Hello everybody!
Wow, there's been a lot of replies since I last posted yesterday I'll try to get through them all here, this may be a long post so bear with me!
Hi Martyn!
I have signed your petition. I believe the whole way insulin-dependent diabetics are treated by the DVLA is a disgrace. I have a 3 yr restricted license just because I use insulin - no reason for this at all in my view. I hope you win your case and thank you for raising awareness of the issues we face.
I'll pass the link to your petition to another diabetes forum I belong to. Hopefully you'll get a few more supporters there.
Smidge
Hi, Smidge
Thank you so much for signing and for the support, especially for passing the petition onto another forum! If possible could you let me know the address of that site so that I can correspond with people there too? The 1/2/3 year licences are issued so that your diabetes control can be reviewed at regular intervals. This allows the DVLA to assess whether or not you are still fit to drive from a medical standpoint. I can see the point in the restricted licences as there certainly are cases where the control of a diabetic over their condition worsens over time causing them to become a potential threat on the roads when they may not have been previously. Infact, the idea of restricted licences for ALL drivers may not be such a bad idea as the number of older drivers I've seen potentially causing or causing accidents is incredible. It seems like a lot of these people develop bad habits or forget basic rules of the road reducing their fitness to drive.
I have had type 1 for 54 years and am appalled at the change of policy regarding driving licenses. I understand the changes are due to an EU directive. I shall happily sign your petition. There is a lesson in this - never admit to a severe hypo if you want to retain your driving license.
Ann
Hi Ann, thank you for your signature and support! This is where we need to be careful, I've said since the day I started the petition (and I've gone on record saying this in the TV interview I did) that, if I was to have a severe hypo in the daytime I would surrender my licence immediately as I would be putting the lives of others at serious risk. However, if you have a severe hypo in the night time then I would not class this in the same way as the DVLA do and by all means, don't tick the box if this is the case.
Petition signed, Martyn.
It won't affect me as I voluntraily gave up my licence when things started to go wrong.
I'm looking forward to receiving any feedback from the DVLA with regards to my comments about some doctors perhaps considering retraining.
Be well, young sir.
Lots of Love and Light
Mick
x x x x
x x x
P.S. Please don't be offended or alarmed at the "x's". It's simply a logo, of sorts, that I've used for some 30-odd years now.
Hi, Mick! Thank you so much for the support and for sharing your experience, it goes to prove my point above about not lying on the form if you are aware that the DVLA does not distinguish between conscious and unconscious hypos. I really hope that things work out for the best for you and for your sensibility regarding the issue. P.S. don't worry about the X's, I get them in texts from male friends at times, I treat it more as a mark of respect
Sign petition & shared it on facebook.
Great job on the lobbying btw!
I'm a mechanic, lose my license & I'd lose my job!
Thank you for the signature, share and kind words, its people like yourself that I really hope that this petition works for. The prospect of losing your licence due to an incorrect stance taken by the DVLA is terrible, I really hope that you don't get into the same situation I am in. Luckily you're aware of the issue before its impacted you!
I have always been told that hypos whilst asleep do not count and for that reason it does not have to be reported. Your Diabetician if asked will give you advice on whether and what to report as far as DVLA are concerned. Otherwise no one would be able to drive as all diabetics have hypos during the night now and again. As I said earlier when awake you get warnings if not this is known as hypo unaware and you must not drive in this case as this is dangerous.
Hi Andrew40, what you're saying is correct from a medical standpoint however the DVLA choose not to distinguish between conscious and unconscious hypos and as Diddly pointed out, this is the whole motivation behind the petition. The fact is, you shouldn't have to go and consult your diabetic specialist nurse/consultant, the form should be worded as such to make the distinction clear and the distinction itself should be recognised by the DVLA.
I'm all for honesty. But for the hassle it causes when you tell the DVLA about hypos that have absolutely nothing to do with driving, they don't need to know. It doesn't concern them.
If you had a sudden hypo attack at the wheel then obviously let them know, but the chances of that happening if you remember the simple rule "FIVE TO DRIVE" and take regular breaks on long distances then you won't have a problem.
