quickest DMV visit ever

[GPzPop]

Hi BARFs,
I have to brag, I had to renew my license, DMV required me to have in person visit for renewal with required refresh of eyesight test and new picture

no appointment walk in, around 11:30 am today, Redwood City office

in and out in 15 minutes !!!

well organized, minimum drama, friendly clerks with actual personalities, win !!!

discuss your horror stories at the DMV

 

[berth]

But...I've never had any horror stories with the DMV. They've all been fairly routine.

Well, actually, no, not true.

I was at the DMV once and overheard this lady who was taking the driving test using a tape machine, because she couldn't read. And that it was her third time trying to take it.

Not meaning to judge her, but...that was kind of scary. Not sure everyone should have a license.

 

[Butch]

Yeah, I always have an an appointment and if it looks like I can’t get in and out in twenty minutes, I bail.

 

[HeatXfer]

Redwood City office? Even with COVID I can't believe you didn't have at least a 45min wait. :wow

 

[Slow Goat]

But...I've never had any horror stories with the DMV. They've all been fairly routine.

Well, actually, no, not true.

I was at the DMV once and overheard this lady who was taking the driving test using a tape machine, because she couldn't read. And that it was her third time trying to take it.

Not meaning to judge her, but...that was kind of scary. Not sure everyone should have a license.

If they have the handbook in Braille, were in big trouble.

Best I ever heard was a few years back; here in the Bay, a woman was taking her 2nd driving test and ran into the DMV building and took out the electricity or gas (forget which) and shut down the whole office on a Friday afternoon.

Really should include a rudimentary IQ test with the written component.

My recent no-appt visit went quickly, too.

 

[ScottRNelson]

Discuss your horror stories at the DMV

That's how it is normally in Idaho - 15 minutes to register a vehicle. Getting a license was longer because you have to take the written test, but less than a 10 minute wait after showing up with no appointment until starting the test. Driver's licenses are done at the county sheriff's office, not the DMV.

Same with registering a vehicle. Show up, take a number, five minutes later I'm handing over my documentation and we go out to check the VIN.

When I used to have to register a vehicle in California, I was less than a mile from the Pleasanton DMV office. People would show up half an hour before they opened at 8:00 a.m. and wait in line. I learned to show up right at 8:00 instead, when I needed to register a new vehicle. More than half of the people in line would split off to do something other than register, so I was often out of there within 20 minutes. This was before I moved out in 2011. When I came back in 2016 it had gotten much worse.

 

[GAJ]

Hi BARFs,
I have to brag, I had to renew my license, DMV required me to have in person visit for renewal with required refresh of eyesight test and new picture

no appointment walk in, around 11:30 am today, Redwood City office

in and out in 15 minutes !!!

well organized, minimum drama, friendly clerks with actual personalities, win !!!

discuss your horror stories at the DMV

At 60 had to go in as you did but failed the eye test.

I've had an astigmatism in my left eye since birth and last time I took the vision test at the counter they passed me as I could read with both eyes but not with my left eye.

Not anymore, required me to go get an eye test and have them fill out the associated DMV form.

And required to take behind the wheel test.

The dumbass put down that I needed another eye test in 2 years which was this year.

Same routine but the Doctor wrote down five years this time so after my driving test (again and forever more I think at renewal for me or anyone ese that needs an eye test) they told me I'd be getting a new five year license.

License showed up but only three years on it so same freaking routine in 3 years. :thumbdown

Good news is that when I dropped off the eye test at 8:30am and told them I couldn't make an on line appt. for a behind the wheel test the guy took me out ASAP.

By the time we returned he had 9 cars waiting for him. :laughing

 

[gnahc79]

I had an appt for realID over a year ago in the afternoon. At the door was a DMV employee with a notepad, not a good sign :laughing. Their backend systems were down all morning. Fortunately everything came back online after 30-40 min when I arrived and I waited an additional 30 min or so.

 

[Blankpage]

I was dating a girl at the Concord AAA. Even after we split she still fast tracked my DMV business, the stuff that could be processed there. Nice perk of having a membership.

 

[vaara]

Horror story: Two years ago I had to renew my moto registration. I had moved a couple of times during the preceding year, and didn’t keep the DMV apprised of my whereabouts, so I never got the paper renewal notice without which it’s impossible to renew online.

So I made a 10am appointment at the Fell Street DMV.
Get there and the place is swarming with people. Got to the front of the check-in line and was told that because their systems were down, they hadn’t even started processing 8am appointments yet.

My registration was due *the following day*, so I decided to try San Rafael. Same deal - huge crowd waiting. WTF?

I went back to SF, as I had some work to do. Next day I went to Novato and finally got my damned sticker after waiting a mere 2 hours. IIRC this was right after Real ID started, which might explain the crowds and the IT issues.

Then of course I saw dozens of vehicles with expired tags on my way home and wondered why I even bothered. :eyeroll