Dear Editor,

Recently, I was not allowed to purchase an automobile tag because the name on my driver’s license was Darlene Bice White and the name on the tag receipt was Martha D. (as in Darlene) White.

I have purchased the tag for this same vehicle since we purchased it in 2005, using my driver’s license with the same name on them for the past 30 years.

I understand that the new immigration law has caused extra issues for the Shelby County License Office, but shouldn’t common sense come into play at some point?

The line was out into the lobby when the door was locked at 4:30 p.m. With only two people working to take care of customers, it would seem that some of the other employees could have stepped up to help.

I was not the only person who had the experience of being there for four hours and then being turned away without whatever it was they came to purchase at 7 p.m. because of some new law.

It seemed, to me and to others who were in line, that no one there seemed to care how long it took or how long we stood there. One elderly lady had had knee surgery, stood there the entire time with a cane and was told she did not have the paperwork she needed when she finally got to the counter to be waited on. How sad is that?

It would be very helpful if the items needed for each purchase or renewal were posted on the window so that people would know if they needed to get some other item before waiting in line.

Or maybe the office could have an employee to check with the people in line to see what they came to purchase and make sure they have all the necessary documents to make their purchase before waiting for hours to be told they will have to come back.

If I sound a little frustrated it is because I am. I do not think any other business would be allowed to treat customers with as little concern as the license office did and be able to stay in business.

The fact that the office is a government agency does not give its employees the right to conduct business in this manner.

Martha Darlene Bice White

Calera