Current Events > What exactly is with the DMV in America?

(+) Yeah! (+)

They make it sound like it's an absolute nightmare. Why?

What exactly goes on in there? Why is so excruciating? Why does it seem to be so common place?

I'm Canadian so we don't really have a DMV, at least not the same thing. You go into the licence bureau like once a year to renew your registration, and you're out in 15-20 minutes. Even at the busiest time of day.

Explain dis shit to me
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America explain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EbnoElOJx0" data-time="
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Everyone who works there is just really rude, they move purposefully super slow, and its always packed.

*insert patty and selma meme here*
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Hmm

The ladies in our establishments aren't typically the friendliest people you meet, so on some level I kind of get it.

But still, not enough to write home about.
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The few that I've been to make you feel like you're in the military or something.
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Government paid employees that get yelled at all day by people who hate how government paid employees don't do shit for them because they forget one minor document at home and won't let them use their fax machine or printer.

The thing is that the DMV doesn't have to change anything. Regardless of service you're still going to have to pay them. I'm just thankful I can text an appointment to my DMV and just queue up until my number is called.
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What do you even go into it for?

Here I just send something in the post to renew my license. Or did the one time I had to when they got rid of the paper part of it.
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The one in the city next to me used to be a living Hell. It's actually gotten a HELL of a lot better since they tore it apart and re-built it.

The only thing criminal now is that it closes at like....3 or 4PM. Like wtf.
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I've never had a bad experience. Sure you wait some times but it's busy so what ever. People get frustrated at the workers for some reason and those people give zero fucks. Immigrants love the DMV. You don't even have to bribe anyone.
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I'm just lucky that a DMV just opened in my city, so when I went there to renew my license a lot of the employees there was friendly and the lines were moving at a fast rate. I finished in less than 10 minutes. Of course eventually they will start getting more and more people there, then it will be like any other DMV place.
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Funkydog posted...

What do you even go into it for?

Here I just send something in the post to renew my license. Or did the one time I had to when they got rid of the paper part of it.

The DMV here now handles everything... (license, taxes, registration, tags, even has a garage like place to do safety inspections).

All that has to pass (+ proof of insurance) or you don't drive.
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All of the ones around me are actually pretty nice.

Also, sitting and waiting isn't the horrendous experience that it was in our grandparents day. I can shitpost on CE for the time it takes for my number to be called.
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PrettyBoyFloyd posted...

Funkydog posted...

What do you even go into it for?

Here I just send something in the post to renew my license. Or did the one time I had to when they got rid of the paper part of it.

The DMV here now handles everything... (license, taxes, registration, tags, even has a garage like place to do safety inspections).

All that has to pass (+ proof of insurance) or you don't drive.

Sounds outdated tbh. Why not just do it online or by post?
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Funkydog posted...

PrettyBoyFloyd posted...

Funkydog posted...

What do you even go into it for?

Here I just send something in the post to renew my license. Or did the one time I had to when they got rid of the paper part of it.

The DMV here now handles everything... (license, taxes, registration, tags, even has a garage like place to do safety inspections).

All that has to pass (+ proof of insurance) or you don't drive.

Sounds outdated tbh. Why not just do it online or by post?

So like they send people to your house to give you your stuff and do car inspections ?

Besides I don't like doing it that way.

I ignore their mail they send me.

All I know is that my tags run out by Sept.

I like directly doing business.

Hell I don't even own a phone because if someone wants to talk to me they can come and see me personally so I can see who I'm talking too and who else is listening.
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Oh, for a car inspection we just go to a garage and get it done that way. Nice and easy and seems much more preferable to the hell the DMV sounds like to me honestly.
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Funkydog posted...

Oh, for a car inspection we just go to a garage and get it done that way. Nice and easy and seems much more preferable to the hell the DMV sounds like to me honestly.

Thing is that everything is in one spot now.

Back in the day you had one place to pay your car taxes, then you drove to your preferred place to get a inspection, then to the DMV to get your plates updated.
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Only issue I have are the hours. I've never had an issue with the actual DMV though
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PrettyBoyFloyd posted...

