A cautious tale for anyone over 70 and driving a 4.5 tonne motorhome

[John H]

Because my motorhome is over 3.5 tonnes, I had to take a D4 medical when I turned 70. The first time, it went through with no problem in a matter of a week or so. However, since then I suffered a heart attack, so when it came to renewing it things did not go so smoothly. It took a couple of months after the medical for DVLA to decide that I needed to do a treadmill test, which was arranged for 30th December. I did the test with no apparent problems but the Consultant said there was an irregular heart beat that might cause DVLA a problem. She suggested to them that I repeat the test in a month after going back onto beta blockers (which I had been taken off earlier). However, DVLA did not follow that suggestion and in fact took 3 months to come to any kind of decision. That decision was to remove the C class category from my licence. The whole thing took over 5 months and now I will have to down-size the motorhome - when the showrooms eventually open, that is! At least it gives me something else to think about other than the lockdown

 

[dunfillin]

Because my motorhome is over 3.5 tonnes, I had to take a D4 medical when I turned 70. The first time, it went through with no problem in a matter of a week or so. However, since then I suffered a heart attack, so when it came to renewing it things did not go so smoothly. It took a couple of months after the medical for DVLA to decide that I needed to do a treadmill test, which was arranged for 30th December. I did the test with no apparent problems but the Consultant said there was an irregular heart beat that might cause DVLA a problem. She suggested to them that I repeat the test in a month after going back onto beta blockers (which I had been taken off earlier). However, DVLA did not follow that suggestion and in fact took 3 months to come to any kind of decision. That decision was to remove the C class category from my licence. The whole thing took over 5 months and now I will have to down-size the motorhome - when the showrooms eventually open, that is! At least it gives me something else to think about other than the lockdown

Not a tragedy in the great scheme of things but I'm sure a tragedy for you nonetheless.
A major inconvenience that I'm sure that you could do without.
Is your motorhome too heavy for you to replate it to 3500kg?

 

[hextal]

Look at it as an fun challenge.

We did most of our touring/camping 2-up on a motorbike before I converted the van into a camper. So despite they fact it's a relatively small MWB 'van, it still seems massive.... We managed long weekends with just a tankbag. Though that did mean having to walk everywhere in our bike boots, which had the epic Sidi-squeak.

 

[maingate]

Did your own GP do the Medical or did you use somebody else?

 

[John H]

Not a tragedy in the great scheme of things but I'm sure a tragedy for you nonetheless.
A major inconvenience that I'm sure that you could do without.
Is your motorhome too heavy for you to replate it to 3500kg?

As you say, an inconvenience rather than a tragedy - especially in view of the current situation. Yes, it is way too big to be replated but we have had seven years of great fun in it and maybe the time has come to move on. Our previous two motorhomes were both below 3.5 tonnes, so we are used to not having as big a payload but Jenny will have to leave some of her crafting stuff behind in future

 

[John H]

Did your own GP do the Medical or did you use somebody else?

I used a specialist organisation in Derby but whoever I had used it is almost certain that DVLA would have ordered the treadmill test because of my heart attack. When they did order the treadmill test, they chose the hospital and the consultant (the same one that discharged me after my heart attack).

 

[maingate]

I have recommended for a long time for people to use their own GP if they have any medical issues. The reasons being that your own GP is liable to to fill in the form more sympathetically for you. Also, the DVLA will certainly take note that some medical issues have been included by a Doctor who has no access to your Medical Records and can only write down what you tell him. This is how the HGV driver in Glasgow continued to drive until he killed a number of pedestrians which ultimately resulted in a tightening of the regulations and procedures. As you say, in your case it might have made no difference.

 

[John H]

I have recommended for a long time for people to use their own GP if they have any medical issues. The reasons being that your own GP is liable to to fill in the form more sympathetically for you. Also, the DVLA will certainly take note that some medical issues have been included by a Doctor who has no access to your Medical Records and can only write down what you tell him. This is how the HGV driver in Glasgow continued to drive until he killed a number of pedestrians which ultimately resulted in a tightening of the regulations and procedures. As you say, in your case it might have made no difference.

I am uncomfortable with your advice for the very reason of your example. A "sympathetic" doctor might conceal something that ultimately led to disaster.

 

[maingate]

Having had 2 D4 Medicals with my own Doctor, he was able to thoroughly check the Consultants letters in detail and answer the questions honestly. This is being sympathetic to the Patient under his care. It can influence exactly how the questions are answered (where the DVLA ask for more detailed information if certain boxes are ticked). This is probably made the difference in your case but we will never know, plus you saved some money by not using your GP. I also have Heart and eyesight problems and I am on tablets and eye drops but had no problems both times. It's academic now as I will not be looking to renew the C1 next time.

The latest D4 Form is different to the last one and more complicated to fill in (I know because I made a copy of the last one for reference). I am positive that if I had not used my GP I would have had to have a treadmill test and a Field Test for my eyesight. No lies were told by my GP or Optician and I got my licence back quickly.

You are bang out of order with your assertion that anything untoward went on with my application. The explanation above might clear that up for you.

