How Not to Visit the Texas DPS
Aug. 21st, 2019 08:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livingdeb(Feel free to skip to the Recommendations section at the end.)
Why I Went
I got a letter explaining that starting 10/1/2020 my driver license will no longer be accepted "for federal purposes--including air travel and entering federal facilities" and so I should renew and get the fancy new kind of driver license that will be accepted, aka "REAL ID compliant." Literally, it will have a gold star on it. I think I heard that we'd need this new ID to be allowed to vote, too.
Requirements
The letter said that I should go online for information on how to find my nearest driver license office and how to schedule an appointment to avoid waiting in line plus a complete list of acceptable documents (including an application to be completed before my visit, my Social Security number or card and proof of citizenship or lawful presence).
So I looked online, where there was a different story.
1) You don't schedule appointments online, you request to get in line--then you get an estimate of when you need to be there.
2) There was a link to the list of documents I need, but it went to a page that listed documents that other people need.
False Starts
Let's just skip over the part where I went to the county office with auto registration, etc. instead of the state office with driver licenses. Doh. As an ex bureaucrat, you'd think I wouldn't make that mistake. And so then I walked over to the state office and realized I didn't have an unexpired insurance card with me, so then I went home. But I also stopped at the nearby Goodwill and Half Price Books and got some books.
The Plan
My roommate was having a lunch meeting near the office, so I decided to ride with him and then walk home. It's walkable, but not a short or pretty walk. I decided to go online a bit before leaving, but not too long before leaving because I had no clue how long the wait would be. Surely at least an hour. Then depending on the time, I would visit the same stores either before or after my visit.
What Happened
I had the web page all ready to click the get-in-line button, and so I clicked it. And it sent me to a few other pages where I had to fill out even more information and then gave me another get-in-line button. When I clicked that, it said my time would expire in 60 seconds, but there was no time given. Finally I saw a message that nothing was available for me. Okay, not helpful. (Later I learned that this always happens between 11 and 2 because of lunch. No, I don't understand.)
I go there, take a number, watch what numbers are showing and how long between each and estimate that it will be four hours. So I go to the stores. And I find five books! Amazing!
I come back two hours later, see what number's up and calculate that I still have two more hours. So I decide to go the Whataburger next door because I'm already feeling a bit hungry. I get fries and also try the chicken fajita taco, which is a burrito filled with delicious chicken and sauted veggies. Nice. Though I kind also wanted cheese and maybe some other stuff.
Anyway, I come back and they're calling a bunch of consecutive numbers back-to-back. Then a lady explains that they are checking ahead of time whether people are still there so that they can cancel the numbers for people who have left.
Then they do this again, this time with my series of numbers, only they have passed me. So I go up (to desk #16) and explain that I must have been gone the last time they checked because I could tell I had a long wait. The employee said she could put me back in the system at my same place, but she had trouble and let three people ahead of me. Finally she said that she could put me almost at my same place and updated the number on my paper. Then she said she could do this only once and that I would have to stay in the building.
Hmm, and now I'm remembering that there were announcements that you can't stand, you have to sit, and if there are no chairs available you have to wait outside in the heat. So I'm not sure how you stay in the building and also wait outside at the same time. Fortunately, there were empty chairs.
There was also an announcement that we are not allowed to drink anything while we are in the building. They did, at least, have restrooms. Yeesh.
And there was an announcement that they were not re-instating numbers anymore because it's too busy.
Then there was yet another check, and when my number came up, I was ready to say that I was there, but she skipped my number. So I walked up (to desk #15) and explained. She checked again and said my number was not there. Then she told me to go to the desk next to her (#16). I said, "No. No, no, no. No." And stormed out of there.
And thought to myself, briefly, "I don't really need to drive anyway."
And then decided I should go to that desk anyway just in case they would re-instate me again after all. Just when it was almost my turn, the desk #15 lady told the desk #16 guy that he was wanted in the back. Then she helped three people who were behind me. Then she called me and I said that she had told me to go to desk #16. Then she asked me my number, I told her, she looked it up, and she said I was in still the system, no problem. Umm. Dystopia, thy name is DPS.
