DMV

denice · Jan 11, 2016

I just got back from my every four years torture trip to the DMV. The other years I renew my plates online and get my sticker and registration in the mail but every fourth year I have to renew my Drivers license.

I actually got in quick because it was a Monday morning but they are always so incredibly rude. They must put the rudest people that work for the State in the DMV. I was taking the vision test and they do the thing with the flashing lights and I was seeing no flashing lights. The person next to her who was also rude says you have to pass this to get your license like I was a simpleton. Finally the person next to her came over and I heard her whisper to her that she had to do something then I could see the lights. That just made the person that was taking care of me even ruder. It was like she was mad at me because she didn't know how to operate the machine.

Thank goodness I don't have to go back again for four years..

MoochNNoodles · Jan 11, 2016

Oh I hate doing the DMV trips! (I should probably check when my license is up for renewal!

) I try to check online first to see how long the lines are. DH took care of the cars tags last; so I haven't had to do that lately. But my last license experience was awful. They make you take off your glasses and don't you DARE smile or look pleasant. I look like an Angry Bird in my picture. They zoomed so far in on my face I have no neck. It felt more like a mugshot (not that I'd know what it's like to get a mugshot taken

).

blueyedgirl5946 · Jan 11, 2016

We have to physically renew every year. It involves driving thirty five miles. Or, there is a satellite station that comes to our county one day a month.
You have to do stand in line. I always try to go there and be first in line.

donutte · Jan 11, 2016

I didn't start driving until five and a half years ago. I'm so glad my experience at the DMV was mostly with someone I know. She usually does the pictures but also took me out on my drive. I was so freaking nervous that first time.

We have to renew every five years, and I have to go in every time because of the eye test, and also because my doctor has to fill out paperwork saying I can drive (I'm epileptic). And they tell us to smile when we get our pics taken!

kittens mom · Jan 11, 2016

Ours has a little thing at the end where they want you to rate them. No really you don't want my opinion of sitting in this chair holding a paper number for over an hour while one window is open and the five employees all make sure they get their breaks and that having more than one window open at a time must be against the rules.

I personally hate the post office more. Only because I have to go there more often. Last week I had to stand in line for 15 minutes while of course one line was open to have the mail clerk go back and unjam the mail in my PO box that they had crammed into a cone shape and stuffed in the box. Which wouldn't be necessary if there was a sane way to opt out of store fliers.

DreamerRose · Jan 11, 2016

We have to go in every five years. Everyone is very nice to me, since I'm considered a senior citizen. Someone meets me at the door and takes me directly to the front of the line. Good thing, too. as my birthday is in July and all the teenagers finishing driver's ed are in there. But this is Illinois, which is so bankrupt that they aren't sending out notices anymore to save money. (State lottery winners don't get their winnings, either.) Registration comes up every year, so now forewarned, I will just go when it's due. And I will check my driver's license for the same reason.

BTW, if you ever move to Illinois or know someone who does, we don't have DMVs and most natives have no clue what a DMV is. Licenses and registrations are handled through Driver's Services of the Secretary of State's office.

AbbysMom · Jan 12, 2016

Our driver's licenses are good for five years here, but you are allowed to renew online once. I've already done that, so next year I have to go in. :cringe:

Yes, I have a nine year-old [picture on my license right now. :lol3:

Winchester · Jan 12, 2016

Four years here. And you are required to go in for a new picture and new license when your old one expires. Nothing online. Thankfully, I can go on Saturday mornings and, most of the time, the wait isn't too long.

Willowy · Jan 12, 2016

Every 5 years here. I just renewed back in August, and it was ridiculously easy. IF you have your papers in order! They make you prove your entire life story here. I'm glad I don't have any marriage certificates or divorce papers to deal with---one of my co-workers was complaning about needing the marriage certificate from the guy she divorced 10 years ago. . .ugh.

They sent me a notice 6 months before my birthday, saying which papers I need and where I could go, and the hours for each location. I showed up about 10 minutes before their cutoff time (since I had to rush to go after work), but I filled out the paper quickly and it took maybe 5 minutes with the employee and that was it. My picture looks a little odd because the employee was telling me to turn my head in a certain way to avoid glare on my glasses, but it doesn't look too bad. Better than my last one anyway. I don't see any reason they would ask me to take the pic without my glasses, because I always wear them and even I wouldn't recognize my picture without them, lol. The employees weren't rude or anything. Not exactly small-town chatty, but not rude. Basically, it went a lot smoother and faster than I thought it would.

donutte · Jan 12, 2016

AbbysMom said:
Our driver's licenses are good for five years here, but you are allowed to renew online once. I've already done that, so next year I have to go in. Yes, I have a nine year-old [picture on my license right now. :lol3:

My mom had the same picture for almost 20 years!

denice · Jan 12, 2016

Willowy said:
Every 5 years here. I just renewed back in August, and it was ridiculously easy. IF you have your papers in order! They make you prove your entire life story here. I'm glad I don't have any marriage certificates or divorce papers to deal with---one of my co-workers was complaning about needing the marriage certificate from the guy she divorced 10 years ago. . .ugh.

