Failure to produce licence at roadside

gooner1991

I'm not sure if this is in the right section so apologies if it isn't!

My mum was pulled over today and the police asked to see her licence. She doesn't carry it around with her so she obviously couldn't show him at the roadside. The policeman then said that it is an offence to drive without a licence on you and that she would have to go to court. When asked if she could take the licence into the local police station, the policeman said that you can no longer do that and that everybody caught without a licence has to go straight to court. He also confiscated her car keys and had the car impounded.

This all seems a bit fishy to me!Does anybody know whether he is right in saying that you can't take your licence into the local police station?Also I'm a bit confused as to why the car's been impounded it's insured,taxed,MOT etc etc....

Thanks in advance :smile:

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Reply 1

Nayberay

That sounds abit weird...
I swear you are allowed to go to a local police station and show it within 7/14 days after being requested too?

Reply 2

TattyBoJangles

Was he a real policeman?

Traffic Police?

How about they do something more useful? The fact that this may take up court time that we are all paying for is beyond ridiculous. Go and catch people selling heroin or trafficking children, not some woman who didn't carry her licence.

Reply 5

zaliack

Road Traffic Act 1988 s164(6) makes it an offence not to produce a license, but s164(7)(b) allows the seven days to hand it into police. What the police officer done was illegal, get your mum to consult a solicitor.

Reply 6

oo00oo

You should be able to produce your licence within a specified period after being asked for it by a police officer.

Additionally, the officer can only impound the car if he has reason to believe it's not taxed, not insured, or that the driver doesn't have a licence - not having your licence on you isn't enough to prove this, and if you don't have your licence on you, they can still verify that you are a licence holder with a check on the PNC.

Sounds to me like your car has been stolen by a man pretending to be a police officer, or has been dealing with an idiot.

I would call the police immediately to confirm that the car has been impounded by them - if it hasn't, you better inform them that your car has been stolen.

Reply 7

The Stig

I think there must be more to this. Does she have a full licence? Does she have insurance?

There is no law that you must carry your licence with you at all times. If you can't show it at the roadside they can either check on the system or ask you to produce it within a certain time.

Do I have to carry my licence with me at all times when driving/riding?

No, but it is strongly recommended. The Police are entitled to ask to see your licence at any time and if you do not have it immediately, you will be ordered to produce it to a Police Station within 7 days. Failing to produce within that period of time is another offence, even if you do actually hold a licence.

http://www.motorlawyers.co.uk/offences/driving_licence.htm

Q: Do you have to always carry your driving licence when driving a car in the UK?
A: No. As long as you have a valid provisional or full driving licence, you don't need to always carry it. If you are stopped by the police, then you will be given 7 days to produce your licence. It is a good idea though to always have a means of Identity proof on you.

http://www.ukadi.co.uk/2008/06/driving-test-and-driving-licence-faq.html

If what you say is true, then that chap is in big trouble. He had absolutely no right to do that. It is basic stuff, he has no excuses. You definitely won't have to pay any fines and I would complain and pursue it further and want to know exactly what his reasons were for impounding the car.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 8

Glow in the dark

Seems very odd, I'm sure if they stopped everyone they would have the UK at a standstill as I know I never take my license out with me everywhere I go!

Reply 9

JC.

Absolute *******s.
Your mum has had her car stolen.

There is NO legal requirement at all to drive around with your licence. If that was the case the vast majority of people on the road are breaking the law.

You need to go to the REAL police imediately.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 10

gooner1991

I'm looking at the ticket she was issued right now and and it says:
Reason for seizure: Failing to exhibit excise licence.

My mum's had a full UK licence for 30 years and the car is taxed and insured. All he said,supposedly, was that she needs to drive with her licence on her at all times and he was taking the keys and the car because she didn't have it on her. He gave her another piece of paper that has the address of the car pound and said she can go pick it up in seven days.

Pwned.

Original post by gooner1991

Reason for seizure: Failing to exhibit excise licence.

That's the tax disc - the offence is failing to display, regardless of whether or not you've actually paid the tax. Plausibly they decided to seize it for this, although it seems like a 'you need to do this, now on you go' would've been better...

Reply 13

gooner1991

But the tax disc is there. The silly policeman even ticked the 'yes' box next to tax disc!He ticked all of the yes boxes apart from licence :-/
Sigh. This is an absolute nightmare. Can only wait till the morning,really.

Damn.

Original post by gooner1991

He gave her another piece of paper that has the address of the car pound and said she can go pick it up in seven days.

Once again, she's been scammed. Call the police.

All you need to to secure a car from a police impound it proof of insurance and your driving licence. You can pick the car up the same day if you have that as they charge storage fees on a per day basis.

The whole "pick it up in a week" b.s is so the trail goes cold for the real police.

Your mothers car has been stolen.
Call the local police station if you don't believe me. It's only the cost of a phone call to prove me wrong isn't it?