Aaarggh!

[Jenny Mitchell]

Just need to vent for a minute...

I just got back from a 25 min. drive each way to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. You see, my handicapped placard, which is such a blessing to me and makes it much easier to do my job and my responsibilities as a mom, expires tomorrow. And the ortho doc agreed that I could benefit from an extension, so he gave me all the paperwork. I go in, wait in line, the lady checks my paperwork, says no problem, they'll call you in a minute - I don't sit down because I'm not sure I'll be able to get up out of the chairs, so I stand with my walker as the minutes drag on. Finally my name is called - so I go up, she looks at all the paperwork, starts the process, and then asks, "Is this a renewal?" I answer, "Yes," (after all, I checked the renewal box). She says, "You can't renew it because it hasn't actually expired yet." My mouth dropped. I said, "You mean that I have to come back tomorrow?" She said, "Well, I'm not actually sure you can renew it tomorrow because it won't have expired yet. It might work." Then I said, (mouth hanging a little lower), "You mean to tell me that I have to let this thing expire and come back next week and live without it until then?" She said, "No, we're open on Saturday." I said, "No, you aren't. It's Dec. 31st." She said, "Oh, I guess we're not. We're doing inventory." So basically the message is that I have to live without it until sometime on Tuesday (assuming I can get back in there then) and pray that God will make close parking spaces available for me in the meantime OR use the expired placard and hope no one checks dates, and if I do get a ticket, appeal OR have someone else drive me everywhere I need to go so they can let me off by doors OR... I am one frustrated lady, and part of what is frustrating me is how much this is bothering me. I suspect that part of my frustration is that I just learned that the daughter of one of my church folk died of Lou Gherig's last night - I'd been visiting her, and we'd become friends. So, sisters, I could really use a cyber-hug right now.

By the way, I did fire off an e-mail complaint to the BMV. I don't know whether it is a bad law or bad computer code, but it really ought to be fixed.

Grace and peace,
Jenny

[Gina Stevenson]

... another of those governmental absurdities! duh! What if someone, say, is in a wheelchair, and it's really even a worse pain for them to park far away, and theirs expires on Sunday? They're to go and park faaarrr away on some Monday to get it renewed, because using it on Monday, after expiring on Sunday, would be using it "unlawfully."

AND, of course, they wouldn't have been allowed to renew it on Saturday, because it didn't expire until Sunday. DEFINITELY something that should be allowed to be changed! Of course, the DMV here [they call it Secretary of State, but 3 initials is easier to type, ha!], also took a YEAR off my driver's license that was to be four years, and made it three ... because I went a couple of days before my birthday ... again, one of those weekend deals. HEY! They TOLD me it would be four years ... did not tell me to wait and come back after it expired on Monday, so that I could get the whole four years I was paying for. That really bugged me, finding it out a couple of weeks or more later when getting the license in the mail. I went down there, and told them they made my license wrong, as it said only three years, when I was told it was now four years [wasn't sure, as I was just moving back to MI when this happened]. THEN they explained that "before your b'day" thing .................... government ...................

Anyway, hope you can figure things out OK until next Tuesday ... when it will probably be a looong wait, for all sorts of people waiting for the long weekend to get over. I'm sorry this happened to you!


Just need to vent for a minute...

I just got back from a 25 min. drive each way to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. You see, my handicapped placard, which is such a blessing to me and makes it much easier to do my job and my responsibilities as a mom, expires tomorrow. And the ortho doc agreed that I could benefit from an extension, so he gave me all the paperwork. I go in, wait in line, the lady checks my paperwork, says no problem, they'll call you in a minute - I don't sit down because I'm not sure I'll be able to get up out of the chairs, so I stand with my walker as the minutes drag on. Finally my name is called - so I go up, she looks at all the paperwork, starts the process, and then asks, "Is this a renewal?" I answer, "Yes," (after all, I checked the renewal box). She says, "You can't renew it because it hasn't actually expired yet." My mouth dropped. I said, "You mean that I have to come back tomorrow?" She said, "Well, I'm not actually sure you can renew it tomorrow because it won't have expired yet. It might work." Then I said, (mouth hanging a little lower), "You mean to tell me that I have to let this thing expire and come back next week and live without it until then?" She said, "No, we're open on Saturday." I said, "No, you aren't. It's Dec. 31st." She said, "Oh, I guess we're not. We're doing inventory." So basically the message is that I have to live without it until sometime on Tuesday (assuming I can get back in there then) and pray that God will make close parking spaces available for me in the meantime OR use the expired placard and hope no one checks dates, and if I do get a ticket, appeal OR have someone else drive me everywhere I need to go so they can let me off by doors OR... I am one frustrated lady, and part of what is frustrating me is how much this is bothering me. I suspect that part of my frustration is that I just learned that the daughter of one of my church folk died of Lou Gherig's last night - I'd been visiting her, and we'd become friends. So, sisters, I could really use a cyber-hug right now.

