The California DMV made a despicable mistake on a few San Francisco licenses.
The California DMV made an unforgivable mistake on at least a half dozen San Francisco residents’ driver’s licenses, and one state legislator is not pleased.
On Wednesday, state Sen. Scott Wiener sent a lengthy protest letter to the DMV after it printed “San Fran” on the licenses instead of the city’s full name.
“It’s a bad, annoying name that no one should use, and only people who have never been to San Francisco use it,” Wiener, who represents San Francisco, Daly City, Colma, Broadmoor and part of South San Francisco, told SFGATE.
In his letter to the DMV, Wiener called for a cease and desist of the term “San Fran” and said the acceptable references for the city are San Francisco, SF, The City, City by the Bay and Best City in the World.
The abbreviated city name appeared on a “small number” of residents’ licenses, Anita Gore, a spokesperson for the DMV, told SFGATE in a statement. The department has corrected the issue, and those who received a “San Fran” license can get a free replacement at a DMV office.
“The DMV agrees: whether you prefer to be from The Bay, SF, or The City, a no-nonsense ‘San Francisco’ works best on a driver’s license,” Gore said.
San Franciscansdespise the term “San Fran,” with Wiener writing that the nickname is “upsetting” and “intolerable.” In his letter, Wiener says even the nickname “Frisco” is preferable — but acceptable only for “deeply authentic San Francisco natives.”
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