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Barely bike-related, but I have to moan to SOMEBODY...

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Old 01-12-11, 10:19 PM
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Barely bike-related, but I have to moan to SOMEBODY...

Had to renew my driver's license yesterday, so I rode my bike the 12 miles to the DMV (not making a statement--it was the first non-frigid day in awhile and I wanted to get out). Got there early, only a short wait, no problems--until I realized the 20-something clerk was being ultra-solicitous, explaining things carefully, pointing to where I should sign, giving me extra help with the eye-test machine.
Eventually, duh, it dawned on me: I was getting the Old Person Treatment. First time it's happened to me, that I'm aware of. I'll turn 66 on Monday, but I still have hair and (thanks largely to cycling) don't bulge out of my clothes excessively. I turned an ankle the other day and was walking with a slight limp, and I tried to convince myself that was it, but it wasn't. In the eyes of the young DMV hottie, I was just another grandpa trying to hang onto his license for four more years.
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Old 01-12-11, 11:18 PM
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Finally, somebody older than me in the 41. That made my day.

See? your day wasn't a total loss VD. That should make you feel better.
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Old 01-13-11, 12:30 AM
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It does pay to keep fit and healthy. A work colleague whom I thought was in his very early 50s revealed he was in fact 62! He rides bicycles from time to time, and takes care of his health. Made my day.
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Old 01-13-11, 12:46 AM
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I'm fifty-one, twice I've had considerate young gentlemen offer me their seat on the bus. I'M NOT THAT OLD, THANK YOU!
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Old 01-13-11, 06:29 AM
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An employee of a DMV that is being nice and considerate, amazing story Velo Dog!
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Old 01-13-11, 09:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Allegheny Jet
An employee of a DMV that is being nice and considerate, amazing story Velo Dog!
+1 They get such a bad reputation, some of which I guess is warranted.

I frequently get similar treatment (in that the behavior of the other person displays, from my view, that they are making big assumptions about me based on appearance) when I go into a new bike shop. The assumption seems to be that I'm looking for a cruiser of stuff for my grandkids.

Velo Dog: I just made this thread bike related for you.
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Old 01-13-11, 09:08 AM
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Maybe she just thought you were hot too.

OK... probably not. But that's what I'd go with if I were you.
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Old 01-13-11, 09:21 AM
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I was in my late 30s and went to a bar near a college in Phoenix. The guy at the door was carefully checking everybody's IDs. When my friends and I walked up, he gave us a quick glance and waved us in. First step in that direction. Last night a cyclist friend said "You're not in your mid-forties yet, are you?" I guess she's getting senile.
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Old 01-13-11, 10:30 AM
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Next thing you know you'll be mistaking the gas for the brake and plowing through the front window of the beauty parlor.
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Old 01-13-11, 10:35 AM
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I'm 46 and got carded in a grocery store while buying a single bottle of beer just last month (but it was New Year's Eve so maybe they were just being extra cautious?)

kinda made my day...
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Old 01-13-11, 10:39 AM
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What???...Old??? I had a doctor's appointment day before yesterday. So I rode instead of driving. Forty miles round trip. I limped into the doctor's office (Arthritic ankle...sometimes use a cane. But still hold up my end in a 20mph paceline). His girls looked at me like I was from outer space when I wheeled my bike into the waiting room, dressed like this. We talked for a while after he had done his thing and he was very interested in the bike. He promised to call and arrange to ride with me when he has worked his way up to 15 miles. (He has been working on it for a year. Not there yet? 20 years younger than me....I'm 66).
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Old 01-13-11, 10:42 AM
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Originally Posted by cccorlew
Maybe she just thought you were hot too.

