DMV suck

[blas]

I hate going to the DMV, but not because of the employees....but because there's always some whacked out weirdo hanging around outside or inside bugging everyone.

[Elspeth]

Thanks the dieity of the day that Washington lets you renew online. They mail you a letter with a code, password and you answer the questions correctly and in a week or so you have your new license.

Of course our DMV scares me they gave a 5 year drivers license to my Grandma. She should be 97 or so when it renews and no she hasn't driven in years more of a would they let her do it

[greensinestro]

When I lived near Jacksonville, Florida, the DMV I went to had people that all had this type of attitude. Thankfully, I had received a waiver at the end of my tenth grade year where I didn't have to ride with one of these bozos.

A couple of years back, however, I had a better experience, although I had wasted quite a bit of my time. I drove out to Pahokee from West Palm Beach, being they have a DMV out there. West Palm is always crowded, so I chose to go 50 miles away being nobody visits that city. I wanted to upgrade my license from class D to E so I could get a job with Fed Ex (never worked out, and I have a much better job now). The lady apologized up and down and was very nice, telling me the law had changed, yet the DMV had failed to update the website. It's a very run down city and one of the last places I want to visit, but you have to admit. People are downright friendly there, even at the DMV.

[protege]

Solution: take new photos, Photoshop the two trouble spots out, take photos in.

That's pretty much what I'm going to do. Putting foil over the stickers and rust spots means I'll have less editing to do. At least the car is already inspected, so I don't have to mess around with that. I don't know about you all, but I really don't want to explain to one of the state testers that because the car has classic tags, I don't have to worry about getting it to pass the emissions tests. Oh, and because of the classic tags, that's an extra $40 per year I don't have to pay...since the registration on that never expires

I hear you on the purchase tax thing--Pennsylvania just *loves* trying to get tax money that they're not entitled to. That's why many older cars (not to mention homes) are either given away or sold for $1 to avoid the purchase tax. For example, when I pulled up the prior owners of my house, I saw that after the last owner died, the house was sold to his wife for $1. Annoying, but it was either that, or get hit up with taxes on the transfer. If the tax has already been paid once, why do they get it again?

[KiaKat]

I'm not sure they realized they could deal with the tax that way. I'll have to pass along the info.

[RedRoseSpiral]

Gah, I'll have to remember not to go there when I need to renew. High Ridge and Arnold aren't too bad to go to. The woman who was doing my picture for my state ID a few years back even let me retake the picture because I had a chunk of hair sticking up because of a gush of wind when a guy opened the door right as the picture was being taken.

[Racket_Man]

The one in Chesterfield, directly across from Mickey D's. Interestingly enough, I never had any problems when I renewed my plates last year. Kinda weird. SO says he prefers the one at Olive and Fee Fee by the crappy Dobbs we no longer patronize. That's a story in itself for another day.

Yeah, I can call the main office in Jeff City. But I really don't think anything would be done because this is the same bureau that's been called on the carpet before for not properly destroying documents. Fox 2 did an expose on them a year or so ago about documents that were just sitting in the dumpster for anyone to just take.

The other thing to understand is that they DMV here is run by a private institution rather than the state itself. It's the only reason they can get away with putting adverts in the reminder/renewals they send out.

you live way out in the county from the intersection desribed (well way out when I was living in the area very very built up now)

I guess that the state of MO has now outsourced a lot of the gov functions since I left. I used to have to deal (years and years go) with the DMV on Kingshighway in St. Louis not fun

[cellconnect89]

I've dealt with rude DMV people before. When I was 15, I went to take the test to get my permit. I passed by only missing one question. I was excited to get my license. Passed the eye exam, no problem. A certain lady behind a computer asks what my address is. I had moved only days prior, and hadn't memorized the address yet. So while I pull out my cell phone to look through the memo pad feature where I wrote it in, she says loud enough for everybody to hear, "You don't know your address!?!"

Everyone was staring at me with an interesting glare.

It was kind of humiliating.

[Dips]

The people who worked at the Reading, MA RMV were always professional if not downright nice. The only trouble I've seen recently was with an SC.

The Reading RMV workers were also very kind and patient when we applied for an HP placard for my son. They went above and beyond to make sure we were in and out as quickly as possible and were very gentle with him when they could see he was nervous about the camera.

