Bureaucracy and you (or me) - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

vanblah · 12-02-2005, 02:24 PM

So I went to the Shelby County Clerk today to replace a damaged license plate. Someone had snipped off the edge of mine to get the "06" sticker. Since the car is registered in my wife's name they wouldn't let me. It's funny, I drive (rarely) a truck registered in her name and she drives a car registered in my name.
It'd be a lot easier if we'd sell each other our cars.

But that's beside the point.

Here is a copy of an email I sent to Jayne Creson, Shelby County Clerk. I can't wait for a response.

Quote:

I would like some clarification concerning the laws on replacing stolen or damaged license plates.

First a little background:

I waited in line for 45 minutes to replace the damaged tags on a car registered in my wife's name. I was told that it was a "law" that she had to come in to replace stolen or damaged tags. It would have been nice to know this BEFORE waiting 45 minutes. Nothing special, just a sign posted would have sufficed as I don't read the "Shelby County Title and Registration Ordinances" every year. Considering the number of license plates that are stolen I'd be willing to bet you'd at least make a few people a little happier.

I can certainly understand that you wouldn't want to hand out a license plate to just anyone. But in my case I think an exception would have been warranted as:

A: my wife's name is printed on the check that I would have used to pay for the replacement.

B: the residence is the same on the certificate of registration, my driver's license and the personal check I would be using to pay.

So, even if I had tried to make a fraudulent purchase you would have had my driver's license number. Unless it was a stolen driver's license ... and then it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

Furthermore, I actually had the certificate of registration. I ask you, how likely is it for someone to walk in to the Shelby County Clerk's office with a stolen driver's license, stolen checks and a stolen (although damaged) license plate and a stolen certificate of registration? If I were a criminal wouldn't it be a lot easier to just steal another license plate and be done with it?

Unless you can tell me a reason that I missed I say that this law is ineffective and needs to be changed.

I would appreciate a reply if you can find the time and thank you in advance.

Very Sincerely,

If she responds I'll let you know what she says.

Toaster126 · 12-02-2005, 02:41 PM

I recently moved from Kansas to Missouri. The legal hoops and paperwork to get my car inspected, registered, tagged and a driver's liscense took me 5 hours and 4 location changes. Believe me, I feel where you are coming from.

jorgelito · 12-02-2005, 03:51 PM

Funny how criminals don't have these problems while us law-abiding citizens have to wade through the messy bureaucracy. There has to be a more efficent way to do this. Maybe contract or privatize this service?

guthmund · 12-02-2005, 09:45 PM

I recently started having my check directly deposited into my bank account and the amount of paperwork that had to be filled out was staggering. I went upstairs and came back with a small forest of paperwork that not only had to be filled and turned in, but had to be checked and verified by two different departments.

Ironically, getting a replacement driver's license from the DMV was frightfully easy in comparison. I anticipated that there might be some obstacles to hurdle so, I brought all kinds of identification stuff with me. I had a copy of my birth certificate, my social security card, my photo ID from the college and a couple of utility bills just in case. I patiently waited for damn near an hour with my little number square.

They asked for none of that. The lady asked my last name and got me to verify my address, which she prompted me for ("You still live at blah blah here in blah blah blah?"). It took longer to get my food order right at McDonald's that day than to get a new driver's license.

maleficent · 12-03-2005, 10:50 AM

I just moved about two months ago, and used the mail forwarding section on the USPS website... cost me a dollar do it that way but it was easy... or so i thought...

A week into my new place, I got the forwarding record from the usps website saying they had my new address and my mail would be forwarded shortly... LIAR!!!

one and half months -and 4 missing expense checks, and about 1 dozen or so emails to the usps to find out what was going on i called the post office of the town i moved from. They never got the forwarding receipt... he had it int he system... but no one told the post office that themail should be forwarded...

/me scratches head...

isn't that what i did with the mail forwarding on the website.

No, says he...

then what was the point of the mail forwarding on the website.

To tell the post office of your new address.

but you don't forward based on that info..

yes...

I was beginning to think i was in an abbott and costello routine...

bureaucracy is for the birds...

12-02-2005, 02:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
Toaster126 Extreme moderation Location: Kansas City, yo.	I recently moved from Kansas to Missouri. The legal hoops and paperwork to get my car inspected, registered, tagged and a driver's liscense took me 5 hours and 4 location changes. Believe me, I feel where you are coming from. __________________ "The question isn't who is going to let me, it's who is going to stop me." (Ayn Rand) "The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." (M. Scott Peck)

12-02-2005, 09:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
guthmund big damn hero	I recently started having my check directly deposited into my bank account and the amount of paperwork that had to be filled out was staggering. I went upstairs and came back with a small forest of paperwork that not only had to be filled and turned in, but had to be checked and verified by two different departments. Ironically, getting a replacement driver's license from the DMV was frightfully easy in comparison. I anticipated that there might be some obstacles to hurdle so, I brought all kinds of identification stuff with me. I had a copy of my birth certificate, my social security card, my photo ID from the college and a couple of utility bills just in case. I patiently waited for damn near an hour with my little number square. They asked for none of that. The lady asked my last name and got me to verify my address, which she prompted me for ("You still live at blah blah here in blah blah blah?"). It took longer to get my food order right at McDonald's that day than to get a new driver's license. __________________ No signature. None. Seriously.

12-03-2005, 10:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	I just moved about two months ago, and used the mail forwarding section on the USPS website... cost me a dollar do it that way but it was easy... or so i thought... A week into my new place, I got the forwarding record from the usps website saying they had my new address and my mail would be forwarded shortly... LIAR!!! one and half months -and 4 missing expense checks, and about 1 dozen or so emails to the usps to find out what was going on i called the post office of the town i moved from. They never got the forwarding receipt... he had it int he system... but no one told the post office that themail should be forwarded... /me scratches head... isn't that what i did with the mail forwarding on the website. No, says he... then what was the point of the mail forwarding on the website. To tell the post office of your new address. but you don't forward based on that info.. yes... I was beginning to think i was in an abbott and costello routine... bureaucracy is for the birds... __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

12-02-2005, 03:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
jorgelito All important elusive independent swing voter... Location: People's Republic of KKKalifornia	Funny how criminals don't have these problems while us law-abiding citizens have to wade through the messy bureaucracy. There has to be a more efficent way to do this. Maybe contract or privatize this service?