medical for renewing your taxi drivers licence?

[U Wha]

It's our own fault that taxi driving is the best that we can do, or the best that we have chosen to do. If we wanted less competition we should have studied harder when we had the time, and the oppurtunity.

I would amend that to "should have studied harder at the right time...".

I never finished school and it was an itch that never went away. So after a divorce and the ensuing mid life crisis/depression I went back to college as a mature student and completed a level 8 degree. I enjoyed it and learnt a lot about why I had made all those mistakes in my life.

Bit late at that point but at least I understood it. The timing is important because after graduating at 49 years of age and full of enthusiasm I didn't feel the love.
Most employers don't want to employ older men, they want to hire young people who they can sculpt in their own vision. They aren't all about diversity and life experience as a transferable skill like the lecturers tell you they are.

[taxi1990]

It's our own fault that taxi driving is the best that we can do, or the best that we have chosen to do. If we wanted less competition we should have studied harder when we had the time, and the oppurtunity.

I studied hard in college for 6 years, have a level 7, 8 and 9 qualification. came out with very high marks but hated the corporate world with a passion, there is something I absolutely hate about it, wearing a suit every day, everything so formal, management talk, I honestly am not far off throwing up just thinking about it. college degrees don't mean anything, I am far happier driving a taxi and working for myself, the grass isnt always greener on the other side. And if you really want to go get a degree or education go get one, everyone is good at something I think. I didnt like school, hated maths, liked english and was good at that. I was $hit at reading in primary school, $hit at maths in secondary  school, did law in college and loved it and found it easy.

[Rat Catcher]

Some (or most?) of us just aren't cut out for work. Added to that, it's not easy to re-institutionalise oneself after half a lifetime of freedom, once the novelty wears off tedium sets in.