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So I go down to the DMV...help me out here people

Started by Billy Joe Mulgreavey, March 29, 2018, 08:54:14 AM

Ok folks, time for a rant.  I realize I'm good at bitching, and I'm no one special, we all have our little problems, but hang in there will ya?

It's time to renew my driver's license.  I look up the info online as to when the DMV is open and where it is nowadays, to see if they moved to a new location.  I find the info and notice that it has numerous negative reviews.  I read them with an open mind, realizing that people get pissed off if they don't get their way, and remembering that I need to bring some official document with me, something either State of Federal that has my name and address on it.  Done.

But before I go, I have to make a few phone calls and check on a few things. 

We are trying to finish up the process of a home owner's claim with our lender, our insurance company, and the contractor who has taken nearly an entire calendar year to finish the work.  We had a terrible hail storm blow through here last May.  The timing is understandable, as there was a lot of property damage and contractors are swamped.  I get it.  The thing I don't get is their expectation to get paid....RIGHT NOW! 

Our insurance company asked us to use a preferred contractor to line up the work.  The contractor acts as the adjuster, lines up the work that they don't do themselves and all contractors are heavily vetted and have great reputations.  This saves the insurance company time and money and we don't have to find our own contractors.  We agree to this and everything goes relatively well...new roof, new siding...incidental stuff as well.  My insurance company cuts the repair check and sends it to the preferred contractor who came down at the end of last week to deliver it and have us sign off that we are satisfied with all the work.  He impresses upon me that he is in a severe time crunch to pay the siding guy.  I assure him that I spoke with our lender and since the entirety of the work is under 50K, and since we are in great standing with the lender, all they require of us is the check and the contractor's worksheet and that they can usually send the check back for our endorsement and schedule the inspection within a couple business days.  Done.   I even told the contractor I would send the check and required document overnight to the lender as to expedite the process, which I certainly don't have to do, but want to, because we really liked this guy and he did a good job for us. I sent the check and documents out on Monday morning.

It's now Wednesday, and the contractor has emailed me wondering about the process.  I punch in the tracking number on USPS site to find that there has been a label created, but no other info is provided.  F***!  Alright, I'll drop by the post office after I get my license renewed...but before that....

I make a call to the children's hospital where my son will have cranial/facial surgery in May.  He was born with bilateral cleft lip and palate and has had seven surgeries thus far...he's the toughest little kid I have ever seen...has never complained about "pain spikes," not even once. 

I'm calling them to ask them how the surgery will be coded, because my health insurance company, which is becoming more and more worthless by the day, is questioning whether this surgery is medically necessary.  Granted, by this point in the process, we are starting to tip the scales into cosmetics vs. medically necessary, but all of this piggybacks on previous surgeries and have to be done when the child gets to a certain developmental stage...it is quite confusing at times.  This surgery will be around 90K, so naturally, I want to know if these fucking deadbeats are going to pay for the surgery or not.  Honestly, at this point, I feel like we are paying 19K in premiums, plus 2500 a year in deductibles, plus out of pocket and prescript costs, to have these extortioners NOT pay our bills.  Again, I recognize this is not my problem alone...many of us struggle.

The pre-op lady at the children's hospital assures me that it will be coded as medically necessary and that she will contact our insurance company to get things straightened out.  For this I am extremely grateful as I spend hours talking to these fucks every month only to have them insult me with their required "Call us anytime, we are here for you" at the end of a frustrating conversation.

I drive to the DMV.  Before I get out of the car, I make sure I have the document I need, my expiring driver's license, and that my pecker is still attached. I remind myself of something my dear 'ol Ma taught me, and expected me to do:  "No matter what, be nice to people.  Even if they are not nice to you.  Remember that everyone is struggling with something and you have the ability to make their day a little brighter...or darker."   OK, mom...I'll do my best.

I go in, take a number and go sit down.  There are kids in here taking their driver's tests, and more than a few of us driving veterans waiting...and waiting...and waiting...and waiting.  The older man behind me is getting impatient and his wife calls wondering what the fuck is taking so long.  He tells her that she should just skip her hair appointment because his number is about up and he doesn't plan on sitting around for another hour and a half waiting on her ass to come pick him up at this asylum.  I'm thinking to myself..an hour and a fucking half?  Sorry ma. 

