Good morning, blogging community and worldwide readership.Today marks attempt #9 at getting an Alabama drivers license. No, it's not due to the fact that I can't drive. That would be completely justified and understandable. I cannot get a drivers license in this state because of an absurdly unstreamlined out-of-state transfer process. And I cannot get a CAR TAG until I have an AL drivers license. Makes sense, I suppose. I don't know why anyone would want an AL car tag if they lived in, say, Iowa, but it's good to be weary of sneaky citizens. Or maybe this is just a ploy to get extra taxes out of me.
Back to the process. You have to wait in line outside the satellite office at the crack of dawn for the doors to open--when they do, only the first 16 people get to actually take care of business. The next lucky 16 get to come back that day at 1 to get theirs. What about the other 86 people waiting in line? "Try again. It's a new day." Yes, someone said that to me.
Anyway, yesterday I was lucky enough to cash in on the drivers license lottery of the state of Alabama when I landed the top spot on the 1 p.m. list. So I came back, picture ready, and what? What did you say? "The computers are down state wide, little lady. Why don't you wait awhile?" Since I'd already spent what feels like a third of my life there over the course of the past two months, I sit down and wait. And wait. And wait, while a guy in an authentic reggae hat named Hameed begged me for my phone number. Finally I left, looking ahead to a new day and a fresh chance at the lottery.This morning, I made the 1:00 list again. Yes! If it doesn't work again and I am rendered an 11th shot at the license lottery, I will take that as my cue to hop one more state over and just live in Georgia to avoid this whole thing.
THIS JUST IN....a text message from a friend I ran into at the office...the computers are down statewide again. What are they trying to do?
Georgia on my mind...
8 comments:
You should come to Sumter County. It's been two years, and Wes still doesn't have an Alabama license. We do have car tags because we registered to vote here. Loopholes! Getting my license was a fiasco b/c I was changing my name too...and you can only get your license on Tuesdays here so you better get there early! Good luck getting yours!! Meaghan
Claire this is horrible! But I do chuckle at the image of Hameed begging for you digits.
this is horrific. this confirms any theories that I have that all DL places are stupid. Just me trying to get a 'burg license was an act of congress. You had to line up BEFORE DAWN to be seen that day.
On a lighter note, who's to say Hameed is 'the one'?
think about it.
I thought getting a dl in MS was bad but I was wrong! Good luck. I'll keep my fingers crossed!
I totally understand. I've been in the same boat this week. I actually did get a tag yesterday, while still bearing my Mississippi license. I told the lady that the license thing was on my list of "to-dos" and she acted like it was no big deal.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I feel your pain!
i cannot believe you had to do this. i walked into the dmv, handed them my georgia license (my parents live there...this is when i finished college and moved back to birmingham), got my picture taken and was handed my temporary. i received my new license in the mail about 2 weeks later. you need to go to the shelby county office. MUCH easier than the crap you are doing there. are you going to the satellite office on greensprings?
claire,
this is absolute insanity. i had been living in Orange Beach for 4 months. i walked into the dvm, quick photo, new tag and i'm out the door. i have to give props to baldwin county. how ridiculous.
i think this calls for the return of the "hooded monster", last seen in a van careening down louisville street.
i guess that means you better move back to starkville.
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