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Licensing Debacle
Jun. 20th, 2007 09:53 amSo, when we first moved here, I went and tried to get a license. For some reason, New Hampshire gave me a license which expired 6 months after I got it -- so it was valid when I moved here, but wasn't a full term license. I've never understood why. This caused no end of problems. After 3 trips to the DMV, we finally established that if I had a Driver's Record from IL and NH, I could get a license in MA. SO I did that, and I got a license, and all was well.
Then, about 7 months later, I lost my license. I went to try to get a replacement... and was told that my license was not valid, because the license that had been converted was a temporary one. I would have to retake the driver's test and so on to get a new license.
I tried to fight this several times, even bringing in a different NH license which was not temporary (I had one from before my 21st birthday and one from after): the answer now was that the license was good for less than 5 years, so it was not convertible. I was trying to do anything that would prevent my insurance from skyrocketing.
After 2 months of trying to chase down DMV people on the phone, and in person -- even going in at 4pm and being told I'd have to come back between 8am and 5pm if I wanted to talk to a supervisor -- I eventually gave up. For the past 8 months or so, I've been driving totally illegally, and I haven't done anything about it.
On Monday, I was dropping Julie off at her grandmother's in Nashua, and on the way back, I see a police car on the side of the road. As I'm coming down a hill, I see the office walk out into the middle of the road, and flag down the person I was following (I try to always follow a faster car when speeding) -- and me.
The officer asks for my license and registration. I tell him I don't have my license on me, and hand him the registration. He asks who the car is registered to -- "My wife" -- how old I am -- "23" -- and why I don't have my license -- "I just forgot to put it in my wallet this morning".
He walks back to his car, and walks back 10 minutes later and tells me that the speed limit is 55 (which I didn't actually know -- I thought it was 65 there) and that I need to have my license on me, and that I can go.
The fates truly do love me.
So, I'm finally motivated to get a license. I'll need to cancel my insurance after I do, since otherwise it would triple in cost per month, and I can't afford the $300/month for Jess and I. But I'm here, at the DMV, waiting in line to get a learner's permit, so I can register for my road test and get a new license.
I mostly think it's funny that even with 5 years worth of driving records, a NH license, and my temporary MA license from when I first got it -- I still can't legally drive, and I need to go through taking a license test.
Fucking Massachusetts.
On the plus side, I've found wireless to leech, and a power outlet too. So I'm all set to wait my ~1hr to take a 20 question permit test. I'm even working while I'm here!
Then, about 7 months later, I lost my license. I went to try to get a replacement... and was told that my license was not valid, because the license that had been converted was a temporary one. I would have to retake the driver's test and so on to get a new license.
I tried to fight this several times, even bringing in a different NH license which was not temporary (I had one from before my 21st birthday and one from after): the answer now was that the license was good for less than 5 years, so it was not convertible. I was trying to do anything that would prevent my insurance from skyrocketing.
After 2 months of trying to chase down DMV people on the phone, and in person -- even going in at 4pm and being told I'd have to come back between 8am and 5pm if I wanted to talk to a supervisor -- I eventually gave up. For the past 8 months or so, I've been driving totally illegally, and I haven't done anything about it.
On Monday, I was dropping Julie off at her grandmother's in Nashua, and on the way back, I see a police car on the side of the road. As I'm coming down a hill, I see the office walk out into the middle of the road, and flag down the person I was following (I try to always follow a faster car when speeding) -- and me.
The officer asks for my license and registration. I tell him I don't have my license on me, and hand him the registration. He asks who the car is registered to -- "My wife" -- how old I am -- "23" -- and why I don't have my license -- "I just forgot to put it in my wallet this morning".
He walks back to his car, and walks back 10 minutes later and tells me that the speed limit is 55 (which I didn't actually know -- I thought it was 65 there) and that I need to have my license on me, and that I can go.
The fates truly do love me.
So, I'm finally motivated to get a license. I'll need to cancel my insurance after I do, since otherwise it would triple in cost per month, and I can't afford the $300/month for Jess and I. But I'm here, at the DMV, waiting in line to get a learner's permit, so I can register for my road test and get a new license.
I mostly think it's funny that even with 5 years worth of driving records, a NH license, and my temporary MA license from when I first got it -- I still can't legally drive, and I need to go through taking a license test.
Fucking Massachusetts.
On the plus side, I've found wireless to leech, and a power outlet too. So I'm all set to wait my ~1hr to take a 20 question permit test. I'm even working while I'm here!
