For someone who doesn’t drive and has no desire to drive, it is extremely rare that I go to the department of motor vehicles aka the dreaded Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). After nearly a decade, it was time for me to renew my identity card and time from a visit to DMV.

The first time I went to DMV, I had to stand in a line for hours before getting it done. This time around, I made an appointment, showed up 5 minutes before my scheduled time, 9.30 am and was done in 45 minutes and was back to work at 11 am. The process while, not exactly smoothest was probably one of the most efficient interaction with a government entity. Yes, the website is decidedly 1990s and the DMV uses old and aging computers based on WindowsXP, but still the process worked. It was a pleasant and positive experience — and given how critical I am of things, I felt compelled to share the experience. It also reinforced the idea that one has to be open to constantly challenging & changing your preconceived notions.

The 45 minutes at DMV were quite enlightening for it was a window into the real world diversity, tastes and consumers. It is easy to get caught up in the whole Silicon Valley scene and loose all perspective. It prompted me to tweet: “All Start-ups should visit. Reality check is worth it!” It was yet another reminder, why one needs to leave the Silicon Valley hot-house every so often.