• March 26, 2009
• Category: General
• Written By: Chris
• No Comments

I found myself at the mercy of a police officer the other day for a no front plate violation in the State Of Oregon. Since it’s spring break around here I gather that he assumed I was a teen and figured it’d be an easy ticket. Once the officer made it to my window he realized that I’m not a teen at all! Just a run of the mill car enthusiast. At this point he demeanor had changed and he wrote me a fix-a-ticket for my front plate. However; it appeared my drivers license had expired, he could have written me for that or just had my car towed right there, instead he just put down 2009 for my license expiration and let me be on my way. One of the nicest officers I’ve ever dealt with.

In order to make use of my fix-a-ticket I need to get my license renewed which means I need to make a trip to the dreaded DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). I step into the DMV at about 10:15 a.m figuring that most people were at work and the line would be short, WRONG! Line was of course a mile long and as I watched my lunch break fly by I was getting nervous. Finally I hear “next” and to my disbelief I was actually next! Up to the counter I go and “what can I do for you?” well, I said, I need to have my license renewed.

Apparently as of 2008 in the State Of Oregon you can no longer receive a new or renewed drivers license without, a valid social security card, proof of live birth (your birth certificate), state identificatin (old license, temporary state issued I.D), and a utility bill sent to your current address. Me being foolish figured that my expired Oregon drivers license, some credit cards, and my social security card would be enough proof of my identity, but apparently not.

Oregon claims these new harsher rules are to combat “terrorism” and “illegal immigration” however, if you are a terrorist would be willfully in the DMV to get a drivers license? Probably not, if you’re an illegal immigrant and the DMV denies you a drivers license are you really going to just leave your vehicle in the parking lot? Probably not. This just seems like another way to make hard working, tax paying American’s jump through one more hoop in their daily lives and a way for the State to extract another $59.00 from our pockets.

So the moral of the story is that the DMV is an insidious vice that we all must deal with, regardless in what state your currently living in. If you’re in the State Of Oregon be sure to bring in you social security card, birth certificate, utility bill, your old or current I.D, $59.00 in cash or check (no debit or credit), and a blood sample…ok maybe not a blood sample, but everything else is true!