197 The Week!

DMV and Car Inspection--The SAME Week

My sermon for the week is DO NOT TRY to do both of these vehicle-related, patience-trying chores within days of each other. 

Should you think you can get it done, I guarantee you will feel at least one of the following: angry, frustrated, bewildered, ready to crawl in a hole, drink, curse, or shrug your shoulders and get out your credit card!

So at the beginning of last week, I took my car for its annual inspection. I have a cracked plastic lens cover on the back driver’s side brake/signal light. This happened last April. No police or regular service mechanic has remarked on this. HOWEVER, when I went for the inspection, I was told I needed new tie rods on the front. Still no mention of the back light cover. 

Our favorite mechanic at our regular garage said that we should get the tie rods done at the dealership since they should be under warranty. We went to the dealership with this kind advice. 

The dealership could find no wear on the tie rods (do they not want to do warranty work?). However, we have trusted our regular mechanic, Scott, though any number of cars. His advice made sense and hoped we could save some money. BUT, the dealership would NOT pass inspection on the car because of the cracked brake light cover and slapped a big ole REJECTION sticker on the car and said the tie rods were okay.

Did we ask them to inspect it? No, not really, but it had come up in conversation that our mechanic suggested tie rods be looked at before inspection. So…back to Scott who will happily do all the work needed but must charge for it. C’est la vie!

In the meantime, 2019 is the expiration of my driver’s license. And the year for the vision test and the new photo. I checked the DMV website which suggested the best time (lowest volume time) was between 1 and 3 p.m. I got in line at 1:25 p.m. I got to the counter to fill out my request for license renewal at 2:15 p.m. 

Thankfully, I passed the vision test, got renewed, and it took only until 4 p.m. How lucky for me that this was the “down time” at DMV.

The following photo is a slow time at Virginia DMVs:

I do have some sympathy for the folks at DMV. Many needed questions and renewals can be done online now. The people who come and wait are those of us who are instructed to come. 

There was a man behind me who had been there four hours he said to get his license reinstated. He was NOT a happy camper. “I’m all good now! Let’s just get the @#$^ing thing done!” 

Down the row from me were a father and daughter who were arguing loudly over how much the car he was putting her name was worth. “It ain’t worth much. It’s a piece of junk!” Meanwhile, a toddler is screaming to get out of his stroller. Mother lets him out and hands him a juice box and he immediately starts running around the room. You have the picture; I need not elaborate.

So my car is in the shop being repaired today. I walked out to Dear Husband’s car to go pick him up. FLAT tire! So here I sit. His car goes Thursday for new front tires and service. Wonder what will happen next?

Oh, yeah, the circulator on the furnace has quit for the second time this winter. The repairman came this afternoon. Glad it’s not too cold out. So far, Dear Husband and I are taking this in stride and AAA is on the way to change the flat tire, and the furnace repair is later today. My biggest concern running through my mind is

Here’s to better days! Glenne