Uhhhh. I...umm. Cannot truly explain this...alternate dimension where I have…read more..
This was weird. Last time I went to the DMV in the Big Stupid State, I had an appointment, and waited two hours in the appointment line. (The people who did not have an appointment were waiting closer to four hours.) It was the only appointment I could get within eight weeks in all nine Bay Area counties. Yes, before you ask, I also checked the Tracy office - I'm not an amateur. I even went with the San Francisco office over the San Mateo office, for those of you familiar with the Office of Evil.
At this, my last DMV experience, I was screamed at by only one employee. I was renewing an expired drivers license, and I was sick as a dog. Worst - Picture - Ever. I let the disabled guy who was struggling to walk ahead of me, because no one else was showing him any kindness - the government employees were certainly not accommodating him. I got my new license in about six months (some people had waited more than a year at this point), and this wasn't even in my top five worst DMV experiences.
Now here I am at my first Department of Licensing. Ever. The office is CLEAN. There are, and I counted, six people waiting in chairs. The first woman I talked to DID NOT hand me a form. She said, and I quote: "Welcome to Washington." And I think English may have been her first language.
I know! It's so bizarre! Right?
So - the DOL employee took my old license, and typed in my info. He also, strangely, mostly spoke English. He had a little trouble transferring the motorcycle credential, so it took: about ten minutes. And since he takes the license pics, he got bitched out by a supervisor because EIGHT people were waiting for their picture. That's *8* -- NOT 80! WTH?? The line wasn't out the door! No one was fighting for one of about 100 chairs! Are you kidding me??
Since it was so painless, I got my license plates, down the road at the other office. Whole thing took me less than an hour. Including a stop for drive-thru.
I got my license in about a week. One week. Decent picture, even.
Yeah, I know. Makes absolutely no sense to me, either.