nyc_qcar

Has anyone visiting the US from overseas got busted for speeding in the USA? What is the experience?

Do the cops demand your passport or is valid overseas license good enough? are they suspicious about whether or not you are actually resident and investigate somehow on the spot? at what point over limit do they tend to jail you overnight and/or impound your car etc? (or is that just the same rules as for US residents)?

And the reverse: If you are american in europe, and not on the autobahn, is it a case of on the spot huge fines and then good bye, or are you given the 3rd degree?

I'm wondering about this stuff because I have an overseas license as well as a local one. If (touch wood hope never) i get pulled over doing a cross country trip, I wonder if I can show the nice officer my overseas license, pay on the spot (or, er, how DO tourists pay speeding fines?), and avoid points issues.

©odeWhore

to make sure you're in the country legally. You <b>are</b> carrying your visa &amp; passport on you at all times, right?

Also, I don't believe they are authorized to set or accept cash fines for traffic (or any other) violations. For speeding, they'd give you a ticket, and if you don't show up or pay up, the judge will issue a warrant for your arrest. With an outstanding warrant against you, the immigration will detain you next time you try to enter or leave US.

Eugenius

Zeigen sie ihre papiere, kameraden!

one_fast_roo

) as this is actually the document that an 'international' license is generated from. For example, when you rent a car in a foreign country they typically, from my experience anyway, will not accept an international license.

Anyway, when I first came to the US - I had an International License and my local Aussie license. I got pulled over twice (B5-S4) and was let go both times - each time the all the cop wanted was my local Aussie license plus my passport. He ran the numbers, scratched his head and said - "slow down - on your way".

nyc_qcar

Yeah sorry I meant foreign license.

I know "international" licenses are worthless.
So thats cool: A cop hears your accent, and sees a foreign license. Runs your tags and the car is not registered to you, but not stolen, and all is cool. Doesn't start asking too many questions about how long you've been in the country. I like it!

(although I guess if they find a US license on your personage, then you are in deep doo doo).

nyc_qcar

Ok. So you pay the fine and/or turn up in court (if its a really bad overage), and you're ok, that deals with the nasty arrest warrant issue.

except if u get a day in court, they may figure out you've been here for too long to be fanging around on your old license

KamS4

When the cop pulled me, I showed him my UK license. He got on the radio and was told to arrest me. So, I ended up showing my learner permit. I ended up in court, I pleaded NOT GUILTY for speeding and they dropped it to a lower offence after talking politely to the officer. It always helps to be in a suit.

I got a ticking off from the judge for not getting my NY license.

S4-GTR

To my understanding, in order to valid the international driving permit, you need to have your valid local residence license plus a passport for the entry date. In fact, I got two speeding Tixs when I am travelling to NY. Just like everyone else, they give you a tix and let you go...

S4-GTR

any passport information and visa# at all...

nyc_qcar

thats worrying!
They are told to ARREST tourists speeding?
what was your speed in what zone?
How long where you in NY already? is that why he got on the radio and was told to pull you in, because he figured you were resident?