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May 7, 2008
color me impressed.
Got the warning message 2 weeks ago that my California driver's license was going to expire in about a month, but I wasn't going to get off easy with a mail-in renewal this time. An actual DMV visit was mandatory, for the fingerprint/photo drill and of course to soak me for some cash.
If you're anything like me, this spells disaster.
I've NEVER been in and out of a DMV in less than 2 hours for something like this (at least since moving to the Bay Area where everything's busy), so the thought of carving said chunk of time out of a rather insurmountable daytime schedule wasn't particularly thrilling. Then I saw the note at the bottom- I could set an appointment online! God bless them Intertubes. I visited their form, made a few clicks, and had an appointment set for 2pm the following Wednesday- i.e. today. After the confirmation message was displayed, I realized that I was still going to have to go to the Oakland DMV and probably sit around for an ungodly span of time just to get waited on, so have been dreading today all week. Particularly because this week has been an absolutely freakin' insane one at work.
I'm shocked. My fears were totally unfounded.
I waited for about 3 minutes to 'check in' at the front desk, and things seemed like they were headed in a Southward direction almost immediately when my name wasn't on the appointment list, a multi-page behemoth in 8-pt Helvetica the bored desk clerk listlessly scanned thru at least three times until I saw an odd entry on the third page that didn't seem like a name - ASP. Come to think of it, they did build that server app in ASP (Active Server Pages), so WTF. I had her check the confirmation number, and sure enough- it was mine. Gleeful at not being shunned at the gate, I took my number and sat alongside all the other bored-looking patrons in the waiting area with a prime view of the Keno-esque queue monitor so I wouldn't miss my number being called.
My ass was in the seat for about as long as it took me to fire up my Kindle and read the next paragraph in the book I've been devouring (Small Favor) before my number was flashing full screen above me. Much to the chagrin of my fellow wait-ees, I walked up to desk 10, handed them my form and 25 bucks, they sent me to desk 24 for a picture and thumbprint, and I was back in the Audi before I even knew what hit me, new temporary license in hand. I hit the freeway home and checked the clock as I set the parking brake- 2:25 pm.
I left the house at 1:50. That's 35 minutes, door-to-door, for a DMV appointment. May not be a record for you, but it's easily halving my next best time, which to me- is one amazing feat. I may just have to renew my faith in public services at some point here, cause I sure as f@#k didn't see that coming. With the time I saved, I could still read the rest of that chapter in the sanctity of my own home, grab a quick bite from the fridge, and get back on the clock before my belated lunch hour expired.
Now THAT'S what a DMV appointment should be like. I'm impressed.
Posted by Scott at May 7, 2008 7:44 PM