Six Hours at the DMV
September 22, 2010 by Ryan
So yesterday I literally spent 6 hours at the DMV. I tweeted about it a few times and was asked to share my experience on another blog. I decided to include my comment here:
I moved back to California after living out of state. It is such a cliché that the DMV is the embodiment of inefficiency but it’s so painfully true.
I had to park a street over because there was no parking. I waited in a hour long line to get to the front desk and get a number. I had to go get my car so I could wait in a line to have VIN verified. I then waited an hour and a half to have my number called. Registered my car and then set about getting a California Drivers License. I was sent to the back of a line that wound outside.
Halfway through the line the security guard had a break in the line from the door to the inside, probably for fire code reason, but it opened up the line inside for 4 line cutters. This whole time I was being patient and even pleasant with my fellow line mates. The cutters set me off a bit and not just because they cut but the security guard who was the author of the whole mess tried to chew me out saying that he knew where the end of the line was and there hadn’t been any cutters!
I saw what must be the DMV manager or supervisor watch as the whole place descended into angry bickering among everyone from the workers, the line, the security guard, the cutters…it was a mess. Eventually he devised a Post-It note number system so as to insure line integrity. First and only sign of initiative to fix or improve a broken system.
Did I mention there was only ONE camera?! Eventually, I took my picture only to then be directed to another line for a written test, another line to have that graded, and a final line to get my temporary license. Line line line line! It was bad enough that a kid was able to pull out a DMV Test Prep book and use it as he took his test.
It was a horrific experience. Early in the wait, the Post-It note manager made several announcements about how long the wait is and offered to schedule appointments for another day.
- I am NOT taking another day off work to come back and deal with this again.
- I spoke with a few individuals that HAD appointments only to be shuffled into the same lines with the same wait!
- Only at a government agency could you pitch inefficiency to turn away patrons! No private business could survive!
Unlike the experience of many, most of the DMV agents were nice, humorous and sympathetic! That didn’t change the utter waste in time and resources that is everywhere. Just in line I heard suggestion after suggestion from my fellow travelers on how to improve the system. How and why is someone not taking the initiative to make things better!? I ask but really, it’s government, was it any different with the post office? FedEx, UPS, DHL ran circles around USPS until it semi-privatized and incorporated innovation.
The scarier question staring us in the face, that we honestly have to answer is, how is healthcare going to be any different?
5 Keys to Understanding Your Political Opposition
September 17, 2008 by Ryan
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.
- Albert Einstein
What a crazy few months! It has been a while since I have been this involved and seen so much participation in politics!
Politically, I’ve always considered myself informed and able to articulate why I support a certain viewpoint. I give much of that credit to my very politically active father. As it always is, this election year it is important to understand these issues, the candidates and take part in the democratic process. However, as my sister-in-law pointed out:
There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin
– Linus in It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Particularly with family! Politics can be a sensitive subject! Most of the time, our views extend into a very emotional space. While we should attempt to approach the issues logically, it is not realistic to say rational discussion is going to happen in every dialogue when parties both feel that the other represents the exact opposite of everything they believe.
I do not intend to set forth my views and argue why the other side is wrong (at least in this post). Instead, I want to discuss the decision-making process.
I have thought about this a lot this year, because I want to know for myself why I will be voting the way I am voting. This is not exhaustive, but here are some of the rationales I see people using to make their decision:
