# The DVLA again



## richard863 (May 1, 2005)

Hi all the saga continues
The licence mob seem to be a law unto their own. They now want yet another test. When I asked if this was for ingrowing toe nails, they were not amused. They told me on Thursday "We have 97000 applications to sort out we are so snowed under." I took this to mean all HGV renewals private as well as commercial. When I answered "I understood Wales had a huge un-employment problem, get more staff" That too went down like a lead ballon.

It seems one of the first requirements to work there, has to be a humour-ectomy. Or is their life so mundane having to explain problems to the peasants.
So with this new delay I might have my license back by Christmas. 13 months elapsed time since applying , most probably wont make Morroco this winter time either. 

I was left with the feeling similar to that of kicking a tiger in the arse without disarming the front end first. 
The annoying thing is they keep telling me I can have my licence back tomorrow, but without the C1. I still have their authority paperwork allowing me to drive in the UK, but not elsewhere



:twisted: :? 

Happy safe travels

Richard


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

Been there, done it.

I had to go twice to the Nuclear Medicine Dept at St Georges Hospital, South London to have two scans ete etc, wont bore you with the details.

Best method of conversing with DVLA is by email quoting the medical reference number and your driving licence number.

I found I had a very fast response every time i emailed them, phoning complete waste of time.

Took me eight months from start to finish, total waste of time as there is nowt wrong with my heart, had a couple of stents in my groin for legs, told em it was my legs not my heart!

Good Luck 

Peter


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## lindyloot (May 20, 2007)

This is our gripe too, as we wrote in reply to your other thread on this. Rich was issued a cover note for his HGV /car licence on the 19 January. This cover note is only valid for a year from date of issue. We have even had our MP David Laws look into this for us and he was there is a backlog and we apologise . Rich needs his HGV for our business as well as the MH. They now want him to have a tread mill test. No appointment for that yet!!


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## bozzer (Jul 22, 2009)

Lindyfoot can I ask does Rich have a medical condition which was on the form.
We're beginning to worry as Brian is 70 in January and we plan to go to Spain at the end of January - already booked. Brian does not have any medical condition which is on the form. He plans to get his medical at the end of September (D4 says 4 months prior). We have to pay at the end of October/early Nov.
Thanks Jan


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## lindyloot (May 20, 2007)

Hi yes he does Cardiomyopathy, he has had it since 1993 (aged 37), and has to reapply every three years. He would have normally had to reapply every five years once he reached 45. This is the longest it has taken and he is getting pee'd off bout the time it is taking, especially as his condition has been stable for the last 10 years. He see's the cardiologist annually and also has an ultra sound scan annually.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Should we have a competition to see who can come up with the best caption using the letters DVLA

All I can think of is Don`t Vote Labour Again.

They keep telling me my mh is not insured.
I know it is so does the insurance company.

dave p


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## bozzer (Jul 22, 2009)

Thanks lindyfoot. Hope it's soon sorted for Rich. Obviously not enough staff or just incompetent.
We will just hope Brian gets through or buy a trailer!!

Jan


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Earlier this year they took months with my HGV application. Each time I rang there was a new reason why they hadn't progressed, but from how they responded each time it seemed that although they kept saying leave it 2-3 weeks and try again if you don't receive it, it just seemed as though they'd forgotton to do anything in the mean time. 

Ringing more often helped I think, cos that just got them to do what they said they were doing anyway a lot sooner!

Just before they actually posted my licence someone there admitted there had been a lot of strike action with some of them which is what caused the backlog. Wether some are still striking, making additional bodies impossible??

The DVLA didn't think much of me saying I needed to have my licence on me while travelling in France, ie no big deal since they can fax a copy to the nearest French police station if required. What about translating that, out of hours etc etc


I think you're supposed to still have your photo licence on you anyway, but if its any help the International Driving Permit, costing around a fiver from the RAC and maybe others, will have the HGV on it if you can prove you have C1? 
Also, there is no seperate Class C vs C1 on it, the only truck type category is over 3500kg.


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## gofer (Feb 8, 2010)

Can anyone tell me about the tredmill test say a person had a false legand couldnt do the tredmill test would he loose his license eventhough this has nothing to do with his heart


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## lindyloot (May 20, 2007)

> Each time I rang there was a new reason why they hadn't progressed, but from how they responded each time it seemed that although they kept saying leave it 2-3 weeks and try again if you don't receive it, it just seemed as though they'd forgotton to do anything in the mean time. Sad


We had this plus the excuse they had not received the doctors report, a later phone call and we were told they had received it on 24 may, this was before the previous phone call :roll:


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

gofer said:


> Can anyone tell me about the treadmill test say a person had a false legand couldnt do the tredmill test would he loose his license eventhough this has nothing to do with his heart


They made me do a treadmill test even though I told them I was short of breath and I had dropped a 110amp leisure battery on my thigh and also had a swolen ankle from that. Lasted 3.5 minutes and you have to do a 10 minute one!

