Re: identity theft

In a message dated 11/9/2005 3:44:33 AM Mountain Standard Time,

asked to send my driving licence to the court, so they could record
their grateful thanks thereupon, I waited for its return. When my
licence hadn't been returned after 4 weeks

I found this interesting and prompts me to ask if you are not required to
have your driver's license in your possession whenever you are driving a car in
England? Over here, we can get an additional fine if stopped for an
infraction and do not have our license in our possession.

Are you saying that you were driving around for four weeks with no license??

mary lou sun valley, id usa

Peter...

No, he was licensed to drive, it's just that his licence was not on
his person. I never carry my drivers licence with me (except when
abroad and expecting to hire a car).

It is not a requirement to carry your driving licence in the UK,
however, if so required by a police officer, you must produce it for
inspection within 5 days at a police staion of your choice (usually

Nick...

Is not the insurance certificate also included in that. I believe that in
some countries the insurance document has to be displayed so that you don't
get as you do here that people are driving round uninsured.

Don Kirkman...

In my state (California) what is accepted is a card issued by the
insurance company with a summary of the policy limits and the effective
dates. This must be shown to officers on demand, which would usually
follow an accident. California law requires auto insurance or proof of
adequate personal funds to satisfy a potential lawsuit.

along with you motor insurance certificate and, if applicable, the
vehicles certificate of roadworthyness.

Nick...

As I have written elsewhere I only realised that I hadn't received or
couldn't find my driving licence which was supposed to be sent to me last
October was when I started looking for it the night before I was going to
hire a car in August.

I coudn't find it and therefore had to change my plans substantially as I
couldn't hire the car. I contacted the DVLA and they told me that their
records showed that they had sent me the licence and that unless they hear
within 3 months they assume that it has been received.

As I hadn't had to take the licence to a police station I didn't realise I
didn't have it.

The DVLA do send out a letter beforehand to say that they are going to send
the licence out to you, but it would be more useful if they sent the letter
two weeks afterwards to you asking you to confirm that you had received the
licence.

This might have prompted me to check whether I received it or not.

A postscript was that I was very lucky that the car hire firm agreed to
refund the money paid for the week's car hire - something which, of course,
they didn't have to do.