Time to renew my driver's licence.
 

I currently hold a licence for groups A, B, C1, D1 1, B+E, C1E 7, D1E 1, FKL and NP, but the application form suggests that I need to use form D2 and D4 to retain my entitlements for minibuses and medium-sized vehicles.

As this will require a medical examination by a doctor AND an optician, what sort of costs would that entail?

My HGV 1 licence lapsed in 1989, but are the requirements for the above vehicle classifications the same as a full HGV1 medical?

I realise that HGV 1 no longer exists as such - so what are the requirements? and is it worth the fuss?

What class of vehicles would I be restricted to without the D2/D4 applications?

Can these entitlements be obtained retrospectively if I decide not to apply for them now?

A medical at your own doctor will be in the region of £120. Thete is a company that legally does them for around half that.
They hire a room in a centrally placed hotel, (in your case, perhaps near the airport or, T.V.T.E.) and a suitable Doctor just does driver medicals, all day, for that one day.
Their overheads are significantly lower, hence the charges are lower.
Eyesight test I don't know about. I need to book one soon.
Don't forget, you might also need to do a Driver C.P.C. course. More expense!!!

Seems that at my age 69/70 the medical has to be renewed every year - so, reluctantly, I will have to forego the ability to drive anything other than a car.

I have no intention of driving a 'Heavy Goods vehicle' or a bus/coach, so to have to pay over £100 each year for no purpose seems a waste of money. Will I be restricted to a vehicle under 7.5 tonnes or will that also be a no-no?

http://www.driversmedicals.com/_LGV_medicals.html

(Thanks for the tip - I found that this company do LGV medicals for £51 - but then there's the optician charge)
I will talk to my son-in-law, however, as he 'manages' the access to vehicles at his work.

Having read various web forums, it seems that the rules are far from clear.

In principal, those with existing entitlements should keep them, whilst those who had to take a test to drive a minibus have to provide a medical certificate after age 45 and every five years thereafter until age 70 when it has to be renewed every year.

I've never taken any test other than motorcycle (1960) and car (1961). I didn't need to take an HGV test as I claimed grandfather rights.

My parents (born 1909 and 1911) didn't even take any driving test - back then there was no test - you just applied for a licence (like I did for my HGV Class 1 in 1971).

I certainly don't want to get into the yearly renewal, so I'll just have to take my chance that I will get my licence with the full entitlement (or not).

I used to be able to drive track-laying vehicles and road locomotives, but that wording disappeared when my licence changed from a book to a paper licence.
I have never had a photocard licence.

I don't expect (or want) to renew my Class 1 HGV, but I will be miffed if they exclude everything else except a private car . . . (though it won't actually affect me - the chances of me wanting to drive a minibus or light truck is remote (although my son in law has a horsebox for his Clydesdales).

I'll have to ask him whether his father still retains his right to drive the horsebox without a full medical every year (he is over 70).

You might want to read:- http://www.tribal-living.co.uk/forum...ad.php?t=24668
and the following pages . . .