The potholes are not just in the roads
Arguably, the one most important thing to the governor of any state is good roads, wouldn't you agree? Potholes are costly, lord knows if you hit a deep one it will possibly cost you to have to pay for a realignment, and compounded on that, maybe you have to buy a new tire. But, I've recently found out that potholes are not just in the concrete and asphalt that we drive on every day.
I'm figuring I'm not alone on this one. About a month ago, well it was exactly a month ago come to think of it, my wife and I purchased a Honda Civic from our daughter's step-sister for the sum of $2350. We got a signed bill of sale from her, and did like most people, I think, and waited until the 29th day to get the car registered. Now before you think to yourself, he's got it all down, what could be the problem? Let me tell you, it's never a simple thing when dealing with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. The unforeseen can rise up and wipe the smile right off your face quicker than a teen can ignore you and walk out of the house.
So here I am living about 12 miles away from the county seat, which in it's self is not that big of a deal, unless you weigh in the fact that it's the opposite direction of any other business dealings on the end of the county that I live. ( I live in Bigelow, AR, and Perryville is 12 miles west, Conway 10 miles east and Little Rock 30 miles Southeast, and I work in Little Rock) So to take care of personal things at the courthouse or local revenue office, it's out of the way and usually requires you to take a half day off to accomplish all the coordinated tasks necessary to complete the relatively simple thing of registering a car.
So, I think I have all my stuff, go to the courthouse a few blocks away from the revenue office and get the two of the four required pieces to this puzzle ( assessment and receipt of paid taxes) and with that smile on my face headed straight to the revenue office. It's a small local office, in a small strip center next to a small discount store, usually only one employee needed most times and it's usually pretty quiet in there. I take a seat, as there is no need for the numbered ticket, only an older couple plus the worker was there. I listened to their transaction becoming increasingly fearful that this could be one of those potholes, the question remained of how much time and money mine would cost, as the worker turned the wife in the couple away because she didn't have proof of the switch between her first and second marriage when she changed from her maiden name and the worker wouldn't accept her birth certificate as proof of identity because of the missing link in the chain of information, all this to get a new drivers license. Since she was from out of state, she and as I learned her new husband was turned away and told to get another form of ID recognized by the State of Arkansas. Hum, I felt sorry for the couple, but they still had that smile as they walked away from the counter, looking as the glass as half full, I suppose because the husband was allowed to get his license, for reasons unknown. And that brings me to the most important thing, it's always unknown, at least until you return the next day, sometimes with the same info but just a different employee to deal with, and getting success.
Now it's my turn, yea!!! Only by now, my smile has since turned to a stare at my paperwork trying to mentally punch holes in it before I go through the whole process only to get turned away myself. My wife was with me, and we approached the counter with cautious optimism as she was there to get her drivers license renewed, and we both were there to sign the necessary paperwork to put the car in both of our names, not knowing at the time that only one of us could have been there to do that, but nevertheless, we've arrived at the moment of truth.
My wife presents her current valid license and all goes without a hitch. The smile returns. Then, the employee asks 'what else can I do for you'. Freeze frame. This is what she said, but it turns out that this is not what she meant. What she meant was, I don't have to do anything to help you if I don't want to, and I can cost you money and time all with a smile on my face. Not to mention the frustration of knowing that it's the luck of the draw as to whether or not the trip to the revenue office is a success or failure. Again the unknown rears it's ugly head.
So here is the big deal with this one instance. On the back of every car title, (at least in Arkansas) the seller and buyer have to sign and date the transaction and record the odometer. Here is where I wish I had a trusty pen with smooth flowing ink. As we signed the document, I realized a few days later the date hadn't been put by our signatures, so I tried to write the number 9 to signify September, and the pen wouldn't write, so I kept circling the top part of the nine until the pen started writing. As anyone knows who can write, we've all done this at some time or another, and most of the time on checks or other formal documents. This action was called a strike through by the worker, and then she went on to inform me that the original seller would have to sign the affidavit of amendment to the document before she could accept it. This is where I had a problem, and therefore, completely forgotten that I had ever had a smile in the first place just minutes earlier. I have one day left before penalties start and the seller lived in Benton, an hour drive from Bigelow. The nine didn't look abnormal except for the large black circle at the top, but eagle eye caught it, thank goodness, all is well at the DFA as long as these types are there. The real frustrating part is the statement by her 'I can see that it's not altered because the insurance and bill of sale are all in line with the information on the title, but it will not go through in Little Rock'. What she failed to know was that I would immediately call someone and ask. And guess what, it would have been fine. The other DFA employee said, there was no reason, and if it had been struck through, then you wouldn't have to had to go find a notary as stated on the form, the local employee should have told you that, she stated.
If this were a car I would've needed that realignment, but at this point I feel my head needs a realignment. So, two hours driving, gas, time missed at work, I figure, this costs me around $200, or about the same as repairing a very large pothole!!!
