Prawo Jazdy! My old friend, jag sie masz? As has been covered in Irish media, as well as across Europe (and the world actually), the Guards made the repeated blunder of mistaking "Prawo Jazdy" (the Polish for Driving Licence) for the drivers name, which is written on the top Polish driving licences. As much as you could lampoon a Guard for not realising that the biggest letters on a driving licence might indeed mean "Driving Licence" and the numbered details given below it might in fact start at "1" with their name, you have to remember that the guard will probably have only seen Irish driving licences before which are, lets face it, shitty pieces of paper.
Poland like the rest of Europe, has the standard creditcard type of driving licence, which is brilliant. It fits in your wallet, is waterproof and you can use it to open locked doors with. It's the only kind of format to go with. If you go to Britain you'll see an almost identical licence. Why here in Ireland we're still using the "Let me zee your papers, at the ol' check point charley" format I don't know... it probably has to do with that old Irish thing of "backwardness!"
So whats wrong with a paper licence? Well it's paper for one thing! The next is the size of it: theres no way to carry it around with you without turning into something like a prop from Indiana Jones and the Lost Treasure Map of Katmandu! And you have to carry it around, in case you need to drive a different vehicle every day. And don't forget if to bring it with you in case you end up doing the weekly shopping and decide to put a bottle of cough mixture in the trolly along with the rest of your goods. You'll have to present your ID (drivers licence) at the check out to prove youre not a 12 year old going a ditch drinking bender. And thats if you're lucky enough to have your drivers licence accepted as a form of ID, they sometimes demand a passport! The next time I'm asked for a passport at Tesco I'm going to fain insanity and make a big deal out of how "I can't believe it! This is the second fucking time I set out for Tesco and ended up in the airport. Mother was right, I am a cunt!"
The last time I brought up the notion of a "voluntary" national ID card, I was lambasted by Frank Prendergast. Lambasted is too kind, I was fucked over by a Frankp, who seemed very adamant that his need for anonymity outweighed my want of identity. I appricate his view point though, having your identity reduced to an ID card isn't a good world to be living in, but I think he missed my point. We all need to prove who we are sometimes, I just want a proper, convenient and dedicated way to do so i.e. something handy sized, durable, and it's primary use is for self identification (not driving or traveling... or proving the Guards think you're old enough to skull pints). And to remove all doubt, I do mean it's voluntary and no finger printing involved, FFS. I'm sick of the Irish mentality "ah sure till do" as in "Sure why dont you just get a passport to use as ID... ah sure, till do!"
4 comments:
It is about time Ireland had ID cards. You are dead right. What is the problem about having to prove who you are? Sure Guards have 57 workarounds to find out who you are anyway if they "really" need to.
Europeans cannot believe that we don't have an ID card and laugh about it.
One of the really negative things about not have ID cards (apart from the double unprovable negative) is that it actually empowers little Johnny to act the blaggard when he wishes as he feels he cannot be identified.
I know that sounds flimsy but I firmly believe it. The power to demand a card (when he suspects an offence has occurred)will give the Garda the upper hand in this world where the back hand is no longer acceptable.
If he has a card with his name on it since he is a gosson and he is obliged to carry it the minute he leaves the house from 12 years of age it will cause him to think twice before tipping the hat off a garda or spraying his urine all over the main street.
Before you have a go at me over privacy and all that bollox remember that the only place you can have any expectation of real privacy is in your own home. In public? Forget about it.
Thanks for your comment! Well as I've argued before... why don't people who are adamantly against ID cards complain when they are forced to carry one when driving or traveling abroad?
Of course on the opposite side of the argument is that it could be dangerous to place all evidence of identity in a single piece of plastic, which can be forged. I still think a voluntary ID card system would be a good deal in convenience for both the individual and authority,
Suffice to say, over here in the UK, public opinion is very much against ID cards.
But your comment "I can't believe it! This is the second fucking time I set out for Tesco and ended up in the airport. Mother was right, I am a cunt!" is gold. I might use that comment myself!
Do, use it whenever you can. Let the legend and the fear, of the fucking loony raver, grow around all the branches of Tesco. Make sure to have nothing in your basket at the time, except a packet of nappies and a bottle of Tesco brand Scotch. They'll be calling all kinds social services because of that one.
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