 

[John H]

Having had 2 D4 Medicals with my own Doctor, he was able to thoroughly check the Consultants letters in detail and answer the questions honestly. This is being sympathetic to the Patient under his care. It can influence exactly how the questions are answered (where the DVLA ask for more detailed information if certain boxes are ticked). This is probably made the difference in your case but we will never know, plus you saved some money by not using your GP. I also have Heart and eyesight problems and I am on tablets and eye drops but had no problems both times. It's academic now as I will not be looking to renew the C1 next time.

The latest D4 Form is different to the last one and more complicated to fill in (I know because I made a copy of the last one for reference). I am positive that if I had not used my GP I would have had to have a treadmill test and a Field Test for my eyesight. No lies were told by my GP or Optician and I got my licence back quickly.

You are bang out of order with your assertion that anything untoward went on with my application. The explanation above might clear that up for you.

You seem to misunderstand how the system works. The first thing that DVLA asked for after my initial medical was for more detailed information direct from my GP. If there was anything he could say or do to influence their decision it could have been said or done then. Thus it would have made no difference at all if I had gone to him initially (apart from the fact that I would have had to wait a lot longer for the initial medical.

PS I never suggested anything untoward went on with your application - simply that a decent doctor will tell the truth and I am sure your doctor told the truth. If you use a phrase such as " more sympathetic to the patient" it can be misinterpreted as skewing the truth..

 

[r4dent]

I down sized just before losing the C1 (diabetes controlled by injection). 3.5 van is as large as the previous van but far less payload. Just makes you think a bit about what you pack.

 

[John H]

I down sized just before losing the C1 (diabetes controlled by injection). 3.5 van is as large as the previous van but far less payload. Just makes you think a bit about what you pack.

I could always leave the wife behind (good job she isn't on this site! )

On a serious note, many of my friends did exactly what you have done but I was in reasonable health when I reached 70 and wasn't planning to have a heart attack! The problem seems to be an irregular heart beat I have on occasions. I have, in fact, had it all my life. My daughter has it too. When I was young I thought everybody had it. It isn't a problem - as my Consultant said - but DVLA don't like irregularities on a graph, so none of that counts.

 

[maingate]

You seem to misunderstand how the system works. The first thing that DVLA asked for after my initial medical was for more detailed information direct from my GP. If there was anything he could say or do to influence their decision it could have been said or done then. Thus it would have made no difference at all if I had gone to him initially (apart from the fact that I would have had to wait a lot longer for the initial medical.

PS I never suggested anything untoward went on with your application - simply that a decent doctor will tell the truth and I am sure your doctor told the truth. If you use a phrase such as " more sympathetic to the patient" it can be misinterpreted as skewing the truth..

As I said earlier and you have ignored. When someone with medical conditions uses a different Doctor for the medical, it raises flags at the DVSA. Your GP could have added detail in the boxes provided on the form.

We are going round in circles now so I will bow out of this thread.

 

[John H]

As I said earlier and you have ignored. When someone with medical conditions uses a different Doctor for the medical, it raises flags at the DVSA. Your GP could have added detail in the boxes provided on the form.

We are going round in circles now so I will bow out of this thread.

Since the vast majority of people use a specialist organisation rather than their own GP, I cannot see your point. They would have asked for extra details whoever had conducted the initial medical. Perhaps you could try being less aggressive.

PS if you search for independent advice on who to use for a D4 medical, most of it seems to be to use a specialist rather than your GP - and GPs deliberately charge high fees and make you wait long periods for appointments because they don't want to do it. If yours is different then good luck to you.

 

[brakers]

Hi There everyone,
I am at the moment 67 I’ve only being doing MHing since 2016, I originally had a full HGV licence, when I was 62 I applied for my HGV licence had I had let it laps a few years ago as I had not been using it, as the MH I wanted was 5 tonnes and listed as an HGV on the V5 I mistakenly thought I would need a HGV licence.

Anyway I applied for my licence, had to do a tread mill test, the doctor stopped the test two minutes in, the DVLA wanted me to go for a profusion test.

I had already had a heart attack in 1992 and I’m sure my heart has not got any healthier since then.

Copied from the Internet.

“Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is a non-invasive imaging test that shows how well blood flows through (perfuses) your heart muscle. It can show areas of the heart muscle that aren't getting enough blood flow. This test is often called a nuclear stress test. It can also show how well the heart muscle is pumping.”

After the test I was granted my HGV for two years till I was 65.

I know on my 70th birthday regardless which doctor I use, there is no way I will be allowed to retain my C1 license so when I reach 69 I will downsize to 3.5 tonnes which will give me time to change over without losing the ability to drive the 5 tonne MH in my 69th year.
Best Wishes Tony

 

[2cv]

Medicals actually prove very little. I had a valid CAA Class 1 medical, far more stringent in it’s requirements than any DVLA medical when I suffered heart attacks.

 

[John H]

Medicals actually prove very little. I had a valid CAA Class 1 medical, far more stringent in it’s requirements than any DVLA medical when I suffered heart attacks.

True - but we are stuck with the decision that DVLA makes, whatever the value of the medical.