How much trouble can you get in for driving an Manual car with an automatic licence?

[DumbAmerican]

Ok� before I start I am a American! I have lived over here for a few years now! And no� I didn't know it was against the law to drive a stick drive (manual) with an automatic licence over here! Yes I am a dumb yank! I am not going to even tell you how long I have lived over here, because that would make it worst!

I passed me test in an automatic a while back and thought nothing of it! About 18 months a go I brought a stick drive! I have it insured, tax and all logged in my name! I have all paperwork relating to it! I have never had a mark on my licence. I can drive stick no problem!! So how much trouble will I be in with the law?

[dotjhawkes]

I passed my test in the UK in 1974 in an automatic car, therefore even though I have a full UK driving license, it is valid as such for automatic cars only, it is valid as a provisional license for manual cars, therefore if I drive a manual car, i have to have learner plates on and a qualified driver accompanying me. If I were stopped and I was driving a manual car on my own, then I would be charged with driving without a valid license.

[dotjhawkes]

If you have insured yourself for driving this car but u are not legally licensed to drive it, your insurance is also invalid. Therefore u are driving whilst uninsured.

[dotjhawkes]

That is an automatic 6 points I think, if you are stopped. Alot more if u also committ a driving offence and then the law finds out you were driving with invalid documentation,

[JudgeJ]

Section 87 of the Road Traffic Act (1988):

"It is an offence for a person to drive on a road a motor vehicle of any class if he is not the holder of a licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of that class."

You would be charged (effectively) with driving without a licence. The Guideline penalty for this offence is a fine of half a week�s net wages and between 3 and 6 penalty points.

Beware! This is not the same as driving whilst disqualified. The remark made by dotjhawkes about invalid insurance would certainly apply if you were convicted of driving whilst disqualified. However, the usual wording in motor policies is ��.provided [the driver] is not disqualified from holding or obtaining a valid licence.�

You are not disqualified from obtaining a valid licence (even though you would need to pass a test to get one) and so would not be seen as uninsured.

[DumbAmerican]

Thank you all for your comments and help! I am putting in for my manual test as soon as possiable!! But I have one more probelm! My new boss wants a copy of my driving licence so I can drive a number of cars at work. If on my licence it states that I can only drive automatics how am I going to keep him off my back, until I get my licence up dated to a manual one? I mean this job relays alot on driving these cars! He wouldn't have given me the job if he thought I couldn't drive stick? Any thoughts, ideas and adive would be much welcome!!!

[NerdyGeek]

Tough

[kempie]

This is text from the DVLA website in regard to ordinary licence holders of non-EU countries taking up residence in the UK:

Provided your full licence remains valid, you can drive any category of small vehicle shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the time you became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement a provisional GB licence must have been obtained and a driving test(s) passed before the 12 month period elapses. If you obtain a provisional licence during this period, you are not subject to provisional licence conditions e.g. displaying `L' plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or being precluded from motorways.

However, if you do not pass a test within the 12 month concessionary period you will not be allowed to drive as a full licence holder and provisional licence conditions will apply.

If you do not apply for a provisional licence within the first 12 months you must stop driving and obtain a British provisional licence with a view to passing a driving test. Provisional licence conditions will then apply.

...oops!

[dotjhawkes]

Good post Kempie but he says he is only licensed in US in autos so he is still illegal.

The solution at work is difficult, if u had an incident in a firm's vehicle you are in twice as much mess!

And if he has answered the questions from the UK insurance company, they will have asked about the classes of vehicles he was licensed to drive! Check your policy schedule, if it lists that u have indicated to the insurers u are licensed to drive all Classes, then the insurance is invalid as it is erroneous.

[kempie]

dotjhawkes - The point of my post was to show that after being resident in the UK for 12 months DumbAmerican was not legally entitled to drive any vehicle, automatic or otherwise, on the original driving licence.

[DumbAmerican]

Thanx Kempie! But I actually past my test over here! Anyhow... I think i am just going to fake losing my licence to buy some time! At least then he wont ask me to drive the company cars! .... I know its agaisnt the law!! But I am a good driver and until I get a date through for my manual test I am going to carry on drivng my stick and take my chances! Dont tell!! Thanx for all your advice! I am putting in for my manual as soon as I can! And as for my new boss!!.... lets just say from what I have heard he wouldnt be forgiven if I explained it to him! I will muddle through until then!! Wish me luck!!

[kempie]

Sorry... misunderstood... thought you meant you passed your test in the States and had a US license.

BTW do licenses in the US issued to drivers of automatics (the vast majority) entitle them to drive stick shift also, as I have heard and read various stories of drivers just jumping into a manual vehicle and heading out onto the highway?

[DumbAmerican]

It does! Well... as far as I know! Each state laws vary a little! But as far as I know there is one test and no matter what car you drive to pass it in you are entiled to drive anything! Plus where I come from in LA... if I stayed there and didn't leave before my 16th birthday I could have passed my test at school... in lessons on a playground... under two mintues! Doing simply things like braking... going round cones.. all in an auto! So it was a shock to have a 35 mis test over here and waiting for when I turnt 17!! I should of really took more notice!! But my dad taught me in his car... which he brought other from the states! His pride and joy! and of course it was an automatic! So i used that car to pass my test in! The law here is alot different!! But hey! At least they let you all go buy a beer at 18!! :@)

Thanx all for your help!!

[dotjhawkes]

The meanie in me really hopes u are also the AB ed for taking CB away from us! (don't anyone tell her I said that!) lol

[kat472]

So you know know you do not have a valid driving license, you definetly do not have valid insurance and knowing this you are still intent on driving ?

Careless, stupid and downright idiotic. If you have an accident etc.. I'm not even going to start, your obviously an uncaring thoughtless ****** and deserve to crash into a wall, not someone else.

[iknowall]

You will be locked away with the goblins of Harry Potter.
You see, the goblins can only drive automatic cars because they have hybrids which can fly up into the sky for quicker long distance travelling. They see people who use "Stick drive" as muggles and frankly, you sir are now a muggle. If i was you i would burn that car while you can as even "He who shall not be named" (Voldemort) will team up with HP and the gang.