Why is renewing a drivers’ license at the DMV such a stereotypically bad experience? This is even true at the the Travis County DMV, with its new technological innovation that allows you to reserve your place in line ahead of time. It’ll send you text messages updating you on your progress. But the DMV itself is still depressing, loud, uncomfortable, and lit by truly hideous florescent lights. It’s even awful when you have a cute man to accompany you there.
After just a few minutes in those uncomfortable chairs, with the tinny speakers bellowing numbers at us, we were sniping at each other. See the toll bad lighting can take on a relationship?
I think we won’t have to go back for another 10 years, thankfully. Perhaps by then the technology will be such that they will be able to beam the eye tests (or whatever it was that meant we couldn’t renew online this time like we were able to in 2009) to our homes. One can dream.
Classy Otter 
I am sad to report that although Canada (Vancouver, specifically) is the land of the pleasant and helpful government worker, the DMVs here are sadly just as grim and badly lit as they are back in the States. And as a non Canadian, I don’t even get the comfort of a long license validation–I have to go back every year! Boo, hiss.
ooh, that is unfortunate! My new license doesn’t expire until 2020, and I think the next renewal can be taken care of online.