Bolivia driver's license, #8

I got to transito at 10:30 this morning and had quite the shock. When I got to the 3rd floor I saw that a huge line snaked through several rooms…….and that it was my line! My jaw nearly hit the ground. I didn't have time for this!! There must have been 50 men waiting! Well okay, and two women. Just to make sure that it was really MY LINE, I asked two different police officers. When I finally joined it with a sigh, thinking I'd just see how it went, it was even longer!

But at that very moment they opened the window and started attending, and to my relief, within 10 minutes I got to the front, simply said my name and license category (“P” for particular, or private…versus commercial) and was sent to another line. That line was being formed by the same people from my line, so again I had dozens in front of me. That line moved almost as quickly, and soon it was my turn for another picture. A police officer called out our names and we took an official looking page with our picture, thumbprints, and other data.

Some people were paying 100 Bolivianos more but for once, no one asked me for money!

I was in and out in about 35 minutes. I was glad I got there an hour later than what they had told me yesterday, since they didn’t even open the window until then.

This isn't the first time I wonder.... What motivation is there to do things the legal way? Why so much paperwork for something as "simple" as a driver's license? If it was just a little easier and less bureaucratic, wouldn't the dozens of "anti-corruption" posters not be necessary?

While in line today, chuckling at a poster that touted the traffic police as modern ("your time is gold"), I decided that I could have been at this full time for a full week or more without the help of the lawyer. PLUS my time in driver's ed, which is a daily class for 1-3 weeks long, depending. Nuts!