The Reading office has since closed and they've opened a new office in Wilmington. I haven't been there, but I hope they have the same crew. They rock.

[ringo]

.... So while I pull out my cell phone to look through the memo pad feature where I wrote it in, she says loud enough for everybody to hear, "You don't know your address!?!"....

"Brains" are for thinking and processing, paper and cell phones notes are for remembering.

[Pagan]

I've never really had too much trouble. New Mexico is a damn sight better than Texas....or it was. Now we've got this ridiculous new license that you don't get to leave the MVD with (that's like TX). Nope, you gotta wait for it to come from Washington? I think.

Texas I remember having to go 3 different places when I got my car registered there and a DL (and they kept my NM DL, leaving me with no picture ID).

When I moved back to NM, it was one stop shopping. Got my car registered, walked out with my new DL (along with my hole-punched TX license), and registered to vote. Not only that, I got my old NM license # back. But I think that was because I had only been out of the state one year.

Heheh, I suppose the first "are you blind?" was a legitimate question rather than a snark, but there's no call for the rest of it.

Well, she already had FMA's old license in her hands....

So I pack a book, my iPod, and some snacks as well. I'm damn well prepared for what is going to be an all day expedition.

The one I go to, and I think all of them here, even though there's usually a wait, won't allow food or drinks in the waiting area....not even water. Not quite sure why.

Even so, I did what Pennsylvania wanted--photos of all 4 sides, brought in the insurance cards, prior registration, etc.

What's the suck? Get a load of this--because there's an AAA sticker on the rear bumper, and a rust spot on the front bumper, the state is refusing to transfer the title. The car has to be in "as new" condition to get another title. Puzzling, since when the car was purchased back in 1980, it was in even *worse* condition...yet they were able to title it no problem

All that just to transfer the title? Here, you have 30 days to transfer or you pay $20 bucks. All the paperwork you need to take is your license, bill of sale form, app for T&R, odometer form, and proof of insurance. Not pictures, no "as new" nonsense. That part I really don't get? And the AAA sticker, seriously? Oy vey!

I hate going to the DMV, but not because of the employees....but because there's always some whacked out weirdo hanging around outside or inside bugging everyone.

And that's why I go to one I do....it's in the mall!

[protege]

All that just to transfer the title? Here, you have 30 days to transfer or you pay $20 bucks. All the paperwork you need to take is your license, bill of sale form, app for T&R, odometer form, and proof of insurance. Not pictures, no "as new" nonsense. That part I really don't get? And the AAA sticker, seriously? Oy vey!

It's because our state legislature has nothing better to do (well, other than granting themselves pay raises) than come up with things like this.

Yet, some strange things do occur from time to time. On the way home from work one night...I saw an early 1990s Saturn Coupe with classic plates That thing's not old enough to be a classic!

[Pagan]

I guess I should be thankful our state legislature is usually to busy either bitching about the Gov calling them back for a special session or getting themselves arrested for DWI to have figured this out!

Yet, some strange things do occur from time to time. On the way home from work one night...I saw an early 1990s Saturn Coupe with classic plates That thing's not old enough to be a classic!

And if it's anything like mine, it certainly isn't ever going to be a classic! Although it's been running better since it hit 100,000 miles.

"Proud" owner of a 1996 SC2.

[fma_fanatic]

Gah, I'll have to remember not to go there when I need to renew. High Ridge and Arnold aren't too bad to go to. The woman who was doing my picture for my state ID a few years back even let me retake the picture because I had a chunk of hair sticking up because of a gush of wind when a guy opened the door right as the picture was being taken.

SO says the best ones are on Fee Fee and Olive (across from the House of Denmark on Olive) and the one on Natural Bridge in St. Ann. He's been to both and never had a problem. I went to the Chesterfield one only because it was close. I suppose if I got my lazy butt up before noon on Saturday or at least waited till my birthday I could have renewed it then.

But I don't know how they like people going in after their birthday, even after a day, to renew. And I don't think I want to.

[Cordiform]

I did the eye test thingy at the DMV in Hawaii once, and after I read it, I guess I totally butchered it because the woman said, all witchy like:

"No. Not at all. Do it again."

And I'm like, um, a plain Do it again would suffice. I am a human being, after all... she prolly talks to her children like that too.