Chameleon
08-24-2004, 03:16 PM
I have been lurking on this forum since January of 2003 and usually do not share many stories. I like to read everyone elses stories and get a good laugh. So I figured I would finally share one which was exteremly frustrating.
NJ is now running ads on TV that state the new MVC (Motor Vehicle Commision) is new and improved. The reputation of the DMV was so bad that they needed to change the name. Well if this is the new and improved version, I don't know what the old version was like.
The story begins on Friday night. I was about to go to my in-laws house to enjoy some pizza from Columbus. Before I left I decided to open the mail. (Big Mistake) In the mail, I had received a letter stating that my drivers license has been suspended for an unpaid parking ticket on 1/30/04. I started to flip out. I never got a parking ticket on that date. The last parking ticket I got was a couple of years ago and I paid it. I tried to call the number on the notice but the hours of operation are from 8:30 to 4:30. (I wish I worked the same hours) Needless to say I had to wait until Monday to call.
I call at 8:30 on the button and the phone rings for about 15 minutes straight so I hang up and call right back. Finally I get a woman to answer the phone. I explain the situation and start asking questions. I asked her what is the license plate number you have. She reads my plate number. Then I figure there is no way in hell the car listed will be an RX-8. So I ask what kind of car is it? She says a Red Mazda. Now I'm really pissed. I can't figure out why I am receiving this ticket. I asked where was the ticket presented? She says Camden. I said the city of Camden and she says Yes. Now for those of you who do not know the area, Camden is not the ideal place to leave an RX-8. I said there is not way I would drive my car to Camden. She says maybe you lent your car to someone. I said I dont lend my car to anyone. I ask for more info but she doesn't have it and directs me to the Camden Municipal office.
I started calling them at 8:45. Using the number given to me. It rang off the hook. So I decided to look up the Camden website for more phone numbers. I began calling every number listed for the Camden Municipal office. All of them either rang off the hook or went to voicemail. One of the numbers listed was no longer in service. I called for two hours straight. Just dialing and hanging up. Finally a woman answers the phone. I explain the situation and she puts me on hold to pull the ticket. I sat on hold for 10 minutes and could hear the woman talking and laughing to her co-workers about this and that. This is an office where the phone is ringing off the hook. Finally, she come back on and says there is a mistake. I said I know. She says this isn't you. I said what kind of car is listed on the ticket? She says a grey Lincoln. Well, hopefully, my car will never be mistaken for a gray Lincoln.
She tells me I will need a letter to fix this. I said, go ahead and fax it to me. She says, I can't because the our fax machine has been broken for days and she doesn't know when it will be fixed. I said, no problem just mail it to me. She says what are you going to do in the meantime. I said, what do you mean? Do I have to drive around with the letter now. She says, no but you have to take this to the MVC to get your license unsuspended. At this point I am ready to go through the roof. I said, you mean to tell me you made a keying error and I have to fix the problem. She says, yes. I said, fine what time to you close. 3:00. OK I will be there by then.
Not only do I have to leave work early but I have to drive into Camden to get the letter. I get to the municipal office and wait in line for about 30 minutes and it doesn't move. The cast of characters in this line were unreal. A woman talking to bunch of "gentlemen" about a fight she was in and she didn't have to use her blade. At this point I just want to get out of there so I go to the information window and luckily they give me my letter.
So off to the MVC we go. I drove to the MVC in Medford because it was close to where I live. I get there show them my information and they say that they cannot process this here. I said, what do you mean. They tell me I have to go to a regional office. It is now 4:00 and the two closest region offices are Trenton which closes at 7:30 and West Deptford which closes at 4:30.
So I am at my wits end at this point. So once again, off to the MVC we go. Half an hour later, we reach Trenton. I present my paperwork and a couple of keystrokes later I am reinstated. The girl tells my that she will waive the fee. I was thinking, damn right you will waive the fee. If not, charge it to the City of Camden.
