August 13, 2007
Fenty Ditches Security, Fights for Parking
In a town where motorcades are less a spectacle and more an annoyance, Mayor Adrian Fenty's modest security detail has never raised many eyebrows. But now Fenty has done away with it altogether -- and no one really knows why.
According to a Post report, Fenty has decided to ditch the police security detail and drive himself around during the month of August instead. And beyond simply shedding daily armed protection, Fenty has also been left to fight for parking as he goes about city business. His rationale? "Because I have a driver's license," according to the Post piece.
But others see a number of reasons, first among those his image. Fenty ran as a man of the people, and nothing further separates an elected leader from his constituents than a convoy of tinted-window SUVs and conspicuous bodyguards. And it was only months ago that Fenty came under fire for allowing his convoy to use their emergency lights all too liberally to weave through D.C. traffic. DC Watch's Dorothy Brizill identifies another, less obvious reason -- mayoral Big Brother Michael Bloomberg takes the subway to work, adding heft to his "Mayor of the People" image.
Whatever the reason, we applaud Fenty's decision. If even for a month, his choice to commute like the rest of us -- well, those of us driving a Ford Expedition -- means that he's hasn't completely lost touch. Sure, security is a concern, but there's no reason that his detail -- should he decide to keep it -- can't ride shotgun or in the back seat. But to really be the man of the people he's always claimed to be, we'd love to see Fenty stand in line with the rest of us at the DMV when it comes time to renew his license. Or better yet, start taking Metrobus to work.
Photo by picture perfect
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Good for him. Can't wait to see how the haters spin this into a negative.
Someone doesn't read their sister/parent website.. Bloomberg was busted by the Times. He gets a 20-block ride to the subway, and sometimes skips it altogether.
http://gothamist.com/2007/08/01/mayor_bloomberg_29.php
Good job, MF. I like his approach.
Why does everyone still believe that the DC DMV is a hellhole of long lines and inefficiency? I've registered and renewed licenses and registrations several times over the past three years and the system works well. I've been able to get things done within 30 minutes by taking time to research on the DMV website and have all my paperwork in order. I can't believe the number of idiots who walk in there with no idea what they need to change their registration from another state, for example. If you have to wait, it's probably the fault of someone like that rather than the DMV workers. If you really still think DC is bad, try registering a car in Montgomery Co. -- a several-hour hassle, for no visible reason, last time I was there.
I would think that Fenty would require much less security than say Barry because there would be fewer people who wanted to assassinate him. Also, since his is not smoking crack all the time, he doesn’t need to be worried he’ll get pulled over and charged. Just a thought.
As for parking, I would let him park illegally like the council members do. I saw a VW bug parked by Safeway in Adams Morgan illegally with DC council plates at 9:30pm one night. The council member returned with a few bags of groceries, must have been snacks for a council meeting the next day, I assume.
I hope some of the church parkers block his car in. Maybe then he'll decide that enforcing the law is a good idea.
If Fenty was a real man of the people, he'd ride his bike to work.
Guest 5: How are you so sure that Fenty isn't smoking crack all the time? He's been doing something other than being an effective mayor over the past six months or so.
And I have serious doubts about Fenty's singing and dancing skills. Marion Barry can rock a mic and break it down on the dance floor. Mayor Fenty likes to run. That's real exciting.
That flesh-colored Beetle ragtop belongs to Jim Graham. I see it all over the place, usually parked illegally.
It's true. If you simply bring the proper documentation with you, going to the DC DMV is a very efficient process. In fact, it's the most efficient DMV I have been to. It is a good idea to go at a non-peak time (I like to go when they open) because when it's busy, it's busy.
And for pete's sake, don't be surly to the woman who combs the line for proper documents. She's only there to help you. If you're a dipshit who can't call ahead or check the website, then tough luck.
Jim Graham illegally parked in a Metro Bus stop and almost killed me when the bus had to cut suddenly over then stop in the middle of the street. I had to swerve into traffic to avoid it. Seriously, why do we let our elected leaders pass laws that grant them immunity from the law (i.e., not having to pay parking tickets)? I guess it will take a real death to kill his political career for good.
