Ruddy DVLA

[Allanv]

I had issues a few years ago filling out the online renewal for when I needed a medical to keep my class 1 and change from paper to plastic licence.

It turned out there is 2 spaces at the end of my surname and they corrected it, or so I thought. I have just renewed my insurance and they wish to check I am not telling fibs and I have no points or convictions, so I tell them the details they need and they fail so put my glasses on to check and yes I am old and know my licence number NI and all that crap even the frame number of my first BMX when I was 15 but that is a different story.

So i tell the insurance company to ADD the 2 spaces and it all works.

Looks like I need to ring the buggers in the morning to sort it out again gits.

[handpaper]

Anything more complicated than a car licence and they seem to struggle.

I was at a training course a few years ago; out of the eight HGV drivers in the room, two had had categories dropped from their licences by (then) DVLA when updating unrelated details. One effectively lost his bike licence, the other his PSV (bus and coach).

When I passed C+E (HGV1) and applied for my updated licence, nothing happened for a month. After numerous enquiries, it turned out that as my photocard was "close to expiration" (six months!), they wouldn't issue the new licence until they had an updated photo. Which is fairly reasonable, except they hadn't told me this and apparently has no plans to do so...