C1 Licence

[falcon123]

The C1 licence entitlement was withdrawn from insulin dependent diabetics in the mid-90s. The DVLA, however, granted a concession to allow you to apply for a C1 licence. This though can be quite a convoluted process and unless they drive a C1 vehicle on a regular basis most diabetics do not follow the process through.

Having driven C1 before the entitlement was withdrawn I realise I have never seen any clear explanation or reason why this entitlement was withdrawn. Has anybody seen an explanation? Or is it down to a "jobsworth" somewhere with a similar attitude to the one who has stopped our local GPs/chemists taking sharps?

As an aside I was talking to someone I know about this. He has just had his 70th birthday so decided to check his new licence. No C1 on it and he was not even aware of this!

 

[Copepod]

I believe it was because the UK decided to implement EU law with a blanket ban, rather than allowing a case by case decision process, as happens in other EU countries. It all came into force on 1st Jan 1998, when I was doing my MSc, only a year of so after gaining my UK licence, after swapping my Western Australian one. By chance, my option tutor, who was Dutch, had a brother with type 1 diabetes, still living in Netherlands, who couldn't understand why I was annoyed about losing right to drive certain types of vehicles on blanket medical grounds. A GP, who I only met once, having just registered at college practice, was also disgusted on my behalf when she saw the effect such blanket bans have on real people, and said she'd write a protest letter. I tried to get my parents's MP interested, but he supported the status quo. I did look into gaining entitlement to drive minibuses / vans in a French or Spanish speaking country, where I could communicate with examiner, but it seemed an awful lot of effort for something I might never use or be allowed to use in UK.

 

[bob wells]

DVLA seem to make it up as they go as a Type 1 for 15 years i have a 3 year license but they tell me i cannot tow a trailer or caravan etc anymore or drive for a job but i can still ride high performance motorcycles and even go racing.
Bob

 

[mike]

Dvla C1

Hi I know a little of this subject as I am on my 5th renewal of my C1E licence
and this time am going for a provisional C1+E as well.

 

[trophywench]

DVLA seem to make it up as they go as a Type 1 for 15 years i have a 3 year license but they tell me i cannot tow a trailer or caravan etc anymore or drive for a job but i can still ride high performance motorcycles and even go racing.
Bob

Depends what you want to drive for a job and how big a trailer you wish to tow! Think I'm limited to 750kgs behind a car. Had the licence since 1986 but the diabetes for longer - hence never had anything but a 3yr licence ......