C1 Driving Licence and old age petition. (1 Viewer)

[Skipper43]

This thread is for the general discussion of the Article C1 Driving Licence and old age petition.. Please add to the discussion here.

 

[Skipper43]

For everyone who passed their UK driving test before 1997 and who currently hold C1, there is a petition to revise the procedure for automatic revocation at the age of 70. I found it by searching for ‘Petition C1 Driving Licence’. If 10,000 votes are received there will be a debate about updating the current procedure and separating it from the commercial HGV procedure.

 

[Neilfg]

The link to the petition is

Archived Petition: Review Motorhome Driving Licence for Parkinson’s sufferers and over 70s

Under existing rules motorhomes are grouped with lorries and buses by the DVLA. This means drivers with motorhomes who have Parkinson’s disease or over 70 are subject to an assessment which comes at a financial cost.

petition.parliament.uk

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[2657]

I drove LGV's for over 40 years, I did not renew my class C at 66 and nor my C1 this year when I turned 70 though I have no health problems.

As far as I am concerned a heavy vehicle is a heavy vehicle and there should be no differentiation between the licences required for commercial use and leisure use.

The weight at which the additional licence is required is a different issue and worthy of scrutiny but I see no reason to change the system for renewal.

 

[The Wino]

As said above what is the logic behind having a higher weight limit for leisure use letting people mostly with less experience drive with lower medical standards? Imagine the scenario someone driving a 4t van for a living at age 70 failing the medical then converting the same van to a camper and being able to drive it wheres the logic?

 

[Ivory55]

What about lowering it and retiring me early, that would be better. Haha

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[romany]

I think they need to tighten up further and give a medical to all drivers every two years or so It took us ages to convince my dad he was no longer fit to drive then he was involved in an accident with a bus fortunately no one was hurt but that did it there are far two many people driving with medical conditions who shouldn't

 

[hblewett]

I strongly agree, and I’m someone who’s had to pass the stress test to keep my C1

 

[s20hymer]

hya i have just signed the petition good idea

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[Puddleduck]

I think they need to tighten up further and give a medical to all drivers every two years or so It took us ages to convince my dad he was no longer fit to drive then he was involved in an accident with a bus fortunately no one was hurt but that did it there are far two many people driving with medical conditions who shouldn't

We had the same issue (not accepting fitness to drive was compromised) with my Dad. In the end the hospital reported him to the DVLA for not declaring a medical condition and he has had his license revoked. We have to hide the car keys as he would get behind the wheel because he has the mindset that passing his test 60+ years ago gives him the right to go on driving until he dies no matter what I have not yet raised the subject of insurance with my Mum as it is in his name and I am guessing she has not notified the insurance company. She is barely coping as it is and that might put her over the edge.

It would be relatively cheap and easy to have to send a copy of eye test results to the DVLA when renewing your license. Okay that is every 3 or 10 years but it would be a start.

 

[denisejoe]

Just signed but needs a loot more signing as only runs until September

 

[Lenny HB]

Have signed but it appears to me to be a bit strange to group Parkinson suffers with over 70's.

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[glenn2926]

I think the medical is a good idea. I have a medical every 5 years to keep my C license. There are too many elderly drivers out there that are dangerous. If there are people driving that are concerned they would not pass the medical then perhaps it’s time they stopped driving.
Sorry cannot sign the petition. The medical at 70 should be kept.

 

[MichaelT]

Have signed but it appears to me to be a bit strange to group Parkinson suffers with over 70's.

I agree, why would you allow someone who possibly cannot control the actions of their limbs to drive a vehicle up to 7.5t without a medical? Hence I will not sign this one.

I think the ability to drive a MH up to say 4.25t should be covered by a normal licence and not C1 so as to allow anyone to be able to enjoy MH'ing without overloading their vehicle to make it work, esp for families.

 

[pappajohn]

Just signed but needs a loot more signing as only runs until September

A hell of a lot more.....
Currently 2533 and needs 100,000 signatures to be considered for debate.
2,533 signatures gained in 4.5 months.
97,500 signatures needed in 6 weeks.

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[Gerby]

I do believe that it is right to have a suitable health check at 70 to ensure you are still medically and physically able to control a larger vehicle however also think that any costs incurred should be reasonable (possibly free or means tested) as unlike most HGV drivers (or the companies they work for) not many of us make money out of driving our motorhomes.

I do admit here that I have no idea what the costs are at the moment but based on other comments assume it isn't exactly free.

 

[hblewett]

Having had a stoke 14 years ago, from which I entirely recovered, computer (for health insurance) and DVLA conclude I am a physical wreck. Consequently I had to do the stress test at 70 to keep my C1 (our Moho is 3.9 tonnes and we really don’t want to change it) and will no doubt be asked to do it again in a few months time.

As a result of a bit of googling I discovered I am fit enough to fly a commercial airliner and to drive a London bus. What I also discovered by going through what is an isn’t ok up to 3.5 tonnes is that more or less anything is ok so long as you’re still breathing, but over 3.5 tonnes it’s not. The theory is that an HGV driver will be driving 9 hours a day and fatigue will set in , whereas a ‘private’ driver will self-regulate (which broadly people do until they should stop altogether, which most then fall to do). The fact that motorhomes are private leisure vehicles where drivers can self-regulate is not recognised ...... should it be?

