Knitting in Public (DMV version)

Ok, so I lost my driver's liscense (no big surprise if you know me) and I went to get a replacement this morning (I had to get up at 7:30 to take my little brothers to school, but that's a whole other whiny post (which I will refrain from). So I'm at the DMV and these truckers are in line in front of me and they're loud and there are like, 30gazillion people behind me (they apparently slept in) and they're all a little...off...you know, the mom in the Tweety Bird shirt with 3 screaming kids, the upity lady who keeps applying her lipstick, the couple getting their first drivers liscense making out loudly... You get the picture, you've been to the DMV...well, unless you're Canadian or something...
So anyhow, because I'm a knitter and resourceful and all things useful, I pull out my knitting. Now, I've knit in public (KIP) before, usually in coffee shops or bookstores and I'm use to the curious stares I get from small children and the trying-not-to-look look I get from most polite adults.
People in the DMV are not polite adults. No one accosted me (like they do to Grumperina, for example) but I just got the weirdest, most repellent looks. You'd have thought I pulled out my KKK hood in downtown Dayton (not mine, I mean, but a) instead of a harmless, inoffensive top-down cardigan. The little girl behind me was checking me out, so I turned to explain but the mom jerked her back and looked at me like my hateful craftiness might jump on them. Hmm. Is it jealousy because they had to stand around with nothing to do? Is it an abhorrance for all things useful? Or just a general disdain that someone so young* would be doing something so...traditionally feminine? I don't know, but I'm proud to declare that I did not shirk from the looks, but kept purling in defiance. Although I will admit I was never so happy to have grumpy DMV lady yell "Next!" at me.
*it should be noted that while I'm old enough to be responsible for a business and to be married, I get carded EVERY time. In fact, if I attempt to buy alcohol without my husband (who appears to be 10 yrs older, even though he's 2 months younger than me) or my ID (because I hadn't yet braved the DMV) the checkout lady will not only deny me, but she will call over every available manager to mock me. You-21? Ha, right!