Not all of the 3.6 million Californians who need a DMV letter got one
Q. In early April, I went into a Department of Motor Vehicles office for a REAL ID and later received one. But I never got that letter in the mail you talked about in an earlier column that needs to be returned with my signature. I can’t find on the Department of Motor Vehicles website the place that was to be made available, either, to request the letter. Hope you can provide some information.
John Mitchell, San Juan Capistrano
A. Of course he can – Honk has more information than Encyclopaedia Britannica, and way more than any mukbang video.
But your path, John, will have more curves than that road up in San Francisco. The DMV website has its pluses, but finding what you need is cumbersome unless you can strike gold on a Google search.
•Go to realid.dmv.ca.gov and click on “What is REAL ID?” at the top of the page.
•Scroll down to the “Frequently Asked Questions” section and find the second box from the bottom.
•Click on it.
•Then click on “Request for Replacement of Second Residency Letter.”
•Fill out the form.
The letter John wants to receive and return to the DMV will put him in full compliance with the requirements of the REAL ID, which will act as a federally accepted identification for domestic air travel beginning late next year.
A lot of Californians – 3.6 million – took the sufficient documents into a DMV office and received a REAL ID before the feds increased the requirements. To correct Uncle Sam’s stumble, those 3.6 million are to get a letter in the mail that the recipient just signs and sends off. No stamp needed.
That is further proof that you live where you say you live.
And with that, you won’t ever have to submit documents when you renew your license down the road to keep that REAL ID status, said Marty Greenstein, a DMV official.
If you haven’t received the letter by now, you should request one.
For those who went to a DMV office to get a REAL ID on April 30 or after, you have already handed over enough documents to avoid needing the letter.
Q. I was traveling on the 60 Freeway, which I rarely do, when I noticed that in certain areas the lanes are divided by a single solid-white line rather than a dotted white line. Does this mean that people cannot change lanes in those areas? Or what exactly does a single solid-white line dividing the lanes mean to a driver?
Scott Irwin, Fullerton
A. Before changing lanes over them, take a scan around for a freeway sign on the subject.
Officer Rodrigo Jimenez, while off of the clock, was kind enough to take a look-see. He is assigned to the California Highway Patrol’s Baldwin Park headquarters and is an agency spokesman.
“If there is a black and white regulatory sign prohibiting lane changes, then it is illegal to cross over the solid white lines,” he said. “If no sign is present, then the solid white lines are only guide lines and lane changes are allowed, but caution should be used due to reduced roadway width.”
Honk has come across this scenario before, and if there are no signs, Caltrans just wants you to be extra careful when making a lane change because of some factor specific to that area.
Remember, drivers never can cross over a pair of solid-yellow or solid-white lines.
Honkin’ fact: In 2017, according to state officials, 12 people died and 383 were injured from traffic collisions with an animal on local, county and state roadways.
To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk.