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Toy Story Fan Wins Battle With DVLA To Get His New Name On Driving Licence

Toy Story Fan Wins Battle With DVLA To Get His New Name On Driving Licence

To infinity and beyond!

George Pavlou

George Pavlou

I am a massive Toy Story fan. When I was about 14 years old and my mum was chucking out some of my old stuff, she threw away my Toy Story duvet covers and I literally lost my shit. It had Buzz on one side and Woody on the other and when I laid down with the covers right up to my neck, it looked like I was Woody or Buzz. It was the most lit thing ever.

Also for my 15th birthday I got a new Buzz because my old one's foot fell off when I chucked him down the stairs as a kid expecting him to fly. And then when I was 18 I got a Woody doll. So yeah, I love Toy Story.

Which brings me nicely on to the fact I can completely empathise with this guy...

Sam Stephens, 26, changed his name to Buzz Lightyear because he, like me, is a massive Toy Story fan. His only worry was the fact he might not be able to get his IDs changed because Buzz is obviously a fictional character.

But after going through the DVLA's rulebook, he found that so long as the deed poll didn't flag up his name, it should be fine. They didn't, so he applied for his new driving licence.

The DVLA had other ideas. Buzz, from Bideford in Devon, was told he couldn't get a driving license with his new name on it because it could bring the DVLA into disrepute.

"The DVLA then refused to issue me. They said because my name is a fictional character and they are a European company, when I went abroad for example and showed my ID, it would bring the DVLA in disrepute."

What about all the Harry Potters out there? Surely that wasn't fair? As it turned out, it wasn't and just this month, he got his new driving licence through the post.

"It's great. I feel like it's a victory for me as they're a big old company and I still won."

Good on you, lad. I'd have done the exact same.

Anyway, his life has of course become quite hard since the name change as everyone always thinks he's joking when asked for his name. Imagine booking a table at a restaurant and saying, "Table for two under Buzz Lightyear please." Exactly.

Sam changed his name after raising £2000 for charity when running the Brighton Marathon. He says he always has a little Buzz on him and has a tattoo of the fictional hero on his leg.

That's dedication. Buzz and the Intergalactic Alliance would be proud.

Words by George Pavlou

Images credited to SWNS

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Topics: Funny, Toy Story, Cars