What's wrong with me?!

[E65Ross]

Thanks TheAngryDog

I got a message from Vas last night regarding DVLA which says....

Hi Ross, if your vision is back to normal I can not see how DVLA would stop you driving for a posterior fossa operation. This would be against their guidelines, which are published.
I will email you the guidelines so you have something to go. I will also have a word with Paul how we can go from here. Have they they already said No?
Cheers.
Vas

This is very promising. I know that I meet the criteria to drive again. Let's hope the MP can speed things up. When I get the guidelines from Vas I will send them to the MP and say that I meet the criteria to drive again and see what happens.

Not getting hopes up, it seems so close yet so far!

[E65Ross]

crikey said:

Have you actually had your license revoked, or surrendered it ? (Sorry if I've missed that bit) If not I think with posterior fossa it says you can drive after a month if the Doc says you're ok to (though obviously don't just take my word for it). Mine was only revoked for 12 months because they opened the middle fossa.

It was revoked. The guidelines state that for posterior fossa it is unfortunately 12 months. We shall see what happens!

[E65Ross]

crikey said:

E65Ross said:

crikey said:

Have you actually had your license revoked, or surrendered it ? (Sorry if I've missed that bit) If not I think with posterior fossa it says you can drive after a month if the Doc says you're ok to (though obviously don't just take my word for it). Mine was only revoked for 12 months because they opened the middle fossa.

It was revoked. The guidelines state that for posterior fossa it is unfortunately 12 months. We shall see what happens!

I'll wait until next Monday (28th) and ping another email to the MP and see if there's been any progress. That'd be 2 weeks without hearing anything but for now it's just a case of sitting tight.

Ah right, they probably changed the guideline since I last looked. I know they did shortly after I told them about my condition !

Fingers crossed for you

[E65Ross]

crikey said:

Keep on at them. I phoned them earlier to see what stage my renewal was at and it's still sat in the to do pile.

This is a how they operate:

I sent the forms in back in May, they said it would take 8 weeks to sort out, so around the end of July.
I called after 6 weeks to be told it would be another 9 weeks, so around the beginning of September.
When I called today they told me it would be up to 16 weeks from when they entered all the information into their system, which wasn't until the end of July, so the due date is now towards the end of November.

Luckily I can carry on driving while they sit with there thumbs up their arses drinking coffee.

Keep on at them, and every time you contact them let your MP know about it.

That's pretty horrendous.

I did mean I'd contact the MP in 2 weeks from initial contact, not the DVLA.

The DVLA have had my application now for 9 days. It has been sent in before that "8 week" period....but do you still think it's worth calling them? I could even let them know I've contacted my MP. Is it worth you emailing me your details so I could say to the DVLA "well....this chap had a tumour taken out and was given the all-clear and you let him drive after he argued his corner, so why can't I"??

Thanks again Crikey, really appreciate all the help!!

[E65Ross]

I've actually just spoken to the DVLA. GOOD news believe it or not!

They haven't rejected it for being too early, yesterday they sent Mr Grundy a letter asking for his opinion is my fitness to drive. This should mean Vas will get the forms before he leaves which will be great! They've also sent me a letter stating they've sent Grundy one.

I've messaged Vas asking if he could let me know when he's done the forms so I know when I can begin hassling the DVLA to get a move on.

Very promising at least!

I've also sent Vas a "good luck with your new job" card. I feel it's a nice thing to do..... He's gone miles beyond what one might expect of a consultant!

Exciting times!

[E65Ross]

Already got a reply from Vas saying if they arrive before he leaves he will personally do them for me, and let me know when he's sent them back. What a hero that man is!

Still find it hilarious I'm in regular contact, using social media, with a bloody neurosurgeon!

[E65Ross]

Just replied to your PM. You most certainly are helping! If it wasn't for you I probably wouldn't be chasing things up and getting everything done that I can do myself so eagerly as I'd assume that it wouldn't make much difference. I also wouldn't have considered contacting my MP.

It also gives me further leverage into getting my licence back sooner. I doubt I'll get it befobefore December 1st but it may be possible to get something prior to that date saying "yep, you're good toto drovedrive, but only from December 1st"

Whilst I would absolutely love to be driving before then, I'd be over the moon if I can drive then!

Many thanks again

[E65Ross]

My letter from the DVLA arrived today, informing me they've written to Mr Grundy. This, in theory, means that the hospital should have the forms too, as they were sent the same day. This means that Vas should certainly get them before he leaves, which means they'll be sent back within a couple of weeks.

Feels like it's all happening now

[E65Ross]

Just got a message from Vas saying he's filled in my forms and I won't have a problem in getting my license back. They will have been sent out today.

I will leave it approx a week and start hassling the DVLA and getting the MP involved again

Feels so close now!

Also.....did a 103 mile cycle event in the New Forest Sunday which took 5hrs 53mins riding time, overall time including stops was 6hrs 16mins. Happy with that

[E65Ross]

sparks_E39 said:

E65Ross said:

Just got a message from Vas saying he's filled in my forms and I won't have a problem in getting my license back. They will have been sent out today.

I will leave it approx a week and start hassling the DVLA and getting the MP involved again

Feels so close now!

Also.....did a 103 mile cycle event in the New Forest Sunday which took 5hrs 53mins riding time, overall time including stops was 6hrs 16mins. Happy with that

I'm involved in the running of these events and saw an E65 with a PH sticker... must of been yours?

It was indeed! My friend drove us there as he couldn't use his Mrs car!

[E65Ross]

crikey said:

The hold up is the length of time the DVLA take to actually look at the forms, they'll take months. This is where my MP helped out, by getting them to bump me to the top of the list. Give them a week so they've got the files, then when they say "we'll look at them in 3 months" let your MP know, and lay it on thick about lack of independence, "after everything I've been through", the stress it's causing, etc.

