Back on October 16 I woke up early and headed to Meriden. I was contesting a ticket I’d been given for Sec. 14-218a. Traveling unreasonably fast.
I’d worked on my best Matlock/Perry Mason defense, but was short circuited. A plea deal was offered. I accepted. My Visa was tapped for a $75 donation to the Connecticut Injured Victims Fund.
Case closed!
Not so fast. This afternoon’s mail brought a serious looking red and black letter from the Connecticut DMV. Here’s the nut graf:
YOUR CONNECTICUT OPERATOR’S LICENSE WILL BE SUSPENDED ON 12/05/12
That’s not good!
I called the number listed for Superior Court in Meriden and spoke to Sean in the clerk’s office. It took him ten seconds to check my case and see it had been ‘nollied.’ Unfortunately the DMV suspended my license, not the court.
I dialed the DMV in Wethersfield. If there is a more confusing, time wasting, unfriendly phone system, I haven’t experienced it. Seriously, press one if this is world class awful!
I wended my way through the phone tree branches until I finally reached a point where I could request and operator… and wait.
Guess how long?
I stayed on hold long enough to memorize the hours for the part time offices in Putnam and Winsted. I now know stickers are no longer issued and can be removed from your windshield. The music-on-hold was the same eight bars repeated over-and-over-and-over. It was that special low fidelity music you only hear on hold–the kind that makes you wonder if it is possibly a kazoo band?
I spent 27 minutes on hold!
I am sure if we submitted prisoners-of-war to this music on hold/announcement hell they’d have a cause for action. Maybe damages? I’ll never be the same.
As has been my experience when dealing with humans at the DMV, Matt who answered my call was ready to help.
He asked my name and date-of-birth, told me he saw my case was ‘nolle prossed’ and said it’s been taken care of.
That’s it? No forms? No begging? I am good to go?
Just to be on the safe side I’ve got all the names written down. We’ll see what happens on December 5.
If you see me in shackles you’ll understand.