Great Western Coffee Shop

Does it strike anyone as ironic that online applications for certain (?) new railcards require proof of identify in the form or a driving license or passport ... the very forms of ID that are associated with competing forms of transport - car - plane and ferry?

Indeed it is annoying, my passport expired some time ago so I was unable to aquire a 3yr 16-25 railcard. I have to get the 1yr one from the station instead, last year's I bought at Altrincham where the ticket office staff couldn't understand why I didn't have a passport.

I holiday in the UK now, by rail if possible, that's why.

The reason is quite simple.  Passports and driving licences have your date of birth encoded in the data on them. This gives a simple check on your age without needing birth certificates to be sent through the post.

I could tell you the algorithm that the railcard website uses to work out your age and qualification, but that would only serve to encourage fraudulent applications.

From your driver licence number it's easy which part is your date of birth rearranged. In actual fact a careful look and you can work out how a driver number is determined.

Indeed, but what about those pesky letters which have no relevance to you towards the end. Oh and a female driving licence has slightly different numbers in the middle.

The only two I can't work out are the last two letters. The numbers in the middle are still date of birth jumbled looking at my wife's,

The alternative would be a National Identity Card. Some pros to that, but IMHO, mostly cons. The plan to introduce them in the last Govt. was, quite rightly, dropped.

However, it can be frustrating when a passport or driving licence is asked for and you don't have either. Last night I checked into a hotel and was asked for photo ID. I don't drive so have no licence and my travels were UK based so no need for me to have my passport on me. Not even for the trip earlier in the day into deepest Norfolk! To be fair to Travelodge I was checking into one of their hotels near an airport (Gatwick) so there was probably a fair expectation on their part of a passport being held.

As for photo ID, they were happy in the end to accept my Govt. issued railcard.

Or make the 3yr railcard available for purchase at stations, like the 1yr card which I have never had any problems getting despite my lack of ID (if queried, I would probably have tried my student card, maybe not proof-of-age but being a student is also a valid means of getting a 16-25 railcard).

You should know you need a passport when venturing into darkest deepest Naaaarfolk Just to prove your not one of the yocals.

In the USA they issue what is essentially a non-driving driver's licence for people who have the effrontery not to drive.  (Note the terminological quirk, too: in the UK, we have driving licences; in the USA they're driver's licences).

As an example, in New York you apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles for a Non-Driver ID card: http://dmv.ny.gov/org/id-card/bget-non-driver-id-card-ndid

A few years ago, I was caught out by Northlink Ferries demanding photo ID to allow me onto the Orkney ferry from Scrabster to Stromness. Why they want this, I don't know - CalMac had been completely happy about no photo ID on our earlier journeys.

Anyway, I have an old driving licence - no photo. They eventually accepted my Worcestershire County Cricket Club season ticket card (with photo) as sufficient proof.

They then issued boarding cards to the three of us. Two names were correct. The third was someone completely different. So much for security...

On the same topic, is ID required to travel to Ireland by ferry.

Stena say "British or Irish citizens travelling on our Irish Sea routes do not need a passport to travel to Britain or Ireland but are advised to take a form of identity. A driving licence, citizenship card or utility bill will usually suffice. A birth certificate will provide adequate proof of identity for your child to travel on our sailings."

I have 'even' been asked for ID on boats to Belfast, which from Liverpool is a UK to UK route

Slightly off the specific genre of the topic. But nevertheless strongly related.

Being asked for ID for an Alcohol Purchase when dining with Ladyfriend trout a long time ago provoked a most interesting dispute. Ladyfriend trout had 2 Alcoholic Beverages which she had already fully drunk. However the Waitress when taking the payment refused to accept any payment without any form of Photographic ID from both myself and Ladyfriend trout.

Neither myself not Ladyfriend trout have a driving license. Ladyfriend trout has a Passport which at the time was over 100 miles away. My passport has been reported as Stolen and I have not had it replaced for various reasons. So the ID we had to provide was nothing.

A heated argument started after I pointed out that their Challenge 25 Policy was nil and void as the drinks had already been consumed. Therefore if either of us were under the legal age then the offence had already been committed regardless. Hoping Common Sense would prevail.

After generating a large audience through this waitress's complete lack of common sense and courtesy. We left the restaurant without paying. The restaurant (which is a chain but I won't name it) knows exactly who I am and where I live. But were frankly and bluntly far too embarrassed to pursue the matter.

I have travelled by Stena Line Rosslare-Fishguard and vv several times in recent years as a foot passenger. No id has been required on exchanging CIV ticket or boarding. You are simply asked for your name, ie any name! and given a personalised boarding pass.

The Dyfed-Powys Constabulary were checking arrivals at Fishguard once. I had my passport to make things easy but another passenger with a child had no