Department of Motor Vehicles

Yesterday I went to the DMV. About a week ago I got pulled over - expired plates. Not recently expired plates. But REALLY expired plates. The cop was super nice and sent me on my way with a fairly inexpensive $15.00 ticket and an order to go to a vehicle checkpoint after I got new tags. Otherwise, I'd have to go to court.

So yesterday morning I got up and dutifully made my way to the DMV. There was a long line but it moved pretty fast. I met a nice guy named Hank who used to work for the Hillsboro school district. He's retired now. Probably because he was Really Old. He just can't believe how truckers drive these days (he used to drive a truck from time to time...). The thing is that he knows their brakes are really good, but still... should they be driving that fast? Hank was getting his license renewed. They were going to need to take an eye exam and he was ok with that. He totally understood. As he said, "at my age you can't take anything for granted."

I got to the DMV at 9:09 and left at 9:34. Not bad. But I still had to get through DEQ AND back to my son's class for my 10:00 reading groups volunteer slot. I rushed to DEQ and found no line. Got in. Passed. Got the new tags. Got out. It was 9:48. Got to reading groups by 10:00 no problem.

Every time I have to do this I am shocked that it really is fairly painless. Less than an hour and I am done. Good to go for another two years (or, if you're me, three years because you don't renew on time). And as I drove away from DEQ I promised myself next time I wouldn't procrastinate for so long... and get another ticket.

The thing about all of this is that there is always a point in the vehicle renewal process where I assume it would just be easier to buy a new car.

This makes absolutely no sense. But it goes through my mind. There I am sitting in my old 1997 car with just the one cup holder and no cd player (and obviously, no ipod jack!), thinking I should just buy a new car so I don't have to go to the DEQ. Makes me wonder a little about my personal "decision tree." There could be some room for improvement there.