If I had Parkinson’s, couldn’t see properly or was about to collapse behind the wheel would the person I hit, maybe kill, say “that’s ok” if I was driving my car or “that’s terrible” if I was in the motorhome? If it were me I’d be very unhappy either way, (assuming I was here to tell the tale), so I’m in favour of a lot more proper checks on drivers’ health - how about starting with whether drivers can see properly or not?

I won’t be signing the petition.

 

[The Dotties]

I do renew my C and D licenses each year, although only used rarely now, just enough to know I can still do it!.
I treat it as a mini medical each year, as the doctor for drivers I use is very thorough.
I’m now 70+. Gives me a bit of peace of mind.

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[hblewett]

I do admit here that I have no idea what the costs are at the moment but based on other comments assume it isn't exactly free.

The cost of the medical to complete the application form is the doctor’s bill, which if you go to your GP can be anything from £100 to £180 (which I’ve heard others say). If you go to one of the companies specialising in driver health checks (‘moonlighting doctors’ etc) (for hgv, taxis and probably others) it will cost £50-60.

The cost of the stress test I was required to take when DVLA decided I am a physical wreck (clearly they don’t understand the difference between a stroke and a heart attack) was about £200 which the DVLA (all you kind taxpayers - thank you!) paid.

I think this is perfectly reasonable. Maybe some people should realise that a driving license is a privilege, not a right, and it’s not all about them, it’s about the people they could do damage to.

If you don’t think you could pass a driving test (maybe with a bit of studying first) and/or you don’t think you could be pass a health check, should you be driving anything?

 

[chaser]

Another thing that I find a bit strange, even if you give up your c1 you can still pull a trailer up to7.5 ton train weight , surely a trailer takes more to drive than a heavier motor.
Don't want to do either so only just saying.

 

[TheBig1]

I personally have to live with life limiting injuries following a geriatric driver hitting my vehicle at speed. He was a frail old man and trusted that his senses were as sharp when he was a decorated hero in world war 2. He was so arrogant that he presumed he would be excused in his daily routine of a few pints and a game of snooker at the legion then drive home

he drove into the back of my vehicle so hard, with no attempt to brake, that he pushed the back axle forward 6 inches. I broke my back in 3 places, he callously backed up, leaving parts of his car in the road, and drove home without waiting even to check nobody injured.

He pleaded to keep his licence despite his actions. It's people like that need rooting out and given a bus pass

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[TheBig1]

I personally have to live with life limiting injuries following a geriatric driver hitting my vehicle at speed. He was a frail old man and trusted that his senses were as sharp when he was a decorated hero in world war 2. He was so arrogant that he presumed he would be excused in his daily routine of a few pints and a game of snooker at the legion then drive home

he drove into the back of my vehicle so hard, with no attempt to brake, that he pushed the back axle forward 6 inches. I broke my back in 3 places, he callously backed up, leaving parts of his car in the road, and drove home without waiting even to check nobody injured.

He pleaded to keep his licence despite his actions. It's people like that need rooting out and given a bus pass

 

[2657]

Another thing that I find a bit strange, even if you give up your c1 you can still pull a trailer up to7.5 ton train weight , surely a trailer takes more to drive than a heavier motor.
Don't want to do either so only just saying.

As vwalan has pointed out many times there is a very strange anomaly in the regulations that makes it possible to downrate a small truck to 3.5 t GVW and it still retains it's train weight up to around 11.5t on a B+E licence. I would be reluctant to tow 8t behind a vehicle weighing 3.5t.

 

[vwalan]

here is a good explanation of the b+e with grand father rights .
there was an Isuzu that could go to 12 tons train weight several years ago.
with mine i would be ok to 9800kg but would have to move the trailer axles forwards to lessen the pin weight .
easily done though as the axles are mounted on a steel frame fixed to the chassis . it would then be a normal fifth wheel caravan not a mini artic then. to be an artic at least 20% of the loaded trailer weight as to be on the pin . mine puts over 50% at the moment.

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[Pausim]

I think it is a big mistake to link driving issues associated with a degenerative disease like Parkinson’s with the age related issues of the C1 license. I also think shifting responsibility to GPs and Doctors is hardly fair and could lead to enormous inconsistencies. On top of this it is possibly unwise to raise an issues where the wider public might possibly view it as a concession and have very little sympathy, we might do better to keep our heads down.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

here is a good explanation of the b+e with grand father rights .
there was an Isuzu that could go to 12 tons train weight several years ago.
with mine i would be ok to 9800kg but would have to move the trailer axles forwards to lessen the pin weight .
easily done though as the axles are mounted on a steel frame fixed to the chassis . it would then be a normal fifth wheel caravan not a mini artic then. to be an artic at least 20% of the loaded trailer weight as to be on the pin . mine puts over 50% at the moment.

Hang on
You cant pull over 8250kg train weight on a "grandfather rights" licence

 

[2657]

Hang on
You cant pull over 8250kg train weight on a "grandfather rights" licence

That's the point if using C1 grandfather rights the limit is as you state when towing with a vehicle whose GVW is over 3.5t.

Towing vehicle under 3.5t then under B+E licence can tow greater train weight, silly aint it!

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[maison]

signed.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

That's the point if using C1 grandfather rights the limit is as you state when towing with a vehicle whose GVW is over 3.5t.

Towing vehicle under 3.5t then under B+E licence can tow greater train weight, silly aint it!

Well I never, everyday is a school-day

Is it not illegal to tow a trailer heavier than the tow vehicle?

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Well I never, everyday is a school-day

Is it not illegal to tow a trailer heavier than the tow vehicle?

Just realised!of course its not.....I sell HGVs.....DOH

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