Author Topic: A Pleasant DMV Experience  (Read 1530 times)

Online Dave Swanson

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A Pleasant DMV Experience
« on: August 11, 2019, 12:30:11 PM »
We all have bad stories to tell about frustrating DMV visits, but I want to tell a story of my recent good experience.

I purchased my 2016 Griso from a private owner in Georgia. I applied for title transfer and plates the end of May.  I received my plates the same day, but the title hadn't yet arrived although the Secretary of State had cashed my checks.

I went to the DMV, was waited on after a short wait by John.  John looked up my title and found that it had been frozen for an error.  He surmised that the error was a discrepancy in mileage from what I had stated on my application vs. what the Georgia title stated. 

The seller had recently moved from DC to Atlanta after retirement and when transferring the title to Georgia stated that the mileage was 2000 miles.  He really didn't get on with the Griso as it wasn't his type of bike and basically never rode it after moving to Georgia.

The bike actually had 1700 miles when I bought it, and that is what I stated for miles on my title application.  That 300 mile discrepancy it what caused my title transfer to be frozen!

John went to bat for me with the folks at the SOS office downstate and called me later to let me know the title had been released for printing!  Great, professional service even though he was extremely busy that day.  Faith restored, for now.  :)
Dave Swanson - Northern IL
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Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2019, 06:42:30 AM »
Glad to know there are still come capable people. Good help is getting harder and harder to find..  :smiley:
Chuck in (Elwood) Indiana/sometimes SoCal
 
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Offline Sasquatch Jim

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2019, 06:48:19 AM »
What!  DMV actually hired someone competent?  They'll soon remedy that by sending them to stupid school or firing them for competency.
Sasquatch Jim        Humanoid, sort of.

Offline kballowe

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2019, 07:03:44 AM »
WooooHoooo !

Maybe it'll be a trend !

 :thumb:

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2019, 07:03:44 AM »

Offline larrys

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2019, 07:15:21 AM »
That would never happen in CT! They have rules prohibiting good service at the DMV. Surly service required!
Larry
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Offline roadventure

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2019, 10:23:00 AM »
Dave,

Thanks for the positive story.  While living in Maryland, all of my personal interactions with the DMV folks were positive.  Now, having moved to Delaware, I have transferred two cars and one motorcycle to Delaware registration.  I can report that this experience at the Georgetown, DE DMV station went very smoothly and was a pleasant experience. 

I am sure that one bad experience can color all others, but my experience at DMV offices has been that the workers are good at their jobs and want to make things as easy as possible for you.
dave
Millville, DE

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Offline Antietam Classic Cycle

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2019, 11:01:13 AM »
Dave,

Thanks for the positive story.  While living in Maryland, all of my personal interactions with the DMV folks were positive.  Now, having moved to Delaware, I have transferred two cars and one motorcycle to Delaware registration.  I can report that this experience at the Georgetown, DE DMV station went very smoothly and was a pleasant experience. 

I am sure that one bad experience can color all others, but my experience at DMV offices has been that the workers are good at their jobs and want to make things as easy as possible for you.

Ditto on MD MVA. The ladies at the Hagerstown DMV are always pleasant and helpful even when the people they're trying to help aren't.
Charlie

Offline stonelover

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2019, 12:12:33 PM »
Had an unusual and good experience many years ago.  I'd just been released from active duty in Norfolk, VA and rode my '57 Triumph Thunderbird to the new home in Tennessee.  The DMV was set up so that the customer moved from window to window while their paperwork was passed from one employee to another.When I moved to the "next" window the attending woman presented a bill for sales tax.  I protested that I'd already paid tax to Virginia; didn't have a job yet and no bank account.  I must have been protesting rather loudly, because she passed a note to me that read "Keep quiet and keep moving".  Made my day !!

The DMV personnel here in WV have always been courteous, professional and helpful.

Offline Rick in WNY

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2019, 12:15:21 PM »
Just helped my son get title and tags on his first car last week. PennYan NY DMV office did a wonderful job, even if it did take three trips to get everything squared away. (Car was sold by a local garage, was out of state, but also, a repo. It was that last bit that made things more complex, and the lady we were dealing with at the DMV printed out the extra forms required and handed them to us, and she smiled the whole time.

So, while the bureaucracy is horrible, the people we dealt with locally were great!
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Offline SpadapatinaII

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #9 on: August 13, 2019, 05:30:33 PM »
Having spent half my formative driving years waiting in lines at the California DMV only to be told time and time again by the evil trolls working there that there was nothing they could do, I was astounded by how helpful and non-stressful all the the upstate NY DMVs were. In NY, the attitude was more like... " oh that won't work, let's try this, or maybe we can override that...". World of difference.

Offline LowRyter

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2019, 05:58:39 PM »
Our tag and license offices are private.   The quality and help varies from shop to shop. 
John L 
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Offline Kent in Upstate NY

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #11 on: August 13, 2019, 06:28:09 PM »
I have never had a problem, other than waiting in line, with California DMV. Upstate  NY DMV just as easy and no lines.
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Offline Lumpy Idle

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #12 on: August 13, 2019, 07:02:35 PM »
Having spent half my formative driving years waiting in lines at the California DMV only to be told time and time again by the evil trolls working there that there was nothing they could do,...