Do you really need to go to the DMV to renew your license? I thought you could do that via the Internet?
Anyway, I've spent my time waiting at a Virginia DMV and the DC DMV, and while it isn't always as bad as its reputation, the DC DMV is still way worse than the VA DMV (at least the one on Four Mile Run that I used to go to). Those women who screen people at the front are pretty much the definition of surly. I remember in my first encounter with them I was trying to get my license and get my car registered a few days before my apartment lease began. I had a copy of the signed lease, but since the lease didn't begin for a couple days, they told me it wasn't good enough proof of residency. That's ridiculous.
I should say, however, that the Georgetown DMV is much, much better.
I'm pretty sure Fenty is going to have an entourage tailing him wherever he goes.
As for the D.C. DMV, I will quell my hatred and just pass along some advice: Take the sass of the hairy lipped woman at the Georgetown DMV with a smile and a "yes, ma'am," or prepare to be humiliated in front of a group of people. If you don't just take their verbal abuse and sit down emasculated, they'll conveniently "forget" to do things like call your number or check the fax machine for your proof of insurance. I have seen this happen to me and to other people at the DMV.
Also the D.C. website is incorrect about a lot of things, and asking the DMV call center the same question on multiple occasions will often yield 2-3 answers, so the poster who calls people "dipshit" is a real clever asshole.
I'm pretty sure there's nobody out there that would claim the D.C. DMV has "good customer service." Even the MLK Ave. DMV in Atlanta, GA is better.
Although my first trip to DC DMV was a pain in my behind (because Ty is right, the website was incorrect about a couple of things), my second trip was an absolute breeze (of course I did go when they opened, on a Saturday morning, in the middle of November).
And if Fenty wants to drive his own tush around town, good for him, as long as he's an intelligent driver. The first time I see him rolling through a red light or not yeilding for pedestrians, his ass is toast. It's probably better if he stays off the Metro. It's bad enough having to deal with the hoards of dumb, deaf and blind tourists... I don't want to get screwed because his security detail thinks somebody looked at him cross-eyed.
My best DMV experience ever - and I've lived in several different states - was at the DC DMV in Anacostia. They called my number before I even had time to fill in my paperwork, the staff was friendly and chatty, and everyone answered my questions cheerfully. I went first thing in the morning and was in and out within 30 minutes (this was when I first moved to DC 3 years ago; I was getting license, tags, the works). So yes, I would definitely claim that the DC DMV has "good customer service!"
My trip to the Virginia DMV in Alexandria, on the other hand, required taking almost an entire day off work. The people were mean, too.
Good PR for Fenty (it was the DC blurb in the national roundup in USA Today) but 100% bad policy to ever discuss the security details of the mayor of a major US city. It is Fenty's choice (hopefully after taking the advice of the MPD) on how large or small his security detail is on a given day. However, it is not something that should be advertised. A simple "the Mayor uses an ever-changing security detail based on current needs" would have been the proper answer to any inquiries.
Remember this, the protection given to elected officials, from Mayors up to the President, is, in some ways, a protection of the vote itself. The people of DC voted for Adrian Fenty to be their mayor for the next four years and that vote should not be taken from them by a lone gunman seeking to undo an election. Security for the Mayor is important and should not be used as a PR stunt.
Could it all be just a way of saying gas prices are killing us?
DC DMV is light years better than it used to be. I've had several positive experiences there recently. And those clerks put up with a lot of crap from some very surly people.
I had no problem with my one and only trip to DC DMV. I showed up at Penn-Branch with all of my paperwork in order, properly marked, and ready to go. The woman behind the counter even thanked me for being so put-together. The people I saw having problems were the people trying to register cars without titles, or trying to get plates for cars with VIN numbers 8 digits too short, or claiming that their license plates had been stolen and of course they didn't have a police report.
"I'm pretty sure there's nobody out there that would claim the D.C. DMV has "good customer service."
I am happy to see there are people in DC that don't agree with you! You were wrong in your assumption.