The Juggernaut Jockey

"Jonathan Morton" wrote

    > > It's an International Driving Permit.


In three years, Jonathon is the saddest case I have ever seen on this
newsgroup.......

Everyone who has ever driven anywhere using one, refers to it as an
"international drivers licence", Jonathon.

IDL, for short.

Ever driven anywhere, Jonathon?


--
Regards,
Vince
Truck Driving In Russia- www.coventon.co.uk

Jonathan Morton

"The Juggernaut Jockey" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "Jonathan Morton" wrote
    > > > It's an International Driving Permit.
    > In three years, Jonathon is the saddest case I have ever seen on this
    > newsgroup.......
    > Everyone who has ever driven anywhere using one, refers to it as an
    > "international drivers licence", Jonathon.

Actually, I usually refer to it (just as incorrectly as you) as an
International Driving Licence.

    > Ever driven anywhere, Jonathon?

Well, actually I have, and using an IDP occasionally.

And I can spell Jonathan.

And I used "" to indicate humour. Of course, if you edit these
out, you can make me look the saddest git who ever inhabited this ng :-).

Regards

Jonathan

Mason Barge

On Sat, 31 May 2003 22:00:36 GMT, "Adrian Rothery"
wrote:

    >"Jonathan Morton" wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]...
    >> "Adrian Rothery" wrote in message
    >> news:[email protected]...
    >> >
    >> > No, it's called and known as an International Driving Permit. It neither
    >> > gives permission or acts as a licence.
    >> >
    >> Nice point, but I didn't say what it did or did not do :-)
    >Sorry, I'll rephrase that:
    >No, it isn't an International Driving Permit, it's just called/known as
    >that. :-)

Hmmm. Reminds me of something a classics professor once said. "The Odyssey was
written either by Homer or by somebody else with the same name."
--
"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
- Abraham Lincoln

Barbara Vaughan

The Juggernaut Jockey wrote:
    >
    > "TheTraveller" wrote
    >
    > > I am leaving from USA, going to Siena, Italy next week and want to rent
    > > a motor scooter or car. Do I need an international drivers license. I
    > > know it is recommended but years ago (10) no one ever asked for it and
    > > it turned out to be a waste of money.
    > >
    >
    > It`s not a legal requirement.

It is a legal requirement.

Barbara

Carole Allen

The front of mine says it is an International Driving Permit

    >>
    >> "TheTraveller" wrote
    >>
    >> > I am leaving from USA, going to Siena, Italy next week and want to rent
    >> > a motor scooter or car. Do I need an international drivers license. I
    >> > know it is recommended but years ago (10) no one ever asked for it and
    >> > it turned out to be a waste of money.
    >> >
    >>
    >>The Juggernaut Jockey wrote:
    > It`s not a legal requirement.
    >On Sun, 01 Jun 2003 07:10:43 +0200, Barbara Vaughan wrote:
It is a legal requirement.
    >Barbara

Earl Evleth

On 31/05/03 16:10, in article [email protected],
"cristina" wrote:

    >
    > "TheTraveller" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >> I am leaving from USA, going to Siena, Italy next week and want to rent
    >> a motor scooter or car. Do I need an international drivers license. I
    >> know it is recommended but years ago (10) no one ever asked for it and
    >> it turned out to be a waste of money.
    >
    > Yes it is the law and luckily (or unluckily depending) the police here in
    > Siena are following through with impounding vehicles and fines (fines up to
    > $500 plus towing charges etc.). Could really ruin a vacation :-)
    >

That could not apply to EU issued licenses, I believe. However, the current
head of state in Italy gives the impression of a mafia chief.

Earl

Earl Evleth

On 31/05/03 20:34, in article [email protected],
"Mason Barge" wrote:

    > I think that's silly actually. There is practically no "anti-French reaction"
    > noticeable in the US.


I posted on a number of French journalists hassled at the LA airport which
is closer to "ground level" anti-French. From polls I have seen some 30%
of the American are for punishing the French in some fashion. The French
themselves tend to focus more on Bush than the "Americans".

We are Americans by accent and also by birth. However, we also hold French
citizenship. When traveling in the US one occasionally has to show a
picture ID and since we don't have US driver`s licenses we use our US
passport. Any other document we show will point the finger at us
that we are "French" and attract attention. Believe me, it does attract
attention passing controls as the airport and has generated a bit of extra
examination.

