A day at the Department of Drivers Services
people watching ... personality zone style
By mkb32 on 01-08-2008
In April '07 my mother was diagnosed with Heredity Spastic Paraplegia. Don't sweat it if you don't know what that means. The diagnosis will probably change the next time I wrestle her to the neurologist. But what it meant to her was that by law she can no longer hurl along the highways and byways in her Dodge V-8. She needed to either find a driver or alter her driving mechanism. She chose the later.
Hence, I find myself sitting in a waiting area of the Georgia Driver's License Bureau while my mother takes a driving test in her new '08 Honda van complete with hand controls. She passed.
Although I came prepared with a good book, it was far more interesting observing all the different folks coming through. I'm brand new at this "personality theory” but I couldn't help but try to "label".
The most interesting candidates:
#1 - Very attractive woman, about 50-ish, carefully accessorized, who chatted up anyone within 12 inches of her. After asking me if she had any lipstick on her teeth, she insisted her driver’s license picture be retaken three times because the only reason she was there was for a new picture. She was "hit on" by two separate men of various ages.
#2- Tall, broad, strong looking gentleman with giant grease stained hands who helped a slight, 5 foot Asian man fill out his paperwork. With a deep voice and a lot of hand gestures, I watched him communicate, "Do you wear glasses? (points to his own), "Have you ever had cancer?" (points to his own torso, then leans his head to the side, sticks out his tongue and closes his eyes) "Do you drink & drive?" (tilts cupped hand toward mouth, then holds both fists in front of himself as if turning steering wheel) When Asian gentleman nods up and down emphatically, large gentleman shakes his head left to right and says "No, you don't do that."
#3 - Tight lipped, impeccably dressed 40-ish woman who filled out her paperwork standing sideways at clerk's cubicle after she was instructed (as everyone was) to have a seat in waiting area. She kept her left hip jutted out while she slashed hard, exaggerated lines on a clipboard. She produced a shrilling cell phone from nowhere which gave her the opportunity to loudly comment on "the lack of intelligent life" working in state employment. There was some unseen lint on her shoulder she couldn't stop brushing off but, luckily her travel size hand sanitizer never went dry.
#4 - Slim, polite, quiet, 20-ish man with a ponytail and scruffy goatee. His boots were caked with red clay, and the way his 34" blue jeans hap-hazzardly clung to his 24" waist made me force myself not to run up behind him and "pants" him. He quickly offered his seat to a neat, confused looking elderly gentleman with a plastic tube that ran from his nose to a silver canister carried on a strap.
Is that enough information to try to guess "types"?
 |
 |
 |
 |
Posted by Hope on Jan 8, 2008
Oh, how fun! <p> #1 a preformer, esfp </p><p> #2 a protector, isfj </p><p> #3 a mastermind, intj, going through peri-menopause </p><p> #4 I'd guess a healer, infp. </p><p> Michele, I appreciate your sense of humor. It's fun to read your comments and this was very enjoyable. :)</p> |
| |
|
Posted by Hope on Jan 8, 2008
Ugh... ignore some of that. :) Here's the edited version: Oh, how fun! #1 a preformer, esfp #2 a protector, isfj #3 a mastermind, intj, going through peri-menopause #4 I'd guess a healer, infp. Michele, I appreciate your sense of humor. It's fun to read your comments and this was very enjoyable. :) |
 |
|
Posted by David on Jan 8, 2008
#1Artisan #2Guardian #3Idealist #Rational Michele I like your descriptions. I'm going to have to try this. I'm still trying to guess the temperament of the neat, confused elderly gentleman with a plastic tube that ran from his nose to a silver canister carried on a strap. He sounds like an Idealist Healer to me. Next Blog very soon please! I'm going to be looking a little more carefully in the Mall tomorrow. |
 |
|
Posted by LisaFairhurst on Jan 9, 2008
