DMV Southern Style

In California, the Department of Motor Vehicles is an all-in-one entity, a one-stop shop for all of your vehicle legalities and driving allowance needs. Not so in North Carolina, where you have one building for your license needs and another building, at a completely different address, for your vehicle’s needs.

The DMV in Santa Rosa, CA is large but not large enough – a lot like the California freeways. The CA DMVs employ a large number of people who appear to be crammed in like sardines into their work station sardine cubicles. They are each flanked by countertops containing everything they will need. In front of them is you, another countertop between you so that you can sign and write your check. I think it’s also there to protect the worker from your arms reaching to grab a neck after being told how much today will cost. Behind the worker is an escape route although they are hindered by winding trails that need to be navigated, routes winding around desks manned by other employees who seem to be there just to protect the important-looking desks. Honestly, I have never seen a desk-worker pushing a paper or tapping a keyboard.

I have never been given service by a CA DMV worker who was anything but somber, oftentimes impatient, and bordering on grumpy. After 50 years of driving I can honestly say I have never been to a CA DMV and felt comfortable or relaxed until the moment I get what I need and can escape out the door and into the suddenly big, beautiful world. Okay, there was one moment when my husband and I, having some kind of legal business, needed printouts on our DMV history to show how “clean” we were. After checking both of our printouts the gentleman behind the counter remarked, “I don’t know. You two are so clean I’m thinking you don’t exist.” After 40 years, I still remember that moment in time. Looking back I worry that he was reported by a coworker and was sent to a refresher course dealing with proper DMV employee etiquette.

Now, let’s talk about the DMV in North Carolina. I walked in around 10 AM, having failed to get through on the phone to make an appointment. When I walked through the door a stern-looking man stopped me with a stern sounding voice. “May I Help You?!” I felt like I was back in California. I explained what I was trying to do and gave him my little-old-lady smile. His voice became less earthquake and more school principal, explaining that today’s appointments were full. “Come back tomorrow at 7 AM.” I said, “Thank you Sir” and left. I arrived the next morning at 7 AM to find 15 people already in line. We were all there to make appointments for the day. They give you a ticket with a letter and numbers (according to your needs) and send you on your way. When time to call your ticket draws near you receive a text. It is strongly suggested you get there within the next 15 minutes but your wait can still be up to two hours. I returned at 10:30 and was called to window #4 at 11 AM. The four DMV workers (they were short-staffed that day) sat behind a long, connected, high counter. They were helping drivers and answering questions from the woman working in the back office and still managed to sneak in occasional jovial barbs with each other as if they actually liked their coworkers and liked their jobs. By the time I was done I actually felt a little sad having to leave. I am just NOT photogenic as proved by my new license photo. Still, it is better than my passport photo that makes me look a leetle crazee. When I gave a wincing look at the photo on the screen, the nice DMV worker offered to take a second photo. Unheard of! I declined because that usually makes it worse.

I drove seven minutes to the license plate and auto registration office. There were about 10 people in the waiting room and five employees at the booths. I grabbed a number and barely had time to sit, and pull out my phone, before being called up to window #5. I was helped by another nice person who seemed to be at peace in her occupation. I left 15 minutes later with a registration paper and a brand new license plate. When I returned home I grabbed my trusty screwdriver and removed my CA license plates. That’s when I realized that the nice DMV employee had only given me one plate. I had a momentary freakout but took a deep breath and looked up. All of the cars in the parking lot were “missing” their front license plates. I hope the money saved in not making those extra plates is given to the DMV employees. They deserve it for being nice.

One more week and I am on my way back to California for the Wedding Of The Century. And, yes, I am driving. #ontheroadagain