I've only just got round to applying for a photo-ID driving licence to replace my manky paper one. I've just had some mug shots done, filled out the form and got some ID together.

 

The next step is to cut my paper licence in half and send that along with the other docs.

 

Then a bit appears on the website that says: you can legally drive without a licence (i.e. between cutting up my old one and receiving my new one) as long as:

 

• you have held a Great Britain or Northern Ireland licence issued since 1 January 1976
  
• you are not disqualified from driving (there are different rules for medium or large vehicles, minibus or bus drivers - the traffic commissioner for your area will decide whether to grant your entitlement to drive these vehicles)
  
• you have not been, and would not be, refused a licence for medical reasons
  
• you keep to any special conditions which apply to the licence
  
• the entitlement on your licence has not expired
  

The only one I'm not sure about is the first one - does it mean you can drive if you've held a licence since before Jan 1976 (for over 33 years), or does it mean you can drive if you've held a licence since after Jan 1976 (for 14 years like myself)?

Its the latter, since after 1976, and the new license is a con, I just had to reapply for mine at a cost of £20 as it had expired, never had to with the old paper license, if the governement wants these new things imposed why do I have to pay?

the way it looks to me is as long as you have had a licence from Jan 76 its ok before that it will not be ok