Question: I went to Temple Valley to renew my driver’s license. I had all the necessary paperwork, but the lady said I would be getting a two-year renewal, not a six-year renewal. But on two websites for the city licensing department, I’m sure I read that from age 21 to 71, a six-year renewal would be given and after age 72, it would be two years. I repeated I was 71 and wanted the six-year renewal, but she said they did not offer a six-year renewal. She blamed her machine and said she could do nothing about it. Why not? I called City Hall and spoke to a nice lady, but she said it would take 10 days to get an answer. Surely in this day and age, it does not take that long to communicate and get answers. I am willing to redo my license.
Answer: There’s no six-year license being issued by the city, but you do still qualify for an even longer one — an eight-year license.
A programming problem is being blamed for the error in issuing you a two-year license.
The problem has been identified and was to be corrected Wednesday, said Dennis Kamimura, administrator of the city Motor Vehicle & Licensing Division.
He said anyone who was issued a two-year license when they were 71 years of age or younger at the time their licenses were processed are entitled to receive a six-year extension of their expiration date, “provided that they are willing to pay for the additional six years,” he said.
For Oahu, Hawaii and Maui residents, that’s an additional $5 per year ($30); Kauai, $4 per year ($24).
Just return to the office where the two-year license was issued.
Kamimura said a temporary paper license will be issued after fees are paid, then a new plastic license will be mailed. Both will indicate the new expiration date.
According to the Honolulu driver’s licensing site — www1.honolulu.gov/csd/vehicle/dlrequirements.htm — licenses issued to drivers ages 25 through 71 years “shall expire on the first birthday eight years from the date of issuance.” Those under 25 are issued four-year licenses, except for provisional licenses which expire on an applicant’s 19th birthday.
Licenses for those 72 or older expire on the second birthday after the date of issue.
Question: Is there a policy that allows any person to pick up or purchase tickets to Hanauma Bay without standing in line? If there is, what is it? If there isn’t, why did I see tour guides just bypass long queues of people standing in line to get their tickets?
Answer: The policy is to allow “education groups” — schools, senior centers, etc. — who have a parks permit and who have coordinated a visit through the University of Hawaii Sea Grant program to bypass the ticket line, said Todd Hiranaga, East Honolulu district manager for the city Department of Parks and Recreation.
A sea grant representative will meet with the group at the entrance to Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve for a brief orientation, then will take the group representative to the cashier’s window to pay, he said.
“Our operations staff will look into a review of our current operational practices to see if improvements
in the area of customer service for our visitors can be made,” Hiranaga said. “We thank the public for being patient at our peak hours of admission and apologize for any unnecessary inconveniences.”
MAHALO
To two people who helped me regain my stolen bike. Dr. Tyler Ralston came across it after it was tossed for bulky item pickup on the sidewalk. When he determined it had been stolen, he and his understanding son quickly gave their time and transportation to arrange with HPD officer Okano to contact me the same day. Tyler politely refused any reward or even payment for replacing the bike seat. Their empathy for another human being is beautiful. — Clifford Lum
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