.  Given the cost/benefit in pursuing a single point, I suspect that the norm is to bin them.

In the case of a stop by a gendarme, the process is a manual one from the outset and the type of licence held by the driver is identified at the time of the offence.  The requirement to exchange would be noted on the PV for follow up, although it seems that this is often applied at the discretion of the individual officer.

 

 

 

[Clair]

Thank you SD.

I have referred to this story several times on the forum before and explained this, though not as clearly and succinctly as you just have [:)].

[Bugsy]

[quote user="Clair"]Thank you SD.
I have referred to this story several times on the forum before and explained this, though not as clearly and succinctly as you just have [:)].
[/quote]

If you've ever met the great man Clair you would know that he just oozes succinctliness.[:D]

I'm just wodering if he's got his bike ready for the summer yet............[:)]

[Sunday Driver]

Is that the same as saintliness.....?  [8-|]

Bike's been polished up and on the Optimate since November.  Lid still needs last year's flies scraping off, though......[:(]

 

[mint]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Is that the same as saintliness.....?  [8-|]

 

[/quote]

Did you really not know that in our household at least you are referred to as Saint Sunday Driver? 

Or St SD for short?  Or SD the Patron Saint of  Drivers? 

[Benjamin]

[quote user="sweet 17"][quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Is that the same as saintliness.....?  [8-|]

 

[/quote]

Did you really not know that in our household at least you are referred to as Saint Sunday Driver? 

Or St SD for short?  Or SD the Patron Saint of  Drivers? 

[/quote]

Pass the bucket someone.............I think I'm going to be............[+o(]

[Sunday Driver]

Will this do ya.......

 

[IMG]http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w4/r850r/icebucket.jpg[/IMG]

 

[:P]

 

[Benjamin]

Priceless sir, absolutely priceless. [:D][:D]

[groslard]

So despite all the mutual congratulation what I said is right...

[Bugsy]

Sorry, no, you were completely wrong.

 

[groslard]

[quote user="Bugbear"]

Sorry, no, you were completely wrong.

 

[/quote] I posted

"there is at present no limit of age on my French licence.

You can drive on a UK licence here but as soon as you get 'points' you MUST exchange it for a French one."

What is "completely wrong" about that?

[Bugsy]

Simply because there are people who have had a point issued with a speeding ticket but have not been asked to change their licence.

Therefore, for your statement to be completely correct "MUST" is incorrect and should be changed for "MAY be instructed to".

 

[groslard]

No the law (which I quoted in French if you can read it) is that they MUST

Perhaps some people have come across slack implementation of that law , but it doesn't change the fact that it is the law..

[Bugsy]

[quote user="groslard"]No the law (which I quoted in French if you can read it) is that they MUST
Perhaps some people have come across slack implementation of that law , but it doesn't change the fact that it is the law..
[/quote]

"if I can read it"..................................c'est simplement grossier et digne sans commentaire.....[:P]

You were not quoting as the law but stating, in your view, a fact.

On the basis that it is not true, whether because of a 'slack implimentation' or otherwise, is immaterial. It remains a FACT that some individuals have received a ticket indicating the loss of a point but have not had to change their licence.

 

[Sunday Driver]

Whilst Groslard was correct in pointing out that a licence exchange is legally mandatory in the event of an offence involving penalty points, the extract he quoted from the Yvelines prefecture website was not actually 'the law' - merely some general guidance on exchanging licences, particulary those which are due to expire.

Might this have caused this confusion?

 

[expat paul]

I have been caught twice  [:$][:$] in 4 yrs, both times less than 10kms/h above the limit, and am still on a UK licence. There was never any mention of changing over to a French licence. 

[krusty]

Time to revive this thread , I must admit I did not realise these licences only last ten years .

One of those news paper links love em or hate em [Www]

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?%A3430m_photos_fee_hits_drivers&in_article_id=306020&in_page_id=34

[Bugsy]

Where's the groan smiley.................................[:)]

[Sunday Driver]

Don't know why I bother....................[8-)]

 

 

[AnOther]

The last sentence is the joke;

"It added that photos needed to be updated to stop them being used fraudulently"

Once again the honest law abiding citizen pays the once every 10 year licence tax whilst the criminals still get their forgeries exactly as they have always done [:'(]

As an aside, how many practice goes did you have I wonder to get your signature to fit in that stupid 1" x 1/4" box on the application for. Net result for many is that the signature, further reduced and replicated on the plastic licence, bears little if any resemblance to your normal unconstrained one so what exactly is the point [blink]