Drivers Licence Exchange

[Chris Ward]

Hi everyone
Sorry I have been away but I have been moving house - done it now although not fully unpacked - last move before I join you all out there I hope.

Just thought I would post a problem that I have just had. In 1987 I came over to the UK from Canada with a full drivers licence and exchanged it for a full UK licence. I lost that licence some time ago (although I lost it in my own house the preverbly put it somewhere safe and could not find it) but as it was not lost or stolen I did not apply for a replacement. Imagine my horror when I was stopped by the police last week and the computer records showed it was a provisional licence and the police were not best pleased that I was driving and threatened to arrest me and hold me at the police station.
To cut a longer story short my solicitor has sorted it out and a replacement full licence is on its way but I have been advised not to drive until it arrives.
A customer of mine who works for DVLA says the system is full of errors as many staff do not know their jobs or have no interest in doing it properly and she has been there 25 years in the drivers section.

Has anyone else experienced problems getting their licence changed when there were 'computer errors' involved? Explaining to the police that I have never held a provisional licence as it was exchanged for my Canadian just made things worse.

Distressed Chris (on foot 15 miles from the nearest shop in her new house)