Hoppy

Maybe for rallying, which involves driving on open public roads.

Button was racing in F1 while he was under the legal age for driving in some contries, and Hamilton has been racing internationally long before he was old enough to hold a UK driving license.

I don't think McLaren would let their multi-million investment anywhere near a road car if there was ANY possibility he couldn't race.

Richard.

Graz

You also need a driving licence to do the road stages if you are rallying.

Didn't the late Colin McRae get banned just before Rally GB, seem to remember one of the top drivers getting a ban and that they had to use a Swiss licence or the co-driver had to do all the road work

Snazy

Terribly sorry, hope I didnt cause any offence with my inaccuracies... I shall now step down from my post

NACRO

Apology accepted.

You didn't cause any offence you were just talking garbage, I'm happy to be able to correct you.

Snazy

lol one thing wrong and suddenly im talkin crap, nice
As for correcting me, by defintion, you advised I was wrong, but did not state the any correction So thats not actually correcting me

Snazy

Send a letter in French, now that will baffle them, being the lost language of Europe.
While its a valid way to wriggle out of it, I think you will find, just like speed cameras. 95% of the honest population will just respond in accordance with the request

Also, with regards to speeding as a whole the UK law now has ways to prosecute people for failing to identify the driver. Its not faultless and a lot get away with it, but im sure they have thought of those, "no it was him" scams that people will try.

Also as far as the CC goes, is it not the owner of the car who is responsible, not the driver, so in this case.....
l'essai gentil mon ami, maintenant satisfont le salaire l'argent et cessent de perdre notre temps, grenouille !

NACRO

I think you'll find most people in France with French registered cars speak French and regard English as some unknown dialect.

The point is when the UK or another country comes to try and enforce their law on a foreign EU citizen there are so many language barriers and loopholes that it's totally unenforceable.

BTW the Red Ken example I gave above actually happened to someone not a million miles away from this thread.

Snazy

As I say, its a plausable get out, but most would not bother.
As for the French not speaking English. I think YOU will find a larger percentage of the French population speak English, than English speak French. The English has a certain arrogant streak in them with regards to speaking other languages, and believe shouting is an international translator.

NACRO

I think as I lived in France for 5 years* I have more of an idea about the place than you.(*clue that's why I had a French registered car)

Even if the French speak English they refuse to use it or understand it.

Our Man In Paris: The only way is up for downtown - Independent Online Edition > Commentators

'Unlike Mr Blair, M. Chirac refuses to give interviews or speak publicly in English. He can certainly still speak the language'.

Going off topic I know but yet again you seem to be ill informed about a topic before spouting nonsense about it.

RoShamBo

iTrader: (1)

But isn't that what Scoobynet is all about !!

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Indeed, I thought it was de rigeur on here

Sbradley

No they aren't.

I got banned for 3 months in November and fined 750 Euros just outside St Omer after I got a little overenthusiastic on the autoroute.

No points on my UK licence, no need to inform DVLA or my insurers, just a hefty fine and a need to avoid driving in France until 10th January.

SB

PS If we're keeping score, mine was 251km/h or 157mph if you prefer

Sbradley

They impounded the car because he was banned on the spot and so couldn't drive it - no other appropriate licence holder with him...

SB

Snazy

And I have never lived in France...? Do you know where I have been brought up................. nope....As for spouting, you seem to be very passionate about your opinions, but would suggest you learn to put them across in a more polite manner.

As for you driving a french car............why the hell would I know that!

Anyway, bored of thise lecture now, we have established my post was factually incorrect, so lets get on with our lives eh

douglasb

Don't think so.

FINES are payable wherever they are earned (obviously, how interested the authorities in that country are in pursuing the fine is another matter). Endorsements/bans only apply to the country where the offence took place and aren't applied in other EU states.

So, whatever fine Lewis got in France has to be paid. Whatever ban and points Lewis got in France have absolutely no effect over here.

