renew driving licence

This thread made me get out my licence to see my 'codes', and they are exactly the same as yours. I did opt out of the 7.5 tonne class on one of the previous renewals, not having driven one for 20 years!

I am up for my 82 year old renewal next year, and it really surprises me there are no mandated tests to renew your licence. My eldest son and one of my son in law's both in their early 50's have health and eyesight checks every 3 years before they can renew their HGV licences, neither of them actually drive HGV's for a living, but hang on to them 'just in case!

What should DVLA have done in this circumstance? They can't assume everyone is honest and just issue a new licence. No-one would ever need to learn to drive if they did that!

The licence is proof that at one time in the past the holder had enough control of a vehicle to pass a test. In the past these tests were simpler in many ways - not least because the roads were quieter! Apart from low standards, the system was once distinctly sloppy, for example my father held a full UK Driving Licence and an International Licence despite his only formal test being taken on a borrowed motorbike. (He achieved this trick accidentally because his job took him through a number of British Empire countries each of which issued a better license based on what he already had. Never had an accident.)

Statistically, elderly drivers aren't a problem on British roads. They are more careful than average and usually stop driving when health makes it obvious they should. Not always, there are a fair number of stubborn BFs about.

I guess most of us see examples of poor driving on every outing. Yesterday, in heavy slow moving traffic, I was overtaken on a blind corner by a gent of my age in a 4x4 and had to brake sharply as he pushed back in. He carved up another car before getting firmly stuck in the solid stream of traffic. Both manoeuvrers were dangerous and pointless. Eight miles later, with me still just behind, the fool pulled into his driveway. He had trouble getting his car through the gateposts, which reminded me at least 50% of the cars at my local supermarket are too big for British parking spaces...

I'm in favour of everybody having to retake the test every time the test changes. Be fun to see how well grandads cope with the latest theory and hazard recognition requirements! But the main advantage would be taking out the large number of over-confident incompetent men on the road. Of course everyone on the road is a dangerous clown. Apart from me...

Dave

Not too sure about the "simple" procedure mentioned earlier by Chris Evans 6. My particular renewal required a full private Dr's appointment, (payable of course) and a trip up to the City to have a full certificated eyesight test, not available locally. Pay for that too! All this, just to retain the groups I already had.

Happy 70th birthday.

Pete

Spurry, my test cost £49 and was all complete in 20 minutes including eyesight.

Chris, The Dr's appointment cost £128 in Nov 2017. The eyesight test was extra, but not sure what I filed that under in my accounting system.

Pete

The same thing happened to my late father. He didn't receive his license back after a change of address and when he enquired they had no record of it or him at all. Luckily for him, he still had his old HGV license and even luckier he had previously bought a 3-in-1 printer scanner and the only thing he could think of to test the photocopy function was his license - so he made a copy of it.

After producing those two items he got a new license back with all his previousentitlements. This was back around 2006.

"What should DVLA have done in this circumstance? They can't assume everyone is honest and just issue a new licence. No-one would ever need to learn to drive if they did that!"

But isn't it the purpose of the DVLA to record all this information? "The computer says - - - -"

Getting a bit fed up of excuses for incompetence, how does a bank justify "allowance" for incorrect accounting?

Regards Ian.

Thanks for all the replies. I toddled off to get a new photo, then found that they can retrieve the one on my passport, so £10 down the pan, never mind, I now have 4 paper copy and electronic copy for future use. I must say that along with many other .gov sites I'm most impressed with how easy it all was, but following advice above I'm not sending back the old licence until I receive the new one.

Thanks again chaps

Edited By duncan webster on 03/02/2020 11:35:32

Prompted by the mention of Motorcycle entitlement being lost ... I finally got around to peeling my photo licence off its letter, and was suitably bemused to discover that the double-sided tape stays firmly attached to the paper; rendering the ‘Change of Address’ panel near-useless.

What planet do these people come from ?

MichaelG.

Can’t say you weren’t given the nod on that one.🙂

I see that no one has mentioned towing something and the combined maximum weights being over 3.5 tonne GTW.

Us old boys have rights in our pre-70 licences to pull a big caravan or trailer with boat, etc. behind a large 4X4 or small truck or even a van like a VW Transporter. It is easy to exceed 3.5 tonnes GTW (Gross Train Weight).

As I understand it that permission is lost at age 70 renewal, unless you apply in writing for the new licence with a letter from a doctor stating you are fit to retain that over 3.5tonne licence category.

.

It’s worth checking here, Norm : **LINK**

https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories

MichaelG.

I think, perhaps, that it why my medical cost so much, compared to Chris E's. Not so much a letter, as a comprehensive booklet.

Still, looking on the bright side, you do not a licence for an electric wheelchair.

Pete

I'd got the picture by then, no messing about here!

Thanks Michael, I thought you were querying or adding some information.

That link is the DVLA description of licence categories. I am referring to categories C1 and C1E that are on my licence, and many others, these having been referred to as the 'big lorry' up to 7.5 tonne MAW category that people may decide is not needed past age 70.

My reason for posting is to warn those who regularly tow something that it is very easy to exceed 3.5 tonne GTW.

What I have not seen published is the fact (?) that these categories are routinely removed at licence renewal at age 70; it must be written somewhere. And how to retain them. I was reporting what others have said to me and would like to see the official text.

Norm

Norm, if you wade through this link, it should answer your questions. The form D4, is rather large, and expensive to get filled in! The eyesight test is rather involved too.

**LINK**

Pete

Thank you Pete for finding that. Hmm, looks like you have to pretend you are a lorry driver, and I guess go through the same hoops every three years after 70?

.

Never having had those categories on my Licence, I can’t comment ... But I would be inclined to mis-trust such a “fact” unless I saw the official text.

MichaelG.

.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 05/02/2020 10:46:15

Norm, I don't think you have to pretend anything. It's just that when we were younger we were allowed particular classes, which are automatically removed when aged 70. The DVLA then make you jump through a load of hoops just to keep what we already had. (And every three years afterwards as well!)

Certainly feels like Age Discrimination to me..

Pete