PITA! And I'm not talking flatbread!

[seawasp]

PITA stands for Pain In The A** in this case. Those who read Kathy's LJ know that she discovered recently that her driver's license has been expired for 4 years (yes, since 2004, no, I have no idea how she never noticed it until now, but never mind). So instead of renewing it, she has to go through the whole process of getting one again.

Except that the process TODAY is nothing like the process when I (and she) first got a license. My memory says I needed two forms of ID, I had to pass a written test that basically checked to see if you had any idea how to drive at all, had a (I think) three-hour course to take which amounted to "stare at the video, nod your head", and then you got your permit. If you wanted to and there were people available you could sign up for your driver's test the next day and get your license.

NOW you need six forms of ID (well, six "points", but most of the "more than one point" things are ones we don't have), have TWO tests to pass (and the tests sound more rigorous), have a FIVE hour course to take, and THEN you take your driver's test. I haven't noticed young people driving any better than they did when I was a kid, which makes me doubtful there is actually any purpose served by this BS.

So right now we're desperately trying to find a way to just get the 6 points of ID for her. THEN she'll have to find out what kind of crap will be on these tests, take the tests, find a way to get about 6 hours to take the class (since commuting to it will take some time on someone's part), and then -- if she doesn't get too nervous and mess up -- take the driver's test and get the license.

WHICH leads to yesterday, in which I had to take Gabriel to two morning appointments that Kathy normally would have handled. The first one at 9:15 went fine; the second, at 10:15, had us waiting in the examining room for over an hour, so that when all was said and done I was finally driving home at 12:30. Only to have to drive Christopher to the pediatrician because they suspected that the day before he might have broken, rather than sprained, his ankle. Which, as it turned out, was indeed the case, so AFTER getting him back from X-Ray I had to contact orthopedists to get an appointment -- plural because Northeast Ortho couldn't see him until Monday, and even Capital District Ortho couldn't see him that day (they're seeing him this morning).

Upshot being that I didn't go to work at ALL yesterday.

The only bright side, sort of, was that I wrote about 3,000 words in the evening, about 2k in Spheres of Influence (sequel to Grand Central Arena) and 1,000 in Polychrome. I don't know if they're any GOOD -- I'll have to re-read them tomorrow and see, it may have been just total crap that I'll have to delete and start again, but it made me feel better.

Comments

[msboku.livejournal.com]

That is a Pita. Sounds like you had a full day though. Well, just focus on when all will be said and done and things go back to normal.
Hope the kiddies feel better.
Marci

[shana.livejournal.com]

{{{hugs}}}

Good on the new words, though.

[kengr]

That "six points" BS is likely due to REAL ID and other such crap.

Which is a *classic* case of folks not grasping the difference between "This ID proves that the bearer is X" and "This ID proves that the issuing agency *thinks* the bearer is X".

As for the tests, good grief. Here all you have is a written and the driving test. No requirements for courses or anything.

[melchar.livejournal.com]

Does all the ID have to be photo? If not, can her social security card be used as one? Does she have her birth certificate? Do you have a copy of your marriage license? Do -bills- count [like phone bills, etc] - or her library card? Does she have any photo badges from a local sf convention? Does the old DL count?

[and 6 forms is ridiculous!]

[seawasp]

SS card counts as one. She just managed to finally get the original birth certificate yesterday. The marriage certificate will count as two.

Bills are all in my name or things are jointly in our name -- which doesn't count. Has to be hers, and hers alone. No, old DL doesn't count. Library cards, etc., don't count. We THINK we may have dug up enough stuff for it to work now. But if it doesn't, we'll have to go get her a passport, which we have enough to qualify for, and which is worth *4* points of ID. Of course, that will take... however long getting a passport takes.

[condorfan.livejournal.com]

Did Kathleen get my email with the links for the stuff you need? Jersey is almost as strict... ~:(

The wait for a passport in NJ is about 6 months... the last time I heard. Not sure if that's considered an average nationally... BCIS is way backlogged due to all the Homeland Security fuss. What the passport offices do is issue an official letter with a seal to say they're working on your application, but that's for going out of the country only, I don't think the DMV will accept that.
Isn't the birth cert. worth 4 points? (trying to remember... before coffee...)

[seawasp]

Yeah, we have the links -- I downloaded a .pdf that has the whole list, in fact.

No, the birth certificate is worth (wait for it) ZERO! now that I look again. It's only usable as proof of birth date. It counts not at all towards proof of identity.

The only thing worth 4 points is a passport. The prior driver's license WOULD have been worth 6 points, but only within a year or two.

Our marriage record is worth a whole whopping 2.

[shana.livejournal.com]

I got my passport in a week -- but I paid a bundle for 'expediting' it, because that was in the time when they were warning about the delay because of the huge number of people getting passports.