I have been psyching myself up this past week to go to the DMV today. I need a Maryland license. And Maryland plates. I need to register to vote. I need to go to the DMV.
I, like everyone else, hate the DMV.
But regardless, today was the day. I printed directions. Printed my car insurance information. Wrote down my plate numbers. Brought 4 forms of ID: CA driver’s license, Passport, Birth Certificate and social security card. Excessive, maybe. Prepared, for sure.
I got in the car at 8:25. And checked my bag to make sure I had EVERYTHING POSSIBLE. While checking, I noticed that my insurance expires February 9, 2008. And for some reason I took "expires" to mean "starts." So I frantically searched my glove compartment for my current insurance documents. I found a lot of stuff that expired in September. Which meant [to me] that I have been driving without insurance for the past four months. Let me tell you, realizing you do not have insurance makes you the worst driver in the world.
I decided to continue on my DMV trek. And reasoned that if anyone asked to see proof of insurance, I would just run away. Of course, as soon as I got off the freeway I got lost. As written directions are incapable of making LARGE GREEN ARROWS appear above the streets I should turn on, they do not help me. So while waiting for a light at one of my numerous U-turns, I rechecked my insurance papers and realized that we are in January. Of 2008. 2008 has started already. February 9, 2008 is upcoming. Expires does not mean start. Therefore, I am insured. (I kid you not, that was my exact thought process.) Realizing I had car insurance made getting lost worth it.
Eventually, I found the DMV.
And, against my better judgment, I entered.
I wish I could tell you that three hours later I walked out with everything I needed. I wish I could tell you that I sat and waited but was rewarded. But instead, I am forced to admit that I could not get a driver’s license because I did not bring any proof that I actually live in Maryland. And not because I forgot it, but because I had no idea I needed it. I tried to write, "I heart MD" on the back of my social security card, but for legal reasons, that does not count. Defeated, I walked over to the license plate counter and was told that without the title to my car (which, a phone call later revealed is stored safely in California) I could not prove ownership and register for new plates. And I did not even think about registering to vote because, well, they would probably need to see my baby photos.
So, the morals of the story (in order of importance): Do not move out of state. Be prepared. Only you can prevent forest fires. Second time is the charm. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
enJOY it 
Leave a reply to melanie Cancel reply