Driving Ban In Switzerland

[newpotato]

Hi. Long story short. I had an accident whilst riding my pushbike over the alcohol limit in switzerland. The police were called and i have had my driving license taken away. I had exchanged my UK license for a Swiss one. Does this driving ban carry over to the UK if i want my UK license back? Thanks.

[TWR]

No, the offence took place in Swis.

[retrocop]

I would of thought not as Switzerland is not an EU member.

[newpotato]

Ok next question then. Will i be able to get my UK license back off the DVLA without being able to surrender my Swiss one?

[TWR]

Your Swis licence has been revoked & No, your UK is ok

[Tuvok]

Driving licence for a pushbike?

[TWR]

He was driving a Car Tuvok, they must have a law that must state you are driving< I'll soon find out if this is wrong.

[craft1948]

I didn't know your driving licence could be revoked if you were 'hissed' on a push bike......I must tell the daughter!

[newpotato]

I was riding a push bike. Yes they can take your driving license away for that over here. In fact they can take your driving license of you just for having a high blood alcohol level regardless of what you are doing. They consider it self abuse and you shouldnt be allowed a license if you drink alot. Even if you dont intend to drive for days after.

[EDDIE51]

P****ed cycling is not an offence over here so you can not lose your licence over it.
The Swiss drink laws seem draconian , never heard of that before!

[EDDIE51]

Found this , in Switzerland you can't even row a boat if you have had a drink!
https://www.ch.ch/en/alcohol-in-road-traffic-and-navigation/
I can see that going down well in Cambridge on a summer day!!!

[newpotato]

Plus the people that decide if you should have your driving license back are a privately run company and it costs 800 CHF a time to go to them for an assessment. So its not in there interest to recommend getting your license back. I am currently have to go 6 months without alcohol to prove i am not addicted. Which they have decided i am. Then i go back for another consultation. costing another 800CHF

[New Judge]

In June 1998 the EU Convention on the Mutual Recognition of Driving Disqualifications was passed by the EU. This provides a framework for driving bans imposed in any EU nation to be recognised by all of them. However, it only applies when the individual nations have subscribed to its provisions. To date only the UK and Ireland have done so (which they did in 2010)

So, apart from Ireland, driving bans imposed anywhere else are not recognised in the UK. Of course Switzerland is not an EU member but even if it was, and providing they, like the 26 other EU members, had refused to enact the convention, a ban in Switzerland would not apply in the UK.

[shoota]

Eddie - //P****ed cycling is not an offence over here so you can not lose your licence over it. //

It is an offence, but not one which might affect your driving licence. It is also an offence to be simply in charge of a bike.

http://www.wycombedrivingschool.co.uk/blog/drunk_cycling.asp

[mazie]

Bloody hell. I'd move

[New Judge]

And I forgot to add that one of the main reasons some nations are reluctant to subscribe to the convention is the wide disparity of offences which attract disqualifications across the EU. I know that Switzerland is not a member but your example demonstrates this. You have been banned or an offence which clearly would not attract a ban in the UK. This means you would be prevented from driving in the UK for an offence which, had it been committed here, would not have seen such a penalty imposed.

[EDDIE51]

Shoota.Try telling that to some of the nutters on 2 wheels blasting around 'Cycle City' (aka Cambridge !)

[EDDIE51]

I knew a guy who got booked for 'Drunk in charge of a horse'

[newpotato]

Thank you everyone for your input. Nice to know. Might head back to the UK!

[Anngel]

Glad to see you back here...as long as you are not drunk in charge of a pushbike over here.....