Well done on the ride, I thought I was doing well being able to ride 20 miles without too much trouble now !

Perfect, thanks for this. I will leave it a week, phone DVLA and then get in touch with the MP again.

Cheers

[E65Ross]

I actually decided to contact my MP today. I told them that the DVLA will be getting my forms from my surgeon today or tomorrow. They got back to me and said they'll contact DVLA Monday and request my application be fast tracked

Even decided to get an insurance quote so I can just call up and activate it immediately when my licence comes through. Bearing in mind I'm 26 I was pleasantly surprised that it was under £600. Not bad considering its a 4.4L V8.

Cant wait to drive the barge again.

[E65Ross]

crikey said:

E65Ross said:

I actually decided to contact my MP today. I told them that the DVLA will be getting my forms from my surgeon today or tomorrow. They got back to me and said they'll contact DVLA Monday and request my application be fast tracked

Good stuff

ETA: You don't have to wait for your license to physically turn up, as soon as the DVLA say you're good to go, off you go

This is good to know.

Who knows, could be driving at some point in October trouble is, I am getting a bit excited now, and I know I shouldn't because I could be waiting for 3 months still. But hopefully with the MP involved I will be driving sooner rather than later.

Edit - I do wonder whether the forms sent to my surgeons from the DVLA were done so because of the MP. When they got back in touch they did say they'd spoken to the DVLA and this was a day or so after they'd received my application.

They initially said it would get rejected for being too early, instead, not only was it not rejected, it didn't even sit in a pile waiting for the 8 week period to arrive.... It was sent within a week. Does make you wonder.

Edited by E65Ross on Friday 25th September 09:08

[E65Ross]

crikey said:

Definitely a case of he who shouts loudest with them.

I'd like to think I'm doing all I can to get things going. I'm even tempted to phone the DVLA Monday morning and ask them, see what they say and mention I've got my MP involved.... Or just leave it for the MP. Not sure. What you reckon?

Cheers Crikey!

[E65Ross]

crikey said:

I left it for my MP to handle, but called to get updates myself (dropping it into conversation that my MP was chasing them too). I don't think my calls did anything other than give me a sense of doing something rather than leaving it all to my MP.

I did feel a slight pang of guilt that I was jumping the queue, but figured it was ok to be a bit selfish under the circumstance as it wasn't me that it was hitting the hardest. The main one being my wife was having to take the kids to all the out of school activities (of which there are a lot).

In that case I think I'll leave it be for the time being, possibly send another email to the MP on Wednesday if I don't hear anything back.

I wonder whether I'll get the licence before December 1st, or whether I'll still have to wait. Still....could still be longer if the MP isn't able to help. Although I know of someone else who was in a sort of similar situation and their MP also got their licence back sooner rather than later so it certainly happens.

[E65Ross]

Minor update

Called the DVLA yesterday just to see if they'd got the forms. They said they hadn't got the forms but can take approx 2 weeks for mail to come in, get scanned and put on their system. The person said "A complaint has been logged by your MP, however, and you are on high priority"

Last night I then got a bit of a cryptic message from Vas. He asked me to call his secretary (whom last week he'd said would be sending off the DVLA forms) and speak to her. He said "she is very good, but please give her a call". Cue me thinking throughout last night that my forms hadn't even been sent in!

I called her this morning and she didn't know why he may have asked me to call her other than potentially to check if my forms had indeed been sent and not been held up. She said that alst week Vas was adament they got sent out ASAP and that she had never seen DVLA forms come in, get filled in, and get sent out so quickly before! She also said that Vas thinks a lot of me and he's very impressed with all I've done and responded to treatment, raising money for charity etc

So now it's just a case of waiting another week or so until my forms are on the DVLA system before the MP and I start hassling them to get their arses in gear again

Certainly got the right people fighting for me

[E65Ross]

crikey said:

Sounds like things are heading in the right direction

I'd ring every couple of days and when they say "we're still waiting for them to show up on the system" reply with "thanks for that, I'll update my MP"

crikey said:

Sounds like things are heading in the right direction

I'd ring every couple of days and when they say "we're still waiting for them to show up on the system" reply with "thanks for that, I'll update my MP"

Spoke to the DVLA today (as well as Monday ) and as of yesterday the forms from Vas are now on their system. They said I'm on high priority, and I've just sent another message to the MP case worker to let them know that the details are now on their system. Let's see what they can do!

Fingers crossed I get it back sooner rather than later. The frustrating thing is that all it needs is someone to spend literally 5mins looking at the details and say "yes, he's fine, he can now drive"

Still, things are going well so far. Initially I was under the impression that I could have only just sent my application off 8 weeks prior to 1st December, which would have been yesterday. But at that stage my licence application is there, they've written to my consultants, consultant has written back and those details are on their system AND I'm on high priority and have the MP on my side.

Getting too excited for my own good I think!

[E65Ross]

HelenT said:

Had plenty of patients who have had dealings with the DVLA(I'm an optician) and most have found it highly frustrating , hope that "high priority" really means it in your case but be prepared to keep on chasing them up. Good luck!

Thanks for this. When I keep phoning them up (I'm thinking phone Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) what should I say/ask? Just whether there's any updates, why is it taking so long to look at? Not sure what else I can do to be honest.

[E65Ross]

I forgot to ask them earlier roughly how long they expect the review process to take so I called them up, again!

The chap said as it's marked as "urgent" it's usually days rather than weeks/months. Time will tell but things are so far looking good.

[E65Ross]

Called them up again today and my case has, just today, been sent over to the DVLA Dr's and whilst they couldn't confirm exactly how long it will take they said that because it's marked as urgent it will be one of the first they look at.

All going well so far! I just don't want them to say "yes, your clear..... From December 1st"!