Welcome to Colorado Courtesy The DMV

One of the negatives of moving to another state is the process you need to go through the whole "Driving" privileges gig courtesy of your new state.  I now have experiences as follows:

1.  Pennsylvania-First Issuance
2. Florida
3.Michigan
4. Pennsylvania
5. Vermont
6. Utah
7. Colorado

Each experience has been unique, some painful (Pennsylvania twice.  Some funny (Michigan, Vermont). Some efficient (Utah), some ridiculously simple from a rules standpoint, but terrible from a customer service standpoint (Colorado).  Before I describe our day (Barbara and I) in Hot Sulphur Springs, Grand County ,Colorado.  Let me take you through some of my other states experiences.

I first obtained a license in Pennsylvania at age 16, but only after getting a signed statement from my eye doctor that I was able to drive.  For those of you who know me by my college nickname "Hawkeye" (and those who know I blame my golf "handicap" as blind in one eye) you are aware that I cannot see much out of my left eye.  On my first trip to a DMV (In Pennsylvania you go to a state police barracks) I failed my eye test because they test each eye (Most states do).  When I could not read the big E with my left eye the nice State Trooper handed me a form to be completed by my opthamologist verifying I could drive.  I was very upset, thinking my whole life would be spent on Philadelphia Bus Lines, a real drag finding dates.

I got the form completed went back passed my written and driving test and my dating woes were solved.  My first real car date was with my partner of 41 years....at a drive in.

In 1977 Barbara and I moved to Florida, with much trepidation we went to the DMV......where my left eye did me in again.  Fortunately Florida just issues a license with a code that required my car to have an outside mirror.  I did have to take a written test on Florida driving laws which I passed. Whew.

In 1979 it was off to Michigan, here the nice man at the DMV had me look into a machine.  He asked if I could see the blinking lights on the "left" I lied and said "yes".......license good to go!

The real fun began when we moved back to Pennsylvania in 1983.  Back to the State Police barrack where I first flunked my eye test.   Bam they nailed my again with the "take this form to your eye doctor".  Since my Michigan license was good for another two years I went home and figured I had plenty of time to take care of that "problem".

Well time flies with a new house, new demanding job etc.  A year and a half later I decided I best get this taken care of so I took the form to my eye doctor, got it signed and went back to a "different " barracks out where we now lived.  I went in, handed the state trooper my form and said "I flunked my eye test" a couple of weeks ago and got this form completed.  The nice state trooper responded in a very condescending tone, " They closed this Barracks where you got the form over a year ago".  After citing requirements that I should have gotten a license in 30 days he did grant me a Pennsylvania License-without fining me.  Nice man!

Although Barb and I lived in NY for a year I skipped that DMV, heck my Michigan license worked for a couple of years in PA, why worry.

Next up, Vermont.

Vermont was a riot.  With much trepidation I want to Montpelier to get my Vermont License and car registration.  My faithful wife went with me (She had obtained her Vermont license and registration when we moved to NY using our Stowe "home" address) in case I had "eye test" problems.  When I came out with my license she asked "how did you do on the eye test?"  I said "What eye test?"  They forgot to give me one.  Dodged another bullet!

Utah brought another round of fear and loathing, but to my surprise the eye test was a machine that  whatever I read off was OK with them.  Both of us were in and out (after a written "open book test" in less than a hour-license and car registration in hand.  Say what you want about Mormon culture they are efficient.

Which brings me to Colorado.  In Colorado you can get a Driver's License at any number of facilities but car registration is by county.  As an added bonus you need to have a county sheriff validated your vin number and then go to the county office to get your car registered.  As a "convenience"  they also issue a license to those not needing a driving test.  I learned this all from my loving companion, who like Vermont wanted to get this all done before we moved only to learn she needed Colorado car Insurance first.  she learned this after getting the sheriff to validate her vin number.

So both of us trekked up to the county office with my car at 10:00 am one fine morning a couple of weeks ago.  Arriving at the Sheriff's office 45 minutes later I checked in and got my vin form completed in about 20 minutes, then around the corner to the county office.  There was one person in line for a license and we would be next.  Figuring we could make some efficient use of time Barbara got in line for a license, I strolled over to register my car.

The nice clerk took my Utah registration, my sheriff's form, and my County Property  Tax document from settlement showing my Residence as 45 Crescent View Lane Winter Park.  She typed into her computer all this info and said "There is no 45 Crescent View Lane in the county records."  When I suggested I should get a tax refund from the county she said "I see that but it is not in my database, let  me get my supervisor" I knew the process would take some time.  Twenty Minutes later I had my registration it was now 11;40.

Meanwhile Barbara was still working on her driver's license.  Now in Colorado there is no written test,they give you an eye test, check your prior state's DMV and accept your out of state license as proof you "know how to drive" .  What was taking so long?  Well in Colorado they do not (like Utah and everywhere else) let you "input" the information.  They take your documents type in the data, then before issuing ask you to review.  Apparently the guy forgot the "View" after "Crescent", when Barbara pointed out the error it became another "let me get my supervisor" .  They had to "do over" everything after calling the "help desk".  It was know 12:15 PM.  The office closes for lunch at noon.  They did get her finished and told me  "come back" but not before 1:15, here is a card saying you are first in line after lunch.

Now Hot Sulphur Springs has only one eating place, a local outdoor Dairy Queen knock off-cash only.  We grabbed a burger and a shake,  took a slow walk back to the county office and arrived at 1:10 they reopened at 1:00 anyway and  had taken a "customer" in my place and had 4 people waiting in line.  When I pointed out the issue to the receptionist she said oops OK you are next.

At about 2 PM I sat down in front of the same clerk Barbara had (I was forewarned to check his work by my faithful companion and "scout'-who by the way could not register her car-she did not have her Utah registration which was in her car!).  After "not seeing the flashing light on the left"  I was advised by the clerk with a smile........"Oh it's a good thing in Colorado you can get a license with one eye".  I wanted to say it's a good thing you can get a job in the county office with half a brain but refrained.

So you might think I was home free but not quite.  I reviewed my information and well he did get Crescent View Lane OK yeah!  But then I saw "license surrendered was....CT not UT..  OOPs let me get my supervisor.

Bottom line we got home at 4:15 PM without Barb's car registered, she went back on her own a week later.

I left with one thought-while waiting to get into the Driver's License clerk after lunch I read the notices of pending marijuana sales facility approvals for Grand County.  I could not help but wonder if these clerks also tested product of these facilities as a part of their job??

As a side note I have the follow-up on climate change and a formal intro to Observations at 9,000 feet pretty much done but it is way to political to restart my blog.  It will be out in a couple of days.  I needed some humor to get rolling again.  Hope I shared a smile with my readers!