Unfair. Part Two.

This week after ten years my driving licence was due for renewal. I looked at the options of how to renew and the easiest way seemed to be to go to the post office and have my picture taken there, show them the letter, and my current licence and pay.

I waited until the actual day when midnight it would be too late. I had walked to the town to get my steps count in as I try when I can to get ten thousand steps in, eventually it was my turn and I showed her the letter, she then asked, “Can I have your driving licence,” This I gave to her she had a mini tablet and scanned the picture code into it and then said to me, “Please come round here and sit on this chair,” Behind me was a light blue marble background. I sat down and then she said to me, “Please remove your glasses,” Now that is personal. I said to her annoyed, “Wearing my glasses is what makes me, me I have worn glasses since the age of four, I am not me without them, I went on, “It really makes me angry that I am forced to take them off, I look nothing like me without them.” Inside I was livid,” She, said nothing, she’d probably heard it a thousand times, and it wasn’t her fault.

She got up quite close to my face, almost into my personal space and took a picture. Then she waited, I said, “Are you waiting for DVLA to give it your approval?” To my astonishment, she replied, “Yes,” After a minute or so she said, “I need to take another photo,” And seemed to get even closer to my face with the mini tablet. She then took another photo of me not looking my best, without my glasses.

She then asked me to, “Go back to the counter,” She then told me how much it was, I paid, and she cut up my driving licence into two and kept the letter and then gave me a special receipt, and said, “This is your stand in licence, if you are stopped by the police or need to show ID,” I said, “You mean I don’t get it hear and now?” She replied, “No, DVLA will post it to you,” I replied, “Oh OK,” And left the post office still fuming, feeling like I’d been violated.

It’s just not fair, and for those who don’t wear glasses every single day, year in year out, they will not understand.