DMV Horror

Yesterday I spent what seemed like three years of my life at the Department of Motor Vehicles helping Elise get her drivers permit. It will not be nice, but I must express some of my observations. It will make me feel better.

• When going to the DMV it is important to have no expectations for cleanliness, timeliness, or friendliness.
• It is a disadvantage to have everything in order. If you have everything in order you will be given a number and punished for your preparation by being made to wait next to the express line.
• Apparently, if you are an illegal immigrant from Madagascar with no documentation, unable to speak English, and you are trying to replace a license that you were never issued, - you get to bypass the whole number thing and stand in the express line.
• Working at the DMV entitles you to 45 minutes of break each hour and 15 minutes of work. I am not exaggerating. The process is -  help a person ,then disappear to the "back room" for 10 minutes, return smelling like a cigarette and Twinkies, help one more person, then return to the back room for 10 more minutes.
• This was gross! When we finally made it over to the cashier nearly two hours after arriving the lady who was helping us was picking her face. (I told you it was gross!!) Sure enough, her face started to bleed so she quickly grabbed a tissue, which quickly was turning red, and dabbed her face while still helping me and touching my paperwork. YUCK! Where does someone learn that this is OK?
• My guess is that the typical DMV worker hates people and hates helping. So they wake up hating their job of helping people. Hmmm?
• I am sure that there are wonderful, competent, hygienically appropriate, and friendly DMV workers that exist. I just have not had the opportunity to meet them.
• Just so you know, I was very pleasant. I said please and thank you and tried to help them have a better day, even though on the inside my cynicism was growing exponentially.

OK I feel better. I could go on but I won't. My wife did however and you can check out her take here.

Comments

[Donna]

Oh, the humanity of it all! I am very relieved to hear your most human expectations and disappointments aired - I was beginning to wonder if my expectations were warped...this could be a post developing.....thanks!