Licence Question. (1 Viewer)

[Snowbird]

Although I held a HGV licence for many years, when I developed mobility problems I thought it would be a waste of money paying for another medical a few years ago, so never renewed my licence. I kept my 7.5 ton licence with grandfather rights, so was able to drive up to that weight. Now the fifth wheel outfit is gone I am looking for something to replace it with and stumbled on a fantastic bit of kit. The problem is, its 10 ton gross and will not downrate. This has become a dilemma as I know several RVs that have been converted for disabled use and are driven by disabled people. My question is, is there some sort of special category, so that disabled drivers can drive a HGV motorhome as although I do not want another American this Super Nova ticks all the boxes for me other than it being 10 ton gross.

 

[scotjimland]

same one discussed here Dave
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/for-sale-mercedes-luxury-motorhome.132240/#post-1895258

sorry, can't help with licence question

 

[Snowbird]

Thanks for jogging my memory Jim. I had not realised it was the one and same van. It does look like a lot of van for the money, so am going to try and get some sense out of DVLA on the licencing issue. I would not want to downrate as that would defeat the object of having a decent payload. There seems to be more and more of these grey areas poping up with motorhomes, with few knowing the definitive answers.

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[vwalan]

there are ways , disabled people drive trucks and coaches .
some with no legs at all.
i have had my hgv and psv right up untill this year. i decided as i,m not driving hgv these day i wont bother paying for the medical. and next time it will be every year rip off . but yes you still take same medical as hgv . if you have heart mumours or something like it you may have to go before a higher doctor than your own or drivers medics crowd .
then they may ask you to do a tred mill test. but if like me walking is a problem you dont have to.
the dept for transport doctors do different tests depending on your problem .
but all you can do is try.
i decided that in truth for full hgv if i ever got refused it could be brought against me when reaching 70 yr old .
like you so far not refused so should be able to keep maintain the c1+at 70.
there was a chap i knew from around the congleton area was i think the first coach driver with no legs back in the late 80,s early 90,s . he was a national association of bikers with a disability member . he rode a m,bike as well. he did have false legs . but i was amazed at the time . since then i have met loads of disabled truck drivers .
all you can do is go for it . let us know how you get on .
my truck is my car so is registered disabled vehicle .

 

[Theonlysue]

Beautiful van, but would you want a 4 ft transverse bed???

 

[Snowbird]

Beautiful van, but would you want a 4 ft transverse bed???

I should just about fit in that .

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[sallylillian]

I understood that it's just the medical to reinstate HGV and of course annual after 70 unlike C1 which is 3 yearly but not sure.

 

[Theonlysue]

On the .gov website, cat c is anything over 3.5 t with no upper limit

 

[Snowbird]

I understood that it's just the medical to reinstate HGV and of course annual after 70 unlike C1 which is 3 yearly but not sure.

Its the medical that is my concern. I have so many issues now that am worried they would not pass me medically and as vwalan says, my concern would be in 4 years time when am 70 and require my 7.5 ton licence renewed. I am not so sure about drivers with disabilities holding HGV licences as I had a driver at one time who had his HGV licence taken away because he lost an eye. The other eye was fine, but they said no way. I had another driver who failed his medical because he was obese and they refused to give it him back until he lost weight. I know several HGV drivers who have lost there licences due to diabetes. It does seem to be a grey area. A treadmill would be out of the question now, so am not sure if that would be an automatic refusal.

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[Snowbird]

On the .gov website, cat c is anything over 3.5 t with no upper limit
View attachment 121269

I know what the categories are Sue, its just that a 10 ton vehicle requires a HGV licence which I have, although its run out because I have not taken a recent medical. I would not be required to take a test, just the medical, which I cannot imagine me passing as I have read the requirements, which are written in stone. That is why I wondered if there was some form of special licence for large motorhomes over 7.5 ton.

 

[Puddleduck]

Why not discuss with your specialist? If you are unfit your GP or specialist should be able to tell you and then it's pointless even applying.

I am just doing my forms to reapply having seen the specialist yesterday. She thought I should do an early reapplication but since I can reapply on 8th September I'll get the forms done and send them off then.

Bit of a strange area but between reapplication (I assume the date you would be eligible to have the new licence) and the licence being issued it appears you are allowed to drive if your Dr / specialist says you are fit to do so!!!!! I wouldn't unless there was a dire emergency but wtf????

