Retake my licence?

[Skeptisk]

Brexit really is the gift that never stops giving.

Living in the EU I find that I can only continue to use my U.K. licence for six months. I then have to swap it. That involves having to make an application, pay a fee, take a one day first aid course and have provide a medical certificate. However, if I’ve read the rules correctly, my shiny new licence will only allow me to drive a car. If I want to ride a bike I will need to take a test. Riding here isn’t that attractive (owing to draconian penalties for speeding and low speed limits) but I thought I could perhaps do some trips into France, Spain or Italy.

[HD Adam]

Cool Story Bro

[black-k1]

Quick! The views of the people of the UK are wrong and the political complexities of sovereignty are irrelevant because there may be a requirement for the OP to take another motorbike test. Let's get our priorities sorted!

[Rubin215]

Brexit; the clusterfk that just keeps giving!

[Pepperpots]

Swap it or just take the test in the country you live.

You don't have to surrender your Brit licence surely?

[HairyMaclary]

fk brexit

[pcvdriver]

Skeptisk said:

Brexit really is the gift that never stops giving.

Living in the EU I find that I can only continue to use my U.K. licence for six months. I then have to swap it. That involves having to make an application, pay a fee, take a one day first aid course and have provide a medical certificate. However, if I’ve read the rules correctly, my shiny new licence will only allow me to drive a car. If I want to ride a bike I will need to take a test. Riding here isn’t that attractive (owing to draconian penalties for speeding and low speed limits) but I thought I could perhaps do some trips into France, Spain or Italy.

Enquire about an Irish driving licence... similar test, same side of the road - new driving licence valid across all EU member states.

[Ed.]

HairyMaclary said:

fk brexit

Exactly, what's with all the silly people complaining about 2 decades of stagnant wages..

[Skeptisk]

black-k1 said:

Quick! The views of the people of the UK are wrong and the political complexities of sovereignty are irrelevant because there may be a requirement for the OP to take another motorbike test. Let's get our priorities sorted!

The motorbike licence is just the latest problem. For those unaffected by Brexit maybe such lofty talk of sovereignty is satisfying but for many of us directly impacted it has been a st show. My daughter, who was still at school when we applied, was refused a residence visa because she had already turned 18. She would have had an automatic right to study here and would not have had to pay fees. All gone. Even my right to live here is wholly dependent upon my job (even though I don’t necessarily need to work).

Practically, Brits are now on a par with potential migrants from the third world. Given that most European countries are tightening their borders to keep out non EU citizens that isn’t a great position to be in.

[KTMsm]

Skeptisk said:

Given that most European countries are tightening their borders to keep out non EU citizens that isn’t a great position to be in.

Why do you think that is ?

Why do you think most people wanted brexit ?

Why do you think having 10 million extra people in the UK has been good for the people in the UK ?

[Mr_Tickle]

Not sure where you're based OP but when I swapped my licence in Spain everything was carried over. I did do it before the Brexit deadline though whenever it was, not sure if that makes a difference. Once you do the swap, you'll see if they've included the bike part or not.

[LF5335]

[quote=KTMsm]

Why do you think that is ?

Why do you think most people wanted brexit ?

Why do you think having 10 million extra people in the UK has been good for the people in the UK ?

Up to Sept 2022 there were 6.9m settled status cases from the EU. Gross.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settle...

There are approximately 1.3m Brits living abroad inside the EU

https://ukandeu.ac.uk/the-facts/how-many-british-c...

So we’re looking at 5.6m net excluding deaths and those that have left since gaining Settled Status.

Stopping Freedom of Movement for EU citizens did NOT deal with illegal immigration, Commonwealth immigration, immigration from outside EU, refugee (genuine or otherwise) and never will.

All it’s done is take away freedoms and rights from UK citizens, as well as put up barriers to trade.

https://vnk.fi/en/information-about-brexit/citizen... This is the Finnish PM’s office, but a nice summary all the same.

But no-hum sovereignty etc.

Anyway, this could easily descend into the mess that the discussions do elsewhere, but random claims should be supported with independent evidence.

