Sorry in advance this is going to be a bit of a ramble, but have to get it of my chest. Anyway, diagnosed type 1 2012 and had group 2 entitlements removed from licence. Told could try to reapply in 12 months time. This cost me my business of 15 years. Spent next three years training for a new career. May 2017 decided to apply for group 2 entitlements to be added to my licence so that i could return to old job part time. Long winded process. January 2018 successfull. Was told they would write 3 months before licence expires to renew. Paperwork came through in October filled out and returned to DVLA. End of November told i need to attend appointment with GP to assess fitness to drive. December attended appointment. The appointment with GP was odd she even appologised for wasting my time called it a tick box exercise that my nurse could have done the previous week when she saw me and never even looked at my meter. Left this appointment feeling this wasnt right. Repeated phone calls to DVLA paperwork still not there. I was getting very concerned as, as far as i was aware still had to see a independent consultant and could see this was not going to be done by the time my licence expires. Told this was for group 1 and 2 entitlements by an advisor last wednesday. Also advised i may be able to continue driving under section 88. Now getting really angry, and not happy to drive under section 88. I dont trust anyone especially DVLA and in section 88 it says you have to be sure DVLA will give you the licence - rediculous how can any one know that. Next day telephoned again wanting further info about section 88. During this call was told that my application was only for group 1 entitlements. The appointment i attended with the GP was to assess my fitness to drive a car. Advissor claims there is a box i havent put an x in for group 2 entitlements. Told they automatically presume you no longer want group 2 entitlements each year unless you say differently. Totally lost it at this point with advisor. Told there is nothing they can do about it and i must start the whole application process again this took nearly 8 months in 2017. I have made an official complaint to DVLA the procedure of which is again tick box and long winded.
My anger is around the facts that
1. My group 1 entitlements have been reduced from 3 to 1 year. Asked why and told to bring it into line with the renewal of your group 2. Nobody else with type one has there fitness to drive cars assessed annualy which i now have to if i have group 2 entitlements which in theory is supose to mean i meet the highest standards of driving there is. Consider this discrimination. It is bad enough going through this each year for group 2 entitlements, but my car is my lifeline.
2. 10, 11, and 12 months ago respectively my fitness to drive group 2 was assessed by a GP my consultant and an independent consultant. So why 10 months after seeing their consultant have they just spent 3 months assessing my fitness to drive group 1. An entitlement that would normally last 3 years.
3. I was told my application was for group 1 and 2 by an advisor.
4. I was told i may be able to drive under section 88. Had i not of made the phonecall the next day i may have continued driving my lorry, which would have bee totally illegal as as far as they are concerned i have not applied for group 2 entitlements
5. Their letter inviting you to renew is factually incorrect. They are in fact writing to invite you to renew your group 1. If you want to renew your group 2 you must do x,y,z!! They automatically presume you no longer want group 2. This is just crazy, when you renew your insurance they presume you want to and nothing has changed unless you tell them otherwise.
Anyway I am so angry, so upset and really quite depressed right now as will lose half my income as i have no licence to drive my lorry. They are unable to comment on what the process is or how long this might take. I think this whole process is disgusting, and destroys peoples lifes. All they could tell me yesterday is that it will take 3 weeks from when they recieve the new application to have it scanned on to the system. I plan to take this complaint as far as i can because words cannot describe the emotional and financial turmoil this is putting me through. I don't feel they should get away with it. I want to ensure others never have to go through this either.
Does anyone else have any similar experience or think i have a case to make? Thanks in advance.
My anger is around the facts that
1. My group 1 entitlements have been reduced from 3 to 1 year. Asked why and told to bring it into line with the renewal of your group 2. Nobody else with type one has there fitness to drive cars assessed annualy which i now have to if i have group 2 entitlements which in theory is supose to mean i meet the highest standards of driving there is. Consider this discrimination. It is bad enough going through this each year for group 2 entitlements, but my car is my lifeline.
2. 10, 11, and 12 months ago respectively my fitness to drive group 2 was assessed by a GP my consultant and an independent consultant. So why 10 months after seeing their consultant have they just spent 3 months assessing my fitness to drive group 1. An entitlement that would normally last 3 years.
3. I was told my application was for group 1 and 2 by an advisor.
4. I was told i may be able to drive under section 88. Had i not of made the phonecall the next day i may have continued driving my lorry, which would have bee totally illegal as as far as they are concerned i have not applied for group 2 entitlements
5. Their letter inviting you to renew is factually incorrect. They are in fact writing to invite you to renew your group 1. If you want to renew your group 2 you must do x,y,z!! They automatically presume you no longer want group 2. This is just crazy, when you renew your insurance they presume you want to and nothing has changed unless you tell them otherwise.
Anyway I am so angry, so upset and really quite depressed right now as will lose half my income as i have no licence to drive my lorry. They are unable to comment on what the process is or how long this might take. I think this whole process is disgusting, and destroys peoples lifes. All they could tell me yesterday is that it will take 3 weeks from when they recieve the new application to have it scanned on to the system. I plan to take this complaint as far as i can because words cannot describe the emotional and financial turmoil this is putting me through. I don't feel they should get away with it. I want to ensure others never have to go through this either.
Does anyone else have any similar experience or think i have a case to make? Thanks in advance.