Friday, January 25, 2008

The Roadworthy Saga

I tell you this in all seriousness—go to your local Motor Vehicle Department, just stop by and say, “Thank You!” No, really. Maybe send a Hallmark card. Flowers would be nice. But please, thank them for their speed and efficiency. Now, I know you are thinking that I may be suffering from malaria hallucinations or something, but no, I am perfectly well.

It began a week ago, when Abram noticed that my car registration had expired back on Dec. 31. This wasn’t too bad because there is a 21 day grace period. Monday, (Jan 21st), I had my student teacher take over my classes and I went to the Traffic Department.

DAY ONE: I arrive at the traffic department at 7:30 am, and the rain is coming down steadily. Already about fifty people are standing outside waiting for it to open. Luckily, Abram found out from the guard that this long line is for driver’s licenses, not car registration, so my line is much shorter. I stay in my car, warm and dry, until 8:00 am when we are allowed to line up outside the main door. At 8:30 am, it opens. I get in line and around 9:30 am I am told to fill out a form and go outside to the vendor to get a picture id. By 9:30, I am back at the front of the line and turn the forms over. However, the school’s address I put on the form won’t do, they need a personal address or PO Box, and I don’t know my address. I have been living here a week, I should know my address right? Wrong, there are no street names or numbers where I live. Luckily, Abram sent a teacher from the school to help me out and she arrived just in time, and I used her address on the form.

From here, I took my forms to another line to enter the information into the system and pay the fees. I wait in line about an hour, and then the power goes out. I’m told to stay the power should come back on. I wait and about two hours later, the power is back, but now the employees are on lunch break. By 1 pm, they come back from break and check their computers, and while their computers have power, the system is down. Please come back tomorrow.

DAY TWO: I arrive at 8:00 am. I get back in line, and I say hi to a couple people I had met in line yesterday (at least I’m making friends). By 10:30 arrive at the front of the line and the paper work is processed, but I’m not done. Before the registration can be renewed the car needs a roadworthy test certificate. I go to work, and after school Abram (poor Abram) and I drive to Pretoria (1.5 hours each way) to get my tire fixed from last week’s pothole incident and to go to a garage where they do roadworthy tests. The garage checks my car and says it’s fine and roadworthy; however, the traffic department entered an incomplete engine number and the roadworthy test will now need police clearance.

DAY THREE: I take a mental health break from dealing with my car, though I do get directions to the police department.

DAY FOUR: I go to the police department and the person at the front desk has no idea of what I’m talking about. Luckily, someone in the back comes out and tells me that I need the other police department, the anti-crime dept. that’s down the road. I drive and see a small sign with a badge on it and turn down a muddy, bumpy dirt road which leads to a small rather abandoned looking compound – this is it! I find the right guy and he looks at the engine confirms the correct number. He gets ready to enter it into the computer, but the system is down. Please come back tomorrow.

DAY FIVE: I go to school and teach my first two periods, and then during my long break I go to the police dept where, YES!!, the computers are working. I have Police Clearance! I optimistically travel directly to the Traffic Dept to turn in my forms, and as I turn into the area, I see over 100 people milling about outside the building; this is not a good sign. Yep, the computers are down. I try again after school, and they have closed for the day. Please come back on Monday.

The Roadworthy Saga… to be continued.

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