Thursday, November 10, 2011
I got a taste today of why everyone hates the government. I was directed to the local Department of Motor Vehicle office in the neighboring town of Norwalk. In Connecticut the same office, I was told, handles driver’s licenses and license plates. I figured I could take care of both changes at the same time. I knew it might take a while, but I had no idea of what the situation is like here.
The line was to the door when I walked in. I could see this was for the “information” desk where everyone seemed to be starting. Although there were stations to take care of business on both sides of the desk, the signs were not very helpful so everyone seemed to have to start at the information desk, where there was only a single clerk. Most people in line were just as confused as I was. After standing there for several minutes I noticed a sign saying that if you were just there for a driver’s license you could move to another line. I did so. Although there was only a single person ahead of me when I got to the front of the line the clerks ignored me.
After I made my presence known one of the clerks kept repeating “Are you here for license plates? The line for license plates starts at the information booth.” Without waiting for an answer he turned away. Finally I said “You answered my question before I answered yours, and I am here for a driver’s license.” He then said the other clerk, who was sitting there staring at his computer, would help me. Finally, that clerk asked what I was there for, and when I told him I had moved from another state, he heaved a big sigh and said, no, they no longer handled license transfers at this office. He pulled out a packet of information. The top sheet was a list of offices which do, in fact, issue new licenses. The next was a form to fill out. Finally, he whipped through the information on the final sheet of paper, which was a list of the documents I will need to get a Connecticut driver’s license. I had not thought about the homeland security requirements but I should have realized no one can just walk up and get a license anymore.
First, I will need a primary identification document. My passport or birth certificate will do. Then I need two original documents to prove my Connecticut residency. My lease, I guess will not work. I need a computer-generated bill from a bank, mortgage company, utility, credit card company, doctor, or hospital. Too bad I just paid my bills and threw them out. So I have no such documents now. I have not opened a local bank account so I don’t have a bank statement, and I have no W-2 forms or pay stub. I am not on Medicaid or Medicare. I guess if you don’t have a job they are not too interested in you. Finally I need either my social security card or a recent W-2 form. Needless to say I did not get a Connecticut license today. I will have to wait for more mail, I guess. I think I have everything else.
As I left I could see the people in line ahead of me were still waiting for the information booth. I am sure they were there for hours. I will now be more prepared when I find the office in Bridgeport, Danbury, or Waterbury which can issue me a license.
It is not only the hassle of providing the forms, I get that, but the rudeness of the clerks. I appreciate they are busy and there are many, many people they need to wait on, but this kind of attitude seems unnecessary. I heard others also frustrated by this attitude. I had traveled to New York many times and encountered clerks who were not gregarious, but not rude. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I have dealt with this attitude. Twice when I called the cable company I had to ask for a supervisor because the first person was rude and unhelpful. The supervisors were fine, so I don’t think it was me. I know all of this is part of my adjustment to living in a different part of the country, but I am surprised by it.
By the way, did you see Herman Cain is now doing the typical defendant response, attack the victim. The way he explains it lying women just keep coming forward. He must be an extraordinarily unlucky man to have so many women lying about him. None of the other candidates seem to have this problem.
The line was to the door when I walked in. I could see this was for the “information” desk where everyone seemed to be starting. Although there were stations to take care of business on both sides of the desk, the signs were not very helpful so everyone seemed to have to start at the information desk, where there was only a single clerk. Most people in line were just as confused as I was. After standing there for several minutes I noticed a sign saying that if you were just there for a driver’s license you could move to another line. I did so. Although there was only a single person ahead of me when I got to the front of the line the clerks ignored me.
After I made my presence known one of the clerks kept repeating “Are you here for license plates? The line for license plates starts at the information booth.” Without waiting for an answer he turned away. Finally I said “You answered my question before I answered yours, and I am here for a driver’s license.” He then said the other clerk, who was sitting there staring at his computer, would help me. Finally, that clerk asked what I was there for, and when I told him I had moved from another state, he heaved a big sigh and said, no, they no longer handled license transfers at this office. He pulled out a packet of information. The top sheet was a list of offices which do, in fact, issue new licenses. The next was a form to fill out. Finally, he whipped through the information on the final sheet of paper, which was a list of the documents I will need to get a Connecticut driver’s license. I had not thought about the homeland security requirements but I should have realized no one can just walk up and get a license anymore.
First, I will need a primary identification document. My passport or birth certificate will do. Then I need two original documents to prove my Connecticut residency. My lease, I guess will not work. I need a computer-generated bill from a bank, mortgage company, utility, credit card company, doctor, or hospital. Too bad I just paid my bills and threw them out. So I have no such documents now. I have not opened a local bank account so I don’t have a bank statement, and I have no W-2 forms or pay stub. I am not on Medicaid or Medicare. I guess if you don’t have a job they are not too interested in you. Finally I need either my social security card or a recent W-2 form. Needless to say I did not get a Connecticut license today. I will have to wait for more mail, I guess. I think I have everything else.
As I left I could see the people in line ahead of me were still waiting for the information booth. I am sure they were there for hours. I will now be more prepared when I find the office in Bridgeport, Danbury, or Waterbury which can issue me a license.
It is not only the hassle of providing the forms, I get that, but the rudeness of the clerks. I appreciate they are busy and there are many, many people they need to wait on, but this kind of attitude seems unnecessary. I heard others also frustrated by this attitude. I had traveled to New York many times and encountered clerks who were not gregarious, but not rude. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I have dealt with this attitude. Twice when I called the cable company I had to ask for a supervisor because the first person was rude and unhelpful. The supervisors were fine, so I don’t think it was me. I know all of this is part of my adjustment to living in a different part of the country, but I am surprised by it.
By the way, did you see Herman Cain is now doing the typical defendant response, attack the victim. The way he explains it lying women just keep coming forward. He must be an extraordinarily unlucky man to have so many women lying about him. None of the other candidates seem to have this problem.
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