They call his number and he goes up to renew his license, but he CAN'T because he doesn't have an official document with his name and address on it.  A rookie mistake from an old codger. 

"Can you go to your vehicle and retrieve your registration?"

Nope.  He calls his wife to find she has kept her hair appointment.  He left the DMV, presumably to find the nearest beer fountain within walking distance.

There are a couple people ahead of me, and their visits go pretty smoothly and when my number is called, I've only been waiting about 45 minutes.  As I'm walking up to the front, I notice numerous posted messages on the doors, and walls...mostly with unfriendly language like "We DO NOT," or"You MUST"...MUST in capital letters, and FOR TESTERS ONLY on the restroom door?  Or maybe it was just a quiet room to study?

"Can I help you?"
"Yes, ma'am..I'm here to renew my license."  I hand her my expiring license, noting the younger,good lookin', naive man who had more hair back then, and the number tag which was "25."
"Do you want the gold star?"
"Huh?"  I swear to God and sonny Jesus, she sighed and rolled her eyes.
Now, I'm paraphrasing here a bit because I was confused and my Ma's good rule went out the proverbial fucking window.

"Sigh...the gold star...it's federal law..October...Federal ID act, blah blah blah."

"Huh?  Isn't a driver's license a state ID?"

"Yes, but you have to show an ID when you fly or when you enter federal buildings, including some banks.  If you don't have a gold star then you wont
be able to fly, nor go onto any military...Federal...bank...blah blah blah."

At this point, I envision her standing there, not relaxed, but stiff, and rigid....and with a German accent..."may I zee your papers?"

"What do I need to do to receive a gold star on my homework," I ask in a sarcastic prick of a way?

"Sigh...you need a birth certificate, or a valid passport."

"Well, I didn't bring either one of those, but I did bring a recent property tax evaluation, which is  a genuine document straight from someplace official," I stated in a sarcastic prick of a manner.

"Guess, I'll just take the decaffinated plain 'ol driver's license, and try to avoid flying, visiting any federal real estate and avoiding any military installations, fraulein."  OK..I didn't SAY fraulein, but you can bet your sweet ass, I was thinking it.

"Sigh..when you come back in, you will be charged eight dollars for the upgrade blah blah blah..."

Got my picture toooook. 

"You'll have to take an eye test.  You can move the viewer into a comfortable position."

"Hey...this thing isn't gonna scan my retinas is it?"  Chuckle...thinking it might break her sourpuss mood.  It didn't.

"Read line five please."

Looking...


"Line five.'

"I can't read it."

"You can''t read it?'

"I can't read it."

"Read line four then."

"I can't read line four...I can't read line one...well..there might be an 'n' and maybe an 'r.'

"You can't read any of the lines?"

"Not with my right eye...no."

"Can you see anything out of that eye?"

"Yeah, I can see the lines, I can see a few of the letters, but they jumble up a bit, and it still works good enough to recognize a fuckin' bitch when it sees one"....OK. I didn't say that, but I was thinking it.

"What happened to your eye?"

I tried to think of something cool, something Snake Pliskin-esque here, but i couldn't think of anything in a hurry.

"Born that way, I guess."

I took the vision test with the left eye and could read every single letter!

"The law says you have to have only one good eye to drive."

She took my $22, and gave me a paper ID for the meantime, reminding me that they COULD NOT print me a replacement.  Of course not....

I thanked her, bid her nice day, and walked out of that dismal dungeon, noting the sour-looking faces on the poor bastards who were waiting with numbers 26 to god knows what, waiting for their chance at parole. 

Seriously, I ask you now, are we living in Nazi Germany at this point?
 


ItsOver

Are you in one of these states?

https://immigration.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=005535

"Immigrants in the country illegally cannot produce the necessary documents (like a social security card) to obtain a driver’s license under state laws. Beginning in 1993 with Washington state, 12 states and DC have changed their laws to allow immigrants in the country illegally to obtain driver's licenses."