OK... probably not. But that's what I'd go with if I were you.
I used to try this, too. Then I heard a comedy routine where somebody was doing both sides of a couple of geezers going out to lunch. Only line I remember was one of them telling the other, "She's not hitting on you, idiot. It's her JOB to be nice."
Re the courteous DMV clerks--they're the norm here in Nevada, seriously. i thought it was just a Reno thing (rapidly growing city still clinging to some small-town ways). But my daughter went to school in Las Vegas, and one time when we were down there her purse was stolen out of her car. She needed ID to register for classes, so I called the DMV at about 4:15 on Friday and asked how late they were open. When the clerk heard the story, she said to hurry over and she'd take care of us. They actually opened the door for us and rushed us through the process so she'd be able to register.
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Old 01-13-11, 10:58 AM
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Have noticed that I am being left out of certain things at work- and by my son-in-law. Any time anything heavy needs lifting- or the parts are in an awkward bin that means some climbing-someone picks it for me. Don't mind but when I see them Cautiously climbing 4 ft off the ground to reach the high bins- I go and get a ladder and do it myself. It's quicker.

And the Son-in-law----He seems to think that I am incapable of doing the menial tasks like chain sawing down the trees- or using the Rotavator so I get put on the menial tasks like cleaning up after him.

Still another year before I retire but I think they are preparing me for when I am carted off to the rest home where I won't be allowed to have fun.
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Old 01-13-11, 11:28 AM
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Youthful looks run on my mother's side of the family. People still think she's my sister. I got 'em too. I was last carded buying beer when I was 40.

The other day at the library a woman kept saying, "Young man, young man..." as I was walking past. It took a second to realize she was addressing me. I thanked her profusely.

I'm not quite there yet, but I'm certain I'll get carded for senior coffee.
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Old 01-13-11, 11:45 AM
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I couldn't renew my DL online in December because I'm over 65 and had to go to the DMV for the compulsory eye test. Read the letters on the bottom line with no problem. The woman at the DMV asked why I was renewing my license there rather than online. I told her my 66th bday was the following week. She just winked and said I looked good for my age. I thought to myself that her husband/boyfriend must be in really bad shape.
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Old 01-13-11, 01:34 PM
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In response to pleasant DMV workers, the last time I had went to the DMV, I had to be photographed for a new license. The young woman taking the photo showed my the picture after she took it. We both looked at it, looked at each other, and she said, "Let's take another."
The second time I blinked. There was no one waiting behind me and she was kind enough to let me have an additional two more shots before we got a decent one, because at that point, neither of us could stop laughing.
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Old 01-13-11, 03:46 PM
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Originally Posted by stapfam
Have noticed that I am being left out of certain things at work- and by my son-in-law. Any time anything heavy needs lifting- or the parts are in an awkward bin that means some climbing-someone picks it for me. Don't mind but when I see them Cautiously climbing 4 ft off the ground to reach the high bins- I go and get a ladder and do it myself. It's quicker.

And the Son-in-law----He seems to think that I am incapable of doing the menial tasks like chain sawing down the trees- or using the Rotavator so I get put on the menial tasks like cleaning up after him.

Still another year before I retire but I think they are preparing me for when I am carted off to the rest home where I won't be allowed to have fun.
What do you mean, no fun at the rest home? They have shuffleboard tournaments. What could be more fun than that!?
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Old 01-13-11, 04:03 PM
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Originally Posted by miss kenton
In response to pleasant DMV workers, the last time I had went to the DMV, I had to be photographed for a new license. The young woman taking the photo showed my the picture after she took it. We both looked at it, looked at each other, and she said, "Let's take another."
The second time I blinked. There was no one waiting behind me and she was kind enough to let me have an additional two more shots before we got a decent one, because at that point, neither of us could stop laughing.


The last time I went to renew my license, I asked if they could just reuse the same picture that was already on there from 4 years ago. She said "Sure!" So, at 52, I still look like I'm 46 . . wonder how long they'll let me get away with this
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Old 01-13-11, 04:07 PM
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Conversely, when we were visiting the Finger Lakes region last summer for the 50+ ride, 50+er rtool was carded when he tried to buy beer. True story.

This amusing tidbit of information has nearly been forgotten because Beverly had locked poor rtool in her car moments earlier and we were still laughing our asses off when the kid asked for his ID.

