Angels On The Highway

Dear Editor,

On Tuesday, July 11, my husband, 78, and myself, 74, were returning from Sonora to Oakdale.

Five minutes past Chicken Ranch Road, we experienced a blowout. It was a very scary thing. I thought, no problem, I will call our roadside service provider. I retrieved my cell phone and discovered I had no service. It was 103 degrees outside.

Now, I am in a panic. My husband, still healing from a broken hip, is trying to locate the spare (bolted to the undercarriage) so he can change the tire himself.

Suddenly, a car pulls up with two guys (angels) aboard and they say, “We are here to help.” They introduce themselves as Dave and Jeff. Dave hands me his phone while Jeff gets under the car. Twenty minutes later, we were on our way with Jeff and Dave following.

We went directly to a tire shop and dropped off the car. When we returned, we were handed a note from Dave and Jeff, just checking to make sure we made it okay.

Thank you, thank you Dave Kindred, Principal, Sierra View Elementary School and Jeff Aprile, Vice Principal; you guys are the very best.

Lorri and Gary Williams

DMV Should Up Its Game

Dear Editor,

I am 78 years old and it was time to renew my California Driver’s License. I got up early and arrived at the Modesto D.M.V. at 8:15 a.m. The doors were open and the line already was out to the parking area. We were standing on cement and it was about 30 minutes before we reached the entrance to the building. Then we were in a line (no chairs) for another half hour before we were issued a number. I took my number and I looked for a seat. After standing an hour I needed to sit down. Finally a seat became available.

By this time an hour had gone by. Two hours and fifteen minutes later my number was called. I noticed that many of the elderly and those with health problems were very uncomfortable. Some got up and left. They could not wait any longer. I really wanted to get out of there but I was going to get my driver’s license in spite of the hell they were putting me through. I left with my new license in hand. It was 11:45 a.m.

As I walked to my car I noticed that it was already getting warm. The line was still out to the parking lot. There were elderly men and women and others in line with obvious physical problems. It was getting hot and they were on the hard cement. The day would approach 100 degrees. Would the line still be there?

Why would the State of California impose a degrading process that is a danger to the mental and physical health of California drivers? This goes on every day. As I am writing this letter the line is standing there. It will be there tomorrow and probably next year.

I was so glad to get out of there that I just wanted to forget it and go home. My ordeal was over for a few hours. Then I thought about those still going through hours of torment trying to be served by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Bill Hillman