So I find a seat and see that the number right before mine is already on the screen. I had almost left right before it was my turn! I was remembering a prison I had visited that had a lot of really over-the-top rules. Someone had been punished for disobeying the rule against spitting. Even though she was in the shower. I felt like I was in a similar place, where you have to do what they say and accept what they say, no matter how stupid. Meanwhile the lady continued yelling a million numbers. I plugged my ears and slouched over in a ball, glad that I didn't have actual PTSD or anything.
Then my number was called. First I handed over the form. Then she wanted a birth certificate or passport and my license. (And not my insurance.) And then she wanted to take a picture, but it was like getting a mammogram with her wanting me positioned a certain way that she couldn't explain to me. I had to look straight ahead but also a little to my left with my head a little down, and the first two pictures came out too crooked. At least they weren't squeezing my head during the pictures, just making me feel like an idiot who can't follow instructions. But then, unlike my county office, this state office took a credit card without charging an extra fee.
It's not about driving at all. (Oh, except that there was also a vision test.) It's about a federal ID card that they can use to throw people in immigration camps. I feel like I'm in a police state. And I'd rather live in a place that's not a police state. Of course I'm a real citizen and I'm going to have a gold star and everything is going to be okay for me. I am just appalled about what's happening and what's going to be happening to other people.
Recommendations
Based on the above and other things I heard while I was there, here are my recommendations.
On the day you want to do this, use the website to reserve your place in line at 7 am (or at the very least, sometime before 8 am). Make sure you get there ten minutes before the predicted time, just in case. They have the forms there, and you can fill them in there; they just want them finished before your number is called. Bring your driver license, your Social Security card and a birth certificate, passport, or other citizenship-related ID. Bring ear plugs. Bring your submissiveness.
Why I Went
I got a letter explaining that starting 10/1/2020 my driver license will no longer be accepted "for federal purposes--including air travel and entering federal facilities" and so I should renew and get the fancy new kind of driver license that will be accepted, aka "REAL ID compliant." Literally, it will have a gold star on it. I think I heard that we'd need this new ID to be allowed to vote, too.
Requirements
The letter said that I should go online for information on how to find my nearest driver license office and how to schedule an appointment to avoid waiting in line plus a complete list of acceptable documents (including an application to be completed before my visit, my Social Security number or card and proof of citizenship or lawful presence).
So I looked online, where there was a different story.
1) You don't schedule appointments online, you request to get in line--then you get an estimate of when you need to be there.
2) There was a link to the list of documents I need, but it went to a page that listed documents that other people need.
False Starts
Let's just skip over the part where I went to the county office with auto registration, etc. instead of the state office with driver licenses. Doh. As an ex bureaucrat, you'd think I wouldn't make that mistake. And so then I walked over to the state office and realized I didn't have an unexpired insurance card with me, so then I went home. But I also stopped at the nearby Goodwill and Half Price Books and got some books.
The Plan
My roommate was having a lunch meeting near the office, so I decided to ride with him and then walk home. It's walkable, but not a short or pretty walk. I decided to go online a bit before leaving, but not too long before leaving because I had no clue how long the wait would be. Surely at least an hour. Then depending on the time, I would visit the same stores either before or after my visit.
What Happened
I had the web page all ready to click the get-in-line button, and so I clicked it. And it sent me to a few other pages where I had to fill out even more information and then gave me another get-in-line button. When I clicked that, it said my time would expire in 60 seconds, but there was no time given. Finally I saw a message that nothing was available for me. Okay, not helpful. (Later I learned that this always happens between 11 and 2 because of lunch. No, I don't understand.)
I go there, take a number, watch what numbers are showing and how long between each and estimate that it will be four hours. So I go to the stores. And I find five books! Amazing!
I come back two hours later, see what number's up and calculate that I still have two more hours. So I decide to go the Whataburger next door because I'm already feeling a bit hungry. I get fries and also try the chicken fajita taco, which is a burrito filled with delicious chicken and sauted veggies. Nice. Though I kind also wanted cheese and maybe some other stuff.
Anyway, I come back and they're calling a bunch of consecutive numbers back-to-back. Then a lady explains that they are checking ahead of time whether people are still there so that they can cancel the numbers for people who have left.