Last edited by Louis; 01-13-11 at 04:10 PM.
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Old 01-13-11, 04:12 PM
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Originally Posted by miss kenton
In response to pleasant DMV workers, the last time I had went to the DMV, I had to be photographed for a new license. The young woman taking the photo showed my the picture after she took it. We both looked at it, looked at each other, and she said, "Let's take another."
The second time I blinked. There was no one waiting behind me and she was kind enough to let me have an additional two more shots before we got a decent one, because at that point, neither of us could stop laughing.
Wish I could run into folks like that. For the last two decades my driver's photos have looked like a mug shot for some demented criminal. I've even had a bank teller, who requested additional ID, look at my driver's photo and say, "Looks like you were having a bad day." Once I had an officer pull me over for going 42 in a 35 MPH zone. He looked at my driver's photo and said, "I'm not giving you a ticket. You've got enough problems." Heck, even I've turned my license face down in my wallet so I don't scare myself when I need to pay for something.
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Old 01-13-11, 04:19 PM
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[QUOTE=stapfam;12071511]Have noticed that I am being left out of certain things at work- and by my son-in-law. Any time anything heavy needs lifting- or the parts are in an awkward bin that means some climbing-someone picks it for me. Don't mind but when I see them Cautiously climbing 4 ft off the ground to reach the high bins- I go and get a ladder and do it myself. It's quicker.

And the Son-in-law----He seems to think that I am incapable of doing the menial tasks like chain sawing down the trees- or using the Rotavator so I get put on the menial tasks like cleaning up after him.
QUOTE]

I took my grandson (15) and a friend with me to cut wood about 6 weeks ago and wore them both out! They started whining,"Don't you have enough cut yet?", and I still had half a trailer and the bed of the truck to fill! I ROCK!...you know...for an old guy!
Other end of the spectrum: I rode to the grocery store about that same time to pick up something for dinner. As I stand there waiting for the guy in front of me, he tells the young lady cashier he has a senior discount card, he is over 60 and wants his discount. She has to call the manager over, get everything cleared, and apply the discount, so I'm standing there patiently waiting, no problem. As soon as the guy walks off and my stuff starts through the scanner, the girl looks at me and says, "Do you get a senior discount too?" The lady behind me turns away and starts giggling(I'm 53, by the way), I looked at the girl and said "NO, I don't, but thanks for asking!" and smiled. So much for me thinking all my friends from school look so bad and I still look pretty good! Ha!
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Old 01-13-11, 04:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Louis
Conversely, when we were visiting the Finger Lakes region last summer for the 50+ ride, 50+er rtool was carded when he tried to buy beer. True story.

This amusing tidbit of information has nearly been forgotten because Beverly had locked poor rtool in her car moments earlier and we were still laughing our asses off when the kid asked for his ID.
Hysterical story

Maybe the kid who carded rtool saw Beverly lock him up in her car, and he thought rtool was Bev's underage juvenile delinquent son, getting a disciplinary "time-out"!
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Old 01-13-11, 04:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Bare Feet


The last time I went to renew my license, I asked if they could just reuse the same picture that was already on there from 4 years ago. She said "Sure!" So, at 52, I still look like I'm 46 . . wonder how long they'll let me get away with this
Excellent Move!!! I'm going to try that next time. After all, with the effort we put into getting a decent photo the last time, it would be a shame not to make it last!
Since one is going to forced to show it to other people for the next four years, I think women understand how important it is to have a good photo on one's driver's license.
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Old 01-13-11, 04:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Bare Feet

The last time I went to renew my license, I asked if they could just reuse the same picture that was already on there from 4 years ago. She said "Sure!" So, at 52, I still look like I'm 46 . . wonder how long they'll let me get away with this
Not to take this thread in the wrong direction, but, have you ever seen some of those obit pics? I chanced to glance through the page the other day and there was some gal who was...66-67, maybe (yeah, I know, too young, still...), and the pic her family stuck in there looked like she was 6!

So BF, you go, girl, you stick whatever pic the DMV will let you stick in there!
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Old 01-13-11, 05:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Louis
What do you mean, no fun at the rest home? They have shuffleboard tournaments. What could be more fun than that!?
Karaoke?
Elvis impersonators?
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