documents to take - copies?

quilkin

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I've read somwhwere on this (or a similar) forum about taking essential documents (e.g. V5C, insurance cert) when touring France etc. Apparently the police may like to see them if there's an incident of some sort (or just a random check). I'd rather not leave my V5C in the van in case the whole van gets stolen. Is it OK to just take a copy/scan of these things?
 
You need to take the originals which i have well hidden and i have copies of all the necessary documents easy at hand.

In all the years i`ve only been asked once to see them.
 
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Agree with what has been said above. We do exactly the same - originals securely hidden away (it's amazing what hidey holes you will find by removing a couple of screws somewhere) and copies taken with the other MH documents. If you are asked to show the originals for any reason, make sure the requestor is genuine and then just tell them to hang on a mo'

Wherever you end up, enjoy your trip.:have fun:
 
Not directly relevant to this thread but if you take a rental van or company car odds are wont have the original V5 in which case with company owned vehicles you should take a letter of authority form the company secretary to make life easier I peak form personal experience ironically at DOver with customs returning

Channa
 
I've only ever been asked once and that was on the bike in the Czech Republic.

If you carry a scoot or similar don't forget the paperwork for that as well.
 
Originals !

Yes
But we have copies and scanned copies on cloud storage and at home

We were flagged down in Sicily (no particular reason...maybe not driving fast enough ?)
So Driving Licence Insurance and V5C were shown (not passports !)
3 police all very polite
one spoke good English
second had an automatic gun
third just a stop baton

All documents easily to hand and within 2 minutes and we were on our way

I would be more concerned about losing our passports ! .............and credit/debit cards

All the vehicle docs are easily and quickly replaced
.
 
Cheerful Charlie said:
No you need the original
We are probably one of the only countries in Europe that doesn't require you to have personal identification on you at all times and all your vehicle documents in the vehicle at all times.
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As this, something peculiarly British about not wanting to carry documents.

A slight aside, I read today that post ****** we might have to get international driving permit for EU, funny that as I've driven in several non EU countries with my british licence.
 
robell said:
Agree with what has been said above. We do exactly the same - originals securely hidden away (it's amazing what hidey holes you will find by removing a couple of screws somewhere) and copies taken with the other MH documents. If you are asked to show the originals for any reason, make sure the requestor is genuine and then just tell them to hang on a mo'

Wherever you end up, enjoy your trip.:have fun:
Click to expand...

So if they nic the van.:scared:
 
trevskoda said:
So if they nic the van.:scared:
Click to expand...

Vehicle docs the least pf our problems....
We always keep passports and cards on our person.
You can get new vehicle docs.
If the vehicle is gone they are not of any use anyway !!!
 
Play Safe

I have scanned our Passports and other documents, insurance for van, house etc and health and then Emailed them to myself .
Also bank account and card numbers.
If we ever suffer a theft or loss I can retrieve all the details from any computer.

If you are worried about a bag been snatched then follow the advice of a friendly MET policeman, get a good rape alarm and attached it to your bag then have the pin to your person/clothes. If anyone snatches your bad it will alarm and carry on making a noise as they take it away. The robber will then drop your bag which you can retrieve.
 
Thanks for all replies (except perhaps the Br**it offshoots!) - I already have the docs stored in the cloud so I'll take originals. My driving licence though is the old-style paper one, without a photo ID. I have a lockable cash box in the van which is screwed to the floor, so the docs will go in there.
 
Cheerful Charlie said:
They aren't going to make it easy are they though ?
We started negotiations from a place of strength and now we seem to be bending over waiting to get our Rrrrr' s spanked :banana:
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..........or setting "red lines" which we know they must find unacceptable - then blaming them for the resulting chaotic exit?
 
Scanned copies of the following on my phone, laptop and uploaded to online storage. Two plastic wallets containing printed copies, one in the safe and another hidden away, rolled up and cable tied to the underside of the driver's seat.

Passport
Driving Licence
Pet Passports
V5
Insurance documents
Breakdown documents
EHIC
photos of bank cards along with phone numbers to call if stolen
and so on.
 
On a slight tangent, both Iz and I totally forgot our pin numbers when we did our first shop on returning from NZ after 6 months. We had a large trolley full of food, it all got scanned and neither of us could pay. A tad embarrassing, fortunately I always stash some cash so was able to dash home for it and Morrisons simply put the trolley in their cold store. We never did remember the pin numbers and sometimes I get brain freeze just trying to remember it in ordinary situations.
Now, I always carry the pin number with me hidden within a mobile number.

Yes, original and copies of all documents as stated.
 
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