The ongoing saga of my driver's licence

[albert5268]

Way back in 2005 I was on my provisional South Australian Driver's licence (aka P's). I was pulled over by a police officer who deemed my P plates were not displayed correctly (naughty naughty coulda killed someone) and subsequently fined me $150. I received a letter sometime around Jan 06 saying that my licence had been disqualified for 6 months due to this despicable act. I went ahead and appealed the disqualification and won.

I received my "new" provisional drivers licence upon which I was told by Transport SA that in one year I would be able to apply for my full licence (this licence expired on 10 April 07). They never mentioned P1's or P2's or anything of that nature

About 6 months later I received a letter saying an "administrative error" meant that my provisional licence had been issued for only one year when it was meant to be extended to 3 years after the court date. I was told to surrender my licence and apply for a new one. I did so and this licence expires on the 10 April 2009. I rang up Transport SA and asked why this had happened and why I had been given the wrong information. I was told it was an "administrative error" and that after the two extra years of being on my P's I would be able to get my full licence as per usual. Again no mention of P1's or P2's.

I was told this change had come into effect on 31st October 2005, so before I received my new licence (fair enough). I checked on the website and noticed a new law about P's being mentioned on 31st October 2006, they told me this was a new law that didn't affect me due to it being after my court date and reissuing of licenece. They told me it stated people holding Provisional Licence's and then being disqualified had to apply for a P1 licence and follow the new system (P1's > P2's > Full Licence).

Ok so fast forward to 10th of March 2009 (1 month before my Provisional Licence runs out and I get my full licence, or so I thought). I get a letter from Transport SA/Service SA for renewal of my Provisional Licence. Ok this immediatley seems strange due to the fact I shouldn't have to renew my P's but instead apply for my full licence as I had been told twice by Transport SA already.

I rang them and asked what the go was. The lady I spoke to told me that I could renew my P1's and hold them for another 12 months or take the Hazard Perception test and progress to P2's. Whoa! Hang on a minute renew my P1's? I told her I was on my vanilla Provisional Licence and had been since the middle of 2005. She told me her system said I was on P1's. I told her my story from the beginning and she put me on hold while she spoke to her supervisor.

She spoke to me again and told me I had been given the wrong information (again!) and that I should have been told I was on P1's and I should have done the hazard perception test 6 months ago and gotten my P2's and held them for another 6 months. I told her again that I had been told on two seperate occasions by Transport SA I was on regular P's and that I would be able to apply for my Full Licence after 10th April 09. She said sorry you've been given the wrong information.

I told her the licence I was holding in my hand said "Provisonal Driver's Licence" and had no mention of P1's or P2's. She told me that the P1 licences and regular P licences look identical so there was no way I would have known what licence I had. She told me there was nothing she could do and that I should try to get my P2's. I told her I would have done that 5 months ago and had my full licence on the 10th of April 09 if I had been told I was on P1's and not regular P's. She told me unfortunately we can't change whats in the system and I still have to progress to P2's.

The lady I spoke to told me many people had been given the wrong information and caught out. If this was the case why had they not rectified the situation and at least let people know they had been given the wrong information or implemented a system where they could progress our licences to full licences.

So basically because I did one of the worst things a road user can do (drive without my P plates correctly dislayed ) I didn't receive my full licence on the 14th of October 2006 and instead had to wait until 10th of April 2007, no sorry 10th of April 2009, no wait it changed again sorry 10th of October 2009. Good on ya Transport SA, 3 major adminstrative errors and 3 years of extra time on my P's due to a couple of letters not being displayed correctly.

Can I just point out that other people in my town are driving around on their full licence even though they'd been caught drink driving and/or speeding on their provisional licence around the same time I lost my licence.And yes this was the only infringment I have been issued with, I have never been caught speeding, drink driving, or doing anything dangerous or stupid over the 5 and a half years I have been driving on the road yet I'm still on my P's.

[TVR-190]

The system works

[albert5268]

The system works

.

[nick3110]

seriously you've had some bad luck there.. but once again a government organisation pulls through on ****ing someone over..

[albert5268]

I just asked one of my mates who lost his licence just after I did if he has P1's or regular P's and he says as far as he knows he has regular P's. Hes going to ring them and if it turns out he has regular P's then theres something dodgy going on with my licence. If it turns out he has P1's then its another person they've screwed over. They could at least write a letter to these people letting them know they've been given the wrong information. I'm not that concerned about the 6 months its more the fact that if I'd been given the right info in the first place I wouldn't have to wait the extra time.

[VNexecutive]

hard luck there man. thats a bit of an over-reaction for not displaying your p's correctly. hahah

[Morticia]

That totally blows! ****ing government cant get anything right these days geez!!