If you cannot do a treadmill you have to have a induced stressed heart test which is done by injecting a drug which raised my heart from 60 beats a minute to 129 with a consultant in attendance and linked to a ECG machine.

You then get injected with a radio active tracer and put in a gamma ray scanner for a 30 minute scan.

You then have to go back a few days later, when your heart rate is back to normal and have another tracer injection and another scan.

They then send the results off to the DVLA medical branch for assessment, supposed to get the resuts within seven days, I had to chase them by email 15 days later asking what was going on.

In fairness I had a phone call back within 90 minutes from a very nice welsh lady (with a sense of humour) to tell me I had passed.

Licence renewed for three years from date of re-issue but you have to go through the whole rigmarole to renew again BUT evidently you can contest that in a Magistrates Court and argue the toss!!

Peter


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## Invicta (Feb 9, 2006)

Peter,

have sent you a PM,

Peggy
(Invicta)


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## richard863 (May 1, 2005)

*DVLA*

Thanks all. I am sorry to hear so many of us fall into this pit. It is somewhat comforting to know I am not alone. It is even worse for those that need their C1 for a living. I wonder how some MH drivers get away with it, as I know of one that drives while being hooked up on O2 bottles, it is with their knowledge so I was told.
I do have a aneurysm this is scanned every year and does not cause the specialists any concern and has most likely been with me since day 1.
Apparently they have 26 Dr's & numerous medical staff nurses, but have a horrendous backlog & the 70 year olds are grouped in with them due to way DVLA interpret the EU regs.
What defeats me is why they pay so much for outside consultants then take no notice of them, everyone has to wait some 3 weeks for some other test not counting the hospital waiting time for appointments.
To all onlookers it seems the DVLA have a severe case of JOBS WORTH or ensuring they have a job for life.
Till the next episode I will leave you all guessing my thoughts! If I get through this saga I will be selling the Flair, and just have the normal car licence I am not going through this sh1t again, at this age you can't afford to put your life on hold, can't even go on holiday because you can't even rent a car without a licence.
Richard


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## richard863 (May 1, 2005)

*DVLA*

Hi Peter
Do you have a suitable email address as they only have a dogsbody one on the web? I have never had a reply to any of my mail, only my MP had one load of dross that was.
Best wishes
Richard


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

It seems to me that any government department that gets AGENCY after it's name becomes severely impaired or farmed out to India.

Only good ole pensions is still in UK (Newcastle) at the moment. I'm wondering how long for with the impending cuts.

I guess I'm lucky the French require you to have a medical every two years for the HGV at a designated doctor and not your GP.
This is great as the guy is 'human' and so far does not refer to your GPs notes. 

Ray.


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## richard863 (May 1, 2005)

*Yes its them again (DVLA)*

Hi all
Further to my troubles this is now the state of play.

Regarding my driving license & the DVLA. We have discovered Swansea has made a monumental thingi over my case. On a couple of occasions they have implied verbally I could be prosecuted for not telling them about a communicable medical condition, I thought they referring to my aneurysm . On my D4 medical DVLA report my doctor has put I have a abdominal aorta aneurysm also waiting for a hospital appointment over a possible floater in my left eye this is referred to as a Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD) and I was going to have it checked out by a opthalmic specialist.

After haranguing my MP to get things moving faster a letter is sent to him from the DVLA doctors which he forwarded it to me. In one of the paragraphs it states I have a history of Peripheral Vascular Disease(also termed PVD). Never having heard of this before we looked up on the web in Wikipedia and it is not a pleasant thing. And yes it is notifiable. The only thing is I do not have one or any signs of it. To make this statement a doctor has to have had many tests done to determine the seriousness also internal Angiogram monitoring.

On Monday I had to take a trip to Oxford to have a Stress Echo Cardiograph test done by yet another eminent cardiologist. After getting this letter the next day I phoned them and told them, they laughed and said impossible my heart is more than acceptable for someone of my age and this PVD would have shown up in red lights. I complained to them through the MP again, today I have to go and see the doctor who did my original D4 test as he could be implicated, according to a verbal statement. So we are now waiting for the stuff to hit the fan.
I am sure DVLA won't admit to errors, as to how someone put the wrong PVD down or have they got someone else's records. All I want is for them to eradicate this statement from my records and get on and issue my C1 as this has been with them since December. 
The last test cost the tax payer £1700 without the cardiologist fees, I hate to think of the total cost to date.
I wonder what the next examination will be ingrowing toenails, Proof of sex, Why I'm bald?