Long story short, it took me about 7 or 8 hours to correct a problem that was created in a fraction of a second by some clerk.
New and improved MVC. I think not.
NJ is now running ads on TV that state the new MVC (Motor Vehicle Commision) is new and improved. The reputation of the DMV was so bad that they needed to change the name. Well if this is the new and improved version, I don't know what the old version was like.
The story begins on Friday night. I was about to go to my in-laws house to enjoy some pizza from Columbus. Before I left I decided to open the mail. (Big Mistake) In the mail, I had received a letter stating that my drivers license has been suspended for an unpaid parking ticket on 1/30/04. I started to flip out. I never got a parking ticket on that date. The last parking ticket I got was a couple of years ago and I paid it. I tried to call the number on the notice but the hours of operation are from 8:30 to 4:30. (I wish I worked the same hours) Needless to say I had to wait until Monday to call.
I call at 8:30 on the button and the phone rings for about 15 minutes straight so I hang up and call right back. Finally I get a woman to answer the phone. I explain the situation and start asking questions. I asked her what is the license plate number you have. She reads my plate number. Then I figure there is no way in hell the car listed will be an RX-8. So I ask what kind of car is it? She says a Red Mazda. Now I'm really pissed. I can't figure out why I am receiving this ticket. I asked where was the ticket presented? She says Camden. I said the city of Camden and she says Yes. Now for those of you who do not know the area, Camden is not the ideal place to leave an RX-8. I said there is not way I would drive my car to Camden. She says maybe you lent your car to someone. I said I dont lend my car to anyone. I ask for more info but she doesn't have it and directs me to the Camden Municipal office.
I started calling them at 8:45. Using the number given to me. It rang off the hook. So I decided to look up the Camden website for more phone numbers. I began calling every number listed for the Camden Municipal office. All of them either rang off the hook or went to voicemail. One of the numbers listed was no longer in service. I called for two hours straight. Just dialing and hanging up. Finally a woman answers the phone. I explain the situation and she puts me on hold to pull the ticket. I sat on hold for 10 minutes and could hear the woman talking and laughing to her co-workers about this and that. This is an office where the phone is ringing off the hook. Finally, she come back on and says there is a mistake. I said I know. She says this isn't you. I said what kind of car is listed on the ticket? She says a grey Lincoln. Well, hopefully, my car will never be mistaken for a gray Lincoln.
She tells me I will need a letter to fix this. I said, go ahead and fax it to me. She says, I can't because the our fax machine has been broken for days and she doesn't know when it will be fixed. I said, no problem just mail it to me. She says what are you going to do in the meantime. I said, what do you mean? Do I have to drive around with the letter now. She says, no but you have to take this to the MVC to get your license unsuspended. At this point I am ready to go through the roof. I said, you mean to tell me you made a keying error and I have to fix the problem. She says, yes. I said, fine what time to you close. 3:00. OK I will be there by then.
Not only do I have to leave work early but I have to drive into Camden to get the letter. I get to the municipal office and wait in line for about 30 minutes and it doesn't move. The cast of characters in this line were unreal. A woman talking to bunch of "gentlemen" about a fight she was in and she didn't have to use her blade. At this point I just want to get out of there so I go to the information window and luckily they give me my letter.
So off to the MVC we go. I drove to the MVC in Medford because it was close to where I live. I get there show them my information and they say that they cannot process this here. I said, what do you mean. They tell me I have to go to a regional office. It is now 4:00 and the two closest region offices are Trenton which closes at 7:30 and West Deptford which closes at 4:30.
So I am at my wits end at this point. So once again, off to the MVC we go. Half an hour later, we reach Trenton. I present my paperwork and a couple of keystrokes later I am reinstated. The girl tells my that she will waive the fee. I was thinking, damn right you will waive the fee. If not, charge it to the City of Camden.
Long story short, it took me about 7 or 8 hours to correct a problem that was created in a fraction of a second by some clerk.
New and improved MVC. I think not.