I think that Ferret may have encountered a situation not unlike one I found about two years ago. I had to get a tag for one of our vehicles at work. I called the tag office and informed the lady with whom I was put in touch with of the situation. This vehicle had been assembled from parts of three different vehicles. Two of which we owned and one which had been bought without title for parts only. She told what forms and paperwork I needed to bring to the office and how to go about getting a new title prepared. (the dash which contains the VIN belonged to the vehicle which was obtained for parts) I took all the neccessary things that she listed. When I arrived at the office I was sneered at and told that none of what I had was worth anything! I was informed "No one at this office would have told you such a thing" I then inquired as to what the telephone number of this office was, checked it against my notes and found them to be the same! After that I asked whose extension was #267 and found it to be that of the very person who first told me what to bring and then told me it was not good enough. Incidents like that do tend to leave a hollow place in my thoughts about civil servants. Allow me to add that those incidents are not at all common, and having two firemen in my family and having worked with various juvenile agencies over the years I do have a deep respect and admiration for their balanced efforts at caring for the public while at the same time being hogtied by red tape and beauracracy.