A few weeks ago I got a notice from the State of Florida that my driver's license was coming up for renewal. Florida has some new requirements to renew in order to make sure I am really who I say I am and that I really do live in the State of Florida. I've been a resident for over 30 years and I still have to prove it by producing a passport or birth certificate, social security card, voters registration and a mortgage statement or utility bill. I gathered up these items along with a few extra just in case and cleared my schedule for a day just to renew my license.
When my number was finally called I sat down in front of the clerk and passed my license under the glass that separated us.
"Have you ever had a license in Pennsylvania?" she asked.
"Thirty years ago." I answered.
"You have an outstanding citation and I can't renew your license until you clear it up."
She cheerfully handed me a piece of paper with all the information I needed to give to the State of Pennsylvania and I left. Now what is quite surprising about this is that a few years ago, my husband Richard had the same situation. Only if you knew him, you'd know he threw the ticket out the window the minute he was out of sight of the cop. I, however am known to follow the straight and narrow. And frankly I don't remember ever even getting a parking ticket in all the years I've been driving.
"You're a criminal! I knew it!" Richard shouted when I told him what had happened.
I called the court only to be told that the ticket was issued in 1979, it was a zero fine and no record of it existed any longer. I didn't leave Pittsburgh until a full year later so I wonder why no one was looking for me in all that time. I certainly wasn't in hiding. Let me think about that for a minute. I didn't owe any fine? Now I have to pay Pennsylvania $25 to clear my name out of the database so Florida will give me a license.
The people elected to serve us have worked long and hard to find a way to inconvenience their constituents as much as possible. All I have to say to whatever politicians thought up this useless, time consuming bureaucracy...
@#$%^&*!!
When my number was finally called I sat down in front of the clerk and passed my license under the glass that separated us.
"Have you ever had a license in Pennsylvania?" she asked.
"Thirty years ago." I answered.
"You have an outstanding citation and I can't renew your license until you clear it up."
She cheerfully handed me a piece of paper with all the information I needed to give to the State of Pennsylvania and I left. Now what is quite surprising about this is that a few years ago, my husband Richard had the same situation. Only if you knew him, you'd know he threw the ticket out the window the minute he was out of sight of the cop. I, however am known to follow the straight and narrow. And frankly I don't remember ever even getting a parking ticket in all the years I've been driving.
"You're a criminal! I knew it!" Richard shouted when I told him what had happened.
I called the court only to be told that the ticket was issued in 1979, it was a zero fine and no record of it existed any longer. I didn't leave Pittsburgh until a full year later so I wonder why no one was looking for me in all that time. I certainly wasn't in hiding. Let me think about that for a minute. I didn't owe any fine? Now I have to pay Pennsylvania $25 to clear my name out of the database so Florida will give me a license.
The people elected to serve us have worked long and hard to find a way to inconvenience their constituents as much as possible. All I have to say to whatever politicians thought up this useless, time consuming bureaucracy...
@#$%^&*!!
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