DMV!

"ImmoralMinority" (araimondo)
10/22/2019 at 11:57 • Filed to: None

Hot take: They are always nice to me and helpful

It isn't their fault that bureaucracy sucks, and I deal with far worse government agencies on a daily basis.

DISCUSSION (16)

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > ImmoralMinority
10/22/2019 at 12:08

There seems to be about 1000 fewer people than I am used to in the DMV down south here. The ONLY reason I am a AAA member is to avoid having to go to the DMV lol. Granted, the appointment system here in California actually works FAR better than first come first serve ever did in NJ, those offices were way worse. I do wish the appointment finder worked better and allowed me to enter a date and then show the closest office with availability rather than the other way around. There are so many offices and I dont want to have to check every single one to find an appointment. I’d rather drive an hour to get a same day appointment than wait 3+ months in some cases.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > ImmoralMinority
10/22/2019 at 12:09

I generally don’t have too much of an issue when I’ve gone to the DMV either. I find that if you follow directions, have all the stuff that you’re supposed to have in order, that it’s a pretty smooth process.

Now that being said, when given the opportunity to just mail it in or do it online, I certainly take that option. My state is just now getting around to the Real ID rollout, so I’m not really looking forward to that, as I’m sure no one knows what is required yet. The DMV won’t even tell you what you need unless you make an appointment., which seems really dumb. Why hide the information and make it difficult to find?

facw > ImmoralMinority
10/22/2019 at 12:25

I’ve found the Massachusetts RMV quite friendly and helpful, though they often have long waits. I can’t say the same for the Texas DPS. New York was in between.

I note that they are basically designed for poor service though, with huge waiting areas that anticipate that they are going to make you wait forever. You never see that at like a bank, their queues are small because they will make sure you get processed quickly. The DMV should have a similar commitment to service, whether it means hiring more people, spreading people out via appointments, having longer hours, or opening more locations. Even if it means they need to raise fees to provide a decent level of service.

CTSenVy > ImmoralMinority
10/22/2019 at 12:46

Living in a smaller community my visits have always been friendly and quick.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > ImmoralMinority
10/22/2019 at 12:48

While a younger me would get frustrated when experiences with agencies like this didn’t go well, I’ve learned that being excellent to those folks almost always pays off.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated!
10/22/2019 at 13:04

Can’t stress enough how important it is to have all your stuff in order. When I had to register the Volvo I got everything together, filled out all the forms electronically and printed them out, so I was ready and the process went much smoother.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > ImmoralMinority
10/22/2019 at 13:04

Oh also just remembered my one interesting DMV experience where it was the only time in my life that I have wanted to punch a customer service person in the face for their response. When I moved from NJ to CA I followed the process to changeover my drivers license which included filling out paperwork, retaking a drivers written test, and filling out more paperwork. This stuff was fine until I get to the part where I was told they had to punch a hole in my current license in order to deactivate it and that it would also be approximately 2 weeks until my new license would arrive in the mail. Already I was tiffed about the 2 week wait instead of just printing the damn thing right then and there. But the being in limbo for ANY amount of time with only a paper printout as my license had me in full anger mode already. The real problem was that I had a flight coming up the next day along with a rental car at my destination. So I asked “can I still get into the airport with my hole punched license and paper temporary license?” and the response was “you need to call your airline to find that out”. This was just the most bullshit answer. I would have been fine with “no” or “fucking hell no” or any combination other than the response I was given. Obviously I just said thanks and left since Im not a psycho but it really bothered me to get an answer like that.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > ImmoralMinority
10/22/2019 at 13:17

A couple years ago, it amazed me how many people don’t know how to use a computer, by how many (mostly boomers) were told “you know you can just pay this online or in the mail ? You don’t actually have to sit here”.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > ImmoralMinority
10/22/2019 at 14:10

The AZ MVD has wait times posted online for their various offices and satellite facilities. It also has recommendations of how to avoid peak levels and cameras at their ADEQ emissions testing locations so you can see how busy it is.

I don’t know who set that up, but the MVD visits have stopped being a chore.

They even had the sense of humour to laugh and pass around my VAJAZZL plate when I decided I didn’t want to fight to own it.

I’m ok with all that.

shop-teacher > ImmoralMinority
10/22/2019 at 15:21

The DMV near my house is the same way. The facility is a total shit hole, the bureaucracy is mind boggling, and the prices go up and up and up ... but the people there are very friendly and helpful.

Chicagoland peeps, the Lombard full service DMV is the place to go.

His Stigness > ImmoralMinority
10/22/2019 at 19:43

As a smog tech I get a lot of people bitching about DMV. I REALLY want to tell them it’s mostly their own fault when you go in with an attitude like that. Granted, I’m not that old, but in all of the times I’ve been to DMV I’ve only ever had one shitty experience. But everyone else in this state acts as if you leave the DMV bloody and limping because it’s just a torture chamber.

His Stigness > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/22/2019 at 19:44

AAA is just getting more and more crowded because people keep going there instead of DMV. Just get rid of AAA if that’s all you’re using it for.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > His Stigness
10/22/2019 at 20:04

Well my membership lapsed since I was only using a free year anyways. But I did register three cars there using it so it was for sure worth it. Even if it gets more crowded, its nowhere near as bad as the DMV even with an appointment.

His Stigness > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/22/2019 at 20:24

Dude, you’re going to the wrong office then. Every time I go in with an appointment I’m out in fifteen minutes. I’ve only gone in once without an appointment and it was on a Saturday I was out in fifteen minutes too.

If you go right when they open, of course they’re going to be busy. Same for if they’re about to close. And avoid certain offices. But DMV is not the plague everyone portrays it to be.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > His Stigness
10/22/2019 at 20:50

Well WITH an appointment is for sure the hard part. Most of the offices have 2-3 month lead times on those. That is absurd. Any reason requiring me to go to a DMV needs IMMEDIATE resolution within a couple of days max. And that is with using the DMV in Ventura county only since I work out here. Its more like 4-5 month lead time on LA county appointments and only during non-usable hours for me at that.

In comparison AAA can resolve things day of with a 15-20 minute wait time no appointment. That alone makes it worth paying for if I needed DMV stuff more frequently. I would have been completely SOL waiting for hours with non-appointment at the DMV every time if it wasnt for AAA since there is only 14 days to register a car after buying. And its not like im going to make an appointment before I buy the car.

CaptDale - is secretly British > ImmoralMinority
10/23/2019 at 12:33

I agree. The DMV is only frustrating because of the lines due to people either not bringing in the right paperwork or filling out the wrong paperwork etc.

It is really quite easy to go in with everything you need, it telly you on the website. Hell I will usually bring in extra documents just in case .