Re: Phew, i still have a license :)

[Squiffythewombat]

Really? mines the "old skool" type as well, guess i should figure when it runs out....got my MOT dates wrong for the GSXR, ran out last mon...ops :S

[Squiffythewombat]

Yep, if people who don't get their licenses back with the bike endorsement have a bump, they will soon learn how quickly their insurance companies will back heel them into oblivion. Not to mention the police fine, points and possible sueing by injured parties.

Well thats literally riding without a licence, so im guessing thats +6 on your (non-exsisting) licence, plus a fine and an IN10 when you do eventually get it back....

[firestarter1977]

thats bollox tho

how can you not have a licence ? you may not hold a licence stating you are legal to ride but surely the DVLA will have records to prove you have passed . also dont you still have the counterpart paper licence ? cant remember now if i have one ?

when mine comes up for remewal i will take photos as proof !!

[ChrisC]

scary stuff indeed...I read an article in MCN ages ago about this and if I'm not mistaken a DVLA spokesman said that a lot of motorcycle licence records had disappeared.

[Phil-VTwin]

Changed mine a while ago too but it came back ok, i had not heard of this before, i got my full license in 1978 so was there any particular years that they lost?

[Jbrebel]

scary stuff indeed...I read an article in MCN ages ago about this and if I'm not mistaken a DVLA spokesman said that a lot of motorcycle licence records had disappeared.

Funnily enough I've just been reading the MCN and for once they seem to have a valid idea.

When you send your card licence to the DVLA why don’t they return it-as the passport agency did (don't know if they still do?)-with the top RH corner chopped off?

Know that doesn’t clear the issue up of lost records on the system but at least you still have some physical proof of entitlement?

[LotusSevenMan]

Oooh, not good to lose records etc I passed my full bike license back in 1977 (rather like Phil Vtwin). Still two years to go before update required, but I'll make sure I have pix/photocopies !!!!!

[warby221]

Working in the training side of bikes I have a bit of an advantage two licences one from DVLA and one from DSA
This fact came in handy for a guy I know not so long back
Sent his licence off when he changed his address and it came back missing the bike entitlement
The telephone conversation went some thing like this

Hello DVLA you’ve made a mistake my licence has come back missing the bike entitlement

Sorry sir but we don’t make mistakes

Well you have and I need my bike for work

Well if you think we’ve made a mistake you’ll have to provide us with the month, year and place you past your test

You’ve changed the details on my licence now and I can’t remember the month or the year I can tell you it approximately year and month and were ???

Sorry sir that’s no good we need it exactly

Long story short

This go’s on for 20 minutes

Till
put your supervisor on please

Ok sir but that won’t help

Could I have your name please

Why sir ??

so I know who to report

Well sir my names Mrs X

you’ve made a mistake my licence has come back missing the bike entitlement

Sorry sir but we don’t make mistakes

Neither do I I’ve got a licence number for you its XXXXX

What’s that sir?

It’s my DSA instructors licence number and as from now I’m unable to work because I don’t have a bike licence because of your mistake and I’ll be suing for loss of earnings

But that’s no good to us sir you need to give us the details we’ve asked for

Get stuffed your mistake you sort it ring DSA up and check it your self

3 days later his licence arrived with bike entitlement back on

[sirch345]

That's a good result in the end Warby, but all that stress for nothing when it's some idiot at the DVLA's mistake.

There was a program on TV a while back that I saw. It was highlighting this very problem. They showed a guy who worked for the Police who'd received his license back with the bike license part missing. I can't remember exactly what his job was now, but I think he worked in the garage serving/repairing the Police motorbikes. He had been doing this for years so you would have thought, being in that job, a letter proving just that would have been good enough to get it sorted out. Especially as there is know way they would have employed him in the first place without the appropriate license. Iirc he'd held a full bike license for something like 25yrs. But no the DVLA were having none of it He ended up having to take his test again

The DVLA IMO should not be allowed to treat the general public like this when the fault/mistake is made at their end :mad2

Glad you had no problems Tim

Chris.

[IgorVigor]

I dont like or trust DVLA at all....

I have had a few problems with them, saying I havent done something even when I have :S
last thing was declaring one of the bikes SORN.

I used the bloody letter they sent me (reminder letter)
Went and did it later that day online, and made sure I was legal.
About a week later I received a letter confirming that their records had been updated and the bike was SORN.

Then, about a month later, I receive a letter from them asking for £80 and some other charge for not taxing or SORN'ing the bike!
I sent them a copy of their confirmation letter which didnt seem to please them, as I received a letter that under these circumstances they would drop the charges...making out its MY fault!... :mad2

Mind you, one thing I ALWAYS do if I send letters to DVLA is send them recorded delivery....
Then I have a record that I sent it, and they cant deny I sent it, as I can check they signed for it....
Its covered my butt several times now

Its a tip I would recommend to anyone sending stuff to DVLA....
Recorded Delivery isnt expensive really!

[sirch345]

Some good suggestions there

We shouldn't need to do this, but with the poor service from the DVLA at present (allegedly ) it's worth remembering them.

Chris.