Dealing With The DMV 2

I received some great responses from my Feb. 24 column about dealing with the Iowa Department of Transportation (commonly called the Department of Motor Vehicles or DMV) when it comes to getting a new driver's license or renewing one. Here are the comments I received by e-mail and some of the comments readers made after that column appeared Online:

"When I moved from Iowa to Wisconsin, I went to get my new Wisconsin drivers license, took with me my Iowa license, proof that I lived in Wisconsin (copy of a utility bill). Was told I needed my birth certificate. Went home to get it and returned, then found out it was not certified. It was the same one I used to get my Social Security. So I had to apply for a new birth certificate and wait for that to come, and then wait for the drivers license people to come back (only here once a month)." -- Virginia Eichmann, Prairie du Chien, WI

"I lived in California for 20 years, yes I waited for my first license but four years later they sent a renewal in the mail and all I had to do was send them a check to renew. Then I received a sticker to put on the back of the license. Of course you have to have a good driving record for that to happen. Then four years later the same thing. Four years later I received a notice to go to the DMV for eye test, picture, etc. They also took appointments, so you don't have to wait.  All this would save waiting in line. I think Iowa should do like California." -- Pat Alvernaz, Marion, Iowa

"My older brother had supervised my driving lessons by taking me to the oats stubble where I learned to dodge around the shocks without damaging the new clover plants. When he thought I could steer well enough we addressed an envelope to the driver license department at Allison, Iowa, the county seat. I folded a 3x5 file card around a quarter, twenty-five cents, put the card into the envelope and mailed it. A few days later my drivers license, a small white paper certificate with blue lettering, came by mail. I carried that card driving to high school taking two neighbor boys with me, seventy seven years ago." -- Name withheld by request

"When my husband and I moved from Missouri to Marion 20 years ago, there was a Dept. of Motor Vehicle office at the East End Shopping Center on 7th Avenue. We had to take the written test and have our vision tested to get Iowa licenses. After passing the written exam, I was standing in the vision testing line. There was a gentleman of about 90 or so in front of me. He was having trouble looking into the vision screen for that test. He kept telling the clerk he couldn't see it. So, she came from around the counter, looked into the screen and proceeded to read the screen for him! Guess what? HE PASSED THE VISION TEST!! I was tempted to ask her to take my test for me, too. But, I thought better of that. Anyway, we saw him drive out of the parking lot in his gigantic Cadillac. I don't know if that lady is still working for the DMV. But, if she is, maybe she can help the rest of us 'old folks.'" -- Grace Chalk, Marion

"In 1964 when I took the driving test for my first license I failed the test before I even got into my car. The problem was I wasn't serious enough. It was spring, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and I said to the examiner, 'It's such a beautiful day that no one could fail a driving test today.' (There may have been a little nervous laugh.) I was just 16 and on cloud 9 in anticipation of having my license. I was not being silly or disrespectful to this man. We walked in silence across the parking lot to my car. There he told me I wasn't being serious and he would not take me out for the test. I went back one week later and passed my driving test (different examiner) with a perfect score of 100%. I still have that piece of paper. Did the first examiner's attitude and words instill in me a respect for authority and reinforce the serious nature and responsibility of driving? It did not! I knew driving was serious business long before that day. But it did teach me a lesson about jerks." -- Sunny Story

"I have one for you. My son turned 16 and his birthday fell on one of the days that require them to take the driving test. We went to the Delaware County court house. We got there at 2:55 and stood in line. The drivers license station is open until 4. When we got to the front of the line it was 3:04. We told the lady that he was here for his license and that he had to drive. She said well does he have an appointment? I was like no I didn't know he had to make one. She said yes. So we go to make the appointment and she tells me we can't schedule it any time after 3 (3 being the last appointment time in the day) because it took half an hour for the test then more time to process the paperwork. I looked at her book and there was nothing scheduled that day but he couldn't drive then because it was 4 MINUTES after 3 and was too late. I was furious. We ended up going to Dubuque on Saturday morning and didn't need an appointment and the drive took 10 minutes. We were in and out of the Dubuque office in 25 minutes. That woman still works there and if you start talking about the license people at Delaware County to anyone, they all have a story about her." -- Katie

"Several years ago I went to renew my driver's license. I couldn't read anything while taking the eye test. The attendant told me I would have to wear glasses from now on while driving. I was very surprised as I didn't even wear reading glasses. Then the attendeant said to 'Hold on, I forgot to turn the machine on.' I then pass the test with flying colors." -- Ann Gerdts, Walker.