By the way, I did fire off an e-mail complaint to the BMV. I don't know whether it is a bad law or bad computer code, but it really ought to be fixed.

Grace and peace,
Jenny

[Jenny Mitchell]

In Indiana, the person in the wheelchair would have to wait until Tuesday, because DMV offices are never open on Mondays...

[Sharon Isley]

That is insane. You have got to just love the government.

[Charlene Clevenger]

Jenny, cry on my shoulder if you need to. Actually it sounds like you need to kick something---please don't do that! Are you going to the BMW in New Haven? I hear the lines are shorter there. I'm not so sure. It depends on when you go. I wish I were free during the day to help you.

[Jenny Mitchell]

Thanks for the shoulder offer. If I want to kick something, I'll make sure it's soft, small, light and I use my good leg, okay?

Yes, I'm going to the BMV in New Haven. I've been fairly impressed with them. I don't think this is their problem, though. Part of what I'm dreading (and no, I haven't called yet to see if I can go today) is going Tuesday - their busiest day after a 3 day weekend at the beginning of a month - and they haven't exactly publicized that they'll be closed Saturday, so everyone who wanted to go on Saturday may have to go on Tuesday. I'll be in town Tuesday to see the oncologist, so at least I won't have to make an extra trip, but I won't have anyone along to help me, so the chairs are definitely out. I think Bob is going with me to the oncologists, but then he'll go to work.

Thanks again, Char.

[Jenny Mitchell]

Quick update - I called the DMV this morning and the clerk there took my info and got all the way to the payment screen, so she thinks I can renew it today. Hooray! Guess I'm adding another stop to the weekly shopping.

[Barbara Philipp]

Jenny: I sure hope so. I'll be praying that you have clear path. Let us know.

God bless

[Belinda Y. Edwards]

I'll be praying that you have clear path.

awesome prayer - i'll join you.

[Jenny Mitchell]

Despite recalcitrant computers (it kicked me out of the system a few times), I am now the pleased owner of a handicapped placard good through July. It took a while. According to a clerk there, it turns out the state of Indiana is afraid that I will take advantage of having 2 handicapped placards (how? why? is there much of a market for about to expire placards? my placard is assigned to me as a person, not to my car, so I can use it in whatever car I'm in) and so won't let me renew until the other one is on its death bed. I asked, "Why can't I just turn in the old placard and get a new one?" She didn't really have an answer for that, just "we can't do that." Anyway - no tears today. Thanks for all the hugs and prayers.

I still think it's a stupid law/policy.

[Barbara Philipp]

I agree, you should be able to go within one week or so of expiration of one placard and replace it. But then that would be easy and for some reason the government does like to issue easy.

As the light switch says as you leave the government office:

Please extiguish the illumination from this site if you are the last person exiting the area. In other words, last one out please flip the switch when you go home.

Can you say, DAH !!!, same thing with your placard, it should be something easy to switch out without frustrating tears.

Good New Years to you Miss Jenny, try not to renew the placard around 07/04/2006, the holiday might confuse them as well. (me has an attitude tonight, dear me).

[Jenny Mitchell]

Dear Miss Barbara,

It is my dearest hope that the placard will have been relegated to my glove compartment because I no longer need it long before it expires...

BTW, I LIKE your attitude. It brought a smile to my face, and I'm a little down tonight - I needed that smile.

Grace and peace,
Jenny

[Dana Grant]

It is my dearest hope that the placard will have been relegated to my glove compartment because I no longer need it long before it expires...

Jenny



At which time you can sell it for bazillions of dollars, as they expected you to before the expiration date......


LOL

Glad things worked out!!!

[Barbara Philipp]

Miss Jenny: Dana and I think a lot of alike, although I was going to have you auction on it on EBAY for bazillions.

May the Grace and Peace of our Lord be with you in the New Year to come.

[Peggy Freese]

I am so glad you got your new renewal placard. In Ohio, we can get 2 of them. Gene had all the paper work ready and we asked at the BMV IF it would be possable for us to get 2 because of him getting rides from his parents because of my working schedule and not remembering to get the card from car to car.. and they let us get 2 of them expiring the same date. It amazes me the difference in BMV laws....

peggy