Hi, rontom89. Your attitude towards this is exactly why the form and the DVLA's decision to not distinguish between conscious and unconscious hypos is detrimental rather than beneficial. People should inform the DVLA if they have a severe hypo whilst conscious as you're conscious when driving (I hope) so it could happen again and that poses a serious threat to other motorists/pedestrians. Not telling them about this puts people's lives at risk so the form ends up potentially facilkitating what it wants to avoid: deaths on the road due to severe hypo unawareness whilst conscious.
The DVLA are very inflexible. You will need to resubmit a DIAB1 form and a new licence application.Send any mail to them by recorded delivery. ( to the Drivers Medical Section ) when you know it is delivered phone the Medical Section to request an urgent review of your application. Insist that you speak to a Manager.
Hi Ernest jones. Thank you for the information, I'm currently in the process of doing this now. I'm meeting with my consultant on Friday to determine how to fill the form out this time around. Nightmare!
I fully support you in this though its not just people with type 1 that are affected, its the same for people with type 2 as well. I have signed your petition. Good luc
Hi, Ceejaypb. Many thanks for your signature, support and well wishes. I realise that this is the case so I rectified the petition the other day so that it applies to all diabetics so you are included too!
My husband and I have just signed the petition.
Hi, Riri. Many, many thanks, your support is much appreciated. If you get a chance do try and share the petition somehow as the more exposure it gets the better for all of us!
Hi
I've been Type1 for more than 40 years & have been moved to a pump in February, due to my sensitivity to insulin. I'd be fascinated to know why 4mmol counts as a hypo & does everyone have the same abilities at the same blood sugar levels? If the DVLA insists we must stay at high(er) HbA1c levels in order to continue to hold a licence, what effect will this have on our eyesight, circulation, kidneys etc?
Would it be a good idea if the DVLA/Government was to give Constant Glucose Monitors to us all, to be compulsorily used while we drive?
Do we need to contact our MP's & the DVLA as individuals, then work together to produce research & evidence of better ways of identifying each individual's condition?
Regards
Mark
Hi, Mark. I don't think your question pertains to the thread however I'll try to clarify what I know about hypos and blood sugars in general. Blood sugar levels less than 4mmols are generally considered to be too low due to basic human biology, your brain needs a certain amount of glucose to operate correctly and its generally agreed that blood sugars less than 4mmols do not provide the brain with enough "fuel" to work correctly. Therefore, you're more than likely to experience a loss in concentration which could severely affect your ability to drive. The DVLA aren't asking you to maintain high blood sugar levels (which would almost certainly have a detrimental impact upon the things you mention) but rather they're asking for people to declare if they have severe hypos (its their lack of distinction between conscious and unconscious hypos which causes a problem). Constant blood glucose monitoring would be the next logical step forward for the DVLA but they are pricey (as far as I'm aware) as they are relatively new. I don't believe that you can obtain one through the NHS but I may be wrong (I've never enquired). I think the last suggestion you make may be overkill as all the DVLA need to do is recognise the distinction between conscious and unconscious hypos and then make sure that they mention this clearly on the DIAB1 application form.
I had mine taken off me last August.
I certainly know how you feel because I have missed my car so much.
I was having lots of hypos at the time but always get a warning and always made sure when I drove.....I had everything under control.
My GP gave them the wrong information.
I got a second opinion from my consultant at the diabetes centre I attend.
He told me he'd write a letter and make sure my license was returned.
He also told me, due to New EU rules. There is a helluva lot more getting their licenses revoked.
The DVLA sent me an application form to re-apply, which I did in February.
I am still waiting as the medical board are still considering their decision.
The waiting is killing me but go to your diabetic consultant is my opinion.
Good luck !
Hi, lambros6. Thank you for sharing your story and for your support. Unfortunately, I've heard this all too often since starting the petition and its the ambiguity of the DVLA which is making the lives of diabetics a misery (as demonstrated in your story). If medical professionals are making mistakes too then something needs to change! I'm not surprised that a lot more diabetics have had their licences revoked as the wording on the form isn't clear and the DVLA's standpoint with regards to all of this is too myopic.
