Diabetes UK meets Transport Minister Mike Penning

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Northerner

Northerner

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Representatives from Diabetes UK and Adrian Sanders MP (Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Diabetes) met with the Transport Minister, Mike Penning MP, recently to raise concerns about changes to rules on driving with diabetes.

A new European directive being implemented by the DVLA means people with diabetes who report two 'severe' hypo episodes in a 12-month period may have their Group 1 licence revoked. Diabetes UK has expressed concern that this is open to misunderstanding. People can often experience hypos when asleep, and the word 'severe' could also be misunderstood as many hypos can be quickly and easily treated with an appropriate snack.

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us...tes-UK-meets-Transport-Minister-Mike-Penning/
 
Why do they always pick on us T1 and T2. for driving , I dont know anyone who would get behind the wheel if they felt unwell , or even if driving we would all pull over .

No one knows our own diabetes better than we do ourselves .
 
I disagree. I think there are plenty who would either keep on driving or not recognise the symptoms.

I think they've gone overboard on the rules, but rules are needed.🙂

Rob
 
Personally I think they are being fair allowing for 2 severe hypo's, safety on the roads has to come first above anything else.
 
Lets be fair here , If we dont fight this we could all lose our D/L .
I cant now even drive a light van becouse I have T1.
and how do they jugde the hypo etc .
 
As far as I know you can drive up to 3.5t on your medical licence unless you have other factors that stop you.

I don't believe I'll lose my licence as long as I don't have any severe hypos. If I have a severe hypo, I'll be seeking advice immediately from my DSN to make sure another doesn't happen.

ROb
 
Rob ,
If you check your D/L you will find you can only drive a car and a trailer . they took the 3.5 ton off a few years ago ,
I thought the same as you until I went to pick up a van , to move my son ,
and was told with the new rules I could not drive it .

I agree we all need to be safe on the roads but I do feel they do go to far with some rules ,
 
dmarshall said:
Rob ,
If you check your D/L you will find you can only drive a car and a trailer . they took the 3.5 ton off a few years ago ,
I thought the same as you until I went to pick up a van , to move my son ,
and was told with the new rules I could not drive it .

I agree we all need to be safe on the roads but I do feel they do go to far with some rules ,
Click to expand...

No They haven't, Rob is correct. 🙂

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547
 
What I was told by the rent a van company was , when I passed my test in 1982 yes I was ok to drive upto 3.5 ton ,

But becouse my D/L is now issued every 3 years , it only covers you from when the 3 years start, and the rules have changed , worth looking again at the DVLA site . D/L issued before date ,

I may ring DVLA up or does anyone have the answers , or was the van company being over the top , they where a big name in the business and I asked them to check before I left ,

I only have T1 no other health problems .
 
dmarshall said:
What I was told by the rent a van company was , when I passed my test in 1982 yes I was ok to drive upto 3.5 ton ,

But becouse my D/L is now issued every 3 years , it only covers you from when the 3 years start, and the rules have changed , worth looking again at the DVLA site . D/L issued before date ,
Load of old cods wallop 🙂
I may ring DVLA up or does anyone have the answers , or was the van company being over the top , they where a big name in the business and I asked them to check before I left ,

I only have T1 no other health problems .
Click to expand...

Look on your licence and see what letters you have on it.
The van rental company is talking a load of B's if you have the B BE then you can drive up to 3.5 tons.
I have looked at my licence and yes I am covered to drive up to 3.5.

Are you sure the van you went to pick up wasn't more than 3.5?

The link I gave you has all the info on it for what you can drive in line with the classes on your licence. 🙂
 
This is where it starts working in our favour, not against us!!!

To drive over 3.5 tons you have to have the C1 category on your licence. Those that passed their test prior to that rule coming in years ago were allowed to keep it. "Grandfather rights". But not anyone passing their test after that deadline. This applies to everybody not diabetics. However - they also said that diabetics (on restricted licences, not tabs etc) would not be allowed to take the C1 test. And those of us who had already got 'Grandmother' rights in my case - had it taken straight off us, no arguments or appeals, end of.

But now they've brought in the new rules - we can at last apply for C1 !!! I might have to take another test if I wanted to, not sure, but don't want it anyway. You automatically lose your C1 licence at age 70 by the way (whoever you are) and can only renew it for another year at a time after undergoing a medical, which you have to pay for.

The reason being all the other European countries let diabetics who've passed the relevant test drive 4 tonners, so they can and do come over here in their big vans and motorhomes quite legally - but they didn't allow their own population to do that - utterly potty. There is always a lot of bitching about C1 on motorhome forums because people want to upgrade to a bigger one and find they can't and seem to think DVLA have chosen them to pick on. It's been the ruddy law for ? 20 years, why didn't they whinge about it at the time? ROFL
 
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Like your reply , well cool .

Yes have got B and E on my D/L . and yes van was not over 3.5 .

If I remember right , but not sure if they did , they said becouse i was only allowed on my D/L to drive upto 3.5 . when the van was full it would take the weight over what I was allowed to drive ( if I had a normal D/L it would not matter as I would be ok upto 7.5 )

My wife had to drive the van , which was only a luton etc . which was great fun lol
 
Thanks for all your help on the van thing .

To get back to the driving , I hope and will back D/uk on pushing for our rights to keep driving . as long as we are safe to do so :D
 
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