YES! me too. i have a list of stories from the CA DMV that run the gamut from annoying to downright infuriating. i never thought i would be in a position to say this but i went, not too long ago, to my local dmv here in the bay area and it wasn't bad at all. the CA dmv has been the subject of many news stories in recent years and they all detail incompetence, broken computer systems and absurdly long waits. the new so-called "real id" system has taxed the already overwhelmed system to the breaking point and the dmv has been forced to actually shut down some offices for a day for retraining or massive computer overhauls.  lines can run outside the building and down the block and extend to as many as a few hundred very fricking pissed off people.

so, when i went in i  was prepared for yet another 6 hour long siege. I brought water, trail mix and a cane that converts into a monopole seat. BUT NO - they apparently FINALLY got the message and they have revamped their entire procedure. i was in and out in 37 minutes and that's an all time record. it is a much less leisurely approach behind the counter. they move you along like cattle through a chute and i'm ok with that if it gets me out of there before i start thinking ordering delivery pizza.
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Offline Guzzistajohn

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2019, 09:52:33 AM »
I was doing some dmv work yesterday too. In and out in 10 minutes. Easy peasy
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Offline SED

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2019, 11:30:10 AM »
I had a remarkably great experience with the local dept. of licensing correcting the title on the bacon slicer. 

Title said it was a 1933 model 175 (probably a P175 175cc predecessor to the Airone) - it is a GTV 500 which started production in 1934.
When I got the manufacturer date from Guzzi (Feb. 18, 1937) I called the local Dept. of Licensing (they answer the phone!) to tell them I had the correct title info from the factory.  The woman gave me her work email address and told me to send a copy and a picture of the frame number!  How cool is that!

A couple days later she emailed and said that the title change had been approved by the state.  I went down to pay my $30 bucks or so for a corrected title and forgot to bring the hard copy of the letter from Guzzi so she printed it from the PDF I'd sent her.  First class!

DMV has always been a wait, but the people are usually nice, just a bit downtrodden.  Remember waiting in the lines when still a minor and I got to where they take your picture.  They make minors look to the side - an easy clue to tell people whether you are old enough to drink.  The lady said "look over there" and there was a little figure of the "Tasmanian Devil" cartoon character.  You couldn't look at it and not have a really natural smile - so great picture on my driver's license.

 :thumb:




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pete roper

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2019, 06:28:51 PM »
When I picked up my Mana in Florida in 2010 I had to go and get it tagged at the civic offices in Dan Raidt's home town. Given my experiences with the NSW DMV here I was expecting it to be an enraging shitfight! Nothing could of been further from the truth. The woman I dealt with was friendly and helpful and had one of her young, primary school age kids with her. I think I was a bit exotic. I don't think they get many Aussies tagging bikes in Florida! Anyway she managed to sort everything out easily enough and I was able to charm the kid and her mum by giving them some Australian coinage for 'Show and Tell' at school.

Compare this to what the DMV used to be like here and it was amazing! It was in the early 2000's they actually but a Perspex barrier on the counter. The only reason I could ever see for this was to stop frustrated patrons jumping the counter and strangling the surly, unhelpful nose-pickers and pencil chewers 'Employed' there! Having said that in recent years the place has changed entirely. Gone are all the barriers and they have a 'Greeter' at the entrance who will direct you where to go for your needs as they now do everything, gun licences, boat licences, rego, driving licences, the lot. Service is usually prompt and reasonably efficient but most of all it is generally friendly and helpful. A far cry from the sort of adversarial, verbal cage-fighting you had to engage in in the old days.

Pete

Offline RinkRat II

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2019, 06:42:25 PM »
Quote
I was able to charm the kid and her mum by giving them some Australian coinage for 'Show and Tell' at school.

      Ah yes good old fashioned bribery! Works almost every time :evil:

     Paul B
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Offline Guzzidad

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #17 on: August 14, 2019, 07:14:20 PM »
   I recently went to the Tampa DMV to get a license plate for my 1100 Sport which has been off the road for 14 years. Lots of people in there waiting their turn. But I never had a chance to sit down. My number was called in seconds. From the time I left my house till the time I got home was a half hour.

Offline Gliderjohn

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #18 on: August 14, 2019, 08:28:04 PM »
Back in the 80s it was time to renew. I lived in Wichita at the time and the tag offices and DMVs were usually a frustrating and slow nightmare. I happened to be in a smaller town that had a DMV and some time so I pulled in.
One person was leaving, I walk in, no one waiting. I get processed quickly and my picture taken. That was back when they used a Polaroid type setup. I waited and waited, no one else there. I go back to the counter and ask if there is a problem or something. The gal responded with "We are waiting for the next person so we can process your picture as the frame holds two.") Arg!
GliderJohn
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Offline Tom

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Re: A Pleasant DMV Experience
« Reply #19 on: August 16, 2019, 04:25:21 PM »
I'm probably the only former guy on the other side of the counter posting on the forum.  Some thoughts.  Any licensing work is now easier because of the internet.  No excuse to show up with faulty or lacking paperwork.  Check out the corresponding website to make sure.  Different states have different ways of doing things.  If you get frustrated with their process. 

Realize that the people involved didn't make it up.  They can slow the process down.  I use to go to the back office to check on something.  The manager would see me sipping a coffee and say "Another one?"  I'd smile and reply "Welcome to Arizona!"  I didn't get paid to verbally abused or sweared at.
From the Deep Deep South out in left field.  There are no stupid questions.  There are however stupid people asking questions.  🤣, this includes me.  😉

 

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