After years (And years. And YEARS) of delay, the United States was finally going to require that driver’s licenses be Real ID compliant in order to be used at TSA checkpoints. October 1, 2020, was the intended start date. Most states finally had all their ducks in a row, and those that didn’t were on course to be, by then. The TSA was even working on ways to prevent meltdowns at the airports, and everything was going as planned.
And then COVID hit and the start date was changed to October 1, 2021.
Meanwhile, the issuance of new drivers licenses was still happening and those with drivers licenses that weren’t Real ID-compliant were getting new ones that were, so they’d be able to get through a TSA security checkpoint.
Well, except for one woman in California whose new drivers license wouldn’t. Although it admittedly had nothing to do with it being Real ID compliant.
So what was wrong with Lesley Pilgrim’s new driver’s license?
This…
From Facebook:
Yup, the picture included her wearing her COVID mask.
Pilgrim apparently went to the California DMV this past February to get a Real ID-compliant driver’s license. The agency was very strict about safety protocols and, as Pilgrim told CNN, “It was honestly really intimidating. Immediately when I got there, I was like, ‘oh my gosh I better not break any of these rules because they’re going to send me to the back of the line.'”
Wanting to ensure she was compliant with what she had to do, Pilgrim didn’t take her mask off until she was told to do so.
She said the DVM worker wound up taking two photos of her – one with her mask on and one with her mask off. And when they send her new driver’s license to her, the “masked” picture was the photo they used.
Whoopsie.
From CNN: “In an emailed statement to CNN, the California DMV said the masked photo was a mistake. ‘Customers are asked to remove their face covering when a photo is taken,’ the DMV said. ‘In this instance there was an oversight. The customer should have been asked to lower her mask for the photo.’
- The Tennessee DMV issued this driver’s license to a woman in August, 2020. That DEFINITELY wouldn’t pass muster (and I’m glad she didn’t take it sitting down).
- And this ridiculous mix up happened courtesy of Global Entry
Anyway, the California DMV said the ID was valid (???) but apparently they had gotten in touch with Pilgrim for a “do-over.” And, of course, they were going to conduct an investigation (I could see how that would go. Tell the photographer, “Don’t do that again.” End of investigation.)
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
#stayhealthy #staysafe #washyourhands #wearamask #getyourCOVIDvaccine
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and get emailed notifications of when we post. Or maybe you’d like to join our Facebook group – we have 19,000+ members and we talk and ask questions about travel (including Disney parks), creative ways to earn frequent flyer miles and hotel points, how to save money on or for your trips, get access to travel articles you may not see otherwise, etc. Whether you’ve read our posts before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
