International Driving Permit
 

Has anyone actually been asked to produce an International Driving Permit? If so, what were the circumatances?

Sory bout da spelin!

Yes, on our 1996 trip to Italy. I was driving in the rain in Florence--wife was trying to check the map and find street names at the same time. I took a turn and realized that it was a oneway street the wrong way, and started to back out. Of course, there was a policeman right there, and he motioned for me to roll my window down.

We immediately found out that we were each equal inept in the other's language. He made hand motions indicating to me that he wanted to see my driver's license. I pulled out my Marland license and handed it to him--he looked at it from several angles and shook his head and then made motions pointing at my license and then opened and closed his hands like a book.

Ah-ha! I pulled out the IDP that I had forgotten about in the glove compartment and handed it to him. It was what he wanted. He paged through it, then gave it back. He pointed at the do not enter sign and at our car and shook his finger slowly back and forth making a clucking sound. He then sent us on our way with a wave.

As George Bush says, we have the world's best educated Americans.
I sure am glad no other nation has them.
Aren't you?

I have never shown the international receipt for $10.00 to anyone other than the person who sold it to me and a couple of curious friends and one Avis agent.
I handed my IDL and my own home license to the Avis man. He handed it back and said he needed my state license.

I had a similar experience to Rufus when in Italy back in the 70s, but was even slower than him to understand the policeman's request. Finally, in exasperation, he shouted "Mille lira, Mille lira!" I understood what that meant, so handed him a 1000 lira note, and in return got a receipt. At 600 lira to the dollar in those days, the ticket cost me $1.67 - cheapest traffic ticket I have ever had.

(I copied and pasted the following from a previous personal post. Some clarifications added in this post): My husband and I have had the "distinction" of having to hand over a driver license in France, Spain and Italy. In Paris, we drove the wrong way for about 50 meters. When stopped by traffic police, we handed over the IDP. No questions asked, it appears the info on the IDP, which is presented in about 5 languages, was enough to get us off the hook with a warning to "-be more careful-". In Italy, we were stopped at a routine road check while driving around Genoa. In the conversation, the policeman told us that they are instructed to check that foreign drivers have a tranlated version of their home country licenses. Also, that if they see the need to take the license away, they would take the IDP instead of the home country license. In Spain, we were stopped during a road check on our way to Ronda. No questions asked, the policeman examined the IDP with detail, handed it over and sent us on our way.

Well worth the money in all three ocassions.

I've been asked in Italy twice. Granted both times I was making left turns where I shouldn't have. I knew this however did it.
Anyway, both times having this int'l driving permit saved me, and both times I got a warning. Definetly bring it. 10$ For peace of mind. It's better to be safe than sorry.