Move to Nova Day 3 (Springfield, Leesburg: townhouse, live, restaurants)

[sportsterjohn]

Ok, I am keeping today's post in the same thread due to popular demand. We can subtitle today, more DMV woes. Score DMV 4, me 0. Since I found out yesterday I had to clear up a 20yr old fine before I can get my VA DL, I decided to do tags. I went to the DMV select in Lorton. This is a small office. There was only 1 person a head of me so I was in an out within 10 min withoug a tag of course. At this particular select office, they didn't want to deal with out of state transfers so they referred me to a full service office. I went to the one of Franconia street. The good news is that I was called up to the window within 90 seconds of getting my number. The bad news is that I was back in the parking lot without VA tags within 5 minutes. Apparently they didn't like my tag receipt from Ga. I will admit this was my fault. For all you people coming from Ga. Don't bring the bill the tag office sends you, bring the little brown card thingy that comes with the sticker. The only thing that annoyed me is that if they were a bit helpful we could have cleared this up. I called the DMV in Ga and they would have faxed over a copy of the registration if the VA DMV people would have faxed over a request on official letter head. Mr helpful at the counter wouldn't do it. This means that I will have to have my wife eithor A: find the origional in my office (fat chance) or B go to the GA DMV get a new one and mail it to me. Not a real problem since I have to go back in a few weeks to get the DL thing taken care of. While I was in the area, I stopped at Target for a few minutes. I have never seen a multi-floor target. I do remember multi-floor dept stores from when I was a kid up in NY but I haven't seen one in many years. It was alot bigger than the targets at home. I did however accomplish one thing. I got the fog light on the SUV fixed and got my reject tag replaced!! Other observations / hints for the DMV. You must bring a bill from your insurance policy, they don't accept an insurance card or even the policy as proof. Bring an actual bill statement. As far as payment, unless the car is new, you don't have to pay the car tax when you register. You get billed for that. You will only need about $50 to do tag / registration. If your car is financed, bring the addy of the bank with you. You need that along the dealer name and addy to fll out the app.

I also figured out today why they sell windshield wiper fluid at every single store. It's because there is so much dirt (prob related to eithor construction or snow removal) that every time you use your windshield wipers, your window will become so dirty that you cannot see out of it. My car was black when I moved here, it is now dirt colored!

Warning for Gov't contractors. There are background checks and then there are background checks. I was hired for this position back in Nov and was told I can start when I was positivly adjucated. I was told that it would take 2-7 weeks to acomplish. So, I filled out the 10 different forms and waited. At 7 weeks to the day, the security person for the Gov't dept I work for tells my contracting company that I am positivly adjucated and I can start. So my head hunter calls me, we agree on a start date and here I am. Well, a Gov't background field investigator calls me last night and tells me that they want to interview me so they can do my background check. I'm like, what??? I talk to the lady who told me that I was cleared and she tells me the the positive adjucation is just an fbi check and a credit check. It took 7 weeks for this!!!! The background check apparently is seperate so as of now, I will not know until monday morning whether or not I can start work. It may be possible to start prior to the field investigation. I am a bit suprised that they wouldn't do these 2 seperate things in parallel. I realize that this is more of a personal matter but with all the people moving to the area to accept Gov't contracting jobs, I figured it may be useful. Observatons of the day. Daily Grind coffee: good, Polo Grill: so so.

[Flamingo13]

I hope the clearance finally comes through, it did used to take quite awhile back in the day, now since 9/11, even longer.

[sportsterjohn]

The only thing that annoys me about this is that I was told it was already finished. Had I known there was more to it, I could have stayed home another week or two. On another note, I finally got myself good and lost.

[bmwguydc]

Originally Posted by ajzjmsmom

Sportsterjohn, I too am enjoying your posts. Gives those who maybe moving here some ideas of things that can go wrong in trying to become "legal" in VA. It gives them an opportunity to fix things that possibly need to be fixed, thereby making their dealings with the gov't facilites not quite as hectic. If someone gets upset because you are posting a day by day accounting then they don't have to read your posts.

bmwguydc, hope my last sentence doesn't have to be cut, just wanted to thank the OP for providing this service.

No worries, and you are correct, since Sportsterjohn is free to post about his move here. It's a good account that can help a good number of people with useful information and impressions that those who live in the region may take for granted.

@Sportsterjohn: Sorry that the DMV got you again, but at least this time you didn't have to wait forever in Woodbridge. At least that's a good thing.

[movingtodcfromseattle]

Originally Posted by sportsterjohn

On another note, I finally got myself good and lost.

Have you invested in a GPS? I moved here at the end of June and bought a Garmin at Costco. I couldn't have lived w/out the first couple of months. Now I can navigate all of the necessary shopping places for our family. My hubby can navigate into DC now. It's taken awhile to get to know the area though. One of our better purchases.