"About 5 years ago, as I was renewing my driver's license, I went through the usual motions, you know, the 'Press your forehead against the machine & read the top line aloud please' routine. It was with great pride that I effortlessly spoke the letters, loud & clear, missing none. Then the clerk said, 'Now, please step to your right & read the top line silently to yourself.' I obeyed quickly, stepped to my right & looked into the machine. To my dismay, I could see nothing. I stepped back, then took another look. Black. Black again.......nothing but black. Nervously I said, 'I'm sorry, but I can't see ANYthing.' The lady behind the desk looked up from her papers & politely said, 'I'm sorry, but you are looking into the lens of our camera.' I nearly died from embarrassment. The 'top line' I was to 'read silently to myself' was on a sheet of paper lying on the desk informing me of the organ donor program. Realizing what I had done, I immediately bent over & roared uncontrollably. I said, 'Oh my God! I feel like an idiot!' The clerk assured me that I was not the first person that had done this. Needless to say, in that particular driver's license photo I have a huge smile on my face.......because I couldn't quit laughing! Thanks!" -- Robin Shull, Washington, IA

"A year ago we were flying to San Diego and when I gave her my license at the CR airport she said, 'You know your license has expired.' Dear me, it had been expired for a whole year! When we got back Glenn got the book for me to study which I did when I went to bed every night and finally I was ready. I took the written test and passed so the lady at the counter told me to sit there and someone would come and get me to take the drivers test. She was rather a stoic looking lady but we headed out. I tried to make light conversation asking how long she had been doing the testing. She wasn't very responsive so I quite talking. I thought I did what she asked me to do and when we got back out to the license bureau she told me I didn't pass but that I could try again tomorrow. I thought 'Didn't pass! I've been driving for 50 years and I have been doing it all wrong!' I walked into the building, Glenn was waiting for me. 'I didn't pass,' I said in a little voice. He gave me a hug. It took me a week and a half to work up the courage to do this again. I didn't talk. If the speed limit was 25, I went 23, I switched on my turning signal a half a block before I was going to turn, I let half of Marion go down Seventh Avenue so the street was completely free of cars before I turned to return to the licence bureau. After we parked I waited anxiously. 'You passed,' she said. 'You could miss 15 and your score was 14.' I floated into the building to get in line. My picture has me with a gleeful grin. What did I learn from this? Now when I ask one of my Kirkwood pastry students to bake a waldorf astoria cake, frost and decorate it and I see the look of pure panic is his eyes, I understand completely." -- gbjdane

"When I saw your column last week that read, 'The resulting driver's license photo wasn't me,' I had to respond with my own experience. In June of 1994, I was a newlywed . . . I hadn't yet gotten around to changing my name and address on my license. I then became paranoid about my cop husband getting in trouble because his wife wasn't carrying an up-to-date license, so after sweating it for the weekend, I went to the DOT the following Monday. As my husband and I sat in the rows of chairs waiting for my turn, I was sure I couldn't see well enough to pass the eye test. Another thing I hadn't gotten around to yet was finding a new eye doctor here in town. I recall covering each eye and trying to read the sample vanity plates on the back wall of the drivers' license station. Nothing had gone right in this situation, so I was sure I would fail the eye test. When my turn finally came, I did pass the eye test, much to my relief. I thought the tough part was over.  Then I stepped over to have my picture taken. The DOT called over two people at a time for pictures. A twenty-year-old looking guy and I sat for the first shot and waited. When our pictures came out of the machine, they were all black and yellow. The clerk apologized, had us pose again, and retook our photos. The same thing happened. By this time she figured out that the entire box of film was bad. So we waited, impatiently by this time, while the flustered clerk retrieved a new box of film, opened it, and loaded it into the camera. After snapping our pictures for the third time, the clerk handed the young man his license, which he grabbed and stuffed in his pocket without a glance. The clerk then handed me my license. When I looked down at it, it had the young man's photo with my name and address. I sprinted out the door of the DOT and into the parking lot, hoping the kid hadn't already hopped in his car with my mug on his license. I saw the guy, yelled to get his attention, and explained that his license still wasn't correct. I'm sure he wondered who the crazy lady was that was chasing him down in a parking lot, since he obviously wasn't too observant. We went back inside, and after another picture session, he had his license and I had mine. It was exhausting, and I wondered if this farm girl was going to make it in the city. Incidentally, my license is up for renewal this March. I hope to go early in the month before the new mail-out program takes effect. With my track record, I want to see the license in my hot little hand before I leave the DOT." -- Val Jonker

And here are some of comments left online after my column ran:

From Kirby 1958: "Here is my story. I moved here from Nebraska two years ago. I was an over the road truck driver with 15 years of no speeding tickets or accidents on my CDL license. A couple of days before I went to get my license changed over from Nebraska, I hurt my foot and I was using a cane to walk. I went to the Iowa Dept of Motor Vehicles to get everything changed over and the lady at the desk said I wouldn't be able to get the CDL part of the license because I was using a cane to walk with. I went and talked to the head of her department and she said the same thing. They said I was going to (have to) take all the tests again after my foot got better. If any one knows what you have to go though to get a CDL, you know you keep it up to date. I don't think they have the right to deny me the CDL license. Any one know if they were right or if I am?"