Believe it or not, some people don't like a US passport as a picture ID
and ask for a driver license! This occurred at one prison visit, the ID
controlling guard insisting on something else that a US passport, in fact
he specified a driver`s license, so I hauled out my French driver`s license,
years old (they are issued for life here) with a photo taken 30 years ago!
After a double take he accepted the US passport, at least that was in
English and issued by a recognized authority.

Motel people tend to want to see an ID along with your credit cards, but
we found on the last trip a lot of "Indians" running motels now and they
are use to foreigners. Car rental agents are usually ethnic Americans
so might react a little different but in the past they have been non-plused.

We decided, anyway, to make sure and have International licenses.
No big deal but it could be.

Earl

Cristina

"Earl Evleth" wrote in message > "cristina"
wrote:
    > > "TheTraveller" wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected]...
    > >> I am leaving from USA, going to Siena, Italy next week and want
    > > Yes it is the law and luckily (or unluckily depending) the police
    > That could not apply to EU issued licenses, I believe. However, the
current
    > head of state in Italy gives the impression of a mafia chief.

The OP is coming from the US of A so my response has nothing to do with EU
issued licenses.

Cristina

"The Juggernaut Jockey" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > It`s not a legal requirement.

Yes it is in Italy! Read on:

From the State Police Site http://www.poliziadistato.it
From their FAQ:
Sono un cittadino statunitense. Per condurre un'auto in Italia posso
utilizzare la patente dello Stato di New York, USA, o e' d'obbligo la
patente internazionale?
Risposta: E' necessario disporre della patente internazionale o, in
alternativa, della patente americana accompagnata da una traduzione
ufficiale in lingua italiana. Poiché le stesse disposizioni valgono anche
per gli altri Paesi dell'Unione Europea, pare opportuno suggerire di
chiedere il rilascio della patente internazionale con la quale è possibile
condurre veicoli anche nel resto dell'Europa ed evitare di avere al seguito
la traduzione della patente americana nelle diverse lingue europee.

From the FAQ:
I am an American citizen. To drive an auto in Italy, may I use my NY State
license or do I need an International License?
It is necessary to have an international license or your American state
license accompanied by an official translation in Italian. Because this same
rule is valid for the entire EU, we suggest applying for an international
license so that you can drive throughout Europe and avoid having to carry
multiple translations of your American license.

From the ACI site (department of motor vehicles in Italy):

I conducenti con patente o permesso internazionale rilasciati da uno Stato
estero non appartenente alla CE possono guidare in Italia veicoli per i
quali è valida la loro patente (o il permesso) purché non siano residenti in
Italia da oltre un anno. Se la patente, o il permesso, non sono conformi a
modelli stabiliti in convenzioni internazionali cui abbia aderito anche
l'Italia, devono essere accompagnati da una traduzione ufficiale in lingua
italiana o da documento equivalente.

Drivers with licenses or international permits from a foreign country not of
the EU may drive a vehicle for as long as their home license is valid as
long as they have not been residents of Italy for more than a year. If the
license or permit does not conform to the international conventions as does
Italy, you must have an official translation into Italian or an equivalent
document (IDP)
* * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A US State driver's license does not conform as it is only in English and it
is state not country issued.

Special notes: You must carry your US State, Canadian state, etc. license
along with your IDP as they work together. Neither of these are considered
valid ID in Italy which everyone who is here must carry at all times. The
only ID that Italy recognized from a US or Canadian citizen is their
passport.

I have written a section about driving at the Slow Trav site. It describes
the important laws for people from North America as well as their are
sections with pictures and explanations of road signs on the links on the
right. The starting page is here.
http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/road_signs/index.htm

Nicola Marzolino

You must carry your
    > national license also, as the international license is no good without it.
    > Donna Evleth

That's because there is no such thing as "an international license". It is
a translation of your license, nothing more nothing less. In effect, the
other country is permitting you to drive with your home license.

Mason Barge

On Sun, 01 Jun 2003 09:35:20 GMT, "Nicola Marzolino"
wrote:

    >You must carry your
    >> national license also, as the international license is no good without it.
    >> Donna Evleth
    >That's because there is no such thing as "an international license". It is
    >a translation of your license, nothing more nothing less. In effect, the
    >other country is permitting you to drive with your home license.