It might have been easier just to say "No hablo inglés."  ;)   Welcome to Amerika.  :D



ItsOver

The DMV is great fun but you can have even more fun at airports.  ;)




albrecht

Quote from: Billy Joe Mulgreavey on March 29, 2018, 08:54:14 AM

"Do you want the gold star?"
"Huh?"  I swear to God and sonny Jesus, she sighed and rolled her eyes.
Now, I'm paraphrasing here a bit because I was confused and my Ma's good rule went out the proverbial fucking window.

"Sigh...the gold star...it's federal law..October...Federal ID act, blah blah blah."

"Huh?  Isn't a driver's license a state ID?"

"Yes, but you have to show an ID when you fly or when you enter federal buildings, including some banks.  If you don't have a gold star then you wont
be able to fly, nor go onto any military...Federal...bank...blah blah blah."


I took the vision test with the left eye and could read every single letter!

"The law says you have to have only one good eye to drive."
Ha. The lady "caught" me shutting one-eye during my last renewal. Apparently here we need to use both. I passed but definitely easier with one eye closed. Also this reminds me of, back when he was just a local boy ranting, when Alex Jones was protesting the DPS demanding your fingerprint (he was arrested) for a Driver's License ("license to operate") and I recall folks bitching about them demanding your SS# which, according to law, was for "tax purposes only" but then made into some kind of national ID and the State demanding it to "crack down on deadbeat dads."
ps: Clinton is going to demand your urine and blood also.
pps: hope it all works out for your son and the insurance company pays up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptsbCwcbrfc

Roswells, Art

What a good kid, sounds like he has good parents. Your kid should consider donating to Senda.

Roswells, Art

There is a DMV I've been to a few times. Right when you walk in you have to stand in a line where someone makes sure you have the right paperwork then if you do they give you a number. Then you sit and wait to be helped. I've never had to wait for more than 45 minutes total.

There is another DMV I went to in Key West for a reason I don't recall. I went back after about two months and once I got to the window I realized I didn't even have my I.D. on me. I couldn't believe I had forgotten it and had resigned myself to going back home to get it. The lady said it was O.K., she remembered my ring from last time I was there and gave me what I needed.

And before Jackstar or anyone else thinks it was a mason ring or some secret society symbol, it wasn't. It had a Celtic knot and an amethyst in it.


Dr. MD MD

Quote from: Roswells, Art on March 29, 2018, 10:58:16 AM
There is a DMV I've been to a few times. Right when you walk in you have to stand in a line where someone makes sure you have the right paperwork then if you do they give you a number. Then you sit and wait to be helped. I've never had to wait for more than 45 minutes total.

There is another DMV I went to in Key West for a reason I don't recall. I went back after about two months and once I got to the window I realized I didn't even have my I.D. on me. I couldn't believe I had forgotten it and had resigned myself to going back home to get it. The lady said it was O.K., she remembered my ring and gave me what I needed.

And before Jackstar or anyone else thinks it was a mason ring or some secret society symbol, it wasn't. It had a Celtic knot and an amethyst in it.

Everyone knows that's the real illuminati symbol. ::)

Roswells, Art

Quote from: Dr. MD MD on March 29, 2018, 11:02:29 AM
Everyone knows that's the real illuminati symbol. ::)

lol

I don't even think it was a real amethyst.

Also, if you want to be helped quicker next time you go to the DMV I think those rings are mass produced and you can buy them in England, or these days over the internet.


Quote from: Billy Joe Mulgreavey on March 29, 2018, 08:54:14 AM
... Seriously, I ask you now, are we living in Nazi Germany at this point?

No, that's simply the nature of government.  No one at any point along the way is subject to the ''profit motive'', so no consideration in providing much in the way of service or quality.  It really is that simple.

Which is why we don't hand over responsibility for our health to them


starrmtn001

I can see why your son is such a trooper.  Look at his dad. ;)  Good on ya, sir. :D

Up All Night

Had to renew my Texas DL at the DMV office this time. Every other time you get to do it all online.