The current best comments are. Have I a ex wife at the DVLA. Someone at DVLA wants my MH cheap. 
Kind regards to all


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## Losos (Oct 28, 2009)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> Should we have a competition to see who can come up with the best caption using the letters DVLA
> All I can think of is Don`t Vote Labour Again.


How about "Dodgy Vehicle Licensing Anoraks"

Not brilliant and maybe treating all anoraks unfairly, best I can do at the moment :!:


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

*Re: DVLA*



richard863 said:


> Hi Peter
> Do you have a suitable email address as they only have a dogsbody one on the web? I have never had a reply to any of my mail, only my MP had one load of dross that was.
> Best wishes
> Richard


Hi Richard,

I used [email protected] but you must quote your full details, name, address, driving licence number and case details to get a quick response. Case number should be on any correspondence you have had from them and starts with M

I would suggest that email content states the facts only and asks for help and assistance in a nice friendly way rather than sarcasm although I was sorely tempted!

Good luck

Peter

P.s I had a letter authourising me to drive but I assumed it was only up to 3500kg, never thought for one moment I could carry on driving over 3500kg which was a right pain and caused considerable inconvenience.


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

gofer said:


> Can anyone tell me about the tredmill test say a person had a false legand couldnt do the tredmill test would he loose his license eventhough this has nothing to do with his heart


I had to go for the treadmill test due to my lung condition and I was having really bad random chest pains. When I told them I may struggle on the treadmill because of arthritis in my knee's they said I wouldn't have to do it as they had alternative way of testing.

They used a form of gas chamber where they simulate the same conditions of a treadmill and it's effects on the heart and lungs.


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## richard863 (May 1, 2005)

*It's them again*

Hi Peter
Thanks for the reply. Yes it is so hard not to be sarcastic, especially when it has got so far as this. 
I was in receipt of the same piece of paper, yes you can drive as per your license until they say NO. But only in the UK mainland not N, Ireland. So really its worthless as the old bill can check up immediately. 
What no one down there appreciates is the incarceration they subject you to. Every 6 to 8 weeks they send a letter with yet another demand for some test or other, with the stupid statement "If we don't hear from you in 21 days we may forfeit your concession to drive" So now you can only go away for a few days, for fear of loosing out. For the first one or two letters this is understood but when it goes on for months at end, that gets to you.
I couldn't get any replies to any of my mail, on phone calls ( I must admit they were always very polite but always had the typical civil service trait of not communicating like it was never mentioned PVD, only you have a on going medical problem) that is why when a MHF member said try your MP, I must admit this seems to create panic, and answers come readily. Like in my last entry this is the first I knew of the PVD saga.
Kind regards


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## richard863 (May 1, 2005)

*Tests*

Hi Zozz

The test you will have to take is a Stress Echo Cardiogram this is done by a consultant cardiologist.

If you look in Google at this it gives you how it is done. My only fear was it is a intrusive test and relies on them speeding up the heart via chemicals, while you are in that state they measure the thickness of the walls of your heart and put it on a printout. It is far more informative than the treadmill.

The test had no after effects on me, although it is best if you have some one to drive you home.

I can only qualify the test as " Its a bit like having sex without the gratification"

So please don't worry.

With kind regards


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

While I understand Richard's frustration, to tell a junior official to get more staff is very inflammatory especially when the Government are laying off civil servants left, right and centre without any corresponding decrease in workload. The person concerned would have absolutely no authority to employ more staff and as that person said they are snowed under. The DVLA have lost many staff in the past 2 years and are buried under a mountain of paperwork.

HMRC has come in for criticism this week for incorrectly calculating tax. They have lost 20000 staff in the past 18 months so this kind of perceived inefficiency is likely to be repeated in the future.

I should also point out that many years ago I worked for the so called "cushy" public secor but left because the workload was intolerable and frankly coudn't stand it any longer. I joined the so called overworked private sector instead and life became far more comfortable.

So don't knock those in the front line at the DVLA. Its not their fault.


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## Invicta (Feb 9, 2006)

What a saga Richard!

All I can say is stick with it, don't let the b****rs beat you for the sake of all 70+ year olds with a motorhome over 3500 kg!


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

*Re: Tests*



richard863 said:


> I can only qualify the test as " *Its a bit like having sex without the gratification" *With kind regards


I never noticed ! Didnt fancy any of the nurses although they did say I could bring my own CD or DVD and listen/watch whilst I was have the gamma ray scan (25 mins lying on my back.)

The proceedure is not worrying to go through.

