Do 'They' Know Who You Are?

[Spruance]

As a British citizen I do not need to carry any identification whatsoever when going about my lawful business.

Our Government in their wisdom want to introduce a national identity card scheme supposedly to deter terrorists, which of course is the explanation trotted out for any unpopular policy these days.

Anyhow, I just wondered what the situation was in the USA. Do you need to carry ID, and would you be in favour of a compulsory ID card?



(As you may have gathered, I do not support what I regard as a completely ridiculous policy)

[bscamo]

IMHO , "Big Brother" is alive , well , and growing stronger in the USA too.

Sometimes I wonder if they are watching "us" more than "them".......

Maybe if the politicians spent more time actually trying to keep the promises they gave to us they wouldn't be so worried about us ?

I'm guessing that the British government also takes better care of themselves than they do of the people they are supposed to represent..........

The retirement program for federal office holders here far EXCEEDS the one for the general population............

[Christy]

reminds me of our drivers license, the goverment/law use it for our IDs. we dont by law have to carry them with us unless we are driving. but you need them for id for alot of things. if you dont have or cant get a drivers licence you get a state id card.
if you dont renew them so often? shoot better check mine lol cant remember how many years you have to renew it, any how if you dont renew it n the law finds out you can get fined. at least in PA dont know about other states we tend to have diffrent laws in diffrent things.

[Pharmer Phil]

You are expected to possess some form of I.D here, if you are out and about on foot, in a area where you are not a familiar face...And a officer (bored...with little to do) happens to find interest in You.... Normally..._{(depends on appearance, race, age, sometimes ..GENDER)} ...you will be held till you produce some I.D.
Normally, most folks carry their ID to avoid this situation.
and of course, you best have a drivers license on you if out driving around

[Axeman]

I think it's pretty much the same in every state in the U.S.
Big brother is so busy with his nose up everyone's he don't even realize his heads up his

[Spruance]

Thanks for the feedback. This is a subject that I feel very strongly about. We always assume that this sort of thing wouldn't be tolerated in the USA, but it looks like over-governance is creeping in over there too.

Anyone applying for a new UK driving licence now has to have a photocard version as well as the paper one. Fortunately my old style paper licence is valid until 2028 (the year of my 70th birthday) and unless I move house or get any motoring convictions I don't need to change it.

There is no need for drivers to carry their licence but you are supposed to produce your documents at a police station within five days of a road accident or request by a police officer.

You're certainly right about government retirement benefits bscamo. All MPs get an index linked final salary pension scheme something that very few people have access to these days. If they have been a minister, and leave office or even get fired they get a severance payment to make up for lost earnings. Not to mention full payment of mortgage costs for a second home nearer to parliament than their home base. Nice work if you can get it as we say over here! ;D

[bscamo]

WOW !!!!!! Your driver's license (DL) is good until 2028 ?

When I 1st started driving many years ago , I had to renew my DL every two years. Of course with a "fee". Then it went to every 3 , 4 , and now 5 years...... An appropriate "fee hike" was always included with each increase in longevity......

I've known for many years that it was just a way for "them" to get more money out of us....

Every country has its advantages & disadvatages......

At times I've heard of the saying that America is the "Land of the Free" for a fee......

[Spruance]

I passed my driving test in 1977 and paid £3 (just under $5) for my 'Full' Driving Licence which was valid until November 24, 2028. I last moved house in 1993 which was before photocard licences came out so I was issued with a new paper licence, but free of charge. This remains valid until my 70th birthday.

The system has changed somewhat since the introduction of the photocard licence, as whilst the paper document is still valid until the holder's 70th birthday, the photocard has to be renewed every ten years, supposedly for security reasons, at a current cost of £17.50 ($27.30). Confused? It seems a lot of people are over here as they not unreasonably thought that the photocard was also valid until their 70th birthday.

Of course this has absolutely nothing at all to do with the fact that the government stands to make around £437 million ($683.70 million) over the next 25 years in licence renewal fees.

In the meantime if I stay out of the speed traps and don't move house I can happily keep my existing paper licence for another twenty years at no further cost. Where's the security there? Not that I'm complaining about that of course. ;D