I've emailed the DVLA, but I envisage them taking DAYS to answer it so I thought I'd ask here and see if anyone knew.

I got a provisional driving licence when I was 17 (back in 1996) but never got round to the actual test (though I had lessons and drove with my dad in the car for years so managed to get quite good) and as it was a paper licence and a good 13 years ago it's long gone.

However, I *think* they last 50 years, so it should still be valid. I'm getting to the point where a car would actually be quite useful so want to have another go at the test. For this apparently I need to have a plastic-card-with-photo type licence. Do I have to re-apply from scratch for a provisional or can I do the 'exchange it for a photo-card' one with my old (lost) paper provisional? I went to pick up a form to exchange it today, and also had a look at the website to do it online but the exchange thingy seems to assume you already have a full licence, not a provisional.

I'd have to put a severe "O RLY?" on that 50 year comment, maybe full licences do but I doubt provisionals would. I guess you would have to apply from scratch. Which if you have anything medical to declare takes ages, so brace yourself if that's the case.

Quote from duke_toaster :

I'd have to put a severe "O RLY?" on that 50 year comment

I'm 99% certain it had 2046 as the expiry date, definitely mid-21st century.

My mum recently changed her name since she got married so have to inform the DVLA. She had a paper provisional that lasted 50 years. She sent an app off with photo, and they sent her a new 10 year one free of charge.

Theres a section on the application for just changing your licence from paper to photo.

Phone the DVLA up, you normally get straight through to a helpful adviser (the same can't be said for the passport service!). Don't bother e-mailing, most things can only be done over the phone.

Really old provisional licenses lasted forever (my dad still has his from sometime in the 70s), but I got my first provisional license (paper) in 97 and it expired 2 years after. Pretty sure they sent me a letter to tell me before it happened too. If it's a photocard license it should do you for 10 years, whether provisional or not.

Course now my full license only lasts 3 years too. Thanks to the diabetes, I need a medical certificate to say I'm still not blind or anything And unless Diabetes UK get their way I'll never be allowed to drive a medium or large vehicle. Stupid rules.

Quote from Dajmin :

And unless Diabetes UK get their way I'll never be allowed to drive a medium or large vehicle. Stupid rules.

What do we classify medium or large vehicles as being?

Quote from Bob Smith :

What do we classify medium or large vehicles as being?

A tank, bridging equipment, the batmobile or anything of equivilient size. Such as an articulate.

I don't believe that it applies to chelsea tractors or any other domestic vehicles, if I recall correctly.

Quote from Dajmin :

Course now my full license only lasts 3 years too. Thanks to the diabetes, I need a medical certificate to say I'm still not blind or anything And unless Diabetes UK get their way I'll never be allowed to drive a medium or large vehicle. Stupid rules.

Luckily (?!) I don't have to declare mine, seeing as it was only medication controlled in the beginning, and I don't even need that nowadays.

Turning 17 in November, Type 1 Diabetic on insulin, can I join your club pwease?

We can get a license for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes (the largest wheelbase transits, sprinters etc, usually with double sets of tyres on the back?) if we have a medical exam (and stump up the cost for it!), but HGVs, public service vehicles etc. are a no-no outright.

Again, a medical exam can get you a taxi/minibus license, but most taxi companies "apparently" blanket ban diabetics from working.

According to the DiabetesUK pdf I was reading on the subject, if I unfortunatly suffer a hypo at the wheel, I must pull over (pretty obvious?) but then I must take the keys out & either sit in the passenger seat or get out the vehivle "if safe".

Thats so I'm not charged with "Driving under the influence of drugs"!

Then theres the 3 year renewal etc.

Funnily enough I'm not declaring anything that's a bar to licencing for any class (even HGVs, although I simply don't want or forsee a need for a truck licence, ever) - applied in April and still haven't got mine. Doesn't appear to mean three year renewals or anything.

Quote from Equinox :

Thats so I'm not charged with "Driving under the influence of drugs"!

Haha, that's ridiculous.. Am I right in thinking insulin shots are just insulin,no other funky things?

Yes, insulin is just insulin. There's various mixes available, but it's all still just insulin

The problem wouldn't be DUI though, it'd be Without Due Care & Attention or just generally unsafe driving. Because hypoglycaemia means your reactions are slower, your muscles get weak and twitchy and if it gets bad enough your behaviour and reasoning can be impaired.

And that's not even going into the bad batches of insulin I've had, which have actually caused what can only be described as psychosis. But that's a conversation for another thread. Getting a provisional license is much less interesting

Also, effects of hypoglycaemia are often mistaken for those of excessive alcohol consumption (slurred speech, confusion etc.)

But yep, just insulin, nothing funky!

/raises hand for Dajmin to start a diabetics united thread