Petition signed and reposted on Facebook. This is outrageous. Time to change things not discriminate
Thanks onthegow, glad you agree! The support is much appreciated as is your signature and share
Hi
I had the same experience last year. It's because they changed the question from hypos while awake to all hypos. As I pointed out I don't routinely get up in my sleep, start the car and go out for a drive. If I did a hypo would probably be the least of my problems...... although I'm sure the roads are emptier then..
I eventually got it back a number of months later when my consultant wrote a letter confirming that these had occurred because I was pregnant with my twins and had stopped since they had been born.
I spoke to IDDT and they said that they were campaigning to try and get the question changed because they felt it was unclear and unfair. I've signed your petition but would recommend calling them.
Good luck with getting it back, it was a really horrible feeling being without it and I got very depressed at being unable to get anywhere outside of walking distance as double buggies do not easily go on the buses round here when they deign to turn up.
Hi, tigger. Thank you for the support and for the story, sounds like you agree with the petition wholeheartedly! Who are the IDDT? It sounds like they'd be interested in the petition and would be a good group to link up with! I'm glad to hear that you got your licence back especially seeing as you have children
Your story goes to highlight the issues that are incurred by people when their licences are unfairly suspended due to the non-distinction between conscious and unconscious hypos by the DVLA.
Super thread here ! A wrong tick in the box means nothing to DVLA. To the individual though, difference between employment or unemployment.
Thank you, mo1905. What you say is absolutely correct and I completely agree. As I said earlier, the petition is designed mostly for people whose livelihoods would be adversely affected by the decisions taken by the DVLA.
I think Will be a contravertial here. You ticked the box saying you had 2 hypo's requiring assistance. As far as the DVLA guidelines are concerned they are averting a situation where you could be driving, can not rectify the problem yourself, and could cause an incident. There should be clear guidelines for the initial decision, and there are - if that box is ticked the initial answer is no. But, as they rightly say, you can now go to the next stage and get your GP involved. So before you raise petitions etc, go to the appeal stage.
Hi, Covlocks. OK, I've had this issue raised by others in the past so allow me to clarify my position with regards to this. I did indeed sign the relevant tickox however, the text accompanying the box itself does not distinguish between conscious and unconscious hypos. Furthermore, the DVLA state that they consider each application on an individual basis which they do not: if you tick the box, you lose your licence, that doesn't sound like a consideration of individual cases to me. I've also been told by my own consultant that, when people who have their licences revoked under this legislation, the DVLA (in the majority of cases) do not re-issue the licence following a reapplication, even though the application is backed by solid medical arguments (from medical professionals). My argument is that the DVLA's actions are inconsistent with their statements and they do not recognise medical facts. I've raised the petition because I am all too aware of how these situations play out and frankly, the appeals process shouldn't even exist. The legislation imposed should take into account medical facts, instead the current legislation appears to be based upon paranoia resulting from a misunderstanding of a complex condition that affects a significant number of drivers in the UK. Its for those reasons that the peition was created, if you would like me to clarify further then please let me know and I would be more than happy to oblige.
The real danger here is that people who depend on driving (most of us)for whatever reason will not report Hypo's to their GP's or DB Nurses.There is also the possibility that others will not answer the DVLA forms honestly and could then become a real danger to themselves and other road users.
The DVLA have to recognise that most of us are sensible people who take our health and the lives of others very seriously.
Wake up and smell the Humalog DVLA. We want to lead normal lives and not continue to be discriminated against by government bodies.
Hi, redsilverdog. First of all, I would like to point out that I completely agree with you here (see above) and secondly, I love the pun. Thank you for your support
I apologise for the length of this reply but I endeavour to write each of you back individually as you have taken the time to write to me
Also, I wish to thank donnelysdogs and Diddly for supporting the petition so wholeheartedly! I haven't responded to you guys directly as it appears that you have been attempting to help me out by responding to others so for that, thank you very much
The amount of signatures on the peition has grown at a ferocious rate over the weekend so thank you all very much for your efforts, I really do appreciate it! Lets keep this up, at this rate we'll let both the DVLA and EU know that we feel strongly about this argument and that we won't let them discriminate against diabetics unfairly and based upon a complete lack of understanding and medical evidence.
Thank you all once again and keep it up, your efforts have been amazing so far!
Best,
- Martyn
