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AIBU?

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Original poster

Likelihood of being caught driving with no licence?

277 replies

Throwaway283833848 · 20/10/2019 23:01

Currently don’t have a driving licence.

What is the likelihood of being stopped by the police?

Myself and my husband are both insured on the car.

I know it’s unreasonable, just wondering how likely it is?

OP posts:
Nat6999 · 21/10/2019 02:07

I have a friend who has been caught drink driving 4 times, after the third arrest he was told that once his ban was finished he had to take a medical to prove his fitness to drive, he is an alcoholic & knew that he would never pass the medical. He bought a car, registered it in his sister's name, got it taxed & insured, he drove it for almost a year whilst working as a mechanic. Last new year's eve, he parked his car in a car park, went to a pub 5 minutes walk away, when he left the pub & walked back to the car, he put the key in the ignition, started the engine & before he moved the car an inch a police car appeared & he was arrested, he was 3 times over the limit. In court he found out that the city centre CCTV had picked him up parking the car, they notified the police who were waiting for him. He got a 12 month prison sentence suspended for 2 years, 12 months probation, a 9 month alcohol order, a 5 year ban & £750 fine. The magistrate told him if he was caught drink driving again, he would go to prison for at least 2 years, the chances are he won't be alive in 2 years time, he has cirrhosis of the liver & is still drinking. He hadn't driven his car an inch when he was caught, what I am trying to say is with CCTV & ANPR, the chances are, you will get caught.

cabbageking · 21/10/2019 02:52

You are clearly disqualified and the PNC records this for any PC to check whether an offence is committed or not. Your husband commits a crime to allow you to use his car. As I assume it is now in his name? Your neighbours and friends are very likely to inform the police online.

FiddlesticksAkimbo · 21/10/2019 02:56

Extremely low chance indeed. I haven't been stopped for about twenty years. I guess it depends how badly you drive though Grin

BritWifeinUSA · 21/10/2019 03:09

In your post you were quite explicit about this being about you and your husband. Because you have not got the reception you were hoping for, now it’s suddenly your “sister” and you’ve pulled the old “posting for a friend” line.

Sure...

FionaOgre · 21/10/2019 03:11

It's unlikely. I've been driving for 16 years and have been stopped once when police watched me come out of a venue all dressed up at 2am so an obvious choice for a breathalyser. I was pregnant and attending a wedding so obviously not drinking.

However. Anyone who drives without a license is absolute scum and I hope they're stopped and prosecuted long before they are in an accident.

rededucator · 21/10/2019 03:11

Just get a license. If you can drive you don't need lessons so just pay for theory and practical and make it official. If you don't think you'd pass a test then how can you morally get behind the wheel?

HomeTheatreSystem · 21/10/2019 04:45

As others have rightly pointed out, if the driver of a vehicle doesn't have a valid driving licence then any insurance they believe they might have, would be void. If the car is owned and insured by someone else but lent to someone to drive, in the full knowledge that that person doesn't have a valid driving licence, that person is also committing an offence.

Cailleach · 21/10/2019 04:46

How's your toothache, OP?

MyOtherProfile · 21/10/2019 04:59

Hope this really is your sister OP, but either way I hope this thread will convince whoever is about to drive without a licence not to do so.

As for people doubting about the Facebook page @hellenbackagen mentioned , check this one out from Sheffield police. It has specific posts about uninsured drivers and how many are caught.

www.facebook.com/sypoperationalsupport/

HerkyBaby · 21/10/2019 05:55

The local police know who all the disqualified drivers are and where they live etc. You will be caught.

AJPTaylor · 21/10/2019 06:03

From anpr? Pretty unlikely I should think. From someone snitching? Higher. 2 cases amongst friends/family where they were caught after someone called the police.

YouJustDoYou · 21/10/2019 06:09

In my county they regularly do No Excuse pull overs so likehood of getting caught is much higher, which is great because they also publish all the selfish fuckwits who get pulled over whilst driving without insurance/drunk, on drugs etc.

bellinisurge · 21/10/2019 06:10

Tell your "sister" that if I knew her in real life, even if we were best friends, I would report her without a moment's hesitation.

AlwaysCheddar · 21/10/2019 06:16

Tell your sister she’s a prize turd. And that’s being nice.

MaybeitsMaybelline · 21/10/2019 06:23

Have you never watched Police Interceptors OP?

There’s your answer.

Endeavour1971 · 21/10/2019 06:31

A friend of a friend of mine was disqualified a while back (for speeding and jumping red lights). He continued to drive, and to make matters worse he later had no insurance. I reported him twice to the police, giving his name, registration and where has was at the time. They told me they didn't have the resources to do anything. He's got his license back now but still no insurance. It makes me furious

ImaginaryCat · 21/10/2019 06:31

In my experience it's frustratingly easy to drive without a license. My mother's GP and I both reported her to the DVLA when she was diagnosed with dementia but continued to drive. They revoked her license immediately but didn't tell us, just sent her a letter, which she ignored.
A year later she was in an accident. That's when I found out her license had been cancelled.
Talking to the police about how she'd been able to keep driving, especially when I'd been asking them for advice on how to get her off the road during that time, he said their hands were tied, they needed to catch her in the act. She carried on driving after the accident, even though I gave the police times and locations where they might catch her.

BarbaraofSeville · 21/10/2019 06:35

Erm, no, that didn't happen. If it did there is a huge part of the story missing. There is no way a police officer saw you driving, contacted your insurance company to see who was named on the policy, then stopped you all in a short time.

Maybe it did. DP and I were watching one of those police camera action programmes and a car passed the officers doing traffic patrol.

Car goes past and Copper A said to Copper B, 'that car is insured for a couple in their 50s and yet a teenager is driving'. So they went out and stopped them. Turns out dad was teaching teen son to drive but the lad wasn't on the insurance. So he got a conviction for driving without insurance before he'd even passed his test and I think dad got some sort of conviction or perhaps just a severe telling off (I can't remember if there was an actual offence they could charge him with).

Regarding insurance and how people always say it isn't valid if the MOT has expired, someone hasn't passed their test etc etc, I'm not sure that's the case. If you did something like wrote off a Ferrari and crippled the driver, I think your insurance would still pay out the third party but not the damage to your own car. There's always the Motor Insurer's Bureau that helps victims of uninsured drivers.

But obviously driving without insurance is totally wrong and no-one should ever do that.

Geneva1995 · 21/10/2019 06:38

Don’t do it, however probably unlikely if you’re a good driver. I’m sure there’s many people here including myself who’s been driving for years and never been stopped by the police.

BarbaraofSeville · 21/10/2019 06:40

As for the likelihood of being caught, obviously depends on where she's driving - city, motorway etc - more chance of being in an accident, more chance of being seen by police etc.

If she lives in a rural area and just drives to the nearest town a couple of times a week, probably close to zero.

MonstranceClock · 21/10/2019 06:41

My mum drove for 20 years without a license and never got caught Grin

maddiemookins16mum · 21/10/2019 06:46

I’ve driven for nearly 40 years and have never been stopped.
Btw, I do have a valid licence.

CupoTeap · 21/10/2019 06:48

@hellenbackagen vicar good to see you!

Elderflower14 · 21/10/2019 06:57

You are an absolutely thoughtless idiot to even consider it.. 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡

ceebeejeebies · 21/10/2019 06:58

I knew someone who drove a car with no licence. Got insurance on their provisional license in an attempt to fool police. He got caught so often that it wasn't worth keeping the car. It got impounded multiple times before he gave up. It's completely foolish and selfish. Just get the bus or an Uber like anyone else without a license.