Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

only if your under a certain age, usually 21, sometimes 26...

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

A related question from a forum noob... what's the status of the old giant fold-out paper driving licences in the UK? I still have mine, registered with my parents' address, and am wondering if I need to update it to a new photo licence or not. Someone told me I do, someone else told me I don't unless I change addresses. So is the old paper one still good?

I've had a CA license for about 10 years now. The DMV here also took no interest in my British licence. In fact I mentioned it and got a "so what?" response.

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

I also have one of those big fold-out jobbies. I've always assumed that, if I return to the UK to live (before the age of 70), then I'll be able to get a new license just by showing the old one with proof of UK residence. If I continue to live abroad, then I don't need a UK licence....

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

I rummaged around the site and it's still a little ambiguous to me. Clearly you will get a new photo licence if you need to update your information in any way. And clearly you can "exchange" an old paper licence for a photo licence if you want. But do you have to? Since there was nothing that said explicitly that you are supposed to, I assume not, although we're talking about British bureaucracy here so nothing is ever as it seems ;)

One reason *not* to get a photo licence is that they're only valid for 10 years at a time. I still like to amuse my American friends by showing them the expiration date on my UK paper licence!

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

You don't have to change ...but as a non resident you cannot anyway ..

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

You can get one -- but you'll have to apply from the UK and to a UK address -- and most probably be economical with the truth that you're a UK resident.

BTW, other states have license's that are valid until you're a codger -- AZ for one.

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

codgerism is a speciality of mine

we are moving from florida to washington state next week

they have a reciprocal agreement with florida

but aliens cannot have guns so my plans to join the target club are scuppered

I was secretary of a target club in the uk for 14 years

My wife can own a gun and I can teach her - but its a felony and deportable (after jail ) if I touch it


welcome to the USA !

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

Why do you think you can't have/touch a gun in Washington State?

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

They have a license called 'an alien firearms license' and they do all sorts of checks including the FBI. The FBI says they will not send personal data to a licensing authority, only a criminal agency. So Washington state says it can't issue such licenses and all green card holders must hand over their guns to a friend to keep for them.

Penalty is felony jail sentence and deportation

I am in touch with 4 washington legislators who say they cant even try to get it fixed until 09

There are 700 GC holers in washington state who cannot go near a gun or else

I have threatened to get the UK government to treat US citizens differently to UK citizens but that supine lot wont do it... If the US asked em to attack MARS they would..

Seriously though, my USC wife can have a target rifle and I can't even though I have been handlling them 43 years and she has never picked one up.

alan

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

I wondered, because I easily found this page. But if it's not working in reality, darn.
It is kind of stupid that they have that process, but then the big fat warning under the 'apply here' button.

http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/firearms/faalien.html

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

yes thats the one

apparently this is one of the last remaining 'Jim Crow' laws. When black people were not considered citizens, they had discriminatory laws prohibiting non-citizens to own guns.

It has been challenged and overthrown in many states but Washngton proudly holds on to at least one 'Jim Crow' law.

It's totally unconstitutional (14th amendment says everyone, citizen or not, is equal under the law) but 700 foreigners dont have the clout to get things changed

So I will be discriminated against for a long time there

after 6 long months my wife has finally got a job there so we have to go, but I hope it isnt going to be one of those backward, foreigner hating places. A guy on the website for this problem was open in his contempt for all aliens and said go home if you don't like it. He thought there should be more 'jim crow' laws


Always a few of those so I am able to feel sorry for his ignorance and lack of education rather than getting upset

If you are not an American Indian, then all of us are, or are decended from ALIENS, and disliking ALIENS is like disliking your own ancestors - I told him that and it was like calling him half ape/half human. He was an AMERICAN CITIZEN !

I think Seattle has a reputation for educated, thinking people so I reckon I will be otherwise ok. You have to get 20 speeding tickets in 5 years before a ban, and that sounds civilized !

But rifle-less I am in a catch 22 situation - it's not the lack of a rifle that gets my goat, it's the 'you are a lesser person' bit. I thought I would be equal in all things except voting and deportation. Now I learn I am in the same category as a slave pre the civil war

alan

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

Well, you can choose to take it personally in the 'lesser person' way, but I don't think that will give you much satisfaction.

The good news is, only for about 3 years.

Where are you headed? Washington is like Oregon with our urban/rural divide. It really will depend on what part of the state you land in.

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

yeah but 3 years is one third of my remaining life span

Headed for Wenatchee which is 150 miles from anywhere - republican island in a democrat state.

Good news is its still hundreds of miles south of England and has some superb motor biking roads where I can get my knee down. I have ordered a 1250cc Suzuki bandit for 1st may (slaves can ride those as long as its not to evade the kkk)

Its rural but 70k people in the wider area and they have a lot of stuff and nice bars and restaurants to equal tampa/clearwater in quality

8 inches of rain per annum but free water to irrigate the garden. It's a cross between the swiss alps and tenerife in the canary islands and the west of scotland. Weird. Second biggest beer festival in the world after munich is 10 miles away at leavenworth

Appalling policing with thousands of speed cops and planes picking on everyone (first 2 people i spoke to had gotten a ticket previous day 20 MILES FROM ANYWHERE like me) and they drag the Indian women round the main street in leg irons and handcuffs and foot to leg chains- I saw them

Apart from that it looks a good place for an outspoken liberal european

Re: uk driver's licence - how to keep ?
 

lol, hyperbole much?

I never knew Wenatchee was so... international. Were they dragging the Indian women by their hair?