OK, I guess I'm just weird. All I can keep thinking about is how many different types I could easily justify for one person. For example, #4 could be an Artisan. He wears muddy boots which could indicate he does manual labor. The ponytail and too loose jeans fit the 'hip' scene (pun intended). Or he could be a Guardian, again with the manual labor theme plus his social politeness. Rational works if you have his hair and his clothing simply be whatever he can scrabble up without having to think too much about his appearance. Idealist might work with the clothes being a match with the peer group and instead of politeness, calling it kindness that he gave up his seat. I can see too many options. He's probably not an Inspector (ISTJ), a Teacher (ENFJ), or a Fieldmarshal (ENTJ) although I can come up with a scenario to explain those too. My gut reaction was Crafter (ISTP). |
| |
|
Posted by mkb32 on Jan 9, 2008
NOT WIERD!! NOT WIERD!! It's just YOUR thoughts on the subject, which is exactly what I was looking for. Hell, I can't really guess yet, I'm too caught up in outside appearance! |
| |
|
Posted by mkb32 on Jan 9, 2008
does that mean i'm regressing? |
 |
|
Posted by gemini612 on Jan 10, 2008
Hmmm... I'm confident #1 is an Artisan. I wanna say #2 is a Guardian since Guardians pride themselves on being helpful, hardworking, and dependable (as described by this site). #3 could be an angry rational and #4 could be an Idealist. Whew!! ...What an exercise. :) |
 |
 |
Posted by TennisGuru on Jan 11, 2008
I'm not as expert in this field as others in this blog; Jack, Lisa, Hope all seem to be more knowledgeable. I did think that #1 was most likely an Artisan, after that I am not too sure but I like your blogs a lot - keep them coming! |
 |
|
Posted by Fer on Jan 28, 2008
Hi everyone! Interesting blog, Michele. I must confess that ever since I heard about the temperaments (long ago, but a different theory) I'm constantly 'scanning' strangers, trying to figure out their personality. It can become addictive, you know? ;) ........................................................................ One of my friends -who was also fascinated by the idea of understanding others- used to try it with me, and then we'd spent our valuable time in arguing in the silliest way you could imagine about 'why the tall blonde girl sipping her chocolate in so loudly a manner can't be of XYZ temperament, but must be an ABC type'. Now that I've become acquainted with Keirsey's, it's even more fun: type descriptions are way more accurate. ................................................................................. That said, let's join your group exercise. :) I agree with hope regarding #1 (ESFP Artisan Performer) and #3 (right on, Hope!). However, I believe #2 could perfectly be either a Guardian of virtually any type, or an Idealist Advocate (I think an ENTP Champion would be more prone to a public display of the sort descripted). I'm still confused about #4, though. Perhaps, it could be an Artisan with an 'I'? I'm thinking of a Crafter there... |
 |
|
Posted by bsaunders on Jan 31, 2008
The pulled-together accessories would make me peg #1 as a Guardian. |
 |
 |
Posted by Bella on Feb 8, 2008
A fun exercise like this will definately make waiting... anywhere an enjoyable experience. I would guess: 1. Performer 2. Protector 3. Mastermind 4. Composer Thank you Michelle. |
 |
|
Posted by Lesley on Mar 6, 2008
I love guessing types! My guesses are: 1. ESFP artisan performer-loves to put on a show 2. ISFJ guardian protector-Guardians are concerned with right from wrong. 3. A rational of some sort. An introverted rational. 4. ISFP-PUM II says ISFP is the most generous type. |
| |
|
Posted by Fer on Apr 10, 2008
Lesley: Great insight! Can I change my options? :-p |
Short-term observation is fun for guessing, especially if two temperament afficionados can chat about the same scene live. Accuracy is chancy...50-60% in my experience. Keirsey Sorter claims only 80%. #1 seems to be Artisan? #2 Idealist, Guardian, Artisan--in that order? #3 Unhealthy-thinking person, possible Rational acting Irrationally? #4 Young person dressing like peer group -- could be Artisan or Idealist? What clouds this kind of assessment is various levels of outside factors, e.g., lack of character, poor discipline, ignorance, stupidity, insanity, or even beauty, style, culture, etc. Having fun yet?