The Hassayampa Follies Postscript
When I returned to the DMV, after clearing my Arizona driving record, I was asked to take a written test. This has never happened to me before and I wasn’t prepared for it. But I stood at the testing table and answered as best as I could. I felt pretty confident about all of the questions except one. It asked, “When you are convicted of a DUI, what sentence are you likely to receive? A. $500 fine B. 6 month suspension of license C. 12 month suspension of license.” I thought about it for a minute. “This is a ridiculous question! It has nothing to do with driving competency. It is only testing me on my familiarity with public policy. How in the hell should I know? I made a guess (C.) and turned in my test.
And, of course, this is the one question I got wrong. The woman reviewing the answers said, “Don’t feel bad. You probably aren’t a drinker.”
“Well, no. I’m not. At least when I know I’ll be driving! What a stupid question.” (The correct answer was B. by the way)
“Well, she answered, it is the reason I take a bike to work.”
What? Are you telling me you got a DUI conviction?”
“Yes,” she answered.
“Let me get this straight. I can’t renew a driver’s license because of a twenty year old jaywalking ticket, but the DMV will let someone with an active DUI conviction correct the driving tests.
“Yes.” She said.
I had already mentioned in my last post on this matter that I got my insurance policy paperwork in the mail even before the company knew I had a valid license. Well the laughs kept coming the following day when I received a packet in the mail from the insurance company begging me to come back to them as a customer. Clearly the sales department was not talking to the marketing department. The packet contained all sorts of deals for reduced rates on my policy IF I returned to them. I did not fail to note that I received NONE of these deals when I renewed my policy over the phone the previous week!
So now I sit with an important question....
Should I stir the pot and call the insurance company and ask for these discounts? They are not trivial. And if they refuse (because I have already returned as a customer) I would be sorely tempted to cancel my policy just so I can call up the next day and reissue it with the discounts.
Of course, the ENTIRE story here began when my policy waned and I would be tempting the same fate if I cancelled my policy for 24 hours. What do you think? Aren’t you just as curious as I am to see just how ridiculous this story can get?

