Do you need a special drivers license

[Irishwhiskey]

We are thinking of renting a car in La Harve France and need to no if you need to have an international license or will the USA license do. Thanks John

[ab0si]

It never hurts to have an IDL (which really is NOT a license, merely a multilingual translation of the informaion on your driver's license.

 

I used to carry on when I drove in Europe but no one ever asked to see it (including the Italian policeman who pulled me over).

 

Paul

[scottie99]

Your US one will be fine, but remember automatic gears are the exception in Europe and have to specifically requested.

[whogo]

The real advantage of the IDL is in translating dates, which the Europeans write backwards. The French would think that a 12/01/07 expiration date was January 12, 2007 instead of December 1, 2007. The IDL is not required in France, but I am guessing that French police would rather read the translation than the original. What would a New Jersey policeman make of a French license?

[MacThespian]

The real advantage of the IDL is in translating dates, which the Europeans write backwards. The French would think that a 12/01/07 expiration date was January 12, 2007 instead of December 1, 2007. The IDL is not required in France, but I am guessing that French police would rather read the translation than the original. What would a New Jersey policeman make of a French license?

 

I tend to think that we're the ones who write dates backward. Going from the shortest period of time (the day) to the middle (the month) to the longest period of time (the year) seems much more logical than going from the middle to the shortest and then to the longest.

 

But you're right, the dates can be confusing.

 

I don't get an IDL when driving in the UK, but I do get it when I'm planning to drive in a non-English-speaking country.

[standby 06.30]

On the 02/02/2007 I was stopped in forida speeding in a mustang hire car, by some very pleasant cops, they ran my uk license did not have a prob with the "backwards" dates and gave me a citation for $235 which I deserved, I use my uk license all over europe with no probs. regards

[Irishwhiskey]

Thanks for the input.I"ll see about aquiring an IDL of my license.I have 6 weeks before cruising Century.Judging from the cost of the excursions,a rental car would be a bargin.Thanks again,John

[mjohns2]

I can't see the details, ut I did a Google Search on the following:

aaa world driver's license

One of the results was the following

International Drivers License - AAA TravelBefore you travel the world, travel to any AAA office for your International Driving Permit. Bring your valid U.S. driver's license, $15, ...

http://www.ouraaa.com/travel/other/idp/ - 15k

I remmbered when I friend when to Greece and he went to AA to get his International Driving Permit.

[Globaliser]

I tend to think that we're the ones who write dates backward. Going from the shortest period of time (the day) to the middle (the month) to the longest period of time (the year) seems much more logical than going from the middle to the shortest and then to the longest.

Even simpler than that: dd/mm/yyyy is an ISO international standard. mm/dd/yyyy is not. End of story.

 

Much like paper sizes, really.