GIVEN THE WRONG DRIVING LICENCE

mick087

A very good friend of mine has a driveing licence,he did his test in 2001 and passed, but it was in a automatic car and he remembers the tester at the time said your only be able to drive automatic cars until you do a test to drive manual cars.
once he passed his test he never botherd driveing again, but now he needs to drive in his new job so he wanted to get a application to a test for a maual car but was told he already as a full licence and dont need to do a new test. So he asked me too look at his licence and the only restriction on it is 71 which means a replacement licence,
I thought that as it he did his test in a automatic car 78 should be on the restrictions but its not. Have the tester made a mistake back in 2001 or is it just on computer and they dont put it on your licence anyone got any ideas on this,

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

WexCan

The problem is, do the powers that be know about the mistake? He can either call them to find out, which will surely alert them to it, or he can take his chances and risk being an unlicenced driver.

Personally, I'd be honest with them. The risks otherwise are too great, including losing his licence altogether.

Wishbone Ash

WexCan wrote: »

or he can take his chances and risk being an unlicenced driver

Putting aside the moral issue, there is absolutely no way that the person in question could be deemed to be 'unlicenced' if the licence was issued by the relevant MTO. How could they lose their licence? It's not as if the driver forged it or gave false information when applying.

pa990

He should play dumb.. and count himself lucky.

When his licence comes up for renewal again, they might spot the error and insert the "78" and then again they might not

WexCan

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Putting aside the moral issue, there is absolutely no way that the person in question could be deemed to be 'unlicenced' if the licence was issued by the relevant MTO. How could they lose their licence? It's not as if the driver forged it or gave false information when applying.

The problem could be with the actual licence only, with the "true" information on some computer somewhere. It depends on whether, in the eyes of the law, the licence can stand by itself as proof of entitlement.

The fact is, he's not taken a test in a manual car. He really shouldn't be driving one, not without an L plate on it.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Niall0

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Putting aside the moral issue, there is absolutely no way that the person in question could be deemed to be 'unlicenced' if the licence was issued by the relevant MTO. How could they lose their licence? It's not as if the driver forged it or gave false information when applying.

If he drives a manual car without doing a test in a manual car and using a licence which he knows should not let him drive a manual car it sounds like fraud to me.

mick087

The lisence as been renewed 3 times so far and each time no 78 as been inserted, A Garda was asked his opion and said this was a full manual lisence.He even went to the test centre and they laughed and said why do the test again you already passed. The situation was explained there attitude was the person with the lisence was wrong and they did do a manual test,i no for a fact it was a automatic test.
So if there was a bad crash and it was looked into i think they should play dumb they have tried to sort it out and laughed at mocked at each stage..This could only happen in bloomin Ireland

zynaps

mick087 wrote: »

The lisence as been renewed 3 times so far and each time no 78 as been inserted, A Garda was asked his opion and said this was a full manual lisence.He even went to the test centre and they laughed and said why do the test again you already passed. The situation was explained there attitude was the person with the lisence was wrong and they did do a manual test,i no for a fact it was a automatic test.
So if there was a bad crash and it was looked into i think they should play dumb they have tried to sort it out and laughed at mocked at each stage..This could only happen in bloomin Ireland

Sounds like he made very reasonable efforts to rectify the situation by approaching both a Garda and a test centre about it.

If the issue ever arose (which looks unlikely), I don't think there would be any case against him for fraud or whatever. He's already done the honest thing by trying to set up a test in a manual car (and been laughed at by the RSA for trying!).

Wishbone Ash

Niall0 wrote: »

If he drives a manual car without doing a test in a manual car and using a licence which he knows should not let him drive a manual car it sounds like fraud to me.

Any garda who attempted to go down that route would be laughed out of court. If anyone is to blame, it's the MTO/Dept of Transport/State.

