multiple driver's licenses possible?

[Eric 88 Carrera]

Originally Posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson

So my 911-driving daughter now lives in San Fran, where she has a Cali driver's license and her car registered to her San Fran address. And today, here in New York, her license-renewal application arrived at our address, where she formerly lived.

I don't know, but you would be a Democrat's wet dream -- able to vote in two states

[autovon]

I have a suggestion... do the right thing. I've read your book and am assured you know that that is. People cheating the system is the reason why insurance rates are so high and why relativism is the basis of our culture (a bad thing, in case you were wondering).

[Hester]

Originally Posted by autovon

I have a suggestion... do the right thing. I've read your book and am assured you know that that is. People cheating the system is the reason why insurance rates are so high and why relativism is the basis of our culture (a bad thing, in case you were wondering).

+1 and Amen! I mean really....

[Winter]

The only way you can have two legal licenses if if one of them is an international driver's permit. You're supposed to have a permit (in addition to your state issued DL) for some surprising countries - like Austria and Germany, although usually the cops are pretty chill about it, and won't ticket you if you have a passport and US driver's license.

There's no real reason to have two USA driver's licenses unless you're trying to beat the system in some way, like avoiding sanctions for a DUI or planning on racking up the speeding tickets on one. And, given the ability of states to now share everyone's info via computer, that's taking a bit of a risk in the event of a traffic stop. Cops get excited when they see folks with multiple forms of ID pop up on their in-car laptops. Makes them think you're trying to hide something.

---

Tom

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

I travel all over the world for Conde Nast Traveler magazine, since I do most of their "Great Drive" articles, and in 20 years of getting tickets everywhere, the only place I've ever been asked for an international driver's license is Brazil. It wasn't because I was speeding, just driving an expensive car that made it obvious I'd make a worthwhile stop for the cop. (I was leaving a toll booth at about 15 mph when pulled over.) It's a well-known scam there; the cop asks for the IDL and you don't have one, so you have to give him $20. I actually happened to have one--15 years out of date--and that both surprised and satisfied him.

The IDL is itself a scam. It in fact has no legal validity and in the US, at least, is simply a way for the AAA (an entirely commercial organization that "issues" them) to make money from naive travelers, since the IDL is only good for a year--meaning the naifs buy a new one for every vacation--and they're not cheap. I don't know what they cost now, since I only bought one, back when I too was naive, and it was $18 including the required photo, which the AAA also takes and sells you.

I know hundreds of automotive writers with whom I also travel on new-car introduction junkets all over the world, and I don't know a one who has an IDL. Yet there are still travel agents who warn you that you must have one...since they themselves have never traveled farther than Burbank.

[Mark020]

Originally Posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson

The IDL is itself a scam.

An outright scam.

An old trick in the past (in Europe anyway) was to have an IDL to give to the police in case they wanted to take away your license when caught speeding. Even this does not work any more!

And: does anybody really thinks that a cop knows all drivers licenses of the world? No way: as being a foreigner; if your pic is on it it works.

[Aurel]

I have two drivers licences: a french one, and a New Jersey one.

Aurel