[normie]

John--just a thought. If you're posting from a device that lets you insert paragraphs, breaking your thoughts into paragraphs would make it much easier to read your posts.

[normie]

Originally Posted by sportsterjohn

The only thing that annoys me about this is that I was told it was already finished. Had I known there was more to it, I could have stayed home another week or two. On another note, I finally got myself good and lost.

That must be frustrating. On the plus side, you have time to do a little exploring. When I moved here I used to try to get lost deliberately, and then see what I discovered as I found my way back. You find all sorts of interesting things that way.

[Flamingo13]

I also used to just drive randomly, it was a great way to find new little back roads, etc. - I hadn't lived here all that long when a date told me I knew more back roads them he did and he'd lived here all his life.

[ajzjmsmom]

Originally Posted by sportsterjohn

Ok, I am keeping today's post in the same thread due to popular demand. We can subtitle today, more DMV woes. Score DMV 4, me 0. Since I found out yesterday I had to clear up a 20yr old fine before I can get my VA DL, I decided to do tags. I went to the DMV select in Lorton. This is a small office. There was only 1 person a head of me so I was in an out within 10 min withoug a tag of course. At this particular select office, they didn't want to deal with out of state transfers so they referred me to a full service office. I went to the one of Franconia street. The good news is that I was called up to the window within 90 seconds of getting my number. The bad news is that I was back in the parking lot without VA tags within 5 minutes. Apparently they didn't like my tag receipt from Ga. I will admit this was my fault. For all you people coming from Ga. Don't bring the bill the tag office sends you, bring the little brown card thingy that comes with the sticker. The only thing that annoyed me is that if they were a bit helpful we could have cleared this up. I called the DMV in Ga and they would have faxed over a copy of the registration if the VA DMV people would have faxed over a request on official letter head. Mr helpful at the counter wouldn't do it. This means that I will have to have my wife eithor A: find the origional in my office (fat chance) or B go to the GA DMV get a new one and mail it to me. Not a real problem since I have to go back in a few weeks to get the DL thing taken care of. While I was in the area, I stopped at Target for a few minutes. I have never seen a multi-floor target. I do remember multi-floor dept stores from when I was a kid up in NY but I haven't seen one in many years. It was alot bigger than the targets at home. I did however accomplish one thing. I got the fog light on the SUV fixed and got my reject tag replaced!! Other observations / hints for the DMV. You must bring a bill from your insurance policy, they don't accept an insurance card or even the policy as proof. Bring an actual bill statement. As far as payment, unless the car is new, you don't have to pay the car tax when you register. You get billed for that. You will only need about $50 to do tag / registration. If your car is financed, bring the addy of the bank with you. You need that along the dealer name and addy to fll out the app.

I also figured out today why they sell windshield wiper fluid at every single store. It's because there is so much dirt (prob related to eithor construction or snow removal) that every time you use your windshield wipers, your window will become so dirty that you cannot see out of it. My car was black when I moved here, it is now dirt colored!

Warning for Gov't contractors. There are background checks and then there are background checks. I was hired for this position back in Nov and was told I can start when I was positivly adjucated. I was told that it would take 2-7 weeks to acomplish. So, I filled out the 10 different forms and waited. At 7 weeks to the day, the security person for the Gov't dept I work for tells my contracting company that I am positivly adjucated and I can start. So my head hunter calls me, we agree on a start date and here I am. Well, a Gov't background field investigator calls me last night and tells me that they want to interview me so they can do my background check. I'm like, what??? I talk to the lady who told me that I was cleared and she tells me the the positive adjucation is just an fbi check and a credit check. It took 7 weeks for this!!!! The background check apparently is seperate so as of now, I will not know until monday morning whether or not I can start work. It may be possible to start prior to the field investigation. I am a bit suprised that they wouldn't do these 2 seperate things in parallel. I realize that this is more of a personal matter but with all the people moving to the area to accept Gov't contracting jobs, I figured it may be useful. Observatons of the day. Daily Grind coffee: good, Polo Grill: so so.

I had not heard this one, very good to know. I have lived in both Texas and New Mexico and both only require proof of insurance with a card being sufficient. I need to remember this one since we have our insurance taken out of our account autmatically I don't get a bill.

[ajzjmsmom]

Originally Posted by normie

That must be frustrating. On the plus side, you have time to do a little exploring. When I moved here I used to try to get lost deliberately, and then see what I discovered as I found my way back. You find all sorts of interesting things that way.

I don't deliberately get lost but I am proud to say I know more shortcuts around Arlington then my hubby does. He drives me nuts when he drives now because he takes the long way.