Sound Off

So....after many years on a motorcycle, I finally realized that I now NEED to get my motorcycle license for the trip to Europe. Yes, that's right....I've ridden without one for all this time and never gotten a ticket or been busted for it. I have been pulled over on various motos, but my theory is that they let me off knowing that beginners don't ride bikes like mine. ...who knows.

[If you're not interested in reading my negative rant that will allow me to simply bitch for a while then quit reading here!]

Perhaps this is a Karmic affair that I deserve, but I'm now officially am in hate with the Texas Department of Public Safety's Driver's License division.

On this past Friday after two phone calls to insure that I had what I needed to take the "riding test", I loaded up Ken in my car (to carry the driving tester guy) and he followed me on my motorcycle to the testing office. (It's 9:30 and raining so I figured the line can't be too bad) They told me it was "first come, first serve, so come in the morning". We arrive and are promptly told that we're too late and need to be there EARLY in the AM about an hour before they open to stand in line to get an APPOINTMENT to come back that same day to take the rider's test? Are you fucking kidding me? You can't schedule me for days out while I'm already here???

So.....I play along and follow the herd (yet again) and do what I'm told to do. First thing Monday morning I show up around 7:30 to get my slot......only I'm told that on Mondays people arrive at 6 in the morning and all the slots are full....besides, I took my written exam more than 90 days ago so I'm gonna need to take that the day BEFORE I actually get the "opportunity" to get an appointment to take the rider's test. Wow...the inefficiency is consistently astounding and disgusting!

So.....I take the exam and pass! (wow.....it was SO difficult) I then go to bed early Monday night knowing that I'll need to be there early on Tuesday AGAIN! FUN!

That gets us up to today. I get up and I'm there around 6:45 or so because I'm told that only Mondays and Fridays are that busy and being there only an hour before they open should be sufficient. WRONG! I stand in line and wait my turn to see the DPS Nazi and like a bad movie, the guy in front of me gets the LAST SLOT for the day! I'm given a dirty "I'm-sorry-this-happened-but-I-don't-really-give-a-shit-about-your-time-or-your-frustration" look by the small woman behind the counter. "Sorry......hmmmm....doesn't look like we're gonna be able to squeeze you in today.....come back tomorrow morning and try again" I see red...I cry...I fall the ground and beg for mercy. Kinda.

I practically beg her to find a way to make it happen and she simply offers to call me today if someone doesn't show up....which of course is quite unlikely because all the poor jackasses in front of me have likely learned the same way I have that it's not wise to miss your appointment and then be forced to come back AGAIN to wait in line! I ask her to schedule me for the next day....for the next week...for ANYTIME...just schedule me PLEASE! Nada...nilch....zip. Good luck tomorrow!

Welcome to the life of a procrastinating guy who doesn't follow the rules and HATES to accept reality! There's only ONE WAY to get what you want sometimes.....abide by the ludicrous systems that incompetence and idiocy have created! Get me the hell out of this country!