They sent me a notice 6 months before my birthday, saying which papers I need and where I could go, and the hours for each location. I showed up about 10 minutes before their cutoff time (since I had to rush to go after work), but I filled out the paper quickly and it took maybe 5 minutes with the employee and that was it. My picture looks a little odd because the employee was telling me to turn my head in a certain way to avoid glare on my glasses, but it doesn't look too bad. Better than my last one anyway. I don't see any reason they would ask me to take the pic without my glasses, because I always wear them and even I wouldn't recognize my picture without them, lol. The employees weren't rude or anything. Not exactly small-town chatty, but not rude. Basically, it went a lot smoother and faster than I thought it would.

They haven't started that here. I know all states were supposed to after 911 but they haven't here. I have everything but my marriage license is in German. I have my divorce papers but they don't have my maiden name on them. If they started it here I would have to find someone certified to do translations for my marriage license. There is no large German population here but there are several Universities and colleges. Finding a translator could be an issue for me.

Mamanyt1953 · Jan 12, 2016

DMV.jpg

Mamanyt1953
Jan 12, 2016

I have to go next month. Trying not to think about it.

rpandcat · Jan 12, 2016

That's a hilarious picture.

I'm glad I saw this--I need to update my address.

A couple of years ago, I crossed a double yellow line (whoops! my bad). And a cop gave me a ticket--he found out at that point in time that I hadn't changed my address...They give you a ticket for that, too. It was embarrassing--in front of my friend, in the parking lot of an In-And-Out.

kittens mom · Jan 12, 2016

Mamanyt1953 said:
I have to go next month. Trying not to think about it.

I can renew online for 8 years at a time. Of course NM isn't all that picky who they give a DL to.

MoochNNoodles · Jan 13, 2016

I had a look at my license. Its good for 8 years. They switched us to those new federally secure or whatever ones. So I guess they are good for longer than they used to be. I still think I look like an Angry Bird in my photo.

Sometime after I got my first drivers license as a teen; they switched to printing all the minors licenses in "portrait" instead of "landscape." Well I got married 3 months before I turned 21. i was bummed to get the "kid" version of a license. But also bummed to have to go back there after just 3 months to get a new one.

donutte · Jan 13, 2016

I think in Arizona they are good for some ridiculous amount of time, like 41 years (it was an odd number of sorts). Not sure that is still the same though. The folks that had it could not remember because they had yet to actually renew their licenses.

pushylady · Jan 13, 2016

Oh the joys of the DMV. We have Service Ontario here now and we renew our license and health card at the same time, so at least you don't have to go in twice. They're good for 5 years each.
A number of years ago I had a driver's license picture that looked really good. People would look at it, then at me and kind of frown... :lol3: My one now is more realistically grumpy looking.

stewball · Jan 14, 2016

Willowy said:
Every 5 years here. I just renewed back in August, and it was ridiculously easy. IF you have your papers in order! They make you prove your entire life story here. I'm glad I don't have any marriage certificates or divorce papers to deal with---one of my co-workers was complaning about needing the marriage certificate from the guy she divorced 10 years ago. . .ugh.

They sent me a notice 6 months before my birthday, saying which papers I need and where I could go, and the hours for each location. I showed up about 10 minutes before their cutoff time (since I had to rush to go after work), but I filled out the paper quickly and it took maybe 5 minutes with the employee and that was it. My picture looks a little odd because the employee was telling me to turn my head in a certain way to avoid glare on my glasses, but it doesn't look too bad. Better than my last one anyway. I don't see any reason they would ask me to take the pic without my glasses, because I always wear them and even I wouldn't recognize my picture without them, lol. The employees weren't rude or anything. Not exactly small-town chatty, but not rude. Basically, it went a lot smoother and faster than I thought it would.

It's a lazy way of avoiding the glare of your glasses.

stewball · Jan 14, 2016

MoochNNoodles said:
I had a look at my license. Its good for 8 years. They switched us to those new federally secure or whatever ones. So I guess they are good for longer than they used to be. I still think I look like an Angry Bird in my photo.

Sometime after I got my first drivers license as a teen; they switched to printing all the minors licenses in "portrait" instead of "landscape." Well I got married 3 months before I turned 21. i was bummed to get the "kid" version of a license. But also bummed to have to go back there after just 3 months to get a new one. :lol3:

What sort of bird?

stewball · Jan 14, 2016

Never learned to drive.

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