I have never had to produce my actual licence although I get stopped for 'documenti' about daily (once 3 times in a 4 mile round trip to the supermarket!).

When asked by any Police, not just here, I always produce the IDP open at the page of his language (or most nearest/likely one he will understand). Generally they soften on seeing something they can read and understand.

The further you are from your documents 'home' the less likely they are understand exactly what they should be looking for and at.

At the time of being asked for the Licence, you dont always know thier motives or even the reason for the 'stop'. I do this in readiness should he think I have actually done wrong and, irrespective, he is seeking to hold it as 'security' while you drive/ride off to a Bancomat to draw his bribe money. It has happened to family members, but fortunately not to me - as yet.

Having another IDP makes its loss of no consequence or risk to the integrity of my continued journey if not local. He can hardly put out an APB for failing to return with his cash bribe having let me go to get it rather then do it the Official way by detaining me and my vehicle!


Driving our foreign car here, with only a 4 digit number, I get stopped almost daily. These stops are 99% nothing sinister and a regular routine part of the daily roads ritual carried out bored guys who pick on my foreign car as something unusual to add some interest to their job. Although it happens about daily in our foreign car, it is less than once a year in our RUS registered car. Proof?

With the IDP I feel a little more confident when dealing with the occasional ass-hole. So far I have managed to talk my way out of a couple of them without resort to abandoning the IDP !!

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