Drink Driving Medical

[skodasuck]

Hello,

Just wondering if anybody here has undergone/knew about the 'high risk offenders' drink driving medical examination and exactly what it entails.

Does it just test for alcohol and its effects on the liver or does it go into drugs? The DVLA website is no help and I cannot find the information anywhere.

Thanks

[patdavies]

Originally Posted by skodasuck

Hello,

Just wondering if anybody here has undergone/knew about the 'high risk offenders' drink driving medical examination and exactly what it entails.

Does it just test for alcohol and its effects on the liver or does it go into drugs? The DVLA website is no help and I cannot find the information anywhere.

Thanks

One of my employees went through this.

He had to have a blood test taken with no alcohol or drugs in the system before they would proceed further.

Drug driving is just as dangerous as drink driving - it's just that roadside/police station testing isn't as advanced.

[RENESIS]

Hi,

Well, I went through the DVLA medical very recently having been considered a "high risk offender" - I failed to supply a specimen of blood for analysis.

The test consists of (from memory):

A blood test for Liver Function Tests
A medical interview with the doctor
A "basic" physical examination (prodding abdomen, weighing you)
A urine test.

Basically, they are trying to see if you drink heavily, have problems with alcohol/drugs and therefore may be a risk on the road. Simple really, or is it?

As I've said, I attended one recently. Prior to this and in anticipation I completely cut out drink - 100% stopped drinking from about three weeks leading up. Incidentally, I have probably drunk well below the average for over 12 months now anyway.

So, I also attended my GP so as to get a "clean bill of health" on a voluntary basis as I require a medical for my job. Not expecting any problems I was taken aback to find that I have a mildly deranged liver function! This is not good news if you want to get a DVLA medical passed. I've never had a LFT before and have never had cause to query my liver or have it tested. I was taken aback. In the interim, my doctor had received a letter from the DVLA requesting that he give reason for the result which was out of range or they have no option but to refuse my application. I'm a fit and well 32 year old male by the way.

Now, some 2 months have passed since I stopped drinking altogether. I have taken no medication. I feel fit and well. I have no reason to question my health other than this mystery result. I've just paid £183 for a private ultrasound scan of my liver which, I am told, will unlikely reveal an anomaly (i.e. no gallstones).

I've been tested for Hepatitis and I'm clear. There is no logical explanation for it other than the fact that I'm reminded that they are "mild". Too mild to be seen any sooner than 3 months at the NHS for a scan, but not mild enough for the DVLA to issue me a licence. Somewhere, ludicrously enough, between the devil and the deep blue see!

I know that these tests are designed to catch the drinkers out - and so they should. I've done some stupid things in my time but to drink before or during this investigation is out of the question - especially when I've got my career, amongst other things, riding on it.

The paradox is this: I want something to be found so that I can get my license back, but on the other hand I want the clean bill of health I seemingly have and deserve.

Frustrated, I rang the DVLA and asked them to hold the application in abeyance whilst I go through the guinea pig stage. I asked to speak with someone who new what they were talking about but they said that their doctors only talk to other doctors and that any further correspondence should be put in writing.

Well, I'm flabbergasted - well and truly. My doctor believes me when I say I haven't had any alcohol at all. Indeed, the tests results seem to be curiously on the increase. As God is my witness I've drunk none at all. That's aboslute honesty and if I were kidding I'd be only kidding myself - and I wouldn't do that.

The question for me is if they find nothing wrong with me - apparently it is possible to have a higher than normal liver function for no reason other than that's they way you were born. But the DVLA won't agree to that. They presume I'm a boozer. Where next??

[danny_kiernan]

Hi renesis,

This is another government abuse, which I want to take to court.

I am sorry but it makes no sense to me whatsoever, you get disqualified from driving for an alcohol related offence and then have to undergo a medical - how come you don't have to undergo a medical when first applying for your licence?

Disqualification means, a qualification removed - so why aren't the same rules followed to re-qualify?

'Failure to provide' is my pet hate at the moment, because it is silly.

OK say you get arrested and go to a police station, you refuse to have your fingerprints taken or photo taken - the police can force you to do it.

Same with drugs offences, they can force you to have a drugs test.

So why can you saying 'no' to a breath test result in an immediate ban and possibly other penalties. Surely can't the police just get a forced blood test like they do with drugs?

Our police state is mad.

Dani

[Rob S]

Originally Posted by danny_kiernan

'Failure to provide' is my pet hate at the moment, because it is silly.

No it's not, it's an offence. It has been for a very long time. If someone is stupid enough to fail to provide then they deserve all they get.

[danny_kiernan]

Originally Posted by Rob S

No it's not, it's an offence. It has been for a very long time. If someone is stupid enough to fail to provide then they deserve all they get.

Do you see a failure to provide offence for drugs, or a failure to provide offence for fingerprints?

The answer is no, thats why it is silly.

