Adventures at the DMV

[fbhjr]

The new car failed its inspection because the license plates were not shiny
enough.
Yes, in Massachusetts that is a valid reason to fail a car.
The reflective paint wears off over time and when there isn’t enough left,
you get new plates.  The only good news in this is if they fail for that
reason you don’t have to pay to replace them.

There is a registry office only 1 ½ miles from my work, so I planned to go
over there at lunch and get new plates.  I left ½ hour early in the hopes
of beating the lines and getting through quickly.

I got there at 11:33nto find there was a line for gettingbnumbers to wait in line. Eventually, I was given a number and told the average wait was 22 minutes.

22 minutes later, my category has 9 people in front of me and there are 6
other categories.
Then, 3 of my category all at once!
But, it took 35 minutes to actually get to me.
This is only because the manager of the division came out of her office and
decided to take a few people to reduce the line.

I was brought into the manager’s office and asked what I needed.
I explained it to her, she opinioned that it should be easy.

Then, she noticed my paperwork was lacking the critical insurance company
stamp.
“For the last 15 years we’ve had the car, it said ‘stamp not needed’ on the
paperwork,” I told her.  “I’ve taken that to mean you have a copy of it
here.”
“It needs to be transferred electronically and it hasn’t been,” she said.
“Can you call Commerce Insurance and have it sent over?”
“Why would I call Commerce when I use The Premier for my insurance?” I ask.
“I hate Commerce and have promised never to use them again.”
“The form your insurance company submitted says Commerce, but lacks the
stamp,” she said.  “Maybe you should call your agent.”
I did.
“We don’t know how to transfer the forms electronically,” Rose, at my
agency, told me.  “Can we fax it instead?”
“No fax!” the manager told me.  “It must be electronically transferred or
stamped in person, take your pick!”
“The girl who knew how to use the computer quit,” Rose told me.  “None of
the rest of us know how to do it electronically.”
I suggested she talk to the manager directly and handed over my iPhone.
At this point, I can only relate what was said at my end.
“You need to transfer it electronically.  Yes, it is a requirement.  No, I
don’t know how to log into your computer.  Is there someone else I can talk
to there?  You go to the state DMV web page and use your agency log in.
No, I don’t know your log in.  Yes, you must have one as you are listed on
the web site as one of the agencies set up to do this.  Is there another
branch of your company I can call instead?  OK, try it and see.”
She handed the phone back to me.
“They’re going to try and log in.  IF they manage it, here is my email
address so they can send it to me.  Go wait on the bench outside until you
hear something.”
I waited.  The manager helped 7 other people in line.
“You’re still here?” she asked as she came out of her office for the 8th.
“I still need new plates,” I said.  “So, I’m still here.”
She checked her email.  Nothing.
I called my agent again.
“I can’t figure out how to long on,” she said.
I motioned to my phone to suggest the manager talk with her again.
“Just put it on speaker,” she said.  I did.
“You can’t log on?”
“No.  I have no idea how to work it.”
“Is there ANYONE else we can talk to?”
“No.”
“Is there ANY other branch we can call to straighten this out?”
“No, the other branch closed.”
“OK,” the manager said.  “This once and once only I will allow you to fax
the form over so this poor fellow doesn’t have to drive the 90 miles to get
the stamp because you can’t figure out your computer.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“We will be waiting for your fax,” the manager said.

I went back to sitting down.

Ten minutes later, the manager called me in again.
“I’ve got the fax, but it still says Commerce on it,” she said.  “You said
you used Premier.”
“I do,” I said.  “I switched in 1998 because Commerce was a jerk to me and
I swore never to use them again.”
“Call your agent because I can’t put it through with the wrong company.”

I called.
“Oh, we don’t represent the Premier any more,” Rose told me.  “We swapped
you to Commerce a couple of months ago.”
“Didn’t you think you should tell me that?” I asked.  “You know I hate
them.”
“You’d find out when your renewal papers come,” she said.  “I didn’t think
you’d mind.”
I hung up.
“Apparently it is Commerce after all,” I told the manager.  “They changed
me and didn’t bother to tell me.”
“I need to send my insurance agent a thank you note,” she said.  “I never
realized how good they were.”
“Can I have new plates?”
She gave them to me.

I thanked her as she was very nice and it was not at all her fault.
I got back to work 2 hours after I left, having missed my lunch, but found
a headache.

Comments

[malterre.livejournal.com]

I'm just glad she was nice to you. I think we need to find out her name and send flowers

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

I've got her name, number, email & fax.

[morgan-lafaye.livejournal.com]

WTF! I am so sorry for you.

[brickhousewench.livejournal.com]

“The girl who knew how to use the computer quit,”

That right there is the reason to find a new insurance agent!!!!!

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

I agree.

[cissa.livejournal.com]

...Not to mention all the rest of it! "I switched you! I didn't think you'd mind!" REALLY????

[pallid-regina.livejournal.com]

"“The girl who knew how to use the computer quit,” Rose told me. “None of the rest of us know how to do it electronically.”"

WHAT THE FRIGGIN' WHAT, NOW?!

Seriously.

This can HAPPEN?! Now?! When people who are massively overqualified for everything are vying for jobs?!

Idiocracy is real. *facepalm*

[ravena-kade.livejournal.com]

yeah...this.

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

...

*blink*

Wow. Now I have a headache.

[evrgreen.livejournal.com]

I think that you're perfectly justified in finding an insurance agency with competent people in it - imagine if you actually had to file a claim, for god's sakes..

Do they still use typewriters at that office? You probably don't want to know..