Thought today was going to be a good day but was proved wrong yet once again. Here's the story so far:

 

I'm the holder of a Dutch drivers licence, which I've had for 13 years. During this time I have not had an accident, not been fined for any reason and been an all round safe driver. I passed my driving test in the USA and three years later exchanged it for the above Dutch on. There is a nice stamp on my Dutch licence stating I also hold a US drivers licence.

 

This Dutch licence is due to expire on 9th March this year and I sent it off to the DVLA one month ago to have it exchanged for a full UK licence (as required by UK law). Thought all was well until this morning. All application documents were returned with a nice letter stating that because I passed my drivers test in the US and exchanged that licence for a Dutch one they (DVLA) can not exchange it for a full UK licence. WTF?! Called the tossers up to ask for a more elaborate explanation and was told that my Dutch licence is not considered to be a full EU licence - which is a load of bollox according to the issuing authorities in The Netherlands. It would appear that both the UK and Spain are the only countries in the EU who have this problem with exchanging licences.

 

Getting on with the now useless conversation with the DVLA, they advice me the only way for me to get a UK licence (as required by EU law) is to apply for a provisional licence, apply for a theory test and then a practical test. If you add up all the lead times for these I'm looking at being fooked for the better part of 8-10 weeks! Oh, and while I have a provisional licence I need to have "L" plates on my car and am only allowed to drive when there is someone in the passenger seat who's held a full and valid UK licence for three years! Can you imagine displaying L plates on a Zed?! I don't fooking think so!

 

I spoke with the DVLA equivalent in Holland to see if there was another way around it and basically there isn't. Even if I could get a new Dutch licence (which I can't because I now am resident in the UK) there will always be a note on it stating I did my drivers test in the US so that doesn't help me.

 

I don't think I have ever heard of such a rediculous way of getting a licence renewed. Basically, as of Monday it is illegal for me to be behind the wheel of a car and I can be fined for driving with an expired licence. The law is forcing me off the road, thereby affecting my livelyhood, forcing me to pay a lot of money for tests and generally taking away my freedom and mobility. I have driven accident and fine free for the past 13 years, I even have a racing licence (although that expired last year as I didn't get a chance to do any racing) and I am now treated as someone who has never driven a car before in their life! WTF!!??

 

I'm sorry for going on a bit but I'm so extremely angry and pissed off at the moment and needed to get this off my chest. I'm now off to the post office to get a new D750 & D1 form to send off for my provisional licence.

 

As this is a public forum I will not speak of my intended "business as usual" attitude as of next Monday ;) What is the worse that can happen when caught driving with an expired licence - a fine? And then there are of course the insurance implications ... We'll see.

 

Thanks for listening ...

 

Very disgruntledly yours,

 

Danny

That is harsh mate :mad: :mad: . Something is really wrong with our system!

 

If you'd had you licence taken off you for speeding etc you could dispute it in court. This situation almost seems worse :mad: .

 

Who did you speak to at the DVLA? Ring again and ask to speak to someone higher up, you don't want to instantly believe the first person who answers, for the sake of the hassle it will cause. Or write a letter? Try the Citizens Advice Bureau?

 

V frustrated for you mate!

 

Pete

Simple, grow a moustach, call yourself Ali, and use the communal one for London! LOL!!:eek: :D :rolleyes:

Danny that really is bad :( I want a pic of those L plates on that Zed though ;) I don't know if this helps http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/drivers.htm I can't find anything on there but do some searching and you may find something. If I were you I wouldn't drive without a license - sods law says you will get caught then its the whole lot - no license, no insurance, not good ;) Hope you sort it soon...

 

CheerZ,

 

Andy

Cheers guys,

 

I know, Sod's Law and me are very well acquainted so don't think I'll be driving for a while ...

 

I spoke to the director of licencing at the DVLA and he "assures" me that this is the only way to go about it and that I am the unfortunate victim of an EU law change (last year March) which requires me to obtain a UK licence rather than renew my Dutch one.

 

It is almost the equivalent of making someone stateless and both the DVLA and Dutch issuing authority have told me to write the the EU in Brussels. I'm too angry at the moment to be diplomatic so I'll do that some time later but for the time being I'm well and truly fooked!

 

Thanks Andy for the link ... I can't find much on there either relating to this particular incedent but will keep looking. If it comes to putting L plates on the Zed I'll send you a pic but just think of the attention it will attract from the coppers ...

 

Thanks guys!

 

Danny

you might be able to get an international driving licence

try http://www.idl-international.com might be worth a try

 

 

rod

In theory could u pretend u lived in France, get a french licence in exchange for your dutch one, then change the French one for a UK one?

Obviously you can't (im guessing French would want some proof u live there etc) but it just shows how gay this country is.