By kiki
Well, folks, I have entered a new chapter in my life's journey: one without wheels: I sold my truck. My old Chevy Silverado had been sitting for most of 2021 due to my age and multiple health issues. Connie has agreed to chauffeur me around in her car under one condition: that I sit in the back seat and be quiet. I told her: no problem, as long as you open the car door for me the way chauffeurs do for wealthy people in the movies: you don't want to know her reply.
Below are some stories I wrote about my experience with the DMV
In December 1952, I turned 16. A few days after my birthday, I needed to go to the DMV office on Whittier Blvd in Montebello, Ca. to get my driver's license.
I asked my uncle, Ray Gonzales, to take me to the DMV. Since I only had a driver's permit, I needed a licensed driver to drive me there and his car to take my driving test. Uncle Ray said he couldn't take me because he had to work, but I could use a 1948 Chevy Coupe car. So I drove myself in Uncle Ray's car to the DMV.
I arrived at the DMV early the following day, parked the car in the driver's testing line, walked into the office, and told a lady that I was there for my driving test; after doing some paperwork, I was told to wait outside for a driving examiner.
Soon, an examiner called me to take my test; he asked me which car I would use to take my test; I pointed to the Chevy Coupe. Then, he asked me who drove the car to the DMV office, I saw a man standing about 50 feet from us, and I pointed to him and told the examiner that my uncle Ray did; the examiner waved to "Uncle Ray" "Uncle Ray" waved back with a look that said "what?"
"Let's do it" yelled the examiner. We got in the car, and he asked me if the brakes worked; I said: "Yes, sir." He told me to step on the brake pedal; I did, and the pedal almost went to the floor.
"Not much pedal there, son," said the examiner.
I told him the brakes work fine if I pump the pedal a bit; I then showed him by pumping the brake pedal.
"Okay, pull into traffic," he told me as he closed the car door.
I pulled into traffic on Whittier Blvd, and about a quarter-mile away was a stop sign. As I started pumping the brake pedal to make the stop, the examiner jumped out of the car and told me to fix the brakes or get another vehicle. As he returned to the DMV office, I drove to my Uncle Frank Arriola's place in Simons. I asked him if he could take me to the DMV, again like Uncle Ray; he said he couldn't but that I could use his late-model Desoto. In the early afternoon, I drove back to the DMV in Uncle Frank's Desoto and took the test with the same examiner. I passed the test but was told I needed to practice parallel parking. 67 years later, I still haven't mastered parallel parking.
Well, I did it!! I passed, not with flying colors, but I'd passed the renewal exam...You are allowed to miss 3 out of 50+ questions, and I missed 3...But this is what I can't understand if you're a first-timer in getting your license, you are allowed to miss 6 questions, but for renewal, only 3; it would be the other way around. Que no??
The eye exam was touchy. First, the examiner had me read some letters with both eyes, which I did. Then, with a sheet of paper, he covered my left eye and asked me to read line number 3 on the chart with my right eye "can't," I told him; he then lifted the sheet of paper off my left eye a bit so that I was now seeing with both eyes, I read the line. Finally, he told me, "you passed" That guy must have done his residency with Doctor Bernhart Schwartz, who examined boxers for the CSAC. Half-blinded fighters would get their boxing license by seeing Schwartz because some of those half-blinded fighters were mine…..This brings to mind this great song, "with a little help from my friends" Not sure I got the song title 100% right, but you all know the song I'm talking about. Que no?
December 13, 2018: on my 82nd birthday, my driver's license expired. I received a renewal notice from the DMV around the end of October. The information said to call the DMV for an appointment for an office visit (to take a written and vision test and pay $35.00). On the first week of November, I called and was told that the earliest appointment I could get was on December 28, two weeks + after my license had expired. I bitched to the lady I was talking to about not driving. She told me she was putting me on hold while she checked other, within driving distance offices. She came on the line and said she was sorry but that there were no earlier openings. She apologized for the DMV failings and advised me not to drive after my birthday. "but I need to go places," I yelled at her. She yelled back, "Ride your skateboard" Damn freaking DMV!!
