My Driving Licence Nightmare: Catch 22

~ beetleypete

So this week, I have been trying to make the appointment for the eye test that will decide whether or not my licence is renewed. I read and re-read the letter carefully.

I have to contact the actual Specsavers shop in Fakenham directly.
I cannot book online as it is a ‘special’ test.
I cannot visit the shop to make the appointment, as I will not be admitted without an appointment. (Due to Covid-19 safety measures.)

First phone call. I get a recorded message telling me that the staff are too busy to take my call. It says I should book online, but their letter tells me not to do that.
Second phone call. Same message.
Third phone call. Same message.
Fourth phone call. Same message.

This morning, I rang the company’s head office. I tell a very helpful lady that I am unable to contact their Fakenham shop. She says she will ring them on her contact number and put me through immediately.

I wait on hold, listening to that international ‘On hold’ music that seems to have been composed solely for that purpose.

The nice lady comes back on the phone. She tells me that she also got a message saying they are too busy to take her call.

So now she has sent them an internal email message telling them to telephone me. I have to be by my phone after 3pm today.

Trusting that they are not too busy to make that call.

95 thoughts on “My Driving Licence Nightmare: Catch 22”

  6. I feel your pain, Pete. I recently spent twenty minutes on the phone (after multiple attempts) with a lady from our cable company. I wanted to leave a complaint letter, but I could not find any customer service link online. She looked it up herself, then went to consult a supervisor. After twenty minutes, the verdict was, “I don’t think we have one of those, Mr. Springer.” If it weren’t so pathetic, I’d be roaring with laughter.🤣

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    1. Many companies over here are removing email addresses and contact forms from their websites. They cannot be bothered to deal with the increasing complaints. Then they wonder why they go bust.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. It started 2 years ago, Robbie, when they sent home most of the staff because of Covid. Then the DVLA realised they could not access the personal data from home, so paid them full pay for doing nothing. (That in itself was a national scandal)

      Meanwhile, tens of thousands of paper and email applications piled up, a number estimated to be close to one million by March 2022. This was not just renewals, also newly-qualified drivers. As well as coach drivers, taxi drivers, and heavy lorry drivers, all of whom have to renew on a regular basis.

      In my case, this was made worse by them wanting me to sign a medical declaration because I was 70 years old, and then they decided they wanted me to have an extra eye test because I have Glaucoma. This despite my hospital telling them I was fit to drive, in their opinion.

      I am sure that because I involved my MP in a complaint about the delay, they have decided to ‘punish me’. Just because they can. Because they are part of a monolithic bureaucracy that is essentially unanswerable to anyone. Now the government is considering privatising the system, which will lose most of those people their jobs. They should have thought of that when they were watching Netflix and laughing at those of us who just wanted to get our licences.

      Best wishes, Pete.

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  14. If it were me and if I could not get satisfaction, I would be tempted to start organizing friends, family acquaintances and strangers to form a coalition of like minded individuals to present a petition to Parliament asking for closer attention to problems confronted by citizens such as yourself. I would organize a slurry of letters to editors of newspapers, hold a few rallies on the streets, attract the attention of the television people …just bring the whole mess to the Public’s attention and never give up!

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    1. I did contact my Member of Parliament, John. He complained to the DVLA on my behalf, and that got my case accelerated. Not sure how good that is, as they might choose to ‘punish’ me for involving him.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. I stayed calm, and they just rang me back. I have an appointment on the 17th, Susanne.
      I always had the idea that if I shouted at them, they would make sure I fail the eye test!
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  19. Well Pete? At least you are now begining to grasp the reality: It isn’t ‘Personal’, but it ‘is’ on Purpose. “You geezers aren’t paying in, so piss off.” . . . 😢. “You geezers are the worst drivers, sod off”.
    Their letter explaining your contact path says it all: circle jerk! Violate the protocol and No Driving Privilege!
    Just because you are parinoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you, because they are.
    Resist. Dial the number, non-stop, from 15 minutes before opening until 15 minutes after closing. What have you got to loose? Don’t play “their” game, play yours. . .
    Next, start mailing them a certified (signature required) written request for an appointment, with a written appointment confirmation every three days including a copy the letter you received. Provide a preaddressed, stamped return envelope to send you the written appointment confirmation.

