As you know, Florida is making news for our exuberant "Voter Purge." This morning's paper told us about a 61 year old woman who's been informed twice that she's dead. She's not too happy about it.
I guess that, in trying to weed out dead people and foreigners, a few mistakes should be expected.
And, as part of the identification process, and as the result of 9-11, getting a new driver's license in Florida has become quite an adventure.
I've been a Florida driver since 1962 (aside from three years at Emory University which is in Atlanta, Georgia.) My arrest record consists of one speeding ticket in the 1970s. However, this is the year my license needs to be renewed. So, day before yesterday, after making three calls and searching the Internet, I thought I had all the information I needed to get the license. Here's what you need:
Birth certificate or Passport. If you use your birth certificate you must also bring your marriage license if your current driver's license and marriage license do not bare the same name. The woman on the phone told me I would need to bring both of my marriage licenses. That made no sense to me since I don't use my current husband's last name.
Social security card
Current driver's license
Two forms of "proof of residence." I messed up on this. I thought the cards in my wallet would suffice but, no, you must have something mailed to you. The clerk finally let me use my passport as one and, after rummaging around in my car's glove box, I found something I had obviously received in the mail.
She asked me if I was the homeowner. Then she looked up my property to see if I owed back taxes. OK, why wouldn't that have been proof of where I lived? And why would my owing taxes have anything to do with getting my driver's license renewed?
By the way, I had previously asked the woman on the phone if they take credit cards.
"Yes...but we don't take VISA."
"How about a MasterCard debit?"
"We don't take debit cards."
The part I was concerned about, having to take some sort of test, was nothing. Just reading one line on the eye chart. That part of driving in Florida is easy, as some of my 90 year old friends will tell you.
Of course, they don't take appointments and the craziness of waiting with scores of other sullen, frustrated and scared folks is the same as it's always been.
But, after jumping threw all the hoops and paying $54.25, I got my license. Good for another eight years!
By the way, yesterday's paper had a letter from a guy who's upset because when his 94 year old dad turned in his driver's license, he had to pay $34.00 for a photo I.D. - so he could vote. I sure hope he didn't try to pay with VISA.
***
I guess that, in trying to weed out dead people and foreigners, a few mistakes should be expected.
And, as part of the identification process, and as the result of 9-11, getting a new driver's license in Florida has become quite an adventure.
I've been a Florida driver since 1962 (aside from three years at Emory University which is in Atlanta, Georgia.) My arrest record consists of one speeding ticket in the 1970s. However, this is the year my license needs to be renewed. So, day before yesterday, after making three calls and searching the Internet, I thought I had all the information I needed to get the license. Here's what you need:
Birth certificate or Passport. If you use your birth certificate you must also bring your marriage license if your current driver's license and marriage license do not bare the same name. The woman on the phone told me I would need to bring both of my marriage licenses. That made no sense to me since I don't use my current husband's last name.
Social security card
Current driver's license
Two forms of "proof of residence." I messed up on this. I thought the cards in my wallet would suffice but, no, you must have something mailed to you. The clerk finally let me use my passport as one and, after rummaging around in my car's glove box, I found something I had obviously received in the mail.
She asked me if I was the homeowner. Then she looked up my property to see if I owed back taxes. OK, why wouldn't that have been proof of where I lived? And why would my owing taxes have anything to do with getting my driver's license renewed?
By the way, I had previously asked the woman on the phone if they take credit cards.
"Yes...but we don't take VISA."
"How about a MasterCard debit?"
"We don't take debit cards."
The part I was concerned about, having to take some sort of test, was nothing. Just reading one line on the eye chart. That part of driving in Florida is easy, as some of my 90 year old friends will tell you.
Of course, they don't take appointments and the craziness of waiting with scores of other sullen, frustrated and scared folks is the same as it's always been.
But, after jumping threw all the hoops and paying $54.25, I got my license. Good for another eight years!
By the way, yesterday's paper had a letter from a guy who's upset because when his 94 year old dad turned in his driver's license, he had to pay $34.00 for a photo I.D. - so he could vote. I sure hope he didn't try to pay with VISA.
***
