Motorhome

[Albert54]

Hello, I am looking for advice please, I was diagnosed T2 in Dec 21 and I use Metformin (down from 4 to 2 a day), my stats are improving (lifestyle) and I am not at risk of hypos etc. Eyesight and other tests are all satisfactory.

I have just purchased a new 3.85 tonne rated motorhome and I need some guidance.
At 3.85 tonne the motorhome is rated as a private heavy goods vehicle, I need and have, (through grandfather rights) a C1 licence to drive it.
The DVLA has a number of leaflets and forms to complete - they are divided into car or lorry/bus driver categories, at 3.85 tonne my vehicle cannot be described as a car (it’s over 3.5 tonne) and I am guessing that I should assume that I am a lorry driver but I am not certain, I do not require a vocational licence and lorry/bus driver does seem to suggest that I would be a professional driver.
At the moment I am erring on the side of caution and going down the route of advising DVLA that I am a lorry driver with non insulin treated T2 but I wonder if anybody else out there as any experience of this with a similar situation to mine.

 

[Drummer]

I was able to get a VW LT46 LWB downplated to drive on my normal licence. I had C1 on my licence when it was paper, but it evaporated when I changed to a plastic one at the age of 70.
The van is rated as light goods vehicle now.
My diabetes is not important at all - I did let the DVLA know when I was first diagnosed, but they said that it was not something which affected my driving so they were not interested.
It was almost impossible to contact the DVLA directly a while ago, but you could try calling and see if they can give you advice on your particular circumstances.

 

[Satan’s little helper]

Hello,

It makes sense that your motorhome is used for “recreational purposes.”
Passing the test before 1997? & on no hypo inducing meds. Insured to drive a purpose built vehicle with a fitted kitchen & bed? (Something I read years back regarding commercial vans & camper conversions. & satisfying DVLA.)

Good luck.

 

[Albert54]

I was able to get a VW LT46 LWB downplated to drive on my normal licence. I had C1 on my licence when it was paper, but it evaporated when I changed to a plastic one at the age of 70.
The van is rated as light goods vehicle now.
My diabetes is not important at all - I did let the DVLA know when I was first diagnosed, but they said that it was not something which affected my driving so they were not interested.
It was almost impossible to contact the DVLA directly a while ago, but you could try calling and see if they can give you advice on your particular circumstances.

Yes, we wanted to go 3.5 tonne and stay out of all the complicated stuff especially as I am 70 next year but that won’t work for us at the moment.
I am finding exactly the same with trying to contact DVLA and halfway through one of their forms this morning I discovered that there was no multiple choice answer that fitted my circumstances, hence the post, I will just have to persevere and hope that I find a way through it all.

 

[Albert54]

Hello,

It makes sense that your motorhome is used for “recreational purposes.”
Passing the test before 1997? & on no hypo inducing meds. Insured to drive a purpose built vehicle with a fitted kitchen & bed? (Something I read years back regarding commercial vans & camper conversions. & satisfying DVLA.)

Good luck.

Yes this seems like a bit of a grey area, there must be others in the same position, there are a lot of heavier motorhomes on the road out there.

 

[Satan’s little helper]

Yes this seems like a bit of a grey area, there must be others in the same position, there are a lot of heavier motorhomes on the road out there.

My younger sister had one of those massive American style “RVs” years ago. Fully loaded.
That was my accommodation on the front of her house one Christmas stay over. It was bigger than my flat.
She would have passed her test in the early 90s. And snuck in on “grandfather rights.”
She is not a lorry driver.