I have a theory.

[Mastiff]

I just returned from the DMV. I've been there 5 times in the last 2 months. Here are two examples of the encounters, edited for the faint of heart...

1) I go in to take the driving test with my girlfriend. She lives with me. Now, in this town, most people get mail at a P.O. box, because they don't deliver to most houses. (Don't ask) Now, you have to have PROOF OF RESIDENCE to get a license, but her name isn't on any of the bills.

Did it matter that I had my proof, we had the same checking account, and were on the same P.O. box? Nope... Did it matter that we could get the license, then MOVE?! Nope... I had to have her added to my water account.

2) I'm trying to title a trailer for Public Works. I go in, they tell me how much money I need, I go get a check and return the next week.

THEN... They tell me someone who should have signed the title in 1994 didn't. It's my problem, fix it.

THEN... I go back, explain that the company is out of business, and am told it's okay. They start the paperwork.

THEN... I get the check, go back, and guess what? They don't want $80, now they want $140! And guess what? Now I have to get some documentation about the out of business comapny!

Know what I tell them?

"You know lady... I work in government, and people come into my office every day, already pissed off, because of morons like you."



I truly believe this. The state and federal folks make us local folk look bad...

 

[PlannerGirl]

Lol sounds like me trying to get all settled in N Va!

The DMV here is...well i cant say in mixed company but they are not very nice, hardly know english *great if you dont speak english but it is my native toung*

you stand in line for 2+ hours to be told you dont have the right forms *this is AFTER you had to visit a "help desk" where they look over your forms to be sure they are right*

god help you if your last name has changed, you were born out of country or the worst if you LEASE a car!

6 hours total to get myself and my car all legal to be in N Va!!

im moving again and im not going to be the good citizen and go change all my address stuff, im not about to go through that hell again!

peeved
Danielle

 

[Dan]

This is going to sound very elitist, but ....

Every vehicle registration and driver's license office I've been to, no matter what state it's in, no matter what town it's in -- the vast majority of the clientele there tends to be from the far bottom echelon of society. Obese, toothless single moms with three or four screaming kids in tow. Skinny, methed out mulletheads. Mac daddies quietly but clearly singing "kill whitey" rap, following the tinny beat coming from their headphones. Doesn't matter if the DMV office is in a rich suburb or poor neighborhood -- I always feel as if I've stepped onto the set of a bad Jerry Springer or Rikki Lake show.

No, this doesn't bother me, except for the mild discomfort I feel when I step into my local driver's license office and heads turn, in a collective "whatcha' doin' here, boy?" I'm just wondering ... where do the middle and upper classes get their driver's licenses? Is there some special, secret DMV office I don't know about, something that's located on the second floor of Dillard's? Can you get driver's licenses at the customer service counter of Whole Foods?

 

[PlannerGirl]

Lol YES Dan I wonder the same thing

There I was dressed to the Nines, heels, suit from Sacks etc and I was horrified. I was sitting there drinking my Starbucks eating a scone thinking any min someone was going to jump me!

I did not want to park my car in the lot, was worried it would be striped to the bone before I got out of there.

unfortunatly I do know enough spanish to know i was being talked about in a rather...crude way VERY loudly.


How humiliating

Danielle

 

[Downtown]

To know pain is to deal with the NYS main office of the DMV. We lost the title to my car during the move from SC to NY. I swear to god I could hear the Death Star music as the most extremely UN-helpful DMV employee barked at me. I then called the SC state DMV office and swear I could hear birds chirping and harps strumming as the SC DMV lady assured me "Sugar, just don't you worry - we'll get this all taken care of right quick."

 

[Downtown]

One last thing....

Mastiff.... I don't know. It seems that every government I've worked for, its been the town/county BUILDING DEPT that has gotten them whipped up into a hysterical frenzy before they come and deal with my office.

 

[Mastiff]

Re: One last thing....

KMateja wrote:
Mastiff.... I don't know. It seems that every government I've worked for, its been the town/county BUILDING DEPT that has gotten them whipped up into a hysterical frenzy before they come and deal with my office.

Indeed. My building guys at the last job were always getting people in a tizzy, and I was their supervisor! Most of the time, it was someone who really shouldn't have been doing construction work in the first place...

I'm talking more about just a stance coming in to the office, that you are A) incompetent, B) on a power trip, C) unwilling to help, or a combination of the above. It takes a while to change their mind, if it's possible at all...

"We're from the government, and we're here to help."

 

[Tranplanner]

I haven't had any bad experiences with DMVs - but Ontario has neat little automated kiosks you can use to renew your plates, change your address, etc.

I got my license in a small town, the service was very friendly - even the driver examiner was a happy guy. He laughed when I locked the keys in the car after he passed me. Guess I was a little excited.

 

[Mastiff]

Is the driving test different?

Tranplanner wrote:
got my license in a small town, the service was very friendly - even the driver examiner was a happy guy. He laughed when I locked the keys in the car after he passed me. Guess I was a little excited.

Something like:

1) When you come do a blinking red light, what do you do, eh?

2) What does "Arette" mean on a Quebec stop sign, eh?

3) What's your name, eh?