THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 13, 1995 TAG: 9501120153
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 122 lines
Well, Road went and did it. . . . Tucked in the ol' shirt, pulled up the britches and even used a comb in honor of a trip this week to the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew my driver's license.
Road is a veteran of the Mustang Trail branch office, so Road thought a new approach was appropriate and hit the newer branch on Buckner Boulevard.
The place looked spanking new - open and airy, with coordinating colors and fashionable artwork lining the walls behind the long counter.
One line is for ``information'' and a longer line (about eight people) is for ``title, registration and licensing.'' Wouldn't you know that you'd have to first stand in the information line to collect the paperwork, pause to fill it out, and then hop to the second line where another clerk processes the stuff.
The ``information'' line was interesting. It's nice that DMV provides someone who can answer questions, but having the paperwork available (like in racks) without having to get in line would have been nice, too. In fact, Road had to search out a copy of the 1994-95 Virginia Driver's Manual. They were tucked beside a computer terminal near the testing area.
So, paperwork in hand, Road ambled over to a place in line behind a couple and their daughter. Seconds later, Road was greeted by a friendly woman who advised me to stroke a check for $12 to cover the renewal.
After an eye test and a new picture, Road would be good to go.
Road passed the eye test and smiled for the camera.
While sitting and waiting for the finished product, though, Road began to worry. People were reacting to their pictures with mixed expressions.
One young woman practically skipped up to the counter to collect her license. Plastic in hand, she turned around, glanced down, gasped, and quickly stuck the thing in her purse.
Another woman, slightly plumper and older, approached the counter, accepted her license and didn't even glance at it as she tucked it into her jacket and walked out.
This is where the trouble starts, Road thought. The woman who was taking the pictures seemed nice enough, but did Road bug her with too many questions? Did she hold that against Road when she focused the camera?
Finally, Road was called. Road's reaction was somewhat tamer. Instead of gasping or going into denial, Road simply grew perplexed. Could the hollow-eyed monster on this license really be Road? What was the red thing in the middle of my face? A pimple? A dust particle run amok?
Later that day, Road noticed that the license was marked restricted with an ``X,'' indicating that Road must have certain eyewear to drive. Road called DMV to ask what the ``X'' was for since I'd obviously passed the eye test (sans eyewear) with flying colors.
Road was told that an eye test is the only test administered to renew a license. If your license was previously marked restricted, the computer wouldn't catch it if you passed the test this time around, unless you let someone know that you're trying to remove the restriction. That's exactly what Road was trying to do. Obviously, it backfired.
All told, Road isn't sure what happened with the eye test, but Road is determined to clear the ``X'' off my driver's license. A return trip is in order.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Johnson, Lake Shores. I want to comment on the right-turn lane on Shore Drive and Diamond Springs Road. It looks like if they had time to put up all those poles, they had time to paint all those stripes in the road. That makes more sense to me.
RW: Indeed, it makes some sense to Road, too.
David Jones, no address given. My comment is about Wesleyan Drive. In the late afternoon it's extremely difficult to see the police officer directing traffic in front of the school. In fact, it's so bad I've seen vehicles screech to a halt and just barely miss the officer.
In some cases, they (the officers) aren't even wearing any sort of reflective gear and there's no warning signs or a light installed there.
And second, why not install a green right arrow on Reon so people can turn right on Providence Road? It might eliminate some of the people who cut through that 7-Eleven parking lot instead of waiting in that right-turn lane.
RW: Road passed your concern on to Mary Bruner, public relations extraordinaire for the college. She said she'd pass it on to the appropriate people to tell those folks to use their vests or maybe examine the situation a little closer.
As for installing a green arrow, if that happens it'll mean less green time for everyone on the main street. Which, if traffic were heavy enough wouldn't be a big deal, but traffic counts just aren't heavy enough for Reon Drive.
Greg Patterson, Lake Smith Terrace. I noticed that southbound on Independence Boulevard in the Haygood area especially between 4 and 5 p.m. is really heavily snarled, most likely from the traffic coming off Little Creek. Can they retime the signals more heavily in favor of that?
RW: Hopefully, CMAQ will take care of the majority of these congestion problems. It hasn't hit that far down Independence yet, but rest assured, it's getting there.
Betty, Pembroke. I have to disagree with you about the light at Pembroke Boulevard and Independence, coming out of the Pembroke Meadows area. If you pulled out as soon as that light turned green there would be one hellacious accident because people coming out of the other side to go north on Independence pay no attention.
I come out of there every single day and, invariably, you sit and wait through a couple of lights because of that.
Al, Thoroughgood. I read your article about Pembroke Meadows. The reason people do not pull out onto Independence from the side streets is the fact that no one stops for the light on Independence coming the other way.
Barbara Ogles, no address given. In reference to your response to Tommy Davis about Pembroke Boulevard at Independence: It isn't worth your life to pull out as soon as your light turns green with so many people running the red lights, it's just not worth it.
To all of the above: Apparently, there are more than one or two people who think the light at Independence and Pembroke Meadows is too long. The only way to solve the question would be to sit there with a stopwatch. Or, wait until the CMAQ project hits all of Independence Boulevard, at which time we'll be dealing with a whole different set of signal timings. Anyone want to volunteer the stopwatch? MEMO: Tell the Road Warrior about your motoring problems. Get 'em off your
chest. Call on Infoline, at 640-5555. After a brief message, dial ROAD
(7623). When directed, press 1 to deliver your message, and 1 again to
sign off.
Or, write: The Road Warrior, Virginia Beach Beacon, 4565 Virginia
Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va., 23462.
Don't forget to include your name, address and neighborhood.
by CNB