 

[Geo]

I know what the categories are Sue, its just that a 10 ton vehicle requires a HGV licence which I have, although its run out because I have not taken a recent medical. I would not be required to take a test, just the medical, which I cannot imagine me passing as I have read the requirements, which are written in stone. That is why I wondered if there was some form of special licence for large motorhomes over 7.5 ton.

You could always take the alternative view that you have Grandfather rights as we all know But your standard car licence gave you the option to drive a "Heavy Motor Car" did it not? and still does under Grandfather rights
Look up the Dept for transports definition of a Heavy Motor Car and note "No weight Limits" and if your proposed Vehicle does not fit exactly into that description I'll stand shooting
Half the RV drivers on the Road to day in 10 Ton RVs have adopted that ideology,
even when the insurer say do you have a licence to drive that Yes you do
even tho DVLA have re organised licence categories they cant take away your Grandfather rights
and thier own site states their info is not definitive in Law, Why Not I wonder??
G

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[Snowbird]

You could always take the alternative view that you have Grandfather rights as we all know But your standard car licence gave you the option to drive a "Heavy Motor Car" did it not? and still does under Grandfather rights
Look up the Dept for transports definition of a Heavy Motor Car and note "No weight Limits" and if your proposed Vehicle does not fit exactly into that description I'll stand shooting
Half the RV drivers on the Road to day in 10 Ton RVs have adopted that ideology,
even when the insurer say do you have a licence to drive that Yes you do
even tho DVLA have re organised licence categories they cant take away your Grandfather rights
and thier own site states their info is not definitive in Law, Why Not I wonder??
G

Now that Geo is very interesting indeed. Thanks, I will be looking into that.

 

[Snowbird]

You could always take the alternative view that you have Grandfather rights as we all know But your standard car licence gave you the option to drive a "Heavy Motor Car" did it not? and still does under Grandfather rights
Look up the Dept for transports definition of a Heavy Motor Car and note "No weight Limits" and if your proposed Vehicle does not fit exactly into that description I'll stand shooting
Half the RV drivers on the Road to day in 10 Ton RVs have adopted that ideology,
even when the insurer say do you have a licence to drive that Yes you do
even tho DVLA have re organised licence categories they cant take away your Grandfather rights
and thier own site states their info is not definitive in Law, Why Not I wonder??
G

Well Geo, having spent the last hour or so wading through pages of DVLA gov papers its now as clear as mud. Am not surprised its a grey area and will wait in anticipation of the call back from some bod from Swansea who is a higher authority than the nice young lady I spoke to earlier to give me the definition of a heavy motor car. She seemed to think if it all depended on how the vehicle was first registered. I told her that thinking was not the answer I was looking for, and she referred me to a higher authority. Now I am worried, maybe God will be ringing me next.

 

[Puddleduck]

er that thinking was not the answer I was looking for, and she referred me to a higher authority. Now I am worried, maybe God will be ringing me next.

When she does please can you let us know what the judgement is as that may well be the information many of us are looking for. If your motorhome is say between 3.5 and 4 tonnes the C or C1 is overkill but a downplate might make the payload unworkable. @Hils and Glenns might find that of use.

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[vwalan]

On the .gov website, cat c is anything over 3.5 t with no upper limit
View attachment 121269

with granfather rights there is code 107 that restricts the trainweight to 8250kg .
in truth b+e can give higher trainweights , it depends on the original train weight of the towing vehicle .

 

[Snowbird]

Well I held my breath yesterday for God to ring, but he must have been busy on another miracle as no call. I have no time today as we are away for a couple of months, so maybe someone else could try to get a definitive answer on this one.

 

[vwalan]

Well Geo, having spent the last hour or so wading through pages of DVLA gov papers its now as clear as mud. Am not surprised its a grey area and will wait in anticipation of the call back from some bod from Swansea who is a higher authority than the nice young lady I spoke to earlier to give me the definition of a heavy motor car. She seemed to think if it all depended on how the vehicle was first registered. I told her that thinking was not the answer I was looking for, and she referred me to a higher authority. Now I am worried, maybe God will be ringing me next.

it all come back to wjhen the licences were changed . a motor caravan it was decided carries goods or burden . your clothes ,food etc .these arent for sale or hire reward but are goods or burden . if you accept that its true the rest of the regs fit .
there was lots of opisition to it all in the early 90,s .
but most accept a m,home carries goods , and accept it when getting phgv road fund tax etc .
yes they left the mot status as a car with special body . the regs are a mess truthfully.

