Seriously thoughtful ID cards how do YOU feel about them

[columbus]

Identity cards yes or no? This thought was prompted by an off topic post in a serious thread from Harry T asking what the price of passports were around the world.

As our membership is so international can I ask -

- Do you have to carry an identity document in your country
- If so is it your country of birth.
- How do you feel about having it or (conversely the lack of having)
- How do you feel it affects your security / safety having or not.

-And any other questions / reasons I may have missed

[krisk]

I have been either military or worked for the military or been ex-pat for so long that I take ID cards for granted. I think that they definetly serve a purpose and can be used without invading privacy too much. the military is all of a sudden making a shift AWAY from the heavy dependence on social security numbers.

[pdurrant]

In the UK there is currently no requirement for residents to have or carry identity cards.

There are plans in place to change this - first to have voluntary cards, eventually moving to compulsion, and I suspect eventual requirement to carry. This move includes the creation of a central identity database. I am strongly opposed to all of this, and am astonished to see serious proposals for it all.

ID cards do not affect security or safety at all. If anything it'll reduce security, as it'll give false reassurance.

Originally Posted by columbus

Identity cards yes or no? This thought was prompted by an off topic post in a serious thread from Harry T asking what the price of passports were around the world.

As our membership is so international can I ask -

- Do you have to carry an identity document in your country
- If so is it your country of birth.
- How do you feel about having it or (conversely the lack of having)
- How do you feel it affects your security / safety having or not.

-And any other questions / reasons I may have missed

[DixieGal]

I work in a private hospital that is operated by a university. I have so danged many ID's that they are like having a deck of cards hanging from my lapel. Then there is the gym membership card, driver's license, etc. But I still must have a passport to go on vacation.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

In the UK there is currently no requirement for residents to have or carry identity cards.

There are plans in place to change this - first to have voluntary cards, eventually moving to compulsion, and I suspect eventual requirement to carry. This move includes the creation of a central identity database. I am strongly opposed to all of this, and am astonished to see serious proposals for it all.

ID cards do not affect security or safety at all. If anything it'll reduce security, as it'll give false reassurance.

In this context - too expensive and not guaranteed to be still on plan when there is a change of government ...


Also - how does one really PROVE who one is ?

[Moejoe]

Don't have one, won't accept one, completely unnecessary.

http://www.no2id.net/

[roger the rabbit]

I have to carry an identity card issued by the zone of the Federal non Democratic Republic of Europe zone I live / not born in. I don't like it but it does have some advantage you cant use my credit card without it. I don't break the law so am not that worried

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by roger the rabbit

[...] I don't like it but it does have some advantage you cant use my credit card without it. [...]

I don't think that that's an advantage - if the ID card didn't exist (like they don't in the UK), you'd still be able to use a credit card (as I do - far too often).

The issue is the making of these cards mandatory and the implied civil rights that infringes (not to mention the all too real financial implications).

[roger the rabbit]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

I don't think that that's an advantage - if the ID card didn't exist (like they don't in the UK), you'd still be able to use a credit card (as I do - far too often).

The issue is the making of these cards mandatory and the implied civil rights that infringes (not to mention the all too real financial implications).

You can't use a credit card here (or in most of Europe) without ID / passport The UK is very lax on this as you have photo id

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by roger the rabbit

You can't use a credit card here (or in most of Europe) without ID / passport The UK is very lax on this as you have photo id

I have never been asked to show any form of photo ID when using a credit card so I'm not sure that's actually the reason?

[roger the rabbit]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

I have never been asked to show any form of photo ID when using a credit card so I'm not sure that's actually the reason?

In the UK or Europe?

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by roger the rabbit

In the UK or Europe?

In the UK.

[Sparrow]

- Do you have to carry an identity document in your country
No

- How do you feel about having it or (conversely the lack of having)
I feel fine about not having one.

- How do you feel it affects your security / safety having or not.
I'd feel less secure if I had to have one.
It'd mean the government was lurching in a scary direction.

[roger the rabbit]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

In the UK.

Yes I thought so. The point I was trying to make is that in most of Europe no id means no use of credit or debit cards. & reduced fraud.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by columbus

As our membership is so international can I ask -

- Do you have to carry an identity document in your country
- If so is it your country of birth.
- How do you feel about having it or (conversely the lack of having)
- How do you feel it affects your security / safety having or not.

-And any other questions / reasons I may have missed

Yes, we have to carry an ID document. But the police needs a valid reason to ask for it. This goes for native and non-native people. I generally have my driver's licence with me and that's a valid ID document. And I don't believe it improves safety.

Originally Posted by roger the rabbit

You can't use a credit card here (or in most of Europe) without ID / passport The UK is very lax on this as you have photo id

I've been in lots of countries in Europe and I've never been asked to show my ID when using a credit card. They did introduce a PIN code recently but that's it.