Plan B Forum

I am here to renew my drivers license. I’ve been here for about an hour and they are now helping G183 and I am G198. There are a lot of non-citizens here. As a privileged old white man I am a minority and that isn’t because of my age. This is the new world order. This is a great place for people watching, being around grumpy people and practicing texting on my new smart phone. Oh boy, they’re now helping G187. I haven’t had this much fun since I was here 6 years ago.

Thanks for listening....

I've never had a wait at DMV (NY, KY and MO) for more than 10 or 15 minutes. OTOH, I usually avoid, if I can, Mondays because that's when all the folks who bought a new car at the weekend show up.

Our elected county treasurer closed four satellite DMV offices and opened one new one with larger staff. Instead of travelling a mile or five to a DMV, some folks now have to travel 25. Some things just don't make sense. I hope she has an opponent in the 2020 election. I won't vote for her.

Well, I was there about 1 1/2 hours. I was surprised the DMV was open because it's Columbus Day. I guess they finally decided he was too genocidal to justify a holiday. Anyway, I didn't make an appointment because when I went to make one online in September the first available appointment wasn't available until 3 weeks after my license expires - and it doesn't expire until near the end of November. I was required to make a personal appearance due to my crossover to old white privileged male status after my last license renewal was done.

To make things more interesting I applied for the "Real ID" which will be required some time next year if I want to fly or go into a federal government building. I needed to have a utility bill with my name on it and another type of bill with same info (I used a car insurance bill). I also had to have an original or certified birth certificate, which fortunately I have. If I didn't have it, that would have taken a lot more time and effort to get.

The first line I had to wait in was required for getting assigned a number. That was the longest line and was stretched out the front door a little while after I got into it. Then they let me sit down for about 45 minutes to wait for my number to be called. They called my number and sent me to a window which took about 15 minutes to process all of my documents, give me an eye test (which I passed w/o glasses!) and then sent me to the "Camera Line". That wait was about 10 minutes and I figured that was it - but no, I had to go wait in the "Corrections Line". Nothing needed to be corrected, they just wanted me to wait in another line. It took another 10 minutes for them to give me a paper 'interim license', which I don't need but they say I do.

I'm glad my DMV office is nearby. Having to drive 25 miles for this would be no fun. So, that's my story. I'm not sure when I'll be required to go back but whenever that is it will be too soon.

I even renewed my license online time before last, and the plates have always been renewable online. What prehistoric world do you live in out there in the People's Republic of California? Did have to go to the DMV to get the little star thing on my license so we could fly when we head out to Europe again next summer. In and out in under 15 minutes for the both of us.

Did the Real ID thing at Concord DMV in August near the time of my CA driver license due to expire.

Since I look a little worse for wear, I was placed in the handicapped line and didn't have to wait for too long.

In and out in around 2hrs.

The real fun will begin near October 2020 when real id will be mandatory for getting into federal bldgs., boarding flights, or using the men's room.

TPFKA@W wrote:I even renewed my license online time before last, and the plates have always been renewable online. What prehistoric world do you live in out there in the People's Republic of California? Did have to go to the DMV to get the little star thing on my license so we could fly when we head out to Europe again next summer. In and out in under 15 minutes for the both of us.

Yeah, but you only drive tractors, pickup trucks and horses where you live in Indiana, right?

Re. Real ID: I signed up for a RID/DL in January and received it in July. I figured it was better to have it than not.

Does anyone know if RID will now allow me pass through TSA to accompany family members to or from the gates?

I don’t know but I doubt it. It’s extra security not extra allowance.

And there are those wonder how voter ID laws are used to disenfranchise people.

Patty:
Some days we don't let the line move at all.

Selma:
Yeah, we call those *week*days.

RayThom wrote:Re. Real ID: I signed up for a RID/DL in January and received it in July. I figured it was better to have it than not.

Does anyone know if RID will now allow me pass through TSA to accompany family members to or from the gates?

