I'm not much of a Luddite; although I can just about remember the world before mobile 'phones and the internet and flat-screen televisions I'm fairly fortunate that for the most part I've grown up alongside the development of digital technologies and their mass domestic presence. I like to think that they hold no mystery for me.

It also means that I do a lot of things on the internet that one had to do in other ways before it was invented. I renew my library books, check the news and weather, watch television programmes, and of course catch up on my favourite blogs - all of it online. And if I can do something virtually rather than ring up on the telephone then I always do; it's just that bit more convenient.

At least that's what I was hoping when I wanted to change the address on my driving licence earlier today. I'm finally ready to book my test but in order to do so I need to make sure all my driving-related documentation is fully up-to-date. A reasonable requirement, and one with which the DVLA must be confronted with on a regular basis. So - being the technophile that I am - I dutifully went on to the government website for motor licensing and began what was promised to be a 'quick' and 'easy' process.

Except that after a couple of attempts at entering past and present addresses and various other bits of personal information - not the fastest of tasks - I was told that I would in actual fact need to ring them up in person after all. On a national rate 0870 number.

But that didn't work, either. A prerecorded message at the other end informed me that the number quoted on the website was no longer in use and in actual fact it was something completely different. And when it promised to put me through it actually went to a dead line which still refused to cooperate despite numerous optimistic but ultimately futile repeat attempts at connecting to it. Ultimately it was a frustrating experience which for a short while dented my faith in the marvels of modern technology.

Only later on this evening did I learn that the lack of response to my simple request was almost certainly due to a 48-hour walkout - starting today - over redundancy pay at the DVLA headquarters in Swansea. My experience was purely down to an unfortunate and irritating coincidence.

And it's probably worth mentioning how I found out about the strike - where else but on the internet, of course. The wonders of modern technology never cease to amaze me...!