REAL IDs are real, even if the DMV letter gets lost
Q. Hi Honk: What happens if a driver sends in a Department of Motor Vehicles fix-it letter, to ensure all requirements are met for a REAL ID, but the letter gets lost or is not processed by the DMV? My theory is, with the DMV’s old systems, low employee morale and several million forms to quickly process, many driver’s licenses will lose REAL ID status.
John C. Tolan, Alta Loma
A. Honk had horrified thoughts of waiting to board a jetliner for Hawaii with his family after Oct. 1, 2020, when the REAL ID goes into effect, and getting told, “Ah, sir, that letter apparently never made it.”
Honk wasn’t worried about missing a wave or two – but quite fearful of a scowl from Mrs. Honk.
But all is swell.
If your license or DMV-approved identification card has the the bear-with-the-star icon, in the upper-right corner, you have a REAL ID that will allow you to board a domestic flight. (Other ID will work as well, such as a U.S. passport or military ID.)
Even if a dog grabs a carrier’s mailbag and runs off with that fix-it letter.
“There would be no way for our official to know,” said Lorie Dankers, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration. “We’re not checking a database.”
If that letter was never turned in, the problem would arise when a license expired – the license holder would need to return to a DMV office and submit documents to renew the REAL ID.
For those who have completely satisfied the U.S. government with the proper documents, the REAL ID gets renewed each time a license is renewed, with no added steps, said Jaime Garza, a DMV spokesman.
The DMV intends to send out a second letter. And those who went into a DMV office on April 30 or later for a REAL ID have already presented all of the needed documents and don’t need to worry about sending in a fix-it letter.
The whole issue arose when the Department of Homeland Security increased the requirements for a REAL ID; 3.6 million Californians had visited a DMV office with what was then considered enough documentation.
To fix the problem, those 3.6 million residents were sent letters by the DMV that had to be signed and returned – more proof that their addresses are indeed where they live.
Q. While traveling on the 15 Freeway, between Orange County and Las Vegas, there are sections that have very steep grades that have an added right-hand lane with a sign that says, “Truck Lane – Slow Vehicles Only.” Is it permissible for cars to enter that lane and use it at the posted speed limit, say, 70 mph? I see cars doing this quite frequently, and I’m wondering if they run the risk of being cited for being in a designated slow lane but driving at or below the speed limit. Also, what is the definition of “slow”?
John Costigan, Coto de Caza
A. Honk talked with Officer Ivan Sandoval, a California Highway Patrol spokesman for that area.
“Any vehicle can enter the lane and maintain a slow speed,” he said. “However, if a vehicle utilizes the lane as a passing lane, it is violation.
“Drivers could be cited for speeding, following too closely, and unsafe lane change,” he added. “What is the definition of ‘slow’? Unfortunately, it is ambiguous. Slow on the Cajon Pass is usually a tractor trailer traveling at approximately 30 to 40 miles an hour up the grade.”
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.