JDOX
New Member
Firstly a little background in June 2019 was caught with 170mg in a carpark, during an period of great depression where I was drinking a lot. Quite rightly lost my licence (for 40 months) and appealed in August 21 in Magistrates court and had it commuted. I had given up alcohol for better part of 2 years and the magistrates noted that the sentence was in fact punishing my wife and family rather more than I, and that I was no longer a danger to the public. Since the trial I have had a very occasional pints with friends, never more than 2 at a time, once every 3-4 weeks. I was honest on the form to the DVLA and my doctor (who called me to help fill out the form). Nothing in the form to mention previous abstension time. they have since come back to me (14th January - extraordinary) and said that we see that you are drinking again and as you are alcohol dependant or have a history of, we require that you abstain for a year and continuous abstention. Annoying as I would have just passed on those few drinks. I fully stopped again in November as I thought they would need a CDT, but evidently not. I really do not think that I am/have been dependent. I drank a stupid amount when I was very down, but had no withdrawal symptoms stopping. I stopped when it affected my personal life (driving licence/job) with no issues except the usual sadness at missing out on social occcasions etc. bit at a loss as to what to do, they say you can appeal through magistrates court, which I am happy to do, but will they have the power to overturn the DVLA, or will it just be accepted and passed onto the DVLA who will just say no (not until November 22 - 1 year) Plus of course the 5 months it takes to get them to issue a new one...Many thanks in advance for any advice, I live in the country with two small children so a car is entirely necessary.