Peter


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## richard863 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Gelathae

While you feel I knock the DVLA Please read from the first entry and you may see why I feel I have the right to chastise their performance. It has nothing to do with their short handiness or being snowed under. It is the incompetence of having either taken some one else's medical docs, or entered the incorrect details on mine. that has created part of their phenomenal workload. And this saga. When all they had to do was read the D4 correctly. I have a under size aneurysm so the work load is cut and dry, I need a tread mill test or a Stress Echo Cardiograph test. Bust.

Are you saying I am at fault for booking my holiday to Morocco in early 2009 then not being able to get any refunds for ferries and camp sites due to DVLA workload.
It might have been nice for them to advise me of their problems they did have my application 5 whole months prior to my birthday. I should have taken the chance and gone for the 4 months I should have got home before the deadline.
Kind regards


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## camper69 (Aug 30, 2007)

gelathae said:


> So don't knock those in the front line at the DVLA. Its not their fault.


So who's fault is it then? If it is the front line that tell you a load of rubbish then they are the people to complain to. If they need to then go and complain to others in the organisation so be it.

Sorry to hear of your continuing troubles Richard.

Derek


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## bulawayolass (Jul 27, 2010)

Oh great just what l need now they have the potential to be trouble. Have just sorted and sent back my mums paperwork for her licence renew. The first lot went then they asked for medical info. I can foresee huge hassles coming.

Added to that trying to sort out Brian's estate. I had a mail through today for his car that the finance company took back. They said l must not change any paperwork as they would do it and would complicate things looks like they haven't done it.

And l still have Brian's/my m/h l am trying to sort out.

Thought clydesdale bank (barclays) was bad l don't need dvla being idiots as well


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## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

Took me 7 months to get mine sorted 8O


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

Richard. You have been treated badly and, as I indicated, I do understand your frustration. But it does not help your cause by suggesting to some lowly official who has no control over anything that he/she should employ more staff because there is plenty of unemployment in Wales.

As it happens I had an anneurism on the brain a few years back which fortuneately was operated on successfully. On that occasion the DVLA were magnificent in processing my new licence.

But my main point was that we can all expect even poorer service from the public sector in future as staff decrease and workloads remain the same. 

I hope your problem is resolved soon.


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

*Re: Tests*



richard863 said:


> Hi Zozz
> 
> The test you will have to take is a Stress Echo Cardiogram this is done by a consultant cardiologist.
> 
> ...


Thanks for that Richard I'll look it up, I too had no after effects either. I found it fascinating, and wanted the consultant to turn the PC monitor around so I could watch what was happening.

No doubt, not only is it more informative, it's also pobably more expensive.


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## richard863 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Bulawayolass

You shouldn't have any trouble with Mothers unless she wants to drive something over 3.5Ton. Hers is just the standard paperwork, she may only have possible difficulties if she has say 2 wooden legs.

Zoz my test at the private hospital was in the region of £1700 plus his expences. Sorry for the tax payers glad it wasn't me


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## bulawayolass (Jul 27, 2010)

Thanks Richard it is mainly the fact she has a cateract so will cross fingers.


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## Patrick_Phillips (Aug 17, 2006)

Having just gone through the medical process with DVLA in defence of my grandfather rights, some info for others who follow:
Medical team reception: 03007906806
Opening post to entry on case file takes two weeks.
From fax or email to case file takes 3 days.
So email to [email protected] or fax to 08458500095
Good luck to you all.
Patrick


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## richard863 (May 1, 2005)

*The long route to your licence*

EUREKA  

Just had a telephone call from Swansea. My c1, c1E is in the post dated 3 years from midnight tonight.

No reason why it took so long especially as there was no fault found. Awaiting a possible excuse as to why!!

Elapsed time 5 days over 9 months, enough to drive you to drink for whatever reason.

Safe driving you all.

Richard


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## camper69 (Aug 30, 2007)

Congratulations 

Enjoy your travels

Derek


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

gelathae said:


> Richard. You have been treated badly and, as I indicated, I do understand your frustration. But it does not help your cause by suggesting to some lowly official who has no control over anything that he/she should employ more staff because there is plenty of unemployment in Wales.
> 
> As it happens I had an anneurism on the brain a few years back which fortuneately was operated on successfully. On that occasion the DVLA were magnificent in processing my new licence.
> 
> ...


Hear Hear - You need to make friends not enemies and what you think of as a joke can come over as you being a unsympathetic patronising smarta&se and that can result in files being accidentally lost under a huge pile of other files.
Mistakes happen and if they do, you need to do all you can to resolve the matter not pour petrol on the situation and then offer the matches.

Welcome to the Con-Dem cuts - perhaps you should be writing to that nice Mr Cameron suggesting a few more jobs in the public sector might be in order.


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