Cyclists and stretch limos

[mark]

In the US, or at least in California, I understand you do need a special licence to drive a stretch limo. I think it's decided by passenger seating though, rather than length.

Anything that seats 16 or more (including driver) requires a Commercial Driver's License in the US. Hence the enormous popularity of 15 seat vans with airport shuttle services, school athletic departments, church groups, etc.,etc. Stretch limos around here don't seem to be driven by the cream of society, AFAICT.

Interestingly, campers and motorhomes don't require any kind of special license in the US, even the great big converted tour buses. You can kind of tell by the way they drive...

[Cunobelin]

When I was in Newcastle earlier this year there was some debate in the pub over a local Limousine driver who had a conviction for indecency and sexual assault. There was nothing to stop him driving the Limo, and the general opinion was that this type of character should not be in charge of a vehicle full of drunk young girls!

As I said before, the whole thing needs licencing from the wheels up!

[mark]

When I was in Newcastle earlier this year there was some debate in the pub over a local Limousine driver who had a conviction for indecency and sexual assault. There was nothing to stop him driving the Limo, and the general opinion was that this type of character should not be in charge of a vehicle full of drunk young girls!

As I said before, the whole thing needs licencing from the wheels up!

Similar situation in my part of the world a while back, only the terms of the driver's sentence were that he was not allowed to be around minors unless supervised. He was driving a group of high school kids to their prom, and ran one of them over. Turns out that the parents had gotten a limo for the kids because they wanted them supervised by an adult. It's not just limo companies that need licensing!

[pcolbeck]

One of the guys in our village has a stretch limo. All the roads in and out are single lane and I have never seen it arriving or leaving and can't imagine how he manages it though I am assured it doesn't do a tardis and just appear where its been hired. We are thinking of hiring it for a night on the town as it seats eight and the hire costs for the night would be cheaper than getting two taxis to town and back and there is no bus. The embarrassment factor keeps putting us off though.