# east coast to west without a license



## 4t7

Has anyone ever driven without a license? 

Long distance? 

[emoji604] 

How terrible of an idea is this?

[emoji600] If I get pulled over but still have legit title, registration, and insurance how fucked over would I be? [emoji601] 

Looking to hear stories/advice on this that any of you stp'ers may have. [emoji16]


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## Dmac

if you get stopped for any reason, they could impound your vehicle. But I drove from omaha to seattle down the coast into cali and took 80 back to omaha without a licence and with fictitious plates. if the cops had ran my plates for any reason i would have been fucked, but i had no troubles, cuz i didn't speed or drink/party etc. I looked the part of a tourist with my bike on the back and kayak on the roof, in a geo metro. but it was a huge risk and my trip could have ended at any time if I had drawn any cops attention.

that being said; With valid plates I'd go for it. however if you are in some kind of accident, you will be found at fault because you were not driving legally. Maybe try and find someone with a drivers licence to go along with you.


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## 4t7

dmac66 said:


> if you get stopped for any reason, they could impound your vehicle. But I drove from omaha to seattle down the coast into cali and took 80 back to omaha without a licence and with fictitious plates. if the cops had ran my plates for any reason i would have been fucked, but i had no troubles, cuz i didn't speed or drink/party etc. I looked the part of a tourist with my bike on the back and kayak on the roof, in a geo metro. but it was a huge risk and my trip could have ended at any time if I had drawn any cops attention.
> 
> that being said; With valid plates I'd go for it. however if you are in some kind of accident, you will be found at fault because you were not driving legally. Maybe try and find someone with a drivers licence to go along with you.



That's badass dude [emoji41] You said you didn't speed...did you drive slower than the speed limit to play it more safe?

How likely do you think it is that my vehicle would be impounded with legit plates and all that, just no DL?

I wouldn't just get ticketed?

Any advice on looking more touristy?


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## Art101

1st question,is your licence suspened,if yes its off to jail in as far as I know every state.Your ride gets impounded and your screwed.2nd,what are you driving,the less of a party rig you are driving the less of a chance you will get pulled over.If its got fuck the police or anarchy signs on it forget it.Never drive slower that can be a red flag for a cop if anything cruise right about 5 over then you just seem like everyone else going long distance.


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## 4t7

Art101 said:


> 1st question,is your licence suspened,if yes its off to jail in as far as I know every state.Your ride gets impounded and your screwed.2nd,what are you driving,the less of a party rig you are driving the less of a chance you will get pulled over.If its got fuck the police or anarchy signs on it forget it.Never drive slower that can be a red flag for a cop if anything cruise right about 5 over then you just seem like everyone else going long distance.



License isn't suspended I just don't have one and never have. Would that land me in jail? It's a 95' chevy van 20 with heavy tinted windows. That's pretty touristy, eh? Sadly I have no FTP or anarchy symbols though [emoji28]


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## wokofshame

make SURE all your lights are working. hit up autoZone and grab spare lights, fuses.
non-working lights are a sure ticket to being pulled over. check brake lights, taillights, headlights, turn signals every day.
i've driven coast-to-coast w/out a liscence also. no prob as long as u dont get pulled over.
if u do get towed, tell tow-truck river to drop u off across street in parking lot. u will pay hook fee but no mileage


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## Deleted member 2626

Have driven a lot of uninspected vehicles and drove a car with fake registration and no title insurance or anything. But recently I had my Subaru wasn't inspected for a year and a half and got a 213 dollar ticket and warrant if had went unpaid. Without a license. Impound and a fine. I don't think you'll get arrested and I bet they'd search you. Stay sober and drive early morning and day and leave your lights off then you don't have to worry. But not at night obviously ha


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## Matt Derrick

i heard some statistic somewhere there you're such and such percent more likely to be pulled over by a cop in the left lane of the freeway (passing lane) than the right. but hell, i've driven across the country more times than i can count in the past 15 years, and i've never been pulled over once. so, i imagine if you're smart you should be fine.


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## pigpen

On top of everything else above I would say stick to the interstate, try to avoid too large of cities AND too small of towns and if you're gonna gas jug then find a licensed clean sober driver to stay with the vehicle while you jug.

You'll be fine just don't sweat it and pretend you're not doing anything illegal. just another cog, right?


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## Dmac

I agree with all that has been said, you have to be super careful and obey all laws. you do not want to do anything to attract attention. Always check your lights, before and during each days drive. use your signals, don't follow to close and don't road rage!
cops will sometimes run plates of cars at rest stops or at roadside parks. i would pay for a campsite if i needed to crash (less chance of dealing with a cop) or stop for short periods at truck stops or wallmart parking lots (many will let people traveling stay overnight, but it is best to ask manager to be sure). 
if I had a problem with someone, I would leave just in case the guy was a dick and called the cops. 