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[Snowbird]

it all come back to wjhen the licences were changed . a motor caravan it was decided carries goods or burden . your clothes ,food etc .these arent for sale or hire reward but are goods or burden . if you accept that its true the rest of the regs fit .
there was lots of opisition to it all in the early 90,s .
but most accept a m,home carries goods , and accept it when getting phgv road fund tax etc .
yes they left the mot status as a car with special body . the regs are a mess truthfully.

Sorry I dont have much time today Al, but are you saying that, if the vehicle is taxed private heavy goods, there are no licence weight restrictions. If so, that is what the nice lady was trying to say.

 

[vwalan]

also if you look at one of the old red licences you were covered to drive the heavy m,car etc .
but on page 5 of red licences the notes ,,,1.an additional licence must be obtained before a heavy goods or public service vehicle may be driven ......
so carrying your belongings are your goods . so in my eyes hgv is required for vehicles over 7.5 ton .
although yes it doesnt actually say any weights on the licence .
it really is an ongoing game . hee hee.

 

[vwalan]

Sorry I dont have much time today Al, but are you saying that, if the vehicle is taxed private heavy goods, there are no licence weight restrictions. If so, that is what the nice lady was trying to say.

no i,m saying we get private hgv tax and let our vehicles be hgv ,but sort of dont want them to be hgv when applying to drivers licence .
but if you want to use old style rules get a pre 1960. no hgv licence requited ,mot exempt and free road tax .
thats sorted then .

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[Snowbird]

no i,m saying we get private hgv tax and let our vehicles be hgv ,but sort of dont want them to be hgv when applying to drivers licence .
but if you want to use old style rules get a pre 1960. no hgv licence requited ,mot exempt and free road tax .
thats sorted then .

No way am I running round in an Atci Borderer .

 

[vwalan]

but its a legal way of getting around the legalities .
but then i say with the right truck down plated to 3.500kg .
fifth wheeler with as little weight as possible on the pin ,your laughing .

 

[Peter & Elaine]

No way am I running round in an Atci Borderer .

The sweet sound of a Gardner 120 and the crunch of a david brown box

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[Minxy]

Whilst you want this heavy MH do you really, really want the worry that at some point you may be prevented from driving it if your medical conditions worsen ... if it was me I'd rather try to stay within the licence limitations that I can reasonably expect to have in say 2/3 years time, rather than gamble on still being able to hold a HGV one.

 

[Snowbird]

Whilst you want this heavy MH do you really, really want the worry that at some point you may be prevented from driving it if your medical conditions worsen ... if it was me I'd rather try to stay within the licence limitations that I can reasonably expect to have in say 2/3 years time, rather than gamble on still being able to hold a HGV one.

That is why I have asked the original question. There are severely disabled motorhome owners out there of which I know of 3 personally, so I would presume there are many more, who drive heavy motorhomes. Thats the reason I asked the question "Is there a special category that allows this".

 

[2657]

How about a nice PVC like a Globecar or Possl to travel between Winter destinations, apartments or campsite chalets, lots doing it now on the site we stay at in Portugal.

England.......Bulgaria......Benidorm.........

Just a thought for a different way of doing things and no licence hassles.

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[Snowbird]

How about a nice PVC like a Globecar or Possl to travel between Winter destinations, apartments or campsite chalets, lots doing it now on the site we stay at in Portugal.

England.......Bulgaria......Benidorm.........

Just a thought for a different way of doing things and no licence hassles.

Must admit, that had crossed my mind. It would have to have a fixed bed for my afternoon snooze and room for one of the grandkids to sleep. Does such a vehicle exist ?.

 

[Langtoftlad]

AFAIK - the Globecar has a fixed bed at the back, and the diner converts to a single.
Also the shower doors can separate the two areas...

eg

 

[Minxy]

There are lots of PVCs with rear beds and front lounges now that can sleep 3 or even 4 - some are 6m others are 6.36m. We have the one above which is a Globecar FamilyScout L at 6.36m and it is great as it has the largest lounge of any fixed bed PVC so during the day the 'living' space is good and there's also the rear bed for Grandad's snoozing!

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