I doubt it; TSA policy is usually ticketed passengers only. Can’t hurt to ask - as long as you are ass-kissingly polite when you do, so you don’t end up arbitrarily included on a no fly list.

Joe Guy wrote:

TPFKA@W wrote:I even renewed my license online time before last, and the plates have always been renewable online. What prehistoric world do you live in out there in the People's Republic of California? Did have to go to the DMV to get the little star thing on my license so we could fly when we head out to Europe again next summer. In and out in under 15 minutes for the both of us.

Yeah, but you only drive tractors, pickup trucks and horses where you live in Indiana, right?

No horses, or tractors in the neighborhood. Trucks of course, even mini donkeys and some asshole who has a rooster. Very sophisticated area. We are oddly blessed with very efficient DMV workers.

You’re lucky. I had to deal with five separate workers at the DMV. Only one of them acted like he didn’t want me dead. The rest were irritated women who seemed to hate being there and acted as though they didn’t like the fact that people were in their office.

Joe Guy wrote:You’re lucky. I had to deal with five separate workers at the DMV. Only one of them acted like he didn’t want me dead. The rest were irritated women who seemed to hate being there and acted as though they didn’t like the fact that people were in their office.

You do have an interesting effect on people.

Per TPFKA@W: Did have to go to the DMV to get the little star thing on my license so we could fly when we head out to Europe again next summer

Just so I understand, is there something here I need to know? My understanding was that certain driving licenses were not accepted as ID by TSA for the purposes of flying within the US because they were not electronically verifiable. But if you're in Europe or flying to Europe you have your passport anyway which is accepted for ID purposes. What difference does the 'little star thing' make in that context? If you are flying to Chicago or wherever to get the trans Atlantic flight than you still have to show your passport to check your bags through to your final destination.

then

The passport is the required document for flights overseas. Domestically, it is also acceptable as ID both for flights and to enter Federal Buildings. The point is that one can't turn up at Cleveland Hopkins expecting to get on a flight for Chicago if you've only got a pre-real driving license to show.

But I want to thank this thread for informing me there is such a thing as a real-ID. Margaretta and I are bound for the US in early June 2020 in order to renew our Ohio DLs. Now we know we'll need more than just the old license.

Blasted BMV in Ohio doesn't allow web-access from South Africa (and I suppose other foreign places) to get exact info. Last year I couldn't renew my car registration from here which is a damn nuisance. Or was. Turned in at lease-end earlier this year.

A contrast between the State cops and with the law here. We've been flashing our Ohio DLs at traffic stops for the past 10 years and no one's bothered to suggest we need SA papers. Wouldn't get that kind of non-service in OH!

ex-khobar Andy wrote:

Per TPFKA@W: Did have to go to the DMV to get the little star thing on my license so we could fly when we head out to Europe again next summer

Just so I understand, is there something here I need to know? My understanding was that certain driving licenses were not accepted as ID by TSA for the purposes of flying within the US because they were not electronically verifiable. But if you're in Europe or flying to Europe you have your passport anyway which is accepted for ID purposes. What difference does the 'little star thing' make in that context? If you are flying to Chicago or wherever to get the trans Atlantic flight than you still have to show your passport to check your bags through to your final destination.

Hmmm I haven't flown anywhere since we got our stars but I seem to recall being told we would need it to fly. Passport of course was a given, but of course when I fly to Chicago to board the flight to London I do not need my passport. Time will answer it.

ETA: https://www.in.gov/bmv/2577.htm "Beginning Oct. 1, 2020, a Real ID-compliant driver’s license, permit, or identification card will be required to board commercial airplanes ". So will need it to fly,

TPFKA@W wrote:I even renewed my license online time before last, and the plates have always been renewable online. What prehistoric world do you live in out there in the People's Republic of California? Did have to go to the DMV to get the little star thing on my license so we could fly when we head out to Europe again next summer. In and out in under 15 minutes for the both of us.

We have online renewal here in Massachusetts, too - but not for geriatric drivers. Perhaps that’s why Joe is required to renew in person?