[Narz]

I've decided to post this vent I wrote to a list-serv I'm part of in the Western Mass area.

A little background. The state was threatening to suspend my license over ONE ticket in the state of Massachusetts (my second traffic ticket in 14 years since I turned 16). I haven't even gone to court for it yet but I guess the RMV's policy is guilty until assumed guilty in court.

By the way, as to the inevitable "why the hell are moving back to New Jersey" question. It's because my woman wants to live there so she can work in NYC right now & she's got the kid (my 21-month old daughter) so I can make a temporary sacrifice to be with her (neither of us want to stay in NJ long-term).

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Narz to list-serv', 'S')o I went to "the hearing" which wasn't as I expected it. My tickets weren't dealt with, I just sat across from a surly RMV employee who asked me about my alleged offenses & then told me he'd give me a month to attend a "Driver Retraining Program" at the cost of $100 and eight hours on a Saturday. I was relieved but also angry. I wasn't even convinced of these charges at yet he was forcing me to get "retrained" as if I was. The next day I called the 800# to set up my "retraining" but couldn't get any appointment near Shutesbury until April 17th (in Ware, MA).

I plan to move to New Jersey on April 1st or thereabouts (not 100% sure yet, but when I am I will post about my apartment which will be for rent & my job which will become available) so I will not BE in Massachusetts on April 17th. I finally decided to just suck it up & deal & drive eight hours (round trip) back up to Western Mass to learn how to drive (somewhat ironic), losing out on a weekend with my daughter or doing anything enriching. So I tried to set up an appointment.

And then they told me they never received anything from the RMV about me needing to complete a course there. They said they needed my info & a fax from the RMV but they never got it. They told me they'd call the RMV & I should call back in a few hours or the next day. So I did. And they told me the RMV hadn't sent anything & had no record of me.

So I called the RMV. I was on hold for 40 minutes or so & finally spoke to some lady who got all my info & switched me to another line, where I was on hold for about an hour and a half (eventually I just hung up).

So I'm kind of stuck here. The SOB at the RMV has me doing his job, jumping thru hoops to figure out how to punish myself for a crime I did not commit. Not sure what to do. The one thing I got out of the RMV lady I spoke to over the phone is that they're only supposed to suspend your license if you have FIVE offenses within a period of a few months. And I only have two (one of which I'm not even convicted of). I should have fought this SOB during my "hearing" (funny name for an event where no one listens to a thing you say) but I was worried his moody, bureaucratic ass would just suspend my license right there so I just nodded & aimed to get out of there ASAP.

Didn't sleep much last night again (about four hours). Why am I worrying so much & fighting for my right to pay to destroy the planet, to isolate myself in a hunk of metal, to engage in the activity that is the leading cause of death in our society for people my age? Sure cars are convenient but isn't it the striving for a convieniet life (as opposed to a moral, conscious life) that is destroying this world (slowly but surely like water slowly coming to a boil)?

I was thinking of offering any eCricket lawyer $100 (the cost of my re-education class) to come back to the RMV with me & help me fight these bloodsuckers, I will offer that actually. However, part of me just wants to say "fuck it" to paying for fuel, and hundreds of dollars in repairs, and spending hours of my life staring at yellow lines & taillights. My woman will be annoyed with me but that's never stopped me before. I can sell my car, buy a bicycle engine (was thinking of from these guys, yeah it will still use some oil but about 10-20x less) & just adapt. That's what people are going to have to do anyway.

I'm not sure I believe in fate or serendipity (I think I more believe in the human mind's ability to create meaning everywhere & anywhere) but perhaps this was "meant" to make me reexamine my priorities.

If I do nothing my driver's license has a month to live. I think I can do everything I need to within that month & thereafter redesign my life without a car.

Thanks for listening.

Best,
Tony

[pablonite]

Wow, pay for your own reeducation camp on weekends or lose your wheels!?

It getting expensive to drive is no accident, tough call but one your going to have to make. One thing to beware of is being unlicensed for any length of time - you can be sure they won't make it easy for you should you want to get that back in the future. There is a big push to not even license young people anymore, obviously.

[mos6507]

The MA RMV sucks. I still haven't been able to convert over my California license because they have thrown one technicality after another at me.

[Carlhole]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Narz', '.')..Thanks for listening.

Best,
Tony

[mattduke]

Nothing embodies government waste and uselessness like the DMV.

[Carlhole]

Pranking the Virginia DMV