Like I said before, with a licensed car, i would do it again. if a cop is just running tags to check, you will be fine. but if he is running your tags cuz you were speeding or something like that, you will probably get pulled over anyway so he can stick his nose in your business. 

are you traveling alone or with others?


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## 4t7

Matt Derrick said:


> i heard some statistic somewhere there you're such and such percent more likely to be pulled over by a cop in the left lane of the freeway (passing lane) than the right. but hell, i've driven across the country more times than i can count in the past 15 years, and i've never been pulled over once. so, i imagine if you're smart you should be fine.


15 years and never pulled over once? Damn man, you must be a hella good/cautious driver.


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## 4t7

pigpen said:


> On top of everything else above I would say stick to the interstate, try to avoid too large of cities AND too small of towns and if you're gonna gas jug then find a licensed clean sober driver to stay with the vehicle while you jug.
> 
> You'll be fine just don't sweat it and pretend you're not doing anything illegal. just another cog, right?


So back-roads and highways aren't a good idea? I guess fuck the scenic route anyways, lol


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## 4t7

dmac66 said:


> I agree with all that has been said, you have to be super careful and obey all laws. you do not want to do anything to attract attention. Always check your lights, before and during each days drive. use your signals, don't follow to close and don't road rage!
> cops will sometimes run plates of cars at rest stops or at roadside parks. i would pay for a campsite if i needed to crash (less chance of dealing with a cop) or stop for short periods at truck stops or wallmart parking lots (many will let people traveling stay overnight, but it is best to ask manager to be sure).
> if I had a problem with someone, I would leave just in case the guy was a dick and called the cops.
> 
> Like I said before, with a licensed car, i would do it again. if a cop is just running tags to check, you will be fine. but if he is running your tags cuz you were speeding or something like that, you will probably get pulled over anyway so he can stick his nose in your business.
> 
> are you traveling alone or with others?



Fuckin' cops man...[emoji35] 

Will probably be travelling with a couple people though.


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## 4t7

Tatanka said:


> Have driven a lot of uninspected vehicles and drove a car with fake registration and no title insurance or anything. But recently I had my Subaru wasn't inspected for a year and a half and got a 213 dollar ticket and warrant if had went unpaid. Without a license. Impound and a fine. I don't think you'll get arrested and I bet they'd search you. Stay sober and drive early morning and day and leave your lights off then you don't have to worry. But not at night obviously ha


Really? A warrant over an uninspected vehicle? That is absurd [emoji34]


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## angerisagift

4t7 said:


> Fuckin' cops man...[emoji35]
> 
> Will probably be travelling with a couple people though.


dont any of the ppl u r traveling with have a DL


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## 4t7

angerisagift said:


> dont any of the ppl u r traveling with have a DL


Well who I'll be travelling with isn't really set in stone but yeah, I bet one of them do. I wanna drive though. It's my van [emoji16]


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## angerisagift

4t7 said:


> Well who I'll be travelling with isn't really set in stone but yeah, I bet one of them do. I wanna drive though. It's my van [emoji16]


oh ok GL brother


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## 4t7

angerisagift said:


> oh ok GL brother


Thanks, I'm gonna try to get my license before anyways but idk...also might just end up ridin' solo so needed advice just in case.


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## angerisagift

4t7 said:


> Thanks, I'm gonna try to get my license before anyways but idk...also might just end up ridin' solo so needed advice just in case.


i would get my DL brother. less drama in case something happens


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## 4t7

angerisagift said:


> i would get my DL brother. less drama in case something happens


True true [emoji41]


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## pigpen

One might be surprised how hard it is to find a licensed sober driver who's also fun to be around.


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## Dmac

how did you get insurance and plates without a DL?


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## Durp

If you know how to drive just get your damn license! If your over 18 all you do is go in take the written test, pass it, sign up for in car test done. In ny it cost like $80 last time I saw, in wa its like $50. Still no more than 2 days canning or one day of odd job work if you don't have two pennys to rub together. NEVER drive under the speed limit, it is obnoxious, dangerous, and the biggest red flag saying "Im fucked up so I will drive slow to compensate" plus that shit causes poor traffic and will piss me the fuck off if I get stuck behind you.


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## Durp

@dmac66 it is not in his name. You camt get plates without an id unless the clerk really did not give a fuck.​


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## 4t7

pigpen said:


> One might be surprised how hard it is to find a licensed sober driver who's also fun to be around.


Lol


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## 4t7

dmac66 said:


> how did you get insurance and plates without a DL?


By living in NC? Lol Told the insurance agent I was planning on getting DL the week I got insurance but never actually got around to it and they went ahead and insured vehicle. Took insurance and ID to plate agency and they went gave me registration and plates after getting the vehicle inspected.


