Popnea Vs the DMV

About two months ago I had a scheduled appointment at the Department of Motor Vehicles to do the written test required. But I got sent back with my tail between my legs and a note stating I had a pending ticket and a failure to appear in court from 2006. Thats all of the information I got, and a phone number to an automatic answer machine asking me if I wanted to pay the fine of $380 dollars. I thought it’d be ridiculous to pay $380 without knowing what I pay for so I got an appointment to appear in court a month later.

In court I was told I got a fix it ticket of $20 for having a broken stopping light on my car. I remember getting this ticket, and I also remember fixing it and got an “Ok, you are good to go” from the police station in Manhattan Beach, but since I had no record of it, I had to plead guilty of the violation and pay the $380. Ok, so that sucked, but it cleared my record.

After clearing my record, I got my motorcycle training done and all I had to do was the written test and I would have my license.

The DMV website says “To allow you sufficient time for testing DMV will not be administering written or audio exams after 4:30 p.m.” So I made sure I got there at 3:30pm. It turned out it was a huge line and by the time I got to the register it was already 4:50 and was told the test area was closed but I should go over there to have my photo taken and if I were lucky they would let me take the test.

I was lucky and they did let me take the test. I knew I had to take the regular drivers license test as well as the test for the motorcycle and was surprised when the gentleman pulled out a test, turned it over and scratched out the entire back, leaving half of the test out before handing it to me. I asked if that was it and he said yes. The test was super easy and when I returned to get it corrected, I questioned it;

Me – I’m not sure this is correct…

He – No, no one ever thing they got the questions right

Me – No, but I wanted to do the test for the motorcycle

He – Oh, OH, but there is no records of it on here (showing me the document I got from the other check in desk) she must have made a mistake. It’s to late for you to do that test today, but I will correct this one for you and you can come back tomorrow and do the other test, you wont have to stand in line, just come right over here before 4:30pm and you will be fine.

Great! He corrected the test and I got all questions right.

Came back to the DMV today to do the test and managed to get there right in time before they closed the gate at 4:30pm. I told them I was there to do the motorcycle test, gave them the document from yesterday that stated I had already passed the regular test.

I was handed a test with 45 questions and I was allowed to have 8 questions wrong and still pass, there was a couple of questions where I had no clue what the correct answer was and a few where I was unsure, but the lady corrected it and I only got two questions wrong.

Great I passed the test, now what, do I get my license?

Lady – But wait, you wanted to do the motorcycle test

Me – Right

Lady – But this was the regular test

Me – But I did the regular test yesterday, I was supposed to do the motorcycle test today

Lady – But this is the regular test, it says on here you passed it (showing the record from yesterday), I did not write this, who gave this test to you?

Me – The gentleman that was sitting over there, the same thing happen yesterday, they gave me the wrong test and I was told to come back today… how many questions is there on the motorcycle test?

Lady – 15, it’s really to late to do the test now (it was already 5:15 and they were supposed to give out the last test at 4:30 – and I was supposed to be somewhere at 5:45)

Me – But, they told me…

I’m looking at the watch and debating if I should come back tomorrow or just give up my dream of getting a motorcycle license all together… and she hands me the test.

15 questions, I am allowed to have 4 answers wrong. I am super stressed, having a hard time focusing and have to read every questions 3 times to understand them.

There’s 7 questions I am unsure of, some of which I had erased and changed my mind on.

I handed the test over to get corrected, exhausted, nervous and a little bitter. I got the first couple of questions right, then 4 in a row that was incorrect… OH NO! But then I got all the others right, and wohoo, I’ve got a motorcycle license!

The real deal will show up in mail in 2-4 weeks.