I hate the DMV!!!

I thought I'd actually done everything right this year. I thought registration was going to be smooth...I should've known better. I registered my truck online - no big deal. Then (after the registration) something popped up about ordering specialty plates. I've always liked them so I thought, "what the hell?"

I chose the "Native Texan" plate, paid for it, got a receipt that said all I had to do was go to the tax office and pick them up when they were ready. I called this morning and they were there, so I decided to run by before work. I've been very excited about getting them (I'm a dork, I know. This isn't news.)

I got to the window and to start things off there was a sign that read, "Clerk in Training". Yea for me. I told her I needed to pick up my new plates and gave her my drivers license. She said, "I'm going to need more than that." I just kind of looked at her inquisitively. "I just need to pick up my plates." She went looking for them.

Ten minutes later she came back to the window and I asked her if I was supposed to get a new sticker to match it. She said she needed my insurance card. What?!?! Nobody mentioned that to me online or when I called. Then she got snippy. She said, "Have you ever been in here and received anything without your insurance card?" I started to tell her that nothing had been said to me about needing my proof of insurance. Notice I said started to tell her. Every time I started to say something, she would interrupt and repeat herself increasingly louder.

Her supervisor came over because I was on the verge of exploding. All I wanted was clarification and this "Clerk in Training" was refusing to even listen to what I was trying to ask her. The supervisor listened to what I had to say and why I was confused. I figured if you ordered new plates online that they would automatically tie it to your vehicle and issue a revised registration sticker. Apparently not. She explained to me that since I ordered it online I had to have the office make that connection, but she couldn't do that without my VIN#. Well, I don't keep my VIN# memorized, so I had to get my insurance card out of the car.

I was annoyed at this point, but no longer angry. I was heard and they understood my frustration and were able to explain everything. I was annoyed because I had to go back out to my car which is a pain in the ass in downtown Dallas. I was also annoyed that at no time, through the website, email, or phone call was I told that I would need to have this information for them to link up my car and registration to the new plates. I was just told to go in and pick them up - sounded simple enough.

I get back in there and she said there'd be a $6 fee for making the change (another thing that wasn't mentioned.) I pulled out my credit card because I had no cash. She paused and told me that they could only accept cash or check. I must have looked like I was about to either take her head off or blow my own head off. She grabbed my hand through the window and said in a very calm voice, "before you get upset, there's an ATM in the foyer."

To my surprise it was an ATM for my bank. I put my card in and it wouldn't read it. As I felt tears of rage building up I tried it again. After 3 attempts it finally read the card. I took my payment to the window. She apologized for the misunderstanding earlier and I apologized for getting upset (I have a tendency to instill fear in people when I get upset.) She grabbed my hand again and just held it. She said, "I understand your frustration, our website really sucks. I wish it had given you all of the information you needed." I thanked her and left feeling like I'd actually made a friend at the DMV.

When I say I "hate" the DMV, it's not the people that helped me today in the tax office - they were great after the initial misunderstanding. It's the online bullshit. Don't get me wrong - just the registration part was great - it was the specialty plate that was a problem.

Moral of the story - don't walk in the doors of the DMV without your insurance. Even if you're just stopping by to say "Hi".