When I did the Leaving Certificate in the 1980's a friend got a grade B in Higher Level Greek even though he didn't take Greek. The department weren't interested and more or less said "whatever you say say nothing".

fifib

mick087 wrote: »

He even went to the test centre and they laughed and said why do the test again you already passed. The situation was explained there attitude was the person with the lisence was wrong and they did do a manual test,i no for a fact it was a automatic test.

im in the same situation. did my test 4 years ago in an automatic but there is no restriction on my licence. always presumed was an error and would be on their system and when it came to renewing (in 6yrs!) it would be on the renewal.
anyways ive been driving an automatic ever since but looking to change car and i would like to get a full manual licence to buy a manual car.

did your friend do the theory test before trying to apply for a provisional again? i never did the theory test back when i was applying for a provisional as it was not around then...so im presuming your friend hadnt it done either? you need the theory test first before applying for the provisional right? dont wana go and do the theory test and then apply for the provisional and be laughed at cos they think i already have a full licence with no restrictions

NothingMan

Sounds like he's done all he can to try and sort things out. I would just say that he should do proper driving lessons with an instructor to make sure he's able to drive to full license standard.

zynaps

fifib wrote: »

anyways ive been driving an automatic ever since but looking to change car and i would like to get a full manual licence to buy a manual car.

Sorry to go a bit O/T, but can I ask why you're moving from an automatic to a manual? I've been learning on a manual, but driven automatics (for very short periods) twice and really enjoyed it - what do you find is the downside to 'em relative to a manual? Since I'm thinking of getting a CVT automatic if possible after I pass the test in my old banger of a manual!

fifib

zynaps wrote: »

Sorry to go a bit O/T, but can I ask why you're moving from an automatic to a manual? I've been learning on a manual, but driven automatics (for very short periods) twice and really enjoyed it - what do you find is the downside to 'em relative to a manual? Since I'm thinking of getting a CVT automatic if possible after I pass the test in my old banger of a manual!

driving an automatic is great cos its so easy but its more to do with the money side of things. thinking of changing car and i don't want to be restricted when looking. and for some reason the tax on my automatic is higher than if the car was manual!
also when hiring abroad..i know in the states would have no problem hiring an automatic but in UK or Europe know you can pay up to 3/4 times more for requesting an automatic! i recently had to hire a car just for 1 day while mine was in garage and i paid €70 compared to the manuals they had going for €19 a day.

zynaps

fifib wrote: »

driving an automatic is great cos its so easy but its more to do with the money side of things. thinking of changing car and i don't want to be restricted when looking. and for some reason the tax on my automatic is higher than if the car was manual!
also when hiring abroad..i know in the states would have no problem hiring an automatic but in UK or Europe know you can pay up to 3/4 times more for requesting an automatic! i recently had to hire a car just for 1 day while mine was in garage and i paid €70 compared to the manuals they had going for €19 a day.

Ouch, that's a penalty alright! I look forward to not having to play footsie with the clutch constantly in stop-and-go traffic though

Wishbone Ash

fifib wrote: »

for some reason the tax on my automatic is higher than if the car was manual!

The tax is based (pre 2008) on engine size and not on transmission. Your auto must have a larger engine than a comparable manual. Therefore, the higher tax is based on the larger engine - not on the auto transmission.

mick087

I asked him about the theroy test, he said he showed them his lisence and was told by them it was a full one and why should he want to do it again. I have told him to keep his mouth shut and say nowt,im learning him to drive a manual car and he is fine.

Mcloke

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The tax is based (pre 2008) on engine size and not on transmission. Your auto must have a larger engine than a comparable manual. Therefore, the higher tax is based on the larger engine - not on the auto transmission.

I agree with this and as the owner of an automatic, I know that our engine size is larger than the manual equivalent or well there is a manual with the same engine size as ours but there was also a lower engine size which I don't believe was available as an automatic (now I could be wrong).

With regards to the OP, I guess it comes down to whether they keep the original certificate of competence on file...if they do it will be there with the 78 marked on it (assuming the tester marked it) and if not then they do not have the original data to go back to....anyone know if they keep the cert on file?