Anything happened in the last 6 weeks Joe??
BB
Basilbrush:
Anything happened in the last 6 weeks Joe??BB
Hi Baz, spoke to them last week and I was two/three weeks away from the top of the pile, then rang again on tues and had a moan to the guy I spoke and he promised that I was going to get put at the head of the que and looked at immediately, and to ring fri or better still mon for an update, so I’ll ring mon 
They certainly know how to drag their heels don’t they mate! Considering this all started in Jan 2011 you must be getting fed up with calling them now. Have you still got the lorry working? I haven’t seen it down this way for ages.
I hope you get good news when you call them & can look forward to getting back in the saddle mate, perhaps you’ll keep us updated.
All the best
BB
Unbelievable… 
Spoke to them this morning, and they’re sending a form asking me to give them permission to write to my Doctors to seek more information. From experience it’ll be the end of the week before that form arrives 
, then more weeks and probably months of waiting for the ■■■■■ to get round to looking at my case again… 
Basilbrush:
Have you still got the lorry working? I haven’t seen it down this way for ages.
Its been parked for 12 months now, did have a guy driving it but had to send him on his way as hanging onto a phone wondering WTF was going to go wrong next was more stressful than driving it meself . Tried to get one or two others interested who knew the job but no-one wanted the nights out so parked it, its under cover and theres no finance left to pay on it so its taking no harm apart from getting older
So, form arrived from DVLA last week, signed and returned 1st class. Banged off an email to them as well complaining over the time they’ve taken.
So yesterday I ring to make sure the form had arrived, amazingly it had and was already scanned onto the system 
I asked how long before it would be before they contacted my docctors, was told it may be a couple of days to several weeks before the assessor acted upon the receipt of the form 
As they’d not replied to my email (no surprises there ) I sent one to my MP late yesterday afternoon with a potted history and a good gripe, got a reply this morning:
Dear Mr Big Joe
Thank you for your email regarding your concerns about DVLA and the impact upon your business.
I have made representations on your behalf to the DVLA this morning and will be in contact again when I receive a response. In the meantime, I would be grateful to be kept in the loop of any developments.
Yours sincerely
Stephen O’Brien
Stephen O’Brien MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development
We’ll see if it does any good, its made me feel a little better if nothing else 
So the latest Four weeks ago the DVLA sent all my test results, DVD’s of the angiogram operations, letters and opinions to a learned Cardiac Doctor at the Harefield Cardiac Hospital, Middlesex who will form an opinion on their behalf. On speaking to the DVLA this morning during my weekly phone call to them, they confirmed that their Doctor had written a letter to them, but they didn’t know what it said as it had not been scanned onto the system yet and it would need to go before the Medical Commitee for their opinion
Blimey Joe, we’re nearly two years down the track with this one now mate. It’s a downright disgrace how they can get away with dragging their heals throuh the system isn’t it. I wish you well mate and I look forward to hearing you’ve got your ticket back very soon.
Take care
BB
Well whoopeee doo…ding [zb]ing dong… 
, spoke to them last night and was told they’re going to re-issue a three year licence, as promised D2 forms appeared on the mat this morning with a letter telling me to fill it in and fax back asap. So thats done and hopefully should have a piece of pink plastic in my sweaty hands early next week 
Basilbrush:
Blimey Joe, we’re nearly two years down the track with this one now mate. It’s a downright disgrace how they can get away with dragging their heals throuh the system isn’t it. I wish you well mate and I look forward to hearing you’ve got your ticket back very soon.Take care
BB
Yes Baz, its 613 days since I last drove a truck on the Queens highway, part of me wants to give them hell for what they’ve put me through, another part says hmmm three year licence? , perhaps better lie low, don’t make to many waves and just bend over and take it…
Well that’s the end of this saga, a happyish end as well because my new D/Licence finally hit the doormat yesterday complete with correct catagories restored for another three years , so until then I’ll keep on trucking
Good man keep her between the hedges.
Big Joe:
Well that’s the end of this saga, a happyish end as well because my new D/Licence finally hit the doormat yesterday complete with correct catagories restored for another three years
Music to my ears Joe, Congraulations on getting it sorted. Safe driving mate & I look forard to seeing you down this way.
BB
Big Joe:
Well that’s the end of this saga, a happyish end as well because my new D/Licence finally hit the doormat yesterday complete with correct catagories restored for another three years
Great news Joe. Are you going to dust the Merc off then and resume where you left off with the machinery transport?
Paul
repton:
Big Joe:
Well that’s the end of this saga, a happyish end as well because my new D/Licence finally hit the doormat yesterday complete with correct catagories restored for another three yearsGreat news Joe. Are you going to dust the Merc off then and resume where you left off with the machinery transport?
Paul
Thats the plan Paul, finally got enough work together for a day or two this week .
Weds went to Selby, Castle Howard, Sheffield then home.
Thurs Whitchurch, Worcester, Evesham Home.
Fri/Sat, Peterborough, Lowestoft, Sandbach, Home.
Its looking a bit meagre so far for this next week though.
Its going to be a long slog to get back to where I was, as since I parked up the euro export markets gone a bit quiet and as its been such a ■■■■■■ year weather wise for the home market it has also gone stale hows the Agri bulk work going?
