My Driving Licence: More DVLA Nonsense

~ beetleypete

I have finally received a letter from the DVLA about my driving licence renewal. After four months, they have come to a decision.

After contacting the hospital they are still insisting on sending me to ‘Specsavers’, a High Street optician shop, for a ‘definitive test’. Not only that, but my local branch of that shop just three miles south of here does not have the suitable equipment, so I have to go to Fakenham which is eleven miles away, or Norwich, which is almost twenty miles away.

As far as the DVLA is concerned, the state of the art testing equipment in Norwich Hospital Eye Clinic is not good enough for their purposes. Instead they believe that a small High Street shop has better equipment for their purposes.

If I fail this one-off test for any reason, my driving licence will be permanently revoked, with no appeal.

Is it any wonder I am so fed up?

86 thoughts on “My Driving Licence: More DVLA Nonsense”

      1. When do you go for the eye test? You WILL pass! Yesterday I got the last of my vital records from the courthouse, which I will need to prove I am actually me, and get my driver’s license renewed. They even require utility bills that give my name (not hubby’s) and street address. I feel like a criminal who has to prove my innocence. Terrible.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  3. This is absolutely ridiculous Pete I am so sad to hear this I can understand your state of mind right now and just hope that things come out right for you in the end xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. I guess they mean that test where you have to spot lights that flick on and off all over the screen and press a button to indicate how many. It isn’t really an eye test, more a reaction test. Good Luck.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. People are losing holidays because of passport delays too, Michele. The country is falling apart, and all we are getting is ‘Platinum Jubilee’ rubbish forced down our throats.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

      Like

      Reply

    1. I saw online that you can ‘Get your passport in 10 weeks’. That seems like a lie too. One of our friends lost her holiday because of the delays, and they won’t pay her compensation because it is not the fault of the company that her passport didn’t arrive.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Like

      Reply

  11. It’s all these petty annoyances that add up to drive people mad. If only one could protest by withholding tax payments but “they” seem to hold all the cards. I hope it blows up in their face.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. I used to be quite a bright and cheery person after I retired, (except for complaining about too much rain of course) but these last few months have darkened my mood, Carolyn.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  14. You don’t need the hassle, but somebody should start one of these petitions to force them to explain their policies and see how they like the attention. Have you spoken to your MP? I always noticed that formal complaints seem to be the expected way to go, rather than reasoning. I will save you the details of trying to use my previous account with the UK gov. I understand my problems, though, but yours? I hope things get sorted, Pete, but I hope they end up experiencing a Brazil-like situation themselves. It’s the least they deserve.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I did go through my MP, Olga. He lodged an official complaint about the DVLA delay in progressing my renewal. I am beginning to wonder if they are punishing me for doing that.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Like

      Reply

  15. What in the world are they testing you for, Pete? Cataracts, glaucoma, depth perception? It cannot just be straight vision for half the world requires corrective lenses and they all drive. It is mind boggling. I hope you get the tests and pass with flying colors! It certainly is stress inducing.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. They say it is ‘Visual Field Capacity’, Maggie. One of the same four tests I passed in March, at the hospital Eye Clinic. Just time-wasting and obstructive nonsense that makes me livid. I get the feeling they want to deliberately fail me because I made a fuss about the delays, and involved my member of parliament in an official complaint.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  16. DVLA is beyond a joke and not fit for purpose. I’m jumping through hoops with them too, and hitting my head on a wall pretty much. It’s the same with all government departments – hoop after hoop to get back to where it started.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  22. What a ridiculous situation, Pete: it’s just ‘jobsworth’ bureaucracy rampant! I was hoping to renew my licence [due next month] online this week [they promise “normally around a week” to renew online , and cheaper than the paper process with all the delays] but because my licence shows Jon, and my passport [which they could use the photo from for the licence] shows Jonathan [my full, legal, name] they wouldn’t renew the licence because they couldn’t confirm my identity! You’d think whoever wrote the software would allow for this sort of thing, wouldn’t you? My next best option is to take the application to the main post office in town where they will take my photo and charge me £4.50 for the privilege, and then submit the application electronically, so hopefully still fairly quick. What a palaver! Cheers, Jon.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. It is just that kind of nit-picking nonsense that drives me crazy, Jon. They won’t take the word of a Hospital Consultant that I am fit to drive, but will take the word of a technician in a High Street shop. My fate is in the hands of someone who is not professionally qualified. It is just insane.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  23. Dang it! This is not good news. I have two friends – both 91 – who are driving here and had no issues with getting a license. The UK is stupid to make you run through hoops. Ridiculous! So sorry!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Lara. I have much older neighbours who can hardly walk, but are still driving every day. I do feel ‘singled out’, for some reason.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

      Like

      Reply

  24. Correct me if I’m wrong Pete, but this isn’t the same Britain that colonized the world, is it?

    Where did that one go? I’d move there.
    Apparently, based on your situation this one couldn’t find it’s way from Dover to Calis and return home with a nice brie.

    Sincerely, I feel for you brother.

    CT

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. It IS the same Britain that colonized the world. That is true. But it is also the same Britain that lost the American Colonies. Given their policies back then and given the fact that Britain is always favourable to tradition and pomp and ceremony, it is understandable how some of the policies affecting their citizens would be somewhat unfair. I am so sorry to hear that Pete has to endure this kind of torture from his governmental agencies. I hope this turns out well for him.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  25. Just don’t get this Pete, unbelivable. Send a copy to your specialist I’m sure they would back your corner. By the way Gavin got in touch

    Like

    Reply

    1. According to the DVLA, my hospital eye consultant does not ‘test for the same parameters’ as Specsavers. Complete bollocks of course.
      Cheers mate, Pete.

      Like

      Reply

    1. The only appeal option is to get a letter from my Hospital Consultant and try litigation through the courts. I don’t think I coulld afford that, or stand the stress either.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

      Like

      Reply

  31. Never mind, Pete. The government has a plan. They’re going to sack 90,000 civil servants. So by the time your results get back to them, there’ll only be four people left to process them. They won’t be able to tell you that your licence has been revoked until sometime in the next 20 years.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Cheers, Ian. It seems to me that they suddenly become very ‘efficient’ when it comes to possibly cancelling your licence. Perhaps they get some dark thrill out of being able to stop people driving?
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Like

      Reply

    1. If you don’t have any ‘notifiable’ eye problems, you should sail through it, Chris. One of my neighbours renewed his in February, and it only took ten days to come back!
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

All comments welcome

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.