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## 4t7

JimH1991 said:


> @dmac66 it is not in his name. You camt get plates without an id unless the clerk really did not give a fuck.​


It is in my name. And I did/do have ID. No DL though.


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## Durp

AHH nc, I thought you were in NY. that changes things. The only places I have been fucked with by cops are my home town when I showed back up after 3 years (those bastards fuck ohio) and after a long night of fixing some yuppies car in the middle of the winter, driving home out of his yuppie hood. Did not even make it a mile from his garage/house. ( those bastards, fuck Colony NY) best of luck, but if you already have apeased the beast to the point of getting plates and insurence, just get your license. The only safe place is the highway or a drive way if you are driving less then legal.


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## wokofshame

a lot of police departments are now using automatic license plate readers. they read the license plate of every car they drive by, and the computer auomatically looks to see if the car is stolen, or if the registered owner has warrants, then it comes up on their screen if so.
don't think the computer sees if you are licensed or not, however. maybe suspensions of your license would come up in-state? it's some disturbing new technology, that's for sure


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## 4t7

MURT said:


> a lot of police departments are now using automatic license plate readers. they read the license plate of every car they drive by, and the computer auomatically looks to see if the car is stolen, or if the registered owner has warrants, then it comes up on their screen if so.
> don't think the computer sees if you are licensed or not, however. maybe suspensions of your license would come up in-state? it's some disturbing new technology, that's for sure


Thanks for the heads up.


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## wildwerden

My friend has no license and helped me drive across the country. a cop pulled out behind him and my friend immediately pulled over and took the keys out of the ignition before the cop got his lights on. So technically he wasn't driving and didn't get in trouble for speeding. Just be smart and break one law at a time, you should be fine. 
& throwing this out there...I'm licensed and can help you get across depending on when you want to leave...


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## SpaceDirt

My friend went to jail for driving without a license haha


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## that one guy

Wow something I actually know about.
Without really jinxing my upcoming road trip 0*0 stay out of the eastern states, most of them are straight to jail, I have been pulled over once in mis'sipi, luckily I called my host and he came forthwith and just happened to know the constable and I got off with a severe warning. Had some entanglements in florida too. Had a couple vehicles taken from me in denver bet never on the west coast.
I have been pulled over many times, and mostly I just get a nasty ticket for DL/insurance and the tell me to get lost, best as I can imagine it must be a real pain in the ass to actually do anything in the face of just letting a driver that otherwise isn't being a shithead otherwise, I usually tell em as soon as they walk up to the car 'look before we get started I wanna tell you I do not have a drivers license or insurance, I'm trying to do the best I can, but I live in my car at the moment/I'm moving across to new place where job awaits' a few times I've not even been given a ticket claiming this.


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## East

Seems like tickets and fines would far exceed the cost of a drivers license, current registration and insurance over time.


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## that one guy

Yea well we don't alwase see things in a realistic light early on, in youth we can make detrimental mistakes with far reaching consequences.


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## 4t7

East said:


> Seems like tickets and fines would far exceed the cost of a drivers license, current registration and insurance over time.



I already said I have current plates, title, registration, and insurance. I however, do NOT have a DL. But you make a good point seems how I could still be fined for having no DL.


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## Zaphod

I've been in the fuckbox with a suspended license for a while now and let me tell you, it's not worth it. You get pulled over once and you're pretty fucked. As much as I hate the state, if you're gonna rubber tramp, I'd say get your license. It's a lot less headache. In my case, one tiny incident has spiraled into driving under suspension three times. Only one of those was I aware I was under suspension btw. The other two I found out when I got pulled over.


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## Anagor

I would suggest to get a DL, especially since it's so dirt cheap in the US. Here in Germany a DL costs about €1500-€2000, depending on how fast you learn. (Mandatory theory and practice hours, you have to attend a driving school, etc.)

So take advantage of the low costs where you are and don't jeopardize your trip ...


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## Cozmcrae

Don't know if this advice helps but I'm driving across Russia in a UK plated car with no tax or insurance and every time I've been pulled over the police have just let me go because they can't be assed dealing with someone who doesn't speak Russian. Got off with speeding as well for that. If you learned some phrases in another language then just repeated them to the cops if they pulled you over then they might just let you go. If you get pulled then you have nothing to lose anyway.


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## Seeds21

My advice would be to drive 5 under or the speed limit the whole way dont give the cops a reason to run your plates or pull you over come time to sleep crash at rest stops, logging roads, walmart parking lots stuff like that. Curbside your chances go way up of getting the old knock on the window and if you do dont answer it wait for the cop to go away make no noise the 20 min later drive away and park somewhere else in case he decides to double back later.


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## FlyingTomato

I'll just leave this here...
http://www.upworthy.com/a-few-impor...r-the-next-time-a-cop-pulls-you-over-4?c=ufb5


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