Let me paint a picture for you.
Just landed at Glasgow airport ahead of a much anticipated road trip along the west coast and I made way to the Hertz counter to collect my pre-ordered rental car.
Nothing strange so far then.
A warm friendly greeting and a smile. I smile and hand over my pre-ordered rental coupon.
Another smile. A few keys tapped. Car in the system. Good to go.
Err, not quite.
"Sorry sir, you are a little early, your car is still getting washed. Can you grab a coffee and come back and see me in half an hour?"
These things happen, and I did land early, so a coffee calls.
Suitably caffeined I return as re quested and receive yet another smile.
Keys tapped. Phone call made.
" Nearly ready sir" I'm told. "Shall we do the paperwork while we're waiting?"
I smile back.
"Can I have your driving licence please."
I am armed and ready with my plastic licence and hand it over.
The smile waivers a tad.
"And your code from the DVLA please?"
"err. Code? I booked the car online and printed out the coupon."
"Yes Mr Mossack, that's for the car, you now need a code from the DVLA as the paper part of your licence is no longer needed. This only came into effect today."
A looming dread slowly approaches my calm exterior. Thoughts of my pleasant drive along Scotland's rugged west coast are evaporating.
I come clean. "I don't have one of those sorry."
The smile has been replaced with pity.
"Yes it is a little confusing. This hasn't been handled very well. All our customers have had the same problem today."
Great. I have other miserable companions.
I try a smile. The one usually reserved for my room upgrade requests at hotel check ins.
"Is there a way around this, after all there was nothing on your website to warn me about this."
Her smile returns triumphantly.
"Yes sir, we can call the DVLA for you."
"Excellent, let's do that then"
"There will however be an additional charge for that sir."
And there it is.
A small change in admin from the DVLA and a new revenue stream is suddenly created.
We have dispensed with a stupid paper version of a licence that got torn and lost to another piece of paper that will get torn and lost. Or alternatively, providing car hire companies with a revenue stream which hereto was not an option.
Now where is the sense in all this.
I applaud the demise of the paper version of our driving licence. Good riddance. But please let us have a better solution for car hire. Printing out codes? I'd rather print out a smile.
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