Several ways to replace a registration tag that never arrived in the mail
Q. At 76 years old and under the stay-at-home order, I sent in my vehicle registration payment. I received paperwork stating I needed to get a smog test. So I had my vehicle smog tested on May 19 and passed. Here it is in July and I still have not received my sticker. What is up with the Department of Motor Vehicles?
– Bob Souza, Yucaipa
A. That is indeed a head-scratcher as to why it is taking so long – maybe the pandemic has slowed down the process.
A spokesman for the DMV up in Sacramento, Nicholas Filipas, told Honk it can take two or three weeks after you complete the process to get your new tag and paperwork in the mail. So you should have received it long ago.
Honk has unearthed some solutions for you, Bob.
You could go online and request a replacement. Over all, it might be quicker to make the request by calling the DMV at 800-777-0133. But, frankly, you might want to binge-watch some TV while enduring the wait. Honk suggests: “Justified,” “Longmire” and “Bosch.”
Or, Bob, if you are a member of the Automobile Club of Southern California, you can walk in and a clerk can pull up your DMV records and see that you paid and your vehicle was smog-checked – and if the computer also shows the DMV processed the registration more than 30 days ago, likely hand you that replacement tag on the spot for free.
The Auto Club folks did want me to pass along, though, that there are various scenarios that could pop up, so no guarantees.
Q. Dear Honk: The Antelope Valley Freeway’s carpool lane has posted limited hours as to when it is in effect. This lane is clearly separated from the rest of the freeway by the typical double-yellow or double-white solid lines. During carpool hours, you are not allowed to freely cross over these solid lines. During non-restricted hours, cars cross freely over these same solid lines. Don’t these same lane-change regulations apply during the non-restricted hours, too?
– Dennis Tsuyuki, Torrance
A. Yes.
Honk read your question to Monique Mischeaux, an officer and the spokeswoman for the California Highway Patrol’s station house in the Antelope Valley, which patrols that stretch.
“That is completely correct,” she said about your words. “Double-yellow lines are in effect at all times.”
The only element that changes with those particular lanes is when they convert to carpool lanes requiring at least one passenger in addition to the driver, as commuters hustle into the San Fernando Valley, or away from it. Watch the signs out there for exact times.
By the way, those double-yellow solid lines you mentioned are history – the federal government wants uniformity sea-to-sea and California, finally, is following Uncle Sam’s wishes and is now using white paint instead of yellow for those barriers.
To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk