The Ten Scariest DMV Horror Stories

JALOPNIK ^ | May 7, 2012 | Raphael Orlove

[DogByte6RER]

My own personal nightmare with CA DMV ... in late 2009 I purchased this '56 Ford "Rat Rod Hearse" via auction. Later while trying to register and change the title through DMV, DMV investigators show up at my house, inspect it and impound the car. The VIN set off red flags in the DMV system, indicating it was a fradulent identification number. DMV arrested the seller and I got the car back out of impound a week later, minus $500+ in impound fees. I'm glad I have the car back, but bitter about the $500+ hit to my checking account.

[Salamander]

I...LOVE...THAT...CAR.

[DogByte6RER]

Thanks!

[null and void]

Katherine Smith Bump

Five Men with Mideast Ties Indicted in License Scam (Tennessee License Scandal)

TENN DRIVER LICENSE SCANDAL: FLAMING DEATH NO ACCIDENT, FBI SAYS

Car fire set off suspicions as crew fought it (Smith Tennesee License Scandal)

License suspect had WTC repair pass, but Port Authority did its own work [Tennessee License Scandal]

The pass gave him access to the buildings' sprinkler systems.

I bet he "fixed" them real good...

Treason is not too strong a word.

[Salamander]

MOVE!

I can’t see the car now!

LOL!

[seriously...that is one drop dead incredible ride...pun not intended]

;]

[Gay State Conservative]

That’s how I like to describe OsamaObamaCare...”health care delivered with the efficiency of the DMV and with the compassion of the IRS”

[Bronzy]

It is not an issue in Indiana as I have experienced: excerpt from article -

“For the second time in three years, first time for any state has ever achieved this, this year's winner of the International Customer Service Award, best BMV anywhere on the planet is the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles,” Gov. Mitch Daniels announced to a cheering crowd of employees.

There were cheers for lower wait times. The average service transaction was down from 12 minutes 15 seconds in 2007, to about eight minutes, ten seconds in 2010. A decline despite Indiana's move to a more Secure ID process.

http://www.wthr.com/story/13225281/indiana-bmv-gets-top-honors

[RightOnline]

This reply will probably be deleted, of course....but as one who has been driving for over 40 years and has lived all over these United States, I’m willing to lay serious money on the fact that the overwhelming majority, if not all, of these instances involved affirmative action hires who couldn’t tie their own shoes without instructional videos.

Prove me wrong.

[MarineBrat]

I have a AAA membership specifically so that I don’t have to go to the stinking DMV. It’s worth the cost just for that.

[cyclotic]

I could only wish.

I recently moved to teh Socialist Republic of Maryland. My daughter bought a well used 14 year old Volvo from a friend of mine.

The nearest DMV is about 15 miles form my office.

Trip 1-I’m told that I do not have release of lien for the car and that I need a release letter from the bank. OK, the car’s 14 years old. Not too many banks offer mortgages for cars but they had me. I drive back and my friend calls his bank in Ohio who dutifully faxes me a release of lien.

Trip 2- “We don’t accept faxed release of liens” I asked the woman if she could have maybe clued me in on that little tidbit. “It wasn’t me.” “Yes, it was. I drove back and had the bank send me a release by US Mail.

Trip 3-My wife went this time. This time, these idiots would not open the sealed envelope that said the release was no good because it was on the letterhead of the current name of the bank, not their former name. The insanity continues as the idiot “supervisor” refused to speak with me on the phone. Get this. They will accept releases faxed directly to them. On this trip, I was in Florida on business and was going out to dinner with my dad and his ladyfriend who live there. Five minutes after meeting her, I’m in this long angry phone call with my wife.

Trip 4- I had the release faxed to the morons and finally got the plates.

I c0omplained to my state Senator. A few weeks later, a high level supervisor called me. I told her in no uncertain terms that her department was a complete failure and needed significant reform. I lived in Michigan where it was literally a ten minute process.

[boatbums]

My nightmare with the Florida DMV:

I got stopped for speeding in 1985 and issued a ticket (the ONLY one I have EVER gotten) for $75.00. It was nearly Christmas, so I put off paying it. When I finally got the money, I went to pay it and was also fined an extra $10 for "late fees" for it being two weeks late.

Fast forward FOUR years later and it is time to renew my driver's license. I go in on my birthday after work (the 1st. of the month but thinking I had until the end of the month to renew) and find out that my license has been suspended for the past four years. I ask them (1) why is it suspended? and (2) how come I never got any notice of such?.

The answer is I had an unpaid speeding ticket and we don't know why no one told you it was suspended. I told them I paid the ticket as well as the late fee back when I got it. They proceed to tell me I will have to go to the clerk of the circuit court and get an affidavit that says I paid the fine. Of course, it being after 5:00 by now, that office is closed so I will have to wait until the next day to get the form and come back.

The clerk then told me, "Now we have to confiscate your current license because it is suspended." "How am I supposed to get home without a license?", I ask. Not our problem, was pretty much the response, don't get caught because driving on a suspended license will mean you get arrested and taken to jail and your car impounded. I prayed that I wouldn't get caught and drove carefully all the way home. It was no comfort knowing that for the last four years I could have been arrested no matter why I was stopped!

I go to the clerk's office the next morning and after paying another fee, I get a certified form that says I paid the fine. I then drive to the DMV (still without a license), present the form and it is accepted and I'm then told I have to pay a "reinstatement" fee in order to renew my license. Oh, and by the way, I also now have to pay a late fee because I am renewing one day late after my license expired.

The whole fiasco cost me a bundle and, after all the hassle I had to go through to get the dang thing, the picture on my new license told it all. A "mug shot" would probably have been more flattering. If looks could kill...mine would have!

[Bronzy]

Perhaps your governor could consult with Mitch in Indiana. Our time is kind of a pleasure.

[freekitty]

The DMV needs some strong changes.

[USNBandit]

I moved to WA state from NV and on one of the admin days my work gave me during the move in process my wife and I went down to the DMV to get new licenses. I had looked ahead of time at the requirements to prove residency and thought I brought enough proof. Unfortunately for my wife a lot of that stuff wouldn't count for her. Contract on the house, no. Insurance papers for the same house, no. New car insurance papers listing that address, nope.

Meanwhile the line next to us is a bunch of Mexicans (and I don't mean Mexican-Americans) trading in Oregon licenses for new Washington ones. They seemed to be speeding through the line. Don't know if they were all signed up to vote under motor voter or not.

We finally got the guy to accept a page 2 from my Reserve record with that address, plus my wife's dependent ID.

[KarlInOhio]

Perhaps your governor could consult with Mitch in Indiana. Our time is kind of a pleasure.

Ohio is pretty good too. Ever since they went to mail order for renewal registration stickers the Ohio BMV offices are pretty fast (and empty). I only go when I need a new drivers license or to get new plates and the line is at most one or two people.

The cops, on the other hand, seem to have a world of trouble reading those big numbers on the back of the car.

[DogByte6RER]

[Salamander]

[Salamander]

Hi!
Welcome to Hell!

When we went to get my vanity plates changed last year, we found out that my Harley tag “didn’t exist” and that I’d been riding an ‘illegal’ bike for two years.

How cool is that?

[four visits later, they found the ‘original error’ and got it fixed while I still kept riding]

[higgmeister]

Happy to say Georgia cleaned up its act several years ago. We order tags or stickers online or by mail and get them within a few days. Same with the License renewal either online or in person. If you have to appear in person for some age milestones or classes, you go to the first desk with minimum waiting and move between stations through the building in a circular fashion back outside through another door. It has been virtually painless for several years.

[doorgunner69]

I recall being stuck in the Calif. DMV line for some damn thing or another. Next line over were a couple of very unwashed bikers, trying to register one of those POS things they ride. Apparently this was assembled of parts from many other bikes. They had a stack of paper an inch thick. Great comedy watching them try to convince the DMV clerk that all that paper was true and honest, nothing from a stolen bike.

The whole charade stunk of a bike assembled from stolen parts, the clerk knew it too. Dunno if they ever got paperwork, but great theater to watch.