    If that doesn’t work, report back. We’ll go to DEVCON 3.

    CT

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    1. The test has to be completed within 28 days of the DVLA letter, Chris. I don’t have time to wait for letters in the post my friend. It is almost 3:30 and they have not telephoned me yet…
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. Send a letter today. It takes what, a couple of days. Passivity us not the path right now! You are on the CLOCK! Even if it just becomes a back-up plan, better than nothing instead of focusing on “no, that wouldn’t work”. Just push on through the negitivity and DO the letter.

        What have you got to loose? Or are you just looking for a response of “ahh, poor Pete”.

        I don’t do those. . .

        “Hope” is NOT a strategy Pete. You driving privilege is critical to your wellbeing. Get on with it. Take ACTION. Start ringing then up and don’t stop. Get on the letter and get it in the post!

        CT

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          1. The sqeeky wheel, in attitude or action. I won’t mention that I prayed 🙏 for you a bit ago. . .

            Oops, guess I just did. 😉
            Congratulations on getting the Call. Have a good sleep my friend!

            Cheers, CT

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    1. You have two options for passport renewal, Carol.
      1) Send off the forms and photos, average wait 8-10 weeks.
      2) Make an online appointment with the Passport Office in London. Take the forms and photos there and have it done while you wait. The cost for option 2 is £170, according to my friend who did it this week.
      Good luck!
      Best wishes, Pete. x

      Liked by 1 person

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  22. It’s the sort of thing that would have me bashing the telephone receiver to bits, except these days I dont have one. Maybe i would pitch my cell phone out the window or against a wall but that would just cause other problems. It’s diabolical and I agree, that there is a plan behind it. I do hope you get your appointment soon.

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  24. Hope you get your appointment! I tried calling about 4 dentists on Monday (in my insurance group), and some just had a recording and a couple said no appointments until Aug/Sept here in the US. Luckily, I just need a checkup.

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    1. It seems that everyone is just blaming the Covid Pandemic for everything from medical appointments to shortages in the shops. It is the best ‘excuse’ in history.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  27. You have my sympathy, Pete. I’m having ‘all on’ [as they say up north] with my computer at the moment—various things, too tedious to detail—and it’s sometimes very difficult to remain patient. Some people blame Mercury being retrograde [if you’re into astrology] for technical problems, but whatever the cause, I’ll be glad when [not if!!!] things get back to normal. I have to go to the main post office in town to renew my driving licence, because the names on my licence & my passport don’t match [Jon & Jonathan] so “computer says no”. Gah!!! Cheers, Jon.

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    1. I know it’s not just me, Paul. There are tens of thousands of people caught up in the DVLA renewal circus, the Passport office fiasco, and the Inland Revenue bureaucracy too.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  30. I still haven’t even had a reply from the DVLA. At this point, I’ve given up ever getting my license renewed. I started trying to renew in September, ready for October expiry. Nuts.
    Hope you get sorted real soon, Pete. Hugs 💕🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thanks, Harmony. I involved my MP, and I’m sure that made things speed up because the DVLA mentioned him in a letter to me. On the downside, I think his complaint also made them determined to try to revoke my licence on medical grounds just to spite me! Can’t seem to win either way.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  33. Christine just paid £170 + to get her passport. Book an appointment on line, go to a Victoria office with photos etc., receive passport in the post. This was just to be certain to get it within 10 days! Administrative life is becoming a piece of bad theatre.

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    1. I have become convinced that it is all being ‘engineered’ to make the case for privatising all those systems, Ro. I read online that Capita have put in bid to run the DVLA as a private company.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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    1. In a supermarket this week, I noticed that they had removed the two ’10 Items or less’ checkouts. I asked why, and was told ‘because more people prefer to use self-checkout’. I told the lady that it would eventually cost the jobs of her and all of her colleagues, and she just shrugged.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    2. see a black cab, wave out, no phone involved & the loveliest guys give you service,
      Wave out to Specsavers and they can’t see you
      (their next advert there I think).

      Liked by 1 person

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