Fronting up at the RTA, I take a ticket for 'TEST'
Waiting for my number to be called I notice young males and females, some accompanied by their parents wishing them good luck. I look around, I had no one, oh good grief I drove here myself.
I felt like I was back in school nervously waiting to enter an exam room. (some things never leave your memory).
The woman behind the counter was curt and unresponsive when I told her I was here to apply for a motorbike license, looking at me blankly, as if I had asked her for an order of fries and milkshake.
"Is this the right counter?" I asked. Awkward silence rose, then she blinked and said "Yes" paused and began to hand me an application form. "Oh! I already have one filled out". Silence again, she directed me to the interactive screen. "Do you want head phones?", she said. Not sure why I would need them, so I said yes, just in case I might be missing out on something.
It took me back to those horrid exam rooms in school where people didn't care if you passed or not, everything was very robotic.
There were 45 questions to answer on a touch screen with three options for each question.
Smugly knowing I had practiced these at home on the RTA website until I had perfect scores evading those dreaded nerves of the unknown.
Finishing the questions, the screen told me to notify the administrator.
I stood up and walked over to the woman informing her I had finished, she told me to sit back down in my seat.
Which I did, opening my handbag and putting my glasses away I heard her calling another woman "She is looking in her handbag" (meaning me).
AND? is there a law against that?
The other woman came over and asked me what I was doing, then the penny dropped, they thought I was cheating! How could I cheat when I had finished the test?
I found myself explaining my actions in depth (again, a memory from school)
OK these people are not happy where they work, so I opted for another tact and began a personal interaction and bought up a conversation noticing her Canadian accent.
The atmosphere became warmer and friendlier for both of us.
After the dreaded photo, I waited for my new licence.
Time ticked by and I stood up to see what was the delay.
The first unresponsive woman asked me if I was being served!
Did she recognise me from before? or was I just another blurred person she had to serve during her dreary day?
"Just waiting for my license" She turned and produced my license handing it to me.
I noticed her name on her badge and thanked her, mentioning her name.
A smile broke out on her face, I thank her again using her name once again, her face broadened.
then she said, "Be careful out there riding your bike"
I decided to tell her my plans and why I needed the license, we had a small conversation and I left.
Again she smiled and even had a laugh.
I thought about what life must be like for the people working there.
Are they trapped in a mindless job they dislike?
Do their customers and management people treat them as machines and not humans?
Whatever the reason, I found it interesting by showing a small personal acknowledgement to a person can make a profound difference to both parties.
Proudly walking out of the RTA with my new license showing:
License Class: C, (car) R LRN (Rider Learner)
I felt more than a little chuffed!
Carrying my bright yellow "L" plates I had a great urge to yell at everyone "They are for a motorbike, I can drive a car" (again a school memory of justification)
Officially allowed to ride on the road in public!
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