You can reserve a place in line the day you're coming by phone, or maybe the reservation was made online, I can't remember, (I won't have to renew in person next time).

I arrived at the DMV within the 10 minute window of time to check in for my 2pm appointment, but I still waited 40 minutes before being called to go to the counter to renew. But, I overheard a DMV worker tell someone that walked in that their wait time would be about 2 hours. Most of the people waiting there looked like English might have been their second language.

There's a larger, regional DMV site about 25 miles away, that says you don't need an appointment, and walk-ins can get served there in usually under 30 minutes.

To be on the safe side, I brought everything in a folder with me, my birth certificate, my SS card, and a utility bill to prove my residence.

The DMV workers on the floor were taking no bull from anyone. That had the feel of when Malcolm McDowell was told to stay behind a line while he had to reach forward to sign his paperwork to be released from prison in the film O Lucky Man!

But once my name was called, and I got up to the counter to get my license renewed, it all went well, and I was outta there in under 5 minutes.  :D


Quote from: Up All Night on March 31, 2018, 05:04:12 AM

To be on the safe side, I brought everything in a folder with me, my birth certificate, my SS card, and a utility bill to prove my residence.


That's the key, right there...be prepared.   I understand that this is probably why I saw the bossy language on the signs, and why those DMV folks often have the disposition they do.  People walk around with their head up their ass most the time, including me.  I remember getting the little renewal reminder a month or so back..and it was gold in color...i probably just tossed it...I remember reading the first couple sentences...that's about it.  I imagine it had info pertaining to this Real ID/Gold Star thing.

But when you really think about it, does it really make sense?

Shouldn't we have a right to travel from one place to another in any manner we chose, according to what we can afford?

I can walk down the sidewalk without having to have a walking license or a sidewalk license. 
I can ride a bike without any license.

If I buy a car I can afford, I pay a pretty good chunk of change for one.  Why?  Because it can get me from point A to point B in much less time it takes to walk there or ride a bike, and it's more comfortable too.  I pay sales tax, property taxes every year, maintenance and upkeep, and i pay for fuel which is taxed out the yin-yang too.  But OK, you might argue that a car poses a risk to others, etc, so you should have to prove you can operate it.  Fine.

But a driving license has become something much more than a license to drive hasn't it?  Why?

If a cop stops you while you are walking down the street, he might ask to see your ID.  Most of us pull our driver's license because it has our name, addy, and picture on it.  But one might pull a library card or a social security card..then show them an old third grade wallet pic of yourself..after all...we are not driving a car at the moment. 

What about this stuff you hear about how once, not so long ago, you only had to have a driver's license if your transportation was involved in some form of commerce?  Is this really true?  I've done a tiny bit of research, but one would have to wade thru countless websites/videos/etc of conspiracy nutters...but maybe I'm being too dismissive...maybe they have a point. 

So much of what we do is predicated on what we know and believe in our own time.  I think this is used against us often. 

You all have put up with  me bitching about healthcare and health insurance.  Did our grandparents worry about this shit?  Were they scared that if they got sick that it could lead to financial ruin? Did they have insurance?  If so, was it more expensive than their fucking mortgage?  Honestly, I don't think my Grandpa went to the hospital until they put a tag on his toe at the age of 85.  But not us...we have to go in for every sniffle.  We have to treat every little ailment we have with medicine. 

The lady at the DMV was convincing me of why the Real ID thing was important, by letting me know of what I won't be able to do if I don't get one.  "You can't fly."    It's a DRIVERS LICENSE!  I'm not driving the fucking plane!  Hell, the pilot isn't even driving the fucking plane!   "You won't be able to visit any military base, if you have a child or relative in the military, you may not be able to visit them."  IT's a DRIVERS LICENSE...a license to drive a car!  And if I have a relative/child serving our country so assholes can make these kinds of laws..maybe they shouldn't be serving.
Won't be able to go into federal buildings...what if i have to go to court?  Won't be able to camp at national campgrounds...etc...etc...etc... 

Also, it appears that this Real ID law is tied in with facial recognition.  Ug.  So a bunch of a-holes had multiple state id's and hijacked planes with box cutters so that fifteen years later, I feel like I can't go anywhere or do anything without six people squeezing my nuts...literal and financial, and crawl up my ass with a microscope.  NO THANK YOU...I'll take my chances with box cutters.






Dr. MD MD

Never exchange your freedom for security because soon after you'll have neither. ;)

Jackstar

Quote from: Billy Joe Mulgreavey on March 31, 2018, 06:16:56 AM
a bunch of a-holes had multiple state id's and hijacked planes with box cutters

massive rolleyes


ItsOver

Quote from: Billy Joe Mulgreavey on March 31, 2018, 06:16:56 AM

...Shouldn't we have a right to travel from one place to another in any manner we chose, according to what we can afford?...


Damn, next you'll be thinking we have a right of self defense or something.  ::)   ;)






paladin1991

Quote from: Dr. MD MD on March 31, 2018, 06:35:28 AM
Never exchange your freedom for security because soon after you'll have neither. ;)
You just gotta post in every thread, don't you?  You posted the above for what reason?  In response to?  Because it sounded 'pithy' and might make you  sound smart?

What no video that nobody will watch?

sheeeeeit.

Dr. MD MD

Quote from: paladin1991 on April 10, 2018, 11:48:37 AM
You just gotta post in every thread, don't you?  You posted the above for what reason?  In response to?  Because it sounded 'pithy' and might make you  sound smart?

What no video that nobody will watch?

sheeeeeit.

Fuck you, you fucking fairy! Go cry about it to your boyfriend. ::)

Dr. MD MD

Quote from: paladin1991 on April 10, 2018, 11:48:37 AM
You just gotta post in every thread, don't you?  You posted the above for what reason?  In response to?  Because it sounded 'pithy' and might make you  sound smart?

What no video that nobody will watch?

sheeeeeit.

The one thing a loser like you wouldn't think of, because I care about the future of freedom in the world. You make me sick! ::)

Dr. MD MD

Quote from: paladin1991 on April 10, 2018, 11:48:37 AM
What no video that nobody will watch?

sheeeeeit.

Here's one for you, you chode hauling, deep throating superfaggot!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrV34Qv4OUM


ACE of CLUBS

Quote from: paladin1991 on April 10, 2018, 11:48:37 AM
You just gotta post in every thread, don't you?  You posted the above for what reason?  In response to?  Because it sounded 'pithy' and might make you  sound smart?

What no video that nobody will watch?

sheeeeeit.

The dumb fucker just can't help himself ......
Video lemming cuck ......  8)


Quote from: Dr. MD MD on April 10, 2018, 12:07:31 PM
The one thing a loser like you wouldn't think of, because I care about the future of freedom in the world. You make me sick! ::)

You voted for Obama.  And every other Democrat that came along.  Which is the opposite of ''caring about the future of freedom in the world''.  So where did this new-found concern come from, and how did you become so much more informed than people who actually have been concerned about it - and paying attention - much longer than you?

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if some lying Democrat came along and was able to convince you that they are the ones who care the most about unions or whatever your cherished cause is, and you flipped back.

So stop acting like you're the one who's most concerned and has the most information - you aren't, and you don't - and everyone else is either stupid or stuck in the past.  .

Dr. MD MD

Quote from: PB the Deplorable on April 10, 2018, 07:04:32 PM
You voted for Obama.  And every other Democrat that came along.  Which is the opposite of ''caring about the future of freedom in the world''.  So where did this new-found concern come from, and how did you become so much more informed than people who actually have been concerned about it - and paying attention - much longer than you?

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if some lying Democrat came along and was able to convince you that they are the ones who care the most about unions or whatever your cherished cause is, and you flipped back.

So stop acting like you're the one who's most concerned and has the most information - you aren't, and you don't - and everyone else is either stupid or stuck in the past.  .

First, I'm not acting like I'm most concerned. You can't handle THAT I'm concerned. Second, I don't give a shit what you think because you're obviously just a political hack who would have us be eternal debt slaves to the Rothschilds and the Rockerfellars. Lastly, suck a ginormous dick, faggot! :P


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