I am fairly sure that a couple of burly policemen can hold me down and get a blood sample (via a doctor of course), or even force me to blow into a tube (before I run out of breath).

As an added bonus it would clear all the failure to provide cases off the courts schedule too.


Dani

[kregrs]

If you're stupid enough to drink drive, then you deserve all you get. Why refuse to give a sample? Unless you have something to hide! In which case, you still deserve everything you get.

[danny_kiernan]

Hi kregrs,

I appreciate all feedback, but I think you may not have thought it through.

A persons reason not to give a sample may be out of religious reasons, fear of disease and all sorts of other reasons.

Dani

[Chesterexpress]

Originally Posted by danny_kiernan

I appreciate all feedback, but I think you may not have thought it through.

A persons reason not to give a sample may be out of religious reasons, fear of disease and all sorts of other reasons.

Dani

Dani, what a load of boloney. Yet again you contradict yourself. One minute your saying that the police could easily force someone into giving a blood sample, then the next your saying that people could be refusing on religious grounds. Therefore you are implying that it is perfectly acceptable for someone to refuse to provide a sample. Also how the hell would they be able to force you into providing a breath test?

As for freeing up the courts time on failing to provide charges, again nonsense as almost all who refuse to give a sample do so for one reason only and that is that they are wholly aware that they are well and truly over the legal limit. Therefore would be appearing in court anyway.

It really is about time, you took time out to consider the nonsense that you keep trotting out on these pages.

[danny_kiernan]

Woah another insulting post, I can barely keep up with the posters on this board that like to insult me

Originally Posted by Chesterexpress

As for freeing up the courts time on failing to provide charges, again nonsense as almost all who refuse to give a sample do so for one reason only and that is that they are wholly aware that they are well and truly over the legal limit. Therefore would be appearing in court anyway.

You obviously have a very dim view of people, were you always so narcissistic - or did it come on just now?

You seem to think I like people drink driving, well no I don't as drink driving has repercussions on everyone, pedestrians, other drivers etc.

I peronally had a cousin who was killed by a drunk driver, so I am quite happy for people caught driving over the limit - to have the book thrown at them.

However, I do not tar everyone with the same brush - if there are grounds for doubt, then those grounds should be removed, for whatever reason.

If a person can be forced to give a blood test for drugs, why not for alcohol?

Yes people do have legitimate reasons for failure to provide, granted most may just be trying to avoid a sentence, but there are always some which are totally innocent.


Dani

[Chesterexpress]

Yet again dani you sidestep the issues. As for insulting you, I think people have already made their own minds up about the nonsense that you keep on posting.

[Goldlady]

My OH had a really dreadful result on a liver function test - they did it three times and in the end I happened to read the leaflet with the tablets he takes every day and discovered that these tablets (zantac) can cause irregular readings on these tests!!! His doctor was confused as OH is not what you would call a drinker and he knew that. But it was scary at the time:o

[barracad]

Originally Posted by danny_kiernan

Woah another insulting post, I can barely keep up with the posters on this board that like to insult me

Nobody is insulting you, merely pointing out that (once again) you are posting complete drivel and contradicting yourself. If you can "barely keep up with the posters" who say this then have you wondered why this may be?

[GlasweJen]

Sorry to hi-jack but Danny are you Scottish, the strange spelling of your surname and you losing a cousin to a drink driver makes me wonder if you're related to my step-family who are Scottish and come from a village near Glasgow?

[kregrs]

Originally Posted by danny_kiernan

Yes people do have legitimate reasons for failure to provide, granted most may just be trying to avoid a sentence, but there are always some which are totally innocent.


Dani

I personally can't see any legitimate reason to refuse to provide a sample, but as you seem to think there are, please enlighten me. To be charged with failing to provide, iirc, you would need to have refused to give any of the samples requested, and the chances of you having a valid reason to refuse each test would be very slim.

[danny_kiernan]

Originally Posted by kregrs

I personally can't see any legitimate reason to refuse to provide a sample, but as you seem to think there are, please enlighten me. To be charged with failing to provide, iirc, you would need to have refused to give any of the samples requested, and the chances of you having a valid reason to refuse each test would be very slim.

Hi kregrs,

Failure to provide - is not just refusal to provide, it is also when you have been given the test and have failed to provide enough breath.

The most common reasons for Failure to provide/Refusal to provide (which have been successfully used in cases) are:

Asthma
Bronchial infection/Bronchitis
Lung problems
Heart Problems
Shock
Nerves/Stress
Inability to understand what is being asked, due to injury,disability, language barrier, comprehension issue etc.
Phobias

Thats not a comprehensive list, but it should give you an idea.

Dani

[Rob S]

Originally Posted by danny_kiernan

So why can you saying 'no' to a breath test result in an immediate ban and possibly other penalties.

I see you are distancing yourself from your original stance and moving on to medical reasons why someone could not provide a specimen