Then they do this again, this time with my series of numbers, only they have passed me. So I go up (to desk #16) and explain that I must have been gone the last time they checked because I could tell I had a long wait. The employee said she could put me back in the system at my same place, but she had trouble and let three people ahead of me. Finally she said that she could put me almost at my same place and updated the number on my paper. Then she said she could do this only once and that I would have to stay in the building.
Hmm, and now I'm remembering that there were announcements that you can't stand, you have to sit, and if there are no chairs available you have to wait outside in the heat. So I'm not sure how you stay in the building and also wait outside at the same time. Fortunately, there were empty chairs.
There was also an announcement that we are not allowed to drink anything while we are in the building. They did, at least, have restrooms. Yeesh.
And there was an announcement that they were not re-instating numbers anymore because it's too busy.
Then there was yet another check, and when my number came up, I was ready to say that I was there, but she skipped my number. So I walked up (to desk #15) and explained. She checked again and said my number was not there. Then she told me to go to the desk next to her (#16). I said, "No. No, no, no. No." And stormed out of there.
And thought to myself, briefly, "I don't really need to drive anyway."
And then decided I should go to that desk anyway just in case they would re-instate me again after all. Just when it was almost my turn, the desk #15 lady told the desk #16 guy that he was wanted in the back. Then she helped three people who were behind me. Then she called me and I said that she had told me to go to desk #16. Then she asked me my number, I told her, she looked it up, and she said I was in still the system, no problem. Umm. Dystopia, thy name is DPS.
So I find a seat and see that the number right before mine is already on the screen. I had almost left right before it was my turn! I was remembering a prison I had visited that had a lot of really over-the-top rules. Someone had been punished for disobeying the rule against spitting. Even though she was in the shower. I felt like I was in a similar place, where you have to do what they say and accept what they say, no matter how stupid. Meanwhile the lady continued yelling a million numbers. I plugged my ears and slouched over in a ball, glad that I didn't have actual PTSD or anything.
Then my number was called. First I handed over the form. Then she wanted a birth certificate or passport and my license. (And not my insurance.) And then she wanted to take a picture, but it was like getting a mammogram with her wanting me positioned a certain way that she couldn't explain to me. I had to look straight ahead but also a little to my left with my head a little down, and the first two pictures came out too crooked. At least they weren't squeezing my head during the pictures, just making me feel like an idiot who can't follow instructions. But then, unlike my county office, this state office took a credit card without charging an extra fee.
It's not about driving at all. (Oh, except that there was also a vision test.) It's about a federal ID card that they can use to throw people in immigration camps. I feel like I'm in a police state. And I'd rather live in a place that's not a police state. Of course I'm a real citizen and I'm going to have a gold star and everything is going to be okay for me. I am just appalled about what's happening and what's going to be happening to other people.
Recommendations
Based on the above and other things I heard while I was there, here are my recommendations.
On the day you want to do this, use the website to reserve your place in line at 7 am (or at the very least, sometime before 8 am). Make sure you get there ten minutes before the predicted time, just in case. They have the forms there, and you can fill them in there; they just want them finished before your number is called. Bring your driver license, your Social Security card and a birth certificate, passport, or other citizenship-related ID. Bring ear plugs. Bring your submissiveness.
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no subject
on 2019-08-22 04:24 am (UTC)no subject
on 2019-08-23 02:42 am (UTC)Also, things may be different in your state.
A portal to Hell
on 2019-08-30 02:46 am (UTC)A number of years ago a funny TV show called "Reaper" ran for a couple of seasons. Basically about a guy who had to work for the devil. A hilarious part of it involved the guy having to send a soul to Hell. Where did he go? Why, the DMV/DPS office where a demon would open a portal to Hell to complete the deal. There were always tons of people waiting in line, very unhappy, etc. and the workers (some demons, some just lousy people) were less than helpful. My guess is the writers had similar experiences as yours. The place definitely is linked to Hades.
Re: A portal to Hell
on 2019-09-03 01:02 am (UTC)no subject
on 2019-10-04 03:10 pm (UTC)Thanks
on 2020-01-21 09:52 pm (UTC)Re: Thanks
on 2020-02-05 05:30 am (UTC)