Funkydog posted...

Oh, for a car inspection we just go to a garage and get it done that way. Nice and easy and seems much more preferable to the hell the DMV sounds like to me honestly.

Thing is that everything is in one spot now.

Back in the day you had one place to pay your car taxes, then you drove to your preferred place to get a inspection, then to the DMV to get your plates updated.

Still sounds like a lot of hassle when you can just do it by post/online tbh. No need to take time off of work, no need to wait in line (save maybe taking to the garage I guess, but many are open later in the day or on weekends)
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I've dealt with the DMV in Oregon and they were always super chill and professional. And then I had to deal with the DMV in VA - you had to set up an appointment in advance and even then you had to wait on the street for half an hour to get a wait number (I don't get the point of the appointment then) and then wait for another 2+ hours.

It was absurd >_>.
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They have like 20 windows yet there's never an employee at more than 3 of them at a time
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Lots of states underfund their DMVs, and they're generally the only place to get photo I.D. of any kind, as well as having to process driving tests and everything else vehicle-related.
Like, there are literally places in this country where the nearest DMV is 20 miles away and its only open from 11-4 on every second Tuesday and fourth Thursday.

Many states have a bunch of hoops and hurdles to jump through when you:

Renew your license, especially if you're moving to a new state. Like, if you want from Florida to Maryland, you'd go through a whole ordeal that's overly complicated. Also, don't forget "Yeah we just need 2 pieces of mail from you, from different people at your current address to change your license address :)"

If you're trying to register your vehicle or obtain new license plates, that's also a huge, needlessly complicated ordeal. Or, if you try to transfer license plates from one vehicle to a new one, you'll have to deal with the DMV who will then call your secretary of state office, who will tell the DMV they don't know what to do, then the DMV will struggle with them for 25 minutes before getting the line call they need, to tell you that you need a MONEY ORDER of all things to be mailed with 6 copies of your transfer form to the Secretary of State, just to have your registration by valid in your state
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Well

Everyone needs to go there to get stuff done. It's the only one in town.

So you get into a line with literally anyone else in the area that needs pretty much anything for their car/boat/RV/motorcycle/license/etc...

You get to the first person and tell them what you need and they give you a giant ass paper form to fill out while you wait to actually get serviced.

Usually you won't have a problem finishing the paperwork because it takes an insane amount of time to process it and so everyone before you is backed right the fuck up for 45 minutes.

Then you get to the counter and they have to go over the paper form you filled out and ask questions and shit. If you didn't do everything perfect you either have to fill out more paperwork right then and there or go back and re-do the whole thing.

If you're lucky it ends there after you pay the fee or whatever. For a license picture or registration, you'll need to get into ANOTHER line where they take more paperwork to finish whatever you needed.

The biggest obstacles to time are 1) they put everyone in the same line, and 2) everything's done with paper and people checking the papers. I've been to places where they separate lines for people that have quicker tasks like surrendering plates. If they could somehow have people do the paperwork part online and then just show up with a confirmation number or something it would definitely go a lot quicker. But the gov't has no real interest in spending any money on efficiency.
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People who work there seem really unhappy and like they hate their job. But Ive also seen people argue or make scenes about the stupidest shit. So I imagine they just lose their patience over time.

Also the wait times are ridiculous. Even with an appointment you can be there 1-2 hours.

theAteam posted...

Well

Everyone needs to go there to get stuff done. It's the only one in town.

So you get into a line with literally anyone else in the area that needs pretty much anything for their car/boat/RV/motorcycle/license/etc...

You get to the first person and tell them what you need and they give you a giant ass paper form to fill out while you wait to actually get serviced.

Usually you won't have a problem finishing the paperwork because it takes an insane amount of time to process it and so everyone before you is backed right the fuck up for 45 minutes.

Then you get to the counter and they have to go over the paper form you filled out and ask questions and shit. If you didn't do everything perfect you either have to fill out more paperwork right then and there or go back and re-do the whole thing.