[anonymous-user]

Its nothing to do with brexit, I've swapped my Uk licence for a local licence twice, both times in countries outside the Eu, it's just the Eu being akward, reading these things makes me realize the total lack of respect shown by Europe and happy the Uk has left.

[Tribal Chestnut]

Berw said:

it's just the Eu being akward,

And that definitely couldn’t have been foreseen by any reasonable person.




Typo!!

Edited by Tribal Chestnut on Wednesday 4th January 12:28

[black-k1]

Skeptisk said:

black-k1 said:

Quick! The views of the people of the UK are wrong and the political complexities of sovereignty are irrelevant because there may be a requirement for the OP to take another motorbike test. Let's get our priorities sorted!

The motorbike licence is just the latest problem. For those unaffected by Brexit maybe such lofty talk of sovereignty is satisfying but for many of us directly impacted it has been a st show. My daughter, who was still at school when we applied, was refused a residence visa because she had already turned 18. She would have had an automatic right to study here and would not have had to pay fees. All gone. Even my right to live here is wholly dependent upon my job (even though I don’t necessarily need to work).

Practically, Brits are now on a par with potential migrants from the third world. Given that most European countries are tightening their borders to keep out non EU citizens that isn’t a great position to be in.

There are international trade agreements, questions of sovereignty and democratic representation as well as £bn of UK tax payers money involved in a decision that was put to the citizens of the UK and all you can think about is "me, me, me!"

You're right, Brexit should have been decided based entierly on your daughters want to study somewhere that is not her home country. fk everyone else!

[Moulder]

Shall we get the what bike question out of the way in the same thread as opposed to starting another one?

[sunbeam alpine]

Mr_Tickle said:

Not sure where you're based OP but when I swapped my licence in Spain everything was carried over. I did do it before the Brexit deadline though whenever it was, not sure if that makes a difference. Once you do the swap, you'll see if they've included the bike part or not.

This. I'm in Belgium, and when I swapped I actually got extra C and C+E when I swapped my UK licence for a Belgian one (they corrected this afterr about 6 months).

You should get all classes carried across.

I agree with the OP - Brexit has made life more difficult for Brits living in the EU. Not impossible, far from it, but loads of small hassles - for example I now have to carry my UK passport at all times in addition to the Belgian residency card.

Edited by sunbeam alpine on Wednesday 4th January 11:01

[Pepperpots]

When you say swapped do you mean you had to surrender your UK licence or simply obtain a Belgian one?

[sunbeam alpine]

Pepperpots said:

When you say swapped do you mean you had to surrender your UK licence or simply obtain a Belgian one?

I had to surrender my UK licence to obtain a Belgian one. This was in itself quite a challenge owing to the incompetence of the DVLA - see https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

The alternative - if I wanted to hold on to my UK licence - was to take the theory and practical test over here.

[Rob 131 Sport]

Skeptisk said:

black-k1 said:

Quick! The views of the people of the UK are wrong and the political complexities of sovereignty are irrelevant because there may be a requirement for the OP to take another motorbike test. Let's get our priorities sorted!

The motorbike licence is just the latest problem. For those unaffected by Brexit maybe such lofty talk of sovereignty is satisfying but for many of us directly impacted it has been a st show. My daughter, who was still at school when we applied, was refused a residence visa because she had already turned 18. She would have had an automatic right to study here and would not have had to pay fees. All gone. Even my right to live here is wholly dependent upon my job (even though I don’t necessarily need to work).

Practically, Brits are now on a par with potential migrants from the third world. Given that most European countries are tightening their borders to keep out non EU citizens that isn’t a great position to be in.

I’ve lived and worked abroad in the past for a total of six years with a family of between 2 and 5 (off spring being born).

My philosophy was always to respect and abide by the host countries laws and customs. Whilst this may not always of been ideal and often both time consuming and expensive, I always accepted the situation, looking at the many advantages of living abroad.

What I never had was a sense of entitlement or the requirement for everything to be like Britain.