Well, it is actually a bit "more", as it is an "official" translation and will
be recognizable as such to some highway patrol officer. Italy certainly
requires an official translation and I don't know how else one would easily
satisfy an Italian constable. Since it is one of two documents required by
Italian law of a foreign motorist, I think all this quibbling about semantics is
a bit silly. You must have a valid foreign driver's license and an
International Driving Permit to be a "licensed" driver in some countries.
--
"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
- Abraham Lincoln

Nicola Marzolino

Well, whatever you call it, all it does is put all the information from your
American/Canadian state/provincial license in the same order that said
information would be in on a European/Italian license/patente. So, in
effect it is nothing more than a translation and it the LICENSE from your
state/province that is affording you the privilege of driving in Italy and
other countries. I drive in Italy without one...I have been stopped
twice...no big deal...they didn't ask for this "international thing"...let
me off...maybe I am more confident because I speak Italian.




"Mason Barge" wrote in message
news[email protected]...
    > On Sun, 01 Jun 2003 09:35:20 GMT, "Nicola Marzolino"

    > wrote:
    > >
    > >You must carry your
    > >> national license also, as the international license is no good without
it.
    > >>
    > >> Donna Evleth
    > >
    > >That's because there is no such thing as "an international license". It
is
    > >a translation of your license, nothing more nothing less. In effect, the
    > >other country is permitting you to drive with your home license.
    > >
    > Well, it is actually a bit "more", as it is an "official" translation and
will
    > be recognizable as such to some highway patrol officer. Italy certainly
    > requires an official translation and I don't know how else one would
easily
    > satisfy an Italian constable. Since it is one of two documents required
by
    > Italian law of a foreign motorist, I think all this quibbling about
semantics is
    > a bit silly. You must have a valid foreign driver's license and an
    > International Driving Permit to be a "licensed" driver in some countries.
    > --
    > "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please
bring me some coffee."
    > - Abraham Lincoln

Harvey Van Sickle

On Sun, 01 Jun 2003 13:33:20 GMT, Mason Barge wrote
    > On Sun, 01 Jun 2003 09:35:20 GMT, "Nicola Marzolino"
    > wrote:

    >>> You must carry your national license also, as the international
    >>> license is no good without it.

-snip-

    >> That's because there is no such thing as "an international
    >> license". It is a translation of your license, nothing more
    >> nothing less. In effect, the other country is permitting you to
    >> drive with your home license.

    > Well, it is actually a bit "more", as it is an "official"
    > translation and will be recognizable as such to some highway
    > patrol officer. Italy certainly requires an official translation
    > and I don't know how else one would easily satisfy an Italian
    > constable. Since it is one of two documents required by Italian
    > law of a foreign motorist, I think all this quibbling about
    > semantics is a bit silly. You must have a valid foreign driver's
    > license and an International Driving Permit to be a "licensed"
    > driver in some countries.

I think this depends on citizenship, though: the rules are different
for licences issued within the EU. My UK licence states that it is a
"European Communities Model", but the only translated words are
"Driving Licence" on the front (which is repeated in 9 languages).
Other than that, it's entirely in English.

I suspect that Italy can demand an International Driving Permit only
from nationals of non-EU countries, but that they must accept EU
national licences (in the correct form, of course) without demanding an
additional document.

--
Cheers,
Harvey

For e-mail, change harvey to whhvs.

Pete

On Sat, 31 May 2003 21:42:33 GMT, "Adrian Rothery"
wrote:

    >"Jonathan Morton" wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]...
    >> "The Juggernaut Jockey" wrote in message
    >> news:[email protected]...
    >> > However, since the police in Italy are keen on asking you for your
    >driving
    >> > licence, and reluctant to return it, it may be a worthwhile investment,
    >> and
    >> > forfeiture of an International Drivers Licence...
    >>
    >> It's an International Driving Permit.
    >>
    >No, it's called and known as an International Driving Permit. It neither
    >gives permission or acts as a licence.
    >It is a translation of the actual driving licence for the benefit of the
    >country being visited.
    >The truck driver from Britain who gives copies away as souvenirs will notice
    >that his licence is already recognised in Italy (and the rest of the EU). US
    >visitors won't have this advantage.


The truck driver said 'used' to get a few copies at a time. That
could refer to quite a few years ago.


----
Pete

Do not reply by email.
If you do it won't get read.
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Pete

On Sat, 31 May 2003 23:00:37 +0100, "The Juggernaut Jockey"
wrote:

    >"Jonathan Morton" wrote
    >> > It's an International Driving Permit.
    >In three years, Jonathon is the saddest case I have ever seen on this
    >newsgroup.......
    >Everyone who has ever driven anywhere using one, refers to it as an
    >"international drivers licence", Jonathon.

How do you know for a fact that 'everyone' as you put it, refers to it
as that?

----
Pete

Do not reply by email.
If you do it won't get read.
Spamtrap address only!