It is a true wonder that there have been no reports of any shootings taking place at any state-run Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) (at least that I know of) . I mean, come on, admit it, anyone who bothers to take a peek at my blog and read this particular post can admit to experiencing extreme disappointment, disgust, anger, bewilderment (insert your own descriptive word, if you like) whenever they've gone down to the DMV.
Recently, I had the privilege to be hired by the school bus company in my neighborhood. Of course, I use the term "hired" loosely. I'm not exactly on their payroll or anything until I pass the Commercial Driver License permit test. Simple, right?
If only. Here in my state, we have several DMV's, but only one issues Commercial Driver Licenses (CDL) for the entire state. Only one puts people through all the rigamarole involved before even starting to train for the CDL road test. Rigamarole stuff such as having to present tons of documents before forking over $ just to take the CDL permit test.
This doesn't sound too bad so far, I know. However, the location of this one particular DMV office is an hour's drive away from where I live and involves having to drive through a major city with all the lovely rush hour traffic to boot. My first trip to this DMV was to merely pick up a Commercial Driver Manuel to study from for the permit test. Not a manual is offered at any other DMV in the state. That first drive there was not so bad because my husband came along for company and support.
So, after two weeks of studying hard from this manual and taking a couple free classes through the bus company (classes that offered guidance and tips on how to pass the permit test), I was ready to go take the test.
I went to the DMV twice this week to attempt the permit test. The first time, I have all my paperwork ready. I prayed against test anxiety, endured the city traffic, got there after an hour, waited in line at the DMV for at least 20 minutes and finally my number is called.
One by one, I'm pulling out the documents as the lady asks for them. I pull out my birth certificate. "That's not the right birth certificate," the lady behind the glass says. (Is that bullet proof glass, I wonder?)
"What?"
"We need the State and vital Birth Certificate. That," she points at my birth certificate in hand, "is a hospital birth certificate."
I feel my face warming. I want to say, "Are You KIDDING ME???" But because I'm a proclaiming Christian, and because I know the lady is just doing her job and has no control over having to follow certain rules and regulations, I bite my tongue and then take a few deep breaths. So I just say, "This is not good enough?" IT'S A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!! explodes in my head.
In her own courteous voice, she says, "No, I'm sorry."
"After all the trouble," I mutter. "I know I have another birth certificate, but I didn't think there was a difference."
She must have seen the frustration all over my face (what DMV employee wouldn't, dealing with frustrated patrons all day?) "So sorry. Hopefully it's the right one." She marks my paper as a CDL return in red so I won't have to wait in line again. The line wasn't so bad, truthfully. It's the hour's drive to and from home that's a pain in the neck.
I go home. Find the correct birth certificate. I'm too tired to go back the same day, so I go back the following morning (this morning).
Wouldn't you know it, I get the same courteous lady I had yesterday. I give my best, honest smile and present her with all the proper paperwork. Admittedly, this lady treats me well and not meanly like past dmv people, so I'm okay. It's not her I want to kill. It's not her I hate. It's the evil DMV and all its bureaucracy.
This time, I have the correct birth certificate along with all the other paperwork. After she entered all the proper documentation in the system, the clincher happened. She asked me to look in the eye exam machine. No problem, I think. It's like the eye exam you have to take for a regular driver license. Wrong! Apparently, the standards for obtaining a commercial driver license/permit are higher. My eyesight did not pass. Groan!
I didn't bother to take anything out on the lady behind the (bullet proof?) glass since she has no control over the eye exam standards or over my latent nystagmus problem that I happened to be born with and have had all my life (the same problem that prevented me from joining the military). She softened the blow by offering me an olive branch in the form of an eye card note to be filled out by my eye doctor. If he gives me the okay with this card and sends it directly to the DMV, then maybe I'll be fit to drive that big ol' school bus I envisioned myself doing during my partial retirement.
It could have been worse, this whole experience. The DMV could have charged me the $100.00 or more just to take the permit test and then test my eyes, have me fail, and then turn me away and not reimburse me. Maybe I shouldn't say that so loud. I wouldn't want to give the DMV any more ideas to make things worse for the general populace and cause a 'going postal' or a shooting scenario that hasn't happened yet.
