Q. Dear Honk: I renewed my driver’s license online and upon receipt of my new license, I noticed the fact that I am an organ donor is no longer indicated. Any particular reason for this?
– David Nessl, Mission Viejo
A. Honk applauds you, David, for thinking ahead. None of us likes to think about our demise, but helping someone out as we exit stage left is a good way to go out.
When applying to get or renew a license or a state-issued ID, whether on the paper form or online, a box can be checked to sign up to donate and get the pink dot on the driver’s license or ID. The box must be checked each time to get the dot.
Possibly, David, you skimmed over the box, or maybe the DMV simply erred.
Customers who didn’t check the box can get the pink dot by filling out a new form, going to a field office and paying a duplicate fee. If the DMV made the error, the agency will issue a “corrected card at no cost,” said Nicholas Filipas, a DMV spokesman in Sacramento.
Contact the DMV’s Issuance Unit at 916-657-8545 or at LODIssCustResolution@dmv.ca.gov, David. A staffer can look into the matter and order a corrected license or give you options.
Although a nifty icon, the lack of that pink dot on your license doesn’t mean you are not down as a possible donor. The key is being on Donate Life California’s registry, which is the only agency that can take you off of the donor list. To do so takes contacting the group.
If your last license had the pink dot, and you didn’t remove your donor status, you are lined up to donate. In fact, anyone age 13 and older can just go straight to the Donate Life California’s website to get onto the registry: register.donatelifecalifornia.org/register.
“We have had an incredible partnership with the California DMV for decades – over 95% of donor registrations are done at the DMV,” said Ruy Laredo, a spokesman for Donate Life California. “If you ever need to confirm your donor registration status, you can always contact us at 866-797-2366 or visit our website.”
Honk was scratching his balding pate the other day when talking with Laredo: So the emergency room doctor is not fishing for your driver’s license out of a pocket or purse to see if there is a pink dot?
No.
Rather, Laredo said, the hospital gets in contact with the local organ group, which accesses the registry to see if the tissue, eyes or organs can be donated.
As of Sunday, there were 17,154,067 signed up in California as donors.
Q. After leaving the westbound 22 Freeway in Orange, on The City Drive off-ramp, there are four lanes. Only one allows drivers to go straight into the grounds of The Outlets at Orange. As an employee at the Outlets, I know to stay in that second lane from the left to drive straight into the shopping center. But people in the third lane, which is only for those turning right, seem to think they’re allowed to also drive straight into the mall. There have been so many near-accidents because of this. I think it’s because of the extremely faded paint on the road. Who would fix this, Caltrans? Maybe the sign on the traffic-light post that shows which way the lanes go could be improved as well. I’m afraid some unknowing driver will crash into me, or I’ll have to quickly stop to allow someone in – potentially causing someone to rear-end my car.
– Josh Jones, Orange
A. The Honkmobile took a spin out to the ramp, and although there are some nice signs and markings to help motorists, some more paint would help.
“When a driver states … ‘I’m afraid some unknowing driver will crash into me’ … that’s a major concern for Caltrans,” Darcy Birden, an agency spokeswoman for Orange County, told Honk in an email. “We don’t want to hear someone is afraid on our highway system.
“Safety is a top priority here at Caltrans, and reading the driver’s concerns about possible faded striping or signage has prompted an investigation by our Traffic Ops team in the area,” she said. “While this will take time, it results in a better transportation system for us all.”
In general, the public can alert Caltrans to any concerns by filling out a form at csr.dot.ca.gov.
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. Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk
Source: Orange County Register
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