There’s always good news and bad news.
The best news is that I am the beneficiary of a new (to me) car. That is exciting.
More good news: I didn’t go into debt to get it, due to the generosity of our firstborn!
More good news: the sun is shining and the temp is hovering around 50 degrees.
More good news: I was flattered by some people with whom I was commiserating at the DMV.
So here goes the bad news:
The other day, when I would have liked to register the new cars and transfer license plates, the line at the DMV was excruciatingly long. So a day later I figured I’d try another facility. Yay! No line! Alas, that was because the facility was CLOSED due to COVID.
Since the sun promised to shine today, with mild temps, I decided to return to the original DMV and just stick it out. I can do this!
In these times of virus protocols, the lines are definitely long because of “social distancing.” But I also remembered in previous dealings with the DMV that there are separate lines for licenses and for titles/registrations. I should have put this in the “good news” category, because I remembered to go to the front door to check out any line I should be aware of.
Lo and behold, there were indeed 3 lines. One for licenses (that is the line that stretched 3 blocks long), one for title/registration (that one had 5 people in it), and one specifically for “senior citizens” (with 3 people in line).
Pride goes before a fall, so of course I valiantly gave up my right to stand in the senior citizen line and instead stood with the title/registration folks. You can guess that the senior citizen line was emptied quickly, as they got priority, whereas I stood in line for 50 minutes behind my line. I pity those folks in the licensing line!
My turn finally came to get in the door. This is where you meet the “triage” employee. Title to transfer? Check. Current registration? Check. Driver’s license? Check. “Do you have your check or money order for the tax?” What tax? Oh, you know, just for showing up. Nope. I don’t carry checks (don’t use them), and so I was summarily dismissed to go to the closest Post Office and buy a money order. Ugh!!!
A bit of side good news was that there was no line at the Post Office. Whew!
Back I go to the DMV, and this time I took advantage of the senior citizen line, you can bet on that!
Ten minutes later, I’m in the door again and given the go-ahead to take my number and wait to be called. 45 minutes later I’m at the window explaining my needs.
"Oh … you want to put your personalized plates on the new car? I see they are in your husband’s name as well. Here is a form he will have to sign before we can do anything." UGH!!!
By now I’ve wasted three hours of my day. But hey, it’s still sunny and early enough that I can drive the 30 minutes to get Mark to sign off on the plates and get back to the priority senior citizen line, right?
Whew, I’m back and in the door within 5 minutes, given a number, which is called within another 5. Great!
Until I reach the window. She looks over all the documentation. So far, so good. Yippee, I have the money order to pay for the tax. But what’s this? You mean the new car is a Tesla? Oh, that’s an EV. Yeah, we don’t allow personalized plates on an EV. You have to buy new plates. And by the way, they are a LOT more expensive than normal OR personalized plates. (Yeah, I get it. They have to gouge you somewhere since they aren’t going to get any gas tax off of me.)
So, you’re telling me that even though I renewed my NanaElf plates in July for a full year, that they are no longer good? *insert her shrug here* Not only that, but there was no reason for me to go have my husband sign off on my personalized plates? *insert second shrug and a mumbled sorry*
When she slid all the paperwork for me to fill in, sign, and date, she then said … that will be $401. Yipes, what??? Oh, you’re using a credit card for that? That will be another $9. I said … After $400, what’s another 9?
Lots of wasted time. Lots of wasted “donated” money to the state of Illinois. But I’m street legal.
And so sad that “Nana Elf” is no more. :-(
This cautionary tale is brought to you by a citizen of the state of ILL. Yes, I did that on purpose.
One more piece of good news…I did not run into any ill-mannered customers or employees. Major gratitude there.
