Okay, this isn't the road trip story. Yet.
Today I finally went and got myself a local drivers license. Since I'd lived here for about eight months I figured the timing was just right. Plus, I wanted to be able to get a library card and to register to vote. I could probably do those things without a license, but it sure makes it easier if you have one.
The DMV was refreshingly less crowded and unpleasant than the ones I had visited in WA. I had to get three licenses there: One when I moved there, one when I got married, and another one when the expiration date came up. I visited the DMV in Poulsbo, North Seattle, and ...oh, I think the third one was in North Seattle too.
The Poulsbo DMV was fine, and I barely remember it , really. The North Seattle DMV was on Aurora, and for anyone who's lived in the area, you know its not the nicest of roads in the state. It goes all the way north up into Canada, and it goes south into Mexico. (Its called highway 99 in most other places.)
Lets just say if you're a sailor and you want to have a good time, thats the street you want to travel. Adult stores every other block, ladies of the night, a strip club or two, and a movie theater can be found in between the car dealerships and local bars. Get the picture? (Actually, Joseph and I took the bus up and down that road for fun all the time, just because I'm weird and like seeing strange places, but thats me. There is a nice Russian chocolates store around there too. Anyway, back to the story.)
Before I went today, I made sure to scour the Utah DMV website, so I could be certain to have all the documents I needed and would not have to drive to the other side of town to go get them. Be prepared, thats my motto. Or did that come from somewhere else?
Anyway, it said I needed: my old license, my Social Security card, and two items proving I lived here. No problem, right?
Hmm. Not exactly. I knew from reading a friend's blog that if you had lived in Utah previously (which I have) that they just reassign you your old license number. What I didn't know is that, because I got married while I was living somewhere else, I would have to actually show them my marriage certificate! I found this rather ridiculous, as my current license and SS card reflect the name. Oh well, I guess its like when you change your name on your bank account after you get married. Whatever. I did mark on their customer service survey that this fact should really be listed on their website.
When I returned from retrieving that marriage document, the process went surprisingly quickly. I paid, signed a few things, got my vision test. I had to take a 25 question test on a touch screen, but because I already had been driving it was "open book". I found this rather funny, as I was sitting between to 16 year old kids who probably wished they had my manual. I reverted back to my middle/high school technique of holding the book close to myself and only opened an inch or two, to discourage any random glances. Not that they'd have the same questions I did.
After the first few questions, I stopped looking in the book for most of them, as they were mostly ridiculous common sense things. As I was quickly breezing through the screens, kind of chuckling to myself, I did notice the two boys weren't finding things so easy. Ha ha. Bet you wish you had this manual, huh?
In the end, I did miss two. One still doesn't make sense to me: don't you think you should turn your wheels toward the curb when you're parked facing uphill? The other, I just didn't know where to look in the book. Can you believe only about 44% of kids in Utah under age five ride in booster or car seats? I guessed 95%. I suppose I forgot that they're not required by law in Utah, and that some people aren't too bright when it comes to car safety.
After the test, I got my picture taken. It didn't look too bad, as I remembered to wear makeup and everything. While going about the business of smiling for my photo, I saw the blonde youth who had been sitting to my left approach the counter and announce that he'd failed the test. Good thing you're allowed two tries per day! Poor kid.
So I guess now its actually official. I live in Utah again!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
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9 comments:
We got our Utah licenses in January. The DMV is completely different here than any DMV I've been to before! I didn't get a touch screen for my test though.
The day I spent getting my Nevada license (and I literally mean DAY) was one of the most awful experiences of my life. So long and it didn't even involve a test or anything. It was just sitting in a dirty building waiting for our number to be called so we could go wait in another line.
The wheel thing: If you are parked facing uphill, you turn your wheels away from the curb because if your brake were to fail the wheels would roll back toward the curb as opposed toward traffic.
yeah okay. I guess the front wheels would hit the curb, huh? I picture the car swerving all the way out into traffic, back end first, but I suppose it wouldn't get that far. In my head it still works better the other way. Sheesh, I don't know how I scored in the 99th percentile on the mechanical section of the ASFAB if I can't even figure that out!
*snicker* "Ladies of the night.." lol I didn't have to take a test or anything to get my Texas license. As I recall I just went in with my old one and proof of residency...well actually I don't know if I even had that since all the bills were in my roommates names...hmm..anyway, there was no line and I just walked in, filled out some paperwork, got my picture taken and walked out. I think they mailed my license to me, but I could be remembering getting my 21 year old license in Utah...which I had all of 6 months before moving to Texas and getting a new one. Anyway, Patrick said this must just be a magic vibe I carry with me to post offices, voting booths and DMV's where there are miraculously not lines. He says it always takes him an hour or more in line at these places. *shrug*
My mom just got her new license in Utah too, and they've been living there longer than eight months... when I went to get my new license in Washington I didn't even have to take a test. Maybe it was because I was just changing my name, or maybe the rules are just different here.
I finally got my Utah license. The first time I went in, I wasn't as prepared as you. I couldn't even find my social security card when I got home, and guess what you need to get a new card? Yep, a valid ID. Too bad I don't have a passport. I had to answer a bunch of questions and then they gave me a print out that said something like, "as far as we know this is the right number." I still need to go get a new card, but I keep hoping it will show up. I'm pretty sure it's here somewhere...
I had the same carseat question too. I found it in some random part of the book. I was surprised it was so low.
I think they just passed a law about booster seats like last week!
This reminds me of trying to get instate tuition! It was insane. I hade to not only prove I was married, but prove that my husband (who had been attending THAT university for the past SEVERAL years) was also a resident! It was so annoying!
I just got a new license, too! Actually, it's a CDL permit. I was kind of bummed because I looked fairly decent in my last photo - from when I was 21. I was going to just renew it again this year; you know, with a sticker on the back that shows the expiration, but getting the CDL killed that plan.
Anyway, welcome back (officially) to Utah! I can't believe it's been 8 months already - time flies!
Also, it was great to see you and your family last week! Thanks for stopping by!
thats funny that so many people wait to get their licenses, glad I'm not the only one!
Julie, it was great seeing you and Cardine too!
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