Driving Me Violent (DMV)
I never mind too much when I see police officers in their patrol cars, drinking cups of coffee and laughing with their partners. I figure they’ve earned a break. If you might get shot at later in the day, simply as a part of doing your job, go ahead and help yourself to a jelly donut, too, I say.
If, on the other hand, you push papers, remove staples, and administer vision tests all day long in an air-conditioned office, then, I say, get off your a** and call my number already so that I can get back to my life.
Yes, I was at the DMV this weekend. It was my second trip this week. Six days earlier, after over two hours of standing on line, a DMV “worker” denied my request to trade in my out-of-state license for an in-state one on a technicality I won’t bore you with. Let’s just say common sense wasn’t really in the mix. Anyway, he told me that Friday morning is the best time to be at the DMV. “You’ll breeze right through,” he said.
This photo was taken at 7:45 a.m. on Friday morning.
I was tempted to snap a photo of the enormously pregnant person standing in front of me, but I didn’t want her to think I was weird. But she was really pregnant, and we were waiting a long time, and it made me think: What if this was the line to see the doctor? I know this has been said before, but it is worth repeating: This could very well be what our health care system looks like some day. Thank goodness I didn’t have a feverish child—or two—on my hip.
So here are my questions for you, dear Ricochet people: Why can't this DMV problem be solved? I renewed my passport not long ago, and I did the whole thing by mail. I can do my taxes online. I can pay bills with my phone. Why is the DMV still so much like a Soviet bread line?
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Comments :
Jun '10
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
"Why is the DMV still so much like a Soviet bread line?"
It's actually quite simple really - its about union jobs. Jumping to the digital era promotes efficiency and reduces payrolls, or at minimum creates a new set of jobs that require more skills.
It is the easiest thing in the world to say - our DMV employees see 10.7 million tax payers per month (or whatever) face to face. This amount and type of service requires all kinds of infrastructure, staffing, security, grounds keeping, janitorial, management, trainers, lawyers, and compliance personnel to function. All good union dues paying jobs.
The poor service and crowds you see are also a byproduct of resources - or the permanent debate about lack of such from legislators who ruthlessly and callously deny important funds to these civil servants who slave in such poor conditions, small pay, and who lack everything in the face of overwhelming multitudes.
My two rubles comrade.
Jun '10
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
It would be nice if career advancement (and perks,) in organizations like the DMV, were performance related, but they're not. You get what you reward, and the DMV rewards number of minutes, days, years that you can show up and maintain a pulse.
May '10
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
I can definitely sympathize. My wife (an immigrant) recently tried to get her DL, and after going through the wait, the exam, and everything else, was also shunned on a technicality. Except, in her case they told her it was all immigration's fault (not really) and we would have to go through them to get the issue fixed and then come back and do the DMV's nonsense all over again. I'm spare you the details on what it took to get an appointment with immigration to make a 2 minute adjustment to appease the DMV. So, keep in mind, it could always be worse.
May '10
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
Ursula, I've lived in CT for almost 30 years. Motor Vehicle has not changed one whit since I went to exchange my VA license for a CT one. I remember when they built that building. It was shiny and new and lovely. Unfortunately it was staffed by the same old staff. The secret to that particular office is Thursday evenings. They are open late.
May '10
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
That reminds me of an empty public hospital.
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
Okay, but aren't police officers and fire fighters part of organizations that are bloated and subject to tyrannical unions, too? Those elements certainly needs to be addressed in all government agencies. But those workers seem to actually try hard, for the most part, to serve the public. Maybe it's the nature of their jobs that inspires effort or something. The passport system, too, is government-run. That seems to run pretty smoothly. But the DMV? It's been a long-running joke -- the nightmare of having to go there.
May '10
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
People go into firefighting and police work to save lives and help people. DMV work isn't exactly the stuff of TV dramas.
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
Aaron Miller
People go into firefighting and police work to save lives and help people. DMV work isn't exactly the stuff of TV dramas. · Jun 27 at 8:16am
Yes, sigh, of course, you are correct.
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
Does anybody (Rob?) know if Tom Hanks and Mariah Carey have to stand on these lines, too? Or can a lackey do it for them?
May '10
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
Take heart, the way this administration believes you create jobs is to focus on the public sector, and Pelosi did say that HCR would create 4 million new jobs. Our DMV’s, and health insurance processes of today might be models of efficiency in historical perspective.
I once got a Saudi Arabian drivers license. In all seriousness it required about 5 weeks and 6-7 trips to the ministry that covers such things, most of which were done by our staff, and only one or two required my being present. It also cost a good bit more than “published rates” to speed it along. It was more of an experiment than anything else, but I did enjoy driving for years on a license than expired in 1410.
I mention this to point out that the reason for all the time and steps was to provide jobs for Saudi university graduates. Almost all the steps consisted of an official or a clerk literally using a rubber stamp, or perhaps 3. With an economy that is both nationalized, and 100% based on natural resources, rather than brains and effort, you can do that. Not here I'm afraid, someone tell Obama.