A reply from Ctiger: "I don't think they can just do that. Sounds more as if they felt the need for a little power trip. Years ago they had an officer who liked to trick people into making mistakes. This became apparent, as no one seemed to pass when taking the test with her. One hot August day, a grateful victim of hers send her a large fish in the mail."

From mjea: "I guess I got lucky when I renewed my license last month - I wasn't told I couldn't smile. I guess I've got 5 more years of a smiling DL - as long as I don't misplace it. :) Why doesn't the DOT keep our photos on file and then when someone comes in with a birth certificate to replace their DL - they could pull up our picture and see if it's the right person. I imagine it would take a very large server/database to hold all that info - but if security is the name of the game then so be it. But I'd hate to have to try to prove you are who you say you are if you change a lot from your picture - can you imagine? Like the people who somehow get listed as dead and have to ‘prove' they are alive. Yikes."

Grandma of 6 replied: "That is really a good idea. They are doing it at hospitals and banks, etc-scanning in photo Id's."

FittyDolla added: "They do keep your photo on file. Its just not used in any way that's convenient to YOU." Then after a response from mjea, FittyDolla added: "Not meant to be be snotty towards you, mjea. But have you seen DMV workers actually try to make driving and registering cars easier? Most people seem to agree that they try to make everything harder."

They continued the exchange:

Mjea said: "It's not the DMV workers who make the rules or procedures for getting plates or DL. They simply enforce them. I know from experience that the workers at the Collins Rd station can be borderline rude (probably sometimes even outright rude) - but I have seen their customers verbally abuse them and throw a fit because of the rules and regulations. It doesn't make it ok to be rude to the next customer but they are human just trying to do their job - I agree that the bureaucrats who make the rules are making things more difficult. In Vinton the DMV employees are great. I went to renew my plates and needed to renew my license - it was very simple. I walked in and one lady was there to get her handicap placard - I waited approximately 3 minutes - then it was my turn. The entire process (plates & DL) took me 10 minutes - they let me smile for my DL picture and they handed me my license. I will never again go to the Collins Rd DMV."

FittyDolla wrote: "People who smile seem less guilty than people who don't smile. We need people to look more guilty and sinister so police will be more likely to charge them with crimes. There's still too many people who have never been processed through the criminal justice system."

And then again from FittyDolla: "There's people out there who get enjoyment out of making other peoples' lives more miserable. They tend to get government jobs, especially at the DMV where there's more opportunity to abuse people."

JB007 wrote: "Here are my stories. My first driver's license: while placing my feet in those small foot outlines on the floor, I kept my head upright but lowered my eyes to make sure my feet were in the correct spot. The lady took my photo right then so it looked like I had my eyes closed. It's been many years since that and my friends still rib me on it. My second driver's license: I was wearing a white dress shirt and decided to put on a dark sweater so the picture wouldn't look like it was all white. Unfortunately, the sweater fit fairly tight at the neck so my two collars got kinda pushed together. Result - my picture came out looking like I was a priest. Yep, still get called 'Father' today by my friends. I need to find new friends - LOL!"

From Iowaskiguy: "The reason for the DOT asking you not to smile for your license picture is for facial recognition software in use by Homeland Security. A person typically does not walk around with a smile on their face all the time. It is much easier for the software to match a neutral face to a neutral face."

From Cheyene: "Isn't the state in a financial crissis? Doesn't this just ad expense? Envelopes and postage for every license. I don't see the 'security' issue in it. Please point it out."

From hwkengr: "I wondered the same thing. I went to the DOT's website and found an article about this. Evidently, they will be doing some amount of security checks on each application and comparing the picture from the new license to those in their database to try and catch people trying to get an ID with someone else's information. Here is the link to the article: http://www.iowadot.gov/centralissuance/ I guess they could also claim that with not having to maintain the equipment that creates the licenses at each station the state can somehow save money. I don't know if I'd buy that or not, but I've heard those comments before."

From normansmaid: "Come to texas, we get our license renewed over the internet or just phone yer order in. No more standing in line."

And finally, from ThisIsMyView: "Perhaps that could be why Texas has so many illegals? Just a thought??? This seems much less secure than issuing the license at the time you apply for it, could help the USPS I suppose, they will certainly get the benefit of this. How many more people will need to be hired to accomplish this? Sounds pretty expensive to me in times of budget cuts. Hope it works, sure would like to see less illegals in this country."