Whilst booking my hire car in the UK I had to send them copies of my driving licenses being the normal and international one. They questioned the EC and 0 category with the no restrictions part because this was the first time they have ever seen this. Most EC or articulated licenses will have some limits or restrictions somewhere apparently.
I then explained this was a full military license which covered me for every vehicle on and off the road.. This is how my instructor explained it back then and at the time never expected it to cross over into a civilian equivalent license. Basically give me the keys and I am legal to drive any vehicle even if it has tracks. I have always been like that and often have to reverse the container lorries at the warehouse due to being frustrated watching a driver struggling to do his job. I have even painted lines down for them now as a guide. The only thing not highlighted on my license is the D for dangerous goods and must be a new addition. Many of my trips back then involved myself transporting ammunition between the various ammo dumps and my base.
I have had the local traffic police also question my license and only then did I realise that these are actually quite rare. I just took it for granted that there must be plenty heavy duty drivers with this, but apparently they all have some type of restriction.
At the base we had so many different vehicles which also included a few foreign vehicles which were bought back from various raids wen they went across the border. There were left hand busses from Mozambique which were originally from Russia and we had a funny Noddy type jeep used for towing artillery around. This was so small and narrow that the driver and passenger had to sit shoulder to shoulder or you would fall out.
Most people have a code 8 (motor car) or a code 10 (heavy goods under 16 tons) so there are not many tourists arriving with an EC and why they were not 100% sure. I have an advanced license as well which did not help which should lower car insurance prices which it does locally.
Whilst working for the tobacco company we had to do the advanced drivers test manly to reduce the monthly premiums plus the sports cars some of us drove were left hand drive in a right hand drive country. This license with what it taught me was so valuable as it has helped me avoid some serious accidents just by knowing what to do. I would seriously recommend if you do a lot of driving to go and do this course as it only takes 3 days and is really good fun.
Posted Using InLeo Alpha