Passed test: 6 week wait for licence!

whatlliwear

I naively thought I'd get my licence the day I called to the licence centre but the girl said it will take 6 weeks! I asked her was I covered to drive in the meantime & she said "technically no- but keep your receipt from today & hopefully the garda will accept that if you are stopped!". I was so excited after passing the test that I didn't really think about what she said. ...
So am I actually ok to drive now & am I insured?

GarIT

You are not ok to drive, if you are insured depends on if you have insurance. You must have the licence physically with you to drive.

Stupidly in Ireland you will probably get told to bring your licence to the station as the laws are ignored once the gardai think you're 'causing no harm'.

whatlliwear

GarIT wrote: »

You are not ok to drive, if you are insured depends on if you have insurance. You must have the licence physically with you to drive.

That's what I thought. . Wow 6 weeks!!

doolox

...if a police officer uses his discretion on a technicality. If the person can produce proof of ID and of an ongoing process, getting his licence printed by the Licence issuers what is the problem of driving pending the issue of the licence?

Person has already proved their ability to drive, they should be able to produce certificate of competency and suitable photo ID (passport) and that should be that.

GarIT

doolox wrote: »

...if a police officer uses his discretion on a technicality. If the person can produce proof of ID and of an ongoing process, getting his licence printed by the Licence issuers what is the problem of driving pending the issue of the licence?

Person has already proved their ability to drive, they should be able to produce certificate of competency and suitable photo ID (passport) and that should be that.

I accept that if someone has passed the test they should be able to drive straight away.

My problem is any form of Law Enforcement should never be allowed use discretion unless that discretion is written into the law. There should be no case where the gardaí can choose not to enforce a law on the basis on them not agreeing that it should be enforced as the gardaí regularly do.

The law states that to be allowed drive the driver must be in possession of a valid licence, the reason for this is so they gardaí could always identify drivers. While the law may not always be completely necessary the gardaí should not be allowed to decide to not enforce it. Also this doesn't just apply to new drivers, a regular driver that forgets their licence is just as wrong.

The concept of presenting your licence in the station is wrong and should not be happening. The crime is to not be in possession of the licence while driving, being qualified to drive is irrelevant really. I will admit that personally I don't agree with the current wording of the law but the way our legal system works is that if you disagree with the law you have it changed democratically rather than disobeying it because you don't agree. A system where a driver must have a licence or passport or garda ID to drive would be better, the garda can just check against the people licensed to drive then.

The stupid thing is that laws in Ireland are only ever enforced if the garda agrees with them.

Nate--IRL--

Does the law define "in possession of". As in, a Holder a valid Licence, or to definitively have it on you person while driving?

Nate

tom_murphy112

What if you are renewing your full license.. A friend of mine was told it would take 6-8 weeks for it arrive.. does it mean that he cant drive either ?

GarIT

Nate--IRL-- wrote: »

Does the law define "in possession of". As in, a Holder a valid Licence, or to definitively have it on you person while driving?

Nate

You have to be able to hand your licence out the window to a garda without leaving the drivers seat. Otherwise you have committed a road traffic offence. So you have to have the licence within reaching distance really. "in possession of" means to have it with you rather than to own one.

tom_murphy112 wrote: »

What if you are renewing your full license.. A friend of mine was told it would take 6-8 weeks for it arrive.. does it mean that he cant drive either ?

If you don't have a valid licence with you in the car you can't drive, that's the law. Silly I know, it should probably be changed to legally recognised ID.

visual

Worse case you get a day in court to have a judge throw the case out as its not your fault the public body runs on a different clock to the real world.

The garda also know this and won't want to waste their time. So carry the receipt and if you have photo ID or even a bank or credit card.

This is what happens when idiots make laws us pixie heads have to follow

GarIT

visual wrote: »

Worse case you get a day in court to have a judge throw the case out as its not your fault the public body runs on a different clock to the real world.

The garda also know this and won't want to waste their time. So carry the receipt and if you have photo ID or even a bank or credit card.

This is what happens when idiots make laws us pixie heads have to follow

As it stands the law isn't right but the gardaí should not have the power to decide who to charge and who not to charge. It is the duty of each garda to charge every person breaking the law whether or not the garda agrees with that law.