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
You actually do spot famous people at the DMV in Los Angeles. There are a couple of them close to the west side, where pretty much everyone in the entertainment industry lives. The secret, vest-pocket DMV, in Santa Monica, is a little-used one -- it's where the folks in the know go for shorter lines. I had to get my license replaced once, and I was only in line for three hours!
Meanwhile, Ursula, as you point out, the last 3 passports I've received have come through the mail.
May '10
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
Georgia was notorious for long drivers' license lines for years. When I moved here in 2001, I stopped into an out-of-the-way license office in the morning, got my number, left for four hours, and when I came back my number still hadn't been called. And then they never mailed me the permanent license (new-in-staters get a 30-day temporary license while they allegedly run a background check), and had to go do the whole thing again.
Needless to say, the GA version of the DMV didn't change a lick until the century-plus Democratic hammerlock on the state legislature and governor's mansion was broken in 2002. Sonny Perdue (term limited and leaving office next year, unfortunately) was told it would take $20 million to fix the lines. He (metaphorically) cracked heads instead, and now we can renew by mail for up to 10 years, and when you do have to go to the office, the lines are at least manageable.
The union-tool Democrat Purdue defeated in '02 is on the ballot this year (Roy Barnes). If that SOB gets back in, I'm moving before my license expires.
May '10
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
Back in April I was informed by an TSA airport security guard that my driver's license was expired. I had not received a renewal notice in the mail from the state of California, so I had to go into the office in person. I made an appointment using the online tool so I could avoid the 2 hour queue. The following Tuesday I showed up at the appointment time, only to find out that my appointment was for the Tuesday three weeks into the future. When I read Tuesday as my appointment day on the website, it hadn't even occurred to me that it was a month away rather than a week.
So I took a number, and after waiting a half hour to see the number advance by five people out of 75 in front of me, I realized it would actually save me time to make a 25 minute drive in traffic to the Santa Teresa DMV in south San Jose and wait in line there.
Could you imagine such awful service at any private business--making an appointment four weeks in advance to return merchandise at Target just to avoid a three hour wait.
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
Will Collier: Needless to say, the GA version of the DMV didn't change a lick until the century-plus Democratic hammerlock on the state legislature and governor's mansion was broken in 2002. Sonny Perdue (term limited and leaving office next year, unfortunately) was told it would take $20 million to fix the lines. He (metaphorically) cracked heads instead, and now we can renew by mail for up to 10 years, and when you do have to go to the office, the lines are at least manageable.
at 11:42am
Will, I have to say I'm shocked and impressed that a change in a political office actually changed something at the DMV. That gives me some hope. I totally understand your unwillingness to go back to the DMV, and your willingness to move before doing so!! In my hours and hours of free time to think while I waited, I actually considered abandoning my determined plan to encourage my brother and sister-in-law to move back here from Spain, just because they'd have to deal with the DMV, and, as MC1183, pointed out, what a quadruple nightmare it must be for immigants.
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
Ooooohh, Rob, all your celebrity friends will now be mad at you!
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
What a totally hideous story, MC1183. I get no satisfaction in knowing my experience was (way) better than you wife's. The feeling of sitting there, totally at their mercy is a bizarre one. I was so distracted with rage I couldn't even read my book -- I just stewed for four hours! I was furious at the people ahead of me for not screaming in the face of the DMV folks once they got called. Maybe they'd pick up papers from their "in box" just one hair faster. But when I finally was called, I was too relieved to muster up spitfire either. Also, you live in fear that they might listen to your rant and do one of those, "Oooops, just dropped your paperwork in the garbage. Gotta go back to the beginning" tricks.
May '10
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
In Alaska, my home state, registrations are for two years and renewals are done by mail (and via the internet). In fact, they charge an additional $10 for in-person registration. Licenses are done for 5 years, with a by-mail renewal for another 5 (at least last time I renewed). I haven't been in a DMV office since the last 10-year DL expiration, 5 years ago. Hmmm...better go on line to see if I can still do that by-mail renewal thing. BTW, on that last visit there were only 2 or 3 people in front of me and the whole thing took 30 or 40 minutes, including a not too awful photo. I'm from the state capital, in case any of you want to accuse me of being from some bush village of 10 people. We have about 30K and one DMV office, though there used to be an intermittently open office in the state office building (commonly known as the SOB) that was hardly used and, consequently, very fast.
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
Ursula Hennessey
Ooooohh, Rob, all your celebrity friends will now be mad at you! · Jun 27 at 2:04
This news is most excellent. There's a secret DMV in Georgetown, in the mall, where a person can enjoy something approximating a normal human experience. Maybe we can do a public service and compile a list of the nation's hidden treasures.
May '10
Re: Driving Me Violent (DMV)
The DMV in Newton, NJ (Sussex County) is the exact opposite of the ones reported here. I have been to bad ones in PA, OH and CA, so I know how poor the service can be. My wife and I have both had good experiences with state-changes, auto tags, driver's licenses and boat licenses in the Newton DMV.
Of course, we live on the edge of fly-over-country. Very nice, for this and other reasons.