If you're lucky it ends there after you pay the fee or whatever. For a license picture or registration, you'll need to get into ANOTHER line where they take more paperwork to finish whatever you needed.

The biggest obstacles to time are 1) they put everyone in the same line, and 2) everything's done with paper and people checking the papers. I've been to places where they separate lines for people that have quicker tasks like surrendering plates. If they could somehow have people do the paperwork part online and then just show up with a confirmation number or something it would definitely go a lot quicker. But the gov't has no real interest in spending any money on efficiency.

Hahahaha

Yo

What the fuck kind of system is this?

Seriously, with ours you literally just walk up to the lady, she handles your shit. No switching lines to fill out paperwork, get your picture taken, anything. The clerk you see does it all, in and out. Wham bam thank you officer. The only hurdle you really have to jump through is that they only pay in cash, so if you didn't bring any/enough you gotta jump over to the ATM real quick and take out some cash.

But she waits for you son. You don't go to the back of the line

What a nightmare this sounds like.
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Yeah Im originally from Canada and its way more simple there. But it may have something to do with having like 10% of the population that the US does

SwayM posted...

They make it sound like it's an absolute nightmare

Who, comedians?

It's just waiting. Nothing crazy about it. You wait just as long for, like, doctor appointments or haircuts.

It's just a generic comedian topic.

RoboLaserGandhi posted...

SwayM posted...

They make it sound like it's an absolute nightmare

Who, comedians?

It's just waiting. Nothing crazy about it. You wait just as long for, like, doctor appointments or haircuts.

It's just a generic comedian topic.

No one would laugh at the jokes if it wasn't based in reality.
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We aren't allowed to clap in there
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if you work at the DMV you can literally nap for three hours a day every day for four years and not get fired

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/california-dmv-employee-napped-every-193200185.html
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SwayM posted...

theAteam posted...

Well

Everyone needs to go there to get stuff done. It's the only one in town.

So you get into a line with literally anyone else in the area that needs pretty much anything for their car/boat/RV/motorcycle/license/etc...

You get to the first person and tell them what you need and they give you a giant ass paper form to fill out while you wait to actually get serviced.

Usually you won't have a problem finishing the paperwork because it takes an insane amount of time to process it and so everyone before you is backed right the fuck up for 45 minutes.

Then you get to the counter and they have to go over the paper form you filled out and ask questions and shit. If you didn't do everything perfect you either have to fill out more paperwork right then and there or go back and re-do the whole thing.

If you're lucky it ends there after you pay the fee or whatever. For a license picture or registration, you'll need to get into ANOTHER line where they take more paperwork to finish whatever you needed.

The biggest obstacles to time are 1) they put everyone in the same line, and 2) everything's done with paper and people checking the papers. I've been to places where they separate lines for people that have quicker tasks like surrendering plates. If they could somehow have people do the paperwork part online and then just show up with a confirmation number or something it would definitely go a lot quicker. But the gov't has no real interest in spending any money on efficiency.

Hahahaha

Yo

What the fuck kind of system is this?

Seriously, with ours you literally just walk up to the lady, she handles your shit. No switching lines to fill out paperwork, get your picture taken, anything. The clerk you see does it all, in and out. Wham bam thank you officer. The only hurdle you really have to jump through is that they only pay in cash, so if you didn't bring any/enough you gotta jump over to the ATM real quick and take out some cash.

But she waits for you son. You don't go to the back of the line

What a nightmare this sounds like.

They're not all like that. There's one line but it's a queue system that feeds into multiple tellers. You also can set up reservations ahead of time which they handle first, and you can fill out paperwork ahead of time before arriving. Also a lot of the services like license renewal can be done online and automatically
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myztikrice posted...

You also can set up reservations ahead of time which they handle first

I tried that once but the first available was like a month away.

In my experience the smaller the town the easier it is to get through. The one in Bethpage NY was my old one and I spent literal hours in those shitty wooden benches.
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