Days 298

You can drive. The gards will understand. I photocopied my certificate of competency and learners permit and keep it with me. The lady in the tax office said I was grand to drive as was everyone else swapping in their licence at the time and the insurance company just said to bring in the licence once I get it. Gards have bigger fish to fry such as unaccompanied learners than people who are caught up in the bureaucracy madness and not out of their own fault are licenceless. Luckily I had my licence within 3 days last Summer.

greenbicycle

Actually your not insured to drive on your own.

I have done my own investigation into this.

First I rang the insurance people. they said that as long as I am following the law I am insured. they said that by law (and that i should ring the guards to confirm) I am not a licensed driver until I am registered with the licensing authority as a full license holder, this doesn't happen until I have a full license in my hand . Technically the only card I have/had is a learners permit so I am insured as a learner.

I then rang the guards who confirmed that yes, technically I am still on a learners permit until the day I get my full license through my door. they said that under the rules i should only drive with a fully licensed driver with me and cannot drive on motorways.

they said that if I were to be stopped it is most likely that a guard would wave me on as it is beyond my control however (as long as i could show my receipt and ID). so the law (as in the guards) will not be a problem. However the law is a problem when it comes to insurance, if I have an accident I am not insured.

all very very very annoying and quite unfair in my opinion!!!

in terms of people who already have a license and are just renewing, this is not a problem for them. they are registered as a "licensed driver" with the RSA and are covered by insurance regardless of having the card in their possession or not.

Days 298

greenbicycle wrote: »

Actually your not insured to drive on your own.

I have done my own investigation into this.

First I rang the insurance people. they said that as long as I am following the law I am insured. they said that by law (and that i should ring the guards to confirm) I am not a licensed driver until I am registered with the licensing authority as a full license holder, this doesn't happen until I have a full license in my hand . Technically the only card I have/had is a learners permit so I am insured as a learner.

I then rang the guards who confirmed that yes, technically I am still on a learners permit until the day I get my full license through my door. they said that under the rules i should only drive with a fully licensed driver with me and cannot drive on motorways.

they said that if I were to be stopped it is most likely that a guard would wave me on as it is beyond my control however (as long as i could show my receipt and ID). so the law (as in the guards) will not be a problem. However the law is a problem when it comes to insurance, if I have an accident I am not insured.

all very very very annoying and quite unfair in my opinion!!!

in terms of people who already have a license and are just renewing, this is not a problem for them. they are registered as a "licensed driver" with the RSA and are covered by insurance regardless of having the card in their possession or not.

Completely depends on your insurance provider. Some do insure learners on their own and some dont.

greenbicycle

Days 298 wrote: »

Completely depends on your insurance provider. Some do insure learners on their own and some dont.

I am not sure you are correct. I have checked with various brokers and was told the opposite.

The insurer may pay out to a third party but then they chase you for the money after if you are not driving under the terms of your license.

I wish it wasnt the case but it is.

There was a very large discussion on this on the joe Duffy show just before christmas where all callers were in the same boat, no licence cause of delay and no insurance by any provider (if you drive on your own)because of it. This is what sparked off my investigation.

Btw, it was my mother listening to joe, not me :-)

tom_murphy112

So here is a question... so say you have passed the test and you decide to drive alone.. would it be best to remove the L plate and drive or have the L plate.. incase you are stopped by the Gardai

greenbicycle

Well, according to the guards in my local garda station they are happy enough that you are not a learner anymore so no L plates is grand!

Its really just the insurance that you might come up against prolems with but i dont think L plates and insurance are much to do with each other, or are they?? Who knows what an insurance company will come up with to save money for themselves!

I have taken my L plates down.

MascotDec85

There's a very easy and simple way to sort this out. Ring your insurer and ask.
Go to your local Garda station and ask.

While you might find people on here well intentioned you might also find their advice isn't exactly accurate.

RacoonQueen

You now have to go into one of these centres to have your application processed, photo taken etc and they don't print it for you you there and then? Seriously?

whatlliwear

RacoonQueen wrote: »

You now have to go into one of these centres to have your application processed, photo taken etc and they don't print it for you you there and then? Seriously?

You're right. It is crazy- but apparently the new licences have a little microchip in them so they're a lot more secure then the old ones and they'r recognisable because it will be a standard format throueghout the EU states. Still 6 weeks is a long time to wait. I'll have forgotten how to drive by the time my licence arrives ha ha.