This is information retrieval not information dispersal.
If you ever plan on moving to South Carolina, be prepared to go through Brazil. Huh? Not the country, the movie. Brazil, the movie, is the Terry Gilliam sci-fi classic about bureaucracy in a retro-future world. It's got some very very funny scenes. Well, when you're watching an anti-bureaucracy movie they're funny. When you're going through them in real life, well, they lose some humor. Take getting your SC license and tag. You think you can just go to the DMV and knock that out, right? WRONG! Here's the series of step you can expect:
1.Go to the DMV office. Not just any DMV office, the specific one in my part of the state that grants driver's licenses to non-US citizens. Luckily there's one about 14 miles from my house in Greenville. There, pass the eye exam, then fill out an application. Wait in line for your number to be called up.
2.Hand in the application, show all the documents that you have, then pay the fee. Then wait in line again for your number to be called up and for you to get your picture.
3.Get your picture taken. And although the driver's license prints right away, you'll have to wait 8 weeks for it to be mailed to your home. "The applications are backed up"...but you do get a two-sheet temporary ID that's a pain in the ass to carry around.
4.Drive downtown (about 10 miles away) so you can pay the property taxes that you owe for your car (you heard that right). Go to the office that handles first time tax payers, and wait in line.
5.Hand in the proper documents and find out how much you owe in taxes.
6.Go to another office to wait in line to pay your taxes. Hand in the proper documents, pay the fee and get the receipt.
7.Drive another 10 miles back to the DMV to get your tag. Wait in line again, then hand your tax receipt. Fill out an application for the tag, and hand that in along with your fee.
And voila, you get your license and tag!
So yes, going through all of that made feel like a little like Sam Lowry going through information retrieval and information dispersal offices...
1.Go to the DMV office. Not just any DMV office, the specific one in my part of the state that grants driver's licenses to non-US citizens. Luckily there's one about 14 miles from my house in Greenville. There, pass the eye exam, then fill out an application. Wait in line for your number to be called up.
2.Hand in the application, show all the documents that you have, then pay the fee. Then wait in line again for your number to be called up and for you to get your picture.
3.Get your picture taken. And although the driver's license prints right away, you'll have to wait 8 weeks for it to be mailed to your home. "The applications are backed up"...but you do get a two-sheet temporary ID that's a pain in the ass to carry around.
4.Drive downtown (about 10 miles away) so you can pay the property taxes that you owe for your car (you heard that right). Go to the office that handles first time tax payers, and wait in line.
5.Hand in the proper documents and find out how much you owe in taxes.
6.Go to another office to wait in line to pay your taxes. Hand in the proper documents, pay the fee and get the receipt.
7.Drive another 10 miles back to the DMV to get your tag. Wait in line again, then hand your tax receipt. Fill out an application for the tag, and hand that in along with your fee.
And voila, you get your license and tag!
So yes, going through all of that made feel like a little like Sam Lowry going through information retrieval and information dispersal offices...
posted by oreo | 4:12 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home