Snazy - read the Telegraph article that you referred to a bit more closely. The important bit is "In a major expansion of pan-European law enforcement, EU justice ministers adopted new rules that will oblige member states to enforce each other's fines and court-ordered financial penalties for criminal conduct."

Financial penalties do not include penalty points and bans.

[Edit] Sorry Snazy. Hadn't read the full thread and didn't see your apology for your incorrect posting before I posted.

[/Edit]

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

If you are a UK citizen you have to have a UK license in order to compete in any form of motorsport I know of. That most definitely includes F1, even trackdays.

I recall an incident many years ago when Damen Hill was caught doing in the region of 110mph. He had to go to court just before he raced at Silverstone. Had he been banned then he would not have been able to take part in the race.

Strangely, and to the tree hugging alliance's particular annoyance, he was only fined. Therefore he could race

Snazy

No worries mate

God I got that one BADLY wrong didnt I
I didnt even get bollockings like that in school. How many teachers have told me off now

Stevesbluewrx

iTrader: (4)

If you have been banned from UK Road use (DVLA) then you would not be allowed to use the public roads during stage rally. Only if your co-driver is 17+ and holds a valid uk ROAD license then your ok to drive on the course.

It would not effect your race/rally license as they are under the coutry your holder your license with (ASN) i.e MSA.

Steve

Odds on

I pretty sure Mansell never had a driving licence when he was in racing. Which means even before he made millions and possibly registered abroad for tax, he raced here without a driving licence.

I suppose the rules could have changed?

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Rules can always change. Not being an expert on the subject I cannot really comment on what you say. I just remember the outrage in the press over Hill.

Hoppy

Edit - posted in error

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

Its a months ban over the close season.

NSS

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Damn

p1mark

Sorry luminous this just is not true.
There are many sub 16/17 year olds competing in bikes and cars. And a road ban does not stop you competing in bike racing events at club, natonal, and international level.

Leslie

It always used to be like that since you had to have a normal driving licence in order to hold a competition licence. I don't know if they have changed the rules though.

He does not need the licence to do test driving of the F1 cars though.

Les

Leslie

Yes ok, I don't see it like that myself though and I thought it was a bit unfair to say that of him

Les

PeteBrant

Nah, lots of drivers dont have licenses - Especially the racers under 17, of which there are lots.

Hoppy

I'm with you Les. What you see with Lewis is what you get. It may be overlaid with a bit of McLaren PR polish, but their involvement in that side of things is relatively new. His attitude and poise is wholly down to his family upbringing and values, and as a role model he will always remain that way.

His brother is cut from the same cloth and is a truly inspirational young man (you will hear more about him in future, that's for sure) despite his disability. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Lewis is unique. Like his dad. As a young man dropped from relative obscurity to the front page of the tabloids overnight, he will make some highly publicised and no doubt grossly hyped mistakes. That's the way the British media likes to behave. But that says more about Britsh people in general than it does about Hamilton in person.

Give him a break and let him come to terms with a whole new way of life that has been thrust upon him and which he feels genuinely uncomfortable with much of the time. We don't have many potential British World Champions - we should nurture them and be proud, not knock them before they've had a chance to show what they're really made of.

Richard (a Hamilton fan )

PeteBrant

By the way, I don't understand the Hamilton hate either - From what I have seen he has conducted himself in an exemplary manner considering the circus around him, and has certainly come across as a respectful, humble young man.

DCI Gene Hunt

As a nation we (the Brits) HATE people that do well for themselves... someone drives past in a Ferrari and we don't even look... not till they've driven past anyway! It's because we resent people that 'make it' in life and begrudge them having what we do not...

Look at Becks (the player NOT the beer) when he 'tapped' that twonk during that big match (and got sent off) we LOVED it, golden ***** had messed up... and we we're burning images of him for weeks to come..

We're a sad and spiteful race, so maybe getting 'watered down' by a few hundred thousand immigrants may be our saving




PS... That Hamilton... what a tosser