Today for some reason - maybe it was complete boredom - I started to look at my driving documents. The green counter part was interesting as my three "brownie points" for being a bit swift (36 mph in a 30 mph zone) had now reached their 4th birthday. I know, they last for three years, but you can only have them removed after 4 years, no I don't understand why either!
However, it was not that that made the tea come down my nose - When I looked at my plastic credit card style part of the licence. It had expired. Merde! DVLA will tell you if your car tax is due, but they say nada, zilch, SFA if your licence expires. The green part of your licence is current up to the age of 70. However the plastic bit only lasts for ten years. My plastic bit ran out about two weeks ago. Now I'm not sure how PC plod would view this, or if I had a bump how my insurance would view this dire crime. But I think I could hazard a good guess.
Apparently, the penalty is up to £1000 if your plastic licence has lapsed. So, I went to the Post Office for a D1 form, the nice lady said that they did not supply the forms any more - but she happened to have one left over. If you request one from the DVLA on-line, it is a 10 day turn-around.
However, rather than risk driving without the plastic bit, when you submit the D1 form - do it at a local DVLA centre (the ones the government is busy trying to close down to save money) as they will then photocopy your licence and then stamp it with the DVLA proof of submission stamp. Oh! don't forget to give them a £20 note as a fee. Now you can drive once again. Simples! You also have to send with the application two passport sized photographs. You can update your driving licence on-line but only if you have a new electronic passport, (now costs £77.50 I've just done that today as well, when I checked it, my passport had run out.) So now I am back behind the wheel, and hundred pounds lighter in the wallet.
I'm glad that I don't have to have a driving licence for the boat. Oops, that's a possible revenue raiser for those lovely people at CaRT to spring onto us!
Later.....
Later.....
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