Back in Jan, the DVLA asked me to go for an ECG/Treadmill test at the local hospital as I’ve some cardiac history (attack + 2 stents), Apparently this is the norm every three years for anyone with previous in this area, so appointment booked for 6th march.
I went to the gym a couple of times beforehand and got prepped up, doing 13 minutes to the Bruce Protocol easily on both occasions.
So its the 6th March, no beater blockers for 48 hours beforehand, and its off to hospital for the test.
Nursey wired me up, then the Doc appeared and its onto the treadmill. First 3 mins, piece of ■■■■, next 3, no problem. into section three and settled into a nice jog, just starting to break sweat but still breathing through my nostrils pacing myself ready for section four. Then the Doc suddenly announces he stopping the test at 8 minutes
After the wind down period is finished he explains he’s detected some stress on the ECG printout, which points to an area of the heart that is being starved of oxygen, so he had to stop the test, and basically I’ve failed despite not having any chest pains, nor having any difficulty in breathing or showing any other outward syptoms of being under pressure.
When I pressed him as to what would be the opinion of the DVLA of the test, he shrugged his shoulders and said ‘‘Just go home, start taking the tablets again and wait for the letter’’ [zb]ing great.
So, next stop is my GP to report on whats gone on, and some advice to get the ball rolling on sorting out whatever the problem is. She takes my pulse and basically presses the panic button .
‘‘Your heart rate is less than 50 bpm, I’m sending you to hospital’’
Oh for FFS I’m thinking
‘‘My heart is always slow’’ I explain
Two days later I’m leaving hospital with a heart rate of…50 bpm and advised not to drive anything at all on public roads.
Anyway the good news is my Cardiac Surgeon has given me an appointment within a couple of days.
His opinion is…theres not much wrong with me and I can drive a car, but if I want to retain my HGV and pass the ECG/Treadmill test he’ll try and get something sorted on the NHS within a couple of weeks, and hopefully head off the DVLA before they reverse into action and end my driving career with the stroke of a pen.
Anyway, long story short, I eventually got an appointment for the angiogram/stent insertion in early may, but then it got postponed until next week, and then DVLA finally got round to sending me the dreaded letter this week, along with a licence for nothing bigger than a puddle jumper .
So, wish me luck, off to Liverpool Broad Green tues morning for the Angiogram , I should emerge with yet more tungsten gauze installed into my plumbing , then its that big hill to climb, re-applying for the licence and the long wait of several months for those tea drinking medical monkeys at Swansea to concur with my Cardiac Specialist. [ZB]ing DVLA .
Bad news Big Joe, are these doctors your normal NHS doctors or do the DVLA use their own Quack?
I ask because I was having some problems which are controlled by medication, during the investigations I had to do a treadmill test which I aborted at 8 minutes, not through heart problems but with serious pain in my hip which has since been replaced. However when I came off the machine, my BP was mega high and I have since had treatment for that. More pills and leaches.
Hi Malc.
The test I took in March was organised and paid for by the DVLA with one of their pet ducks who operates at my local hospital.
Back in 2008 my Cardiac Surgeon organised and undertook the ECG/Treadmill test at Liverpool, and the DVLA took the results and gave me the all clear to carry on.
heres a link to the bruce protocol
sport-fitness-advisor.com/br … -test.html
Ok, back at home again last night, two stents heavier .
Apparently the artery had healed around the previous stents that had been inserted, and had started restricting the blood vessel again. Cured by two more ''drug eluding ‘’ stents inserted inside the existing ones.
I do feel a lot more ‘‘rosey’’ today, although my wrist is a bit tender where they went in with the keyhole surgery
That was the easy bit, rang the DVLA this morning to ask them to send forms for the licence re-application, apparently its not going to be that simple
Big Joe:
I do feel a lot more ‘‘rosey’’ today, although my wrist is a bit tender where they went in with the keyhole surgery
That was the easy bit, rang the DVLA this morning to ask them to send forms for the licence re-application, apparently its not going to be that simple
That is good news about the rosey cheeks, but the DVLA will drive you nuts I imagine.
I just wish they would do my kidney stents before I have a heart attack or DVT
Terrible news Joe, sorry to hear that. Who is driving your truck while all this is going on? Aren’t you still an OD?
Bet you wish you’d never said owt to Swansea now.
Rob K:
Terrible news Joe, sorry to hear that. Who is driving your truck while all this is going on? Aren’t you still an OD?
I’ve taken on a driver Rob, the business had got to the stage where I was struggling on my own, so I’ve sent the misses back out to work to help pay his wages and now I’m doing all the admin and some housework 
Rob K:
Bet you wish you’d never said owt to Swansea now.
Thats where I got tripped up and fell down, the DVLA requested a 3 yearly ECG/treadmill exertion test, and I went along thinking I was going to ■■■■ it. Unbeknown to me changes had occurred in my body that the machine detected and that was it 
. The Doctor taking the test was working for DVLA so it started the unstoppable ball rolling, and unfortunately because it wasn’t life threatening the NHS were unable to get things corrected intime before the Swansea monster slowly woke up and revoked my licence.
I think I’ll have a private ECG/treadmill exertion test in a couple of years time, and keep one step ahead of the DVLA [zb]'s