Thread by @dawnbvaughan

It's Monday, so I'm going full Monday. I'm at the DMV. And the line is outside, just to take a number.

There are 25 of us standing *outside* just waiting to go in and take a number at the DMV office on South Miami Blvd in Durham.

A woman came outside and those of us in line at the DMV have questions. She got here at 7:15 a.m., and the line was outside then for a 8 a.m. opening. It took 2 hrs, 45 min to get her driver's license.

Clearly this office does not have enough staff and space to handle people coming to get driver's licenses, if people need to wait outside to get basic state identification renewals.

It's pretty sweaty out here waiting to get in to the S. Miami Blvd DMV. Everyone is huddled under the minimal shade. 12 hours from now, I'll likely be at City Hall still for tonight's council meeting, so this Monday is full Monday.

DMV line update: nobody is happy out here. We're all sweaty. People have come up and left when they see the line is just to take a number. But not everyone can just leave. We need to get this done today.

A train is passing through East Durham right now and everyone waiting outside in line at the DMV can hear it. I'm four people behind the door now. Elders here with canes. Parents with kids.

Teenagers here to take their driver's test are getting a lesson in government as well. A guy played music for a bit. Everyone has the same facial expression of resignation and annoyance. Did I mention we're all sweaty, even in the shade.

I. Am. Inside. The line in here is crazy long but there's air conditioning, so.

I have a number. But I won't be getting a "Real ID," just a regular license. Brought notarized marriage certificate, W-2, license, mail letter. DMV worker said that women who are married and changed their name need birth certificate too. Welp.

I read that real ID requirements list five times, have more paperwork than anyone would carry and still am not getting it. Fine. And by *fine* I'm being sarcastic.

DMV worker updates the crowded room that 2 people are taking lunch at 11 a.m., then 2 more at noon, so things will get slower. Slower!

He explained the reasons for the incredibly long DMV waits: -Teenagers getting licenses in summer.
-People getting Real ID.
***All the people moving to North Carolina right now.***

DMV update: we are all still here. Real ID deadline (for airports and fed facilities) isn't until Oct. 2020, so I'll be using my new, old timey license for awhile. Whenever I'm called, that is.

My bingo number. Also, there's a guy here wearing a Party in the USA t-shirt but his facial expression does not reflect his shirt.

Man walks in to DMV waiting area (after outside sweaty waiting area), says: "Holy sh*t!"
Everyone: "Yep."
Man: "So we get a ticket and wait four hours?"
Another man: "Six hours."
Everyone: (Laughs sadly to self.)

We're all in this together. DMV is a cross section of everyone who lives and/or works in Durham.

I've reached philosophical DMV time.

Some people are leaving DMV even after waiting so long, because they have places to be, like their jobs. I'm only here still because I'm working late tonight and doing some work now.

Waiting room update:
Someone has Bojangles and I want it.
There's a cute sleeping baby.
People are telling everyone else what the situation is about the various lines, ticket taking and waiting.
The person sitting next to me tapping her foot is shaking the entire row of seats.

New update: Someone has had enough and left, and is yelling. I have to use the restroom but what if they call my number when I'm gone so here I sit.

The yeller cooled off and came back in, because we are all in it. Person next to me still shaking seat row, despite my side eye. #DurhamDMVtoday

A mom with four kids just came in. Godspeed, ma'am. I feel like we should start high fiving people when they get called. People are laughing and joking with main DMV man because what else can you do. I've been here 3 hours. #DurhamDMVtoday

#DurhamDMVtoday waiting room report:
-Young man has tattoo that says "Just survive." He seems unbothered by the wait.
-Baby woke up, has bottle.
Me:

Waiting room update: We are commiserating.
#DurhamDMVtoday

I've been here 4 hours. I thought I'd be out in two hours, tops. Lololol.
#DurhamDMVtoday

Waiting room talk is that we should have come Tuesday or Wednesday. #DurhamDMVtoday

Bingo!

I'm at the window. Photo taken. Signed. Almost ready. And.....the national driver database is down. I'm serious! #DMV

I was sooooo close. Now I'm sitting down again, waiting for the national driver database to be fixed. This is nationwide. #DurhamDMVtoday

And I can't get my Real ID today so made an appointment to come back in October. For real. I'm still here just to get a regular license (it expired, I can't leave) and I made an appointment to come back. #DurhamDMVtoday

North Carolina airports will start checking for Real IDs in October bc NC rolled this out already, even though nationwide it's Oct. 2020.

I've been here almost 5 hours just to renew my driver's license. The national driver database is still down.

There's only so much work I can do on my phone. I need to get to my desk to start writing stories out of City Council tonight. #DurhamDMVtoday

Here's a live look at the floor as we wait. The national driver database is still down, and my license was almost done (photo, signature, etc done). #DurhamDMVtoday

I'm now sitting next to that guy I mentioned earlier wearing a Party in the USA t-shirt. #DurhamDMVtoday

Update: I'm back at the counter. Wish me luck. #DurhamDMVtoday

I'm still out of luck. Back to the seating area. They've filed a help desk ticket for my license. #DurhamDMVtoday

In good news, I have sorted through all my work email, and I get a lot, lot, lot of work email. #DurhamDMVtoday

I'm back at the counter again, again. #DurhamDMVtoday

Apparently because the national driver database went down when my license was being processed, the system back up is not clearing/redoing it. But IT is working on it, I hear. Fingers crossed. #DurhamDMVtoday

I see the light!

Six hours and 15 minutes after I arrived, I have a driver's license. Not the Real ID though, because I was short one of five documents. So I'll be back here mid-October, the first available appointment. #DurhamDMVtoday

Something to note about those DMV appointments: You have to make them way in advance, so you can't just up and go get what you need in person on the spur of the moment. Folks struggling already were the ones waiting in the longest line. And *outside* for kids and elderly.

One man left the S. Miami Blvd DMV and went to the one on MLK, which had same long line, he told us waiting room folks, so he came back to first DMV. He was still there when I left. #DurhamDMVtoday

Also, there were a couple of workers at the S. Miami Blvd #DurhamDMVtoday who were really nice and friendly. So shout out to them for doing the best they could with what they have to work with.