So, I forgot to tell you about our lovely morning yesterday! So, we needed to go get our drivers licenses, so we got up really early to get there before 8 am. You have to understand, there is so much traffic here, and the timing of all the lights suck. It's like no matter what time of day or how long it's been since a car went through the intersection, a light will stay green for 2 minutes. So, the DMV was maybe 5 miles away, but we figured it might take half an hour to get there. And it sure did.
So, we were sitting at the light onto Hallandale Beach Blvd, which is a big road. We waited and waited. And we bitched about the timing of the traffic lights here. So, when the light turned green, the FP stepped on the gas. He wasn't going really really fast, but all of a sudden there was a 15 mph school zone, which he didn't see. A cop drove up next to him and was honking. So then, the cop drove up in front of us and stopped the car. In the middle of a busy road. As we're on our way to get Florida driver's licenses. The cop went up to the FP's window and started yelling. I mean yelling, like a dad would yell at a kid for wrecking his car.
He asked why we were going 50 in a 15 mph SCHOOL ZONE. All the FP could say is he didn't notice it. Which he didn't. The cop yelled and said, "I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD MY COFFEE YET!!! I had some iced coffee in the console. I almost offered it to him, but I thought better of it. The cop asked, where were you going to in such a hurry. The FP said, ironically, I was going to get my driver's license. The cop asked, "WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SLAP POINTS ON THAT LICENSE AND A $750 FINE?" The FP said no, of course. So, the cop told him (still in all caps) to go back home and start over again and go no faster than 12 miles an hour until he hit the end of the school zone. And then he said, "You're not in California anymore, Toto!" It was scary, like getting in trouble by a high school coach (no pervert joke intended).
So, the FP drove to the DMV. And there was a line waiting for it to open. About 25 people. So we got in line. It wasn't too bad, once the place opened. This woman was standing there, checking everyone's proof of identity, making sure it was all in order. She got to me, no problem. So, I waited in line. I got my forms checked again. And then I was given a number. I sat in the waiting chairs. The woman checker is talking to the FP. She goes up to the counter with the FP. They are talking to some guy. Then I see an angry look on the FP's face, and he swings open the door and storms out. So, I run out to catch him and find out what happened.
So, the almighty DMV manager wouldn't accept his 1099 form. First of all, they looked at it and said, "Do you have a W2 form?" So, the FP explained how he is an independent contractor, so he only has a 1099. So, then they said, "Do you have a social security card?" "No." "You need an original." He said, this is an original. This is what my employer sent me. So, then the manager said, "No, it's a copy." The FP said, "No, this is what I was given. This is what I sent to the IRS." (Okay, so I wasn't there, this is basically what went down, don't quote me on it). So, they wouldn't take it, so the FP exited the building before any nasty exchange took place.
So, I went back and waited. When I went up to the counter and after I gave the woman all my information, I asked her about the FP's case. She asked if the manager looked at his form. I said I didn't know, that I thought some guy at the counter looked at it. So, she told me to call him back in. So I called him, and he came back in. He showed her the form. She said, do you have a W2? He said no. He explained that if it's printed from an email isn't it good enough. She took it to the manager, and then she came back. She told him that the manager said only originals or printouts from the computer are accepted, no photocopies. He said that in his experience he could tell it was a photocopy, not from a printer because it was crooked. So, the form was crooked, and it was folded and a little bent. But it was not a photocopy. we haven't had a working copier in a long time. I guess the guy only works with fancy printers that never print crooked. Must be a nice life for him up in his high up DMV office.
So, the woman said the FP could go to his office and talk to him if he wanted. But the FP knew better, so he went outside to wait. I do appreciate the effort on the woman's part. I think that the stereotype of the DMV and the power wielding manager is just a little too appropriate here. So, we're going to go to another office Monday and try again with a whole bunch of forms.
Does it really truly have to be such a pain in the ass to go to the DMV? I mean really? And do they go through training that teaches them to be difficult? Yet, at the same time, they seem to be very lenient on the elderly, when maybe they should be so lenient on them if they can't driver properly or pass a written test.........
Welcome to Florida! You're not in California anymore, Toto!
No comments:
Post a Comment