P.S. This worker mentioned above was not one of the regular employees, and the regular employee fixed everything real easy the next day, thanks for the regulars !!!!
I'm figuring I'm not alone on this one. About a month ago, well it was exactly a month ago come to think of it, my wife and I purchased a Honda Civic from our daughter's step-sister for the sum of $2350. We got a signed bill of sale from her, and did like most people, I think, and waited until the 29th day to get the car registered. Now before you think to yourself, he's got it all down, what could be the problem? Let me tell you, it's never a simple thing when dealing with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. The unforeseen can rise up and wipe the smile right off your face quicker than a teen can ignore you and walk out of the house.
So here I am living about 12 miles away from the county seat, which in it's self is not that big of a deal, unless you weigh in the fact that it's the opposite direction of any other business dealings on the end of the county that I live. ( I live in Bigelow, AR, and Perryville is 12 miles west, Conway 10 miles east and Little Rock 30 miles Southeast, and I work in Little Rock) So to take care of personal things at the courthouse or local revenue office, it's out of the way and usually requires you to take a half day off to accomplish all the coordinated tasks necessary to complete the relatively simple thing of registering a car.
So, I think I have all my stuff, go to the courthouse a few blocks away from the revenue office and get the two of the four required pieces to this puzzle ( assessment and receipt of paid taxes) and with that smile on my face headed straight to the revenue office. It's a small local office, in a small strip center next to a small discount store, usually only one employee needed most times and it's usually pretty quiet in there. I take a seat, as there is no need for the numbered ticket, only an older couple plus the worker was there. I listened to their transaction becoming increasingly fearful that this could be one of those potholes, the question remained of how much time and money mine would cost, as the worker turned the wife in the couple away because she didn't have proof of the switch between her first and second marriage when she changed from her maiden name and the worker wouldn't accept her birth certificate as proof of identity because of the missing link in the chain of information, all this to get a new drivers license. Since she was from out of state, she and as I learned her new husband was turned away and told to get another form of ID recognized by the State of Arkansas. Hum, I felt sorry for the couple, but they still had that smile as they walked away from the counter, looking as the glass as half full, I suppose because the husband was allowed to get his license, for reasons unknown. And that brings me to the most important thing, it's always unknown, at least until you return the next day, sometimes with the same info but just a different employee to deal with, and getting success.
Now it's my turn, yea!!! Only by now, my smile has since turned to a stare at my paperwork trying to mentally punch holes in it before I go through the whole process only to get turned away myself. My wife was with me, and we approached the counter with cautious optimism as she was there to get her drivers license renewed, and we both were there to sign the necessary paperwork to put the car in both of our names, not knowing at the time that only one of us could have been there to do that, but nevertheless, we've arrived at the moment of truth.
My wife presents her current valid license and all goes without a hitch. The smile returns. Then, the employee asks 'what else can I do for you'. Freeze frame. This is what she said, but it turns out that this is not what she meant. What she meant was, I don't have to do anything to help you if I don't want to, and I can cost you money and time all with a smile on my face. Not to mention the frustration of knowing that it's the luck of the draw as to whether or not the trip to the revenue office is a success or failure. Again the unknown rears it's ugly head.
So here is the big deal with this one instance. On the back of every car title, (at least in Arkansas) the seller and buyer have to sign and date the transaction and record the odometer. Here is where I wish I had a trusty pen with smooth flowing ink. As we signed the document, I realized a few days later the date hadn't been put by our signatures, so I tried to write the number 9 to signify September, and the pen wouldn't write, so I kept circling the top part of the nine until the pen started writing. As anyone knows who can write, we've all done this at some time or another, and most of the time on checks or other formal documents. This action was called a strike through by the worker, and then she went on to inform me that the original seller would have to sign the affidavit of amendment to the document before she could accept it. This is where I had a problem, and therefore, completely forgotten that I had ever had a smile in the first place just minutes earlier. I have one day left before penalties start and the seller lived in Benton, an hour drive from Bigelow. The nine didn't look abnormal except for the large black circle at the top, but eagle eye caught it, thank goodness, all is well at the DFA as long as these types are there. The real frustrating part is the statement by her 'I can see that it's not altered because the insurance and bill of sale are all in line with the information on the title, but it will not go through in Little Rock'. What she failed to know was that I would immediately call someone and ask. And guess what, it would have been fine. The other DFA employee said, there was no reason, and if it had been struck through, then you wouldn't have to had to go find a notary as stated on the form, the local employee should have told you that, she stated.
If this were a car I would've needed that realignment, but at this point I feel my head needs a realignment. So, two hours driving, gas, time missed at work, I figure, this costs me around $200, or about the same as repairing a very large pothole!!!
P.S. This worker mentioned above was not one of the regular employees, and the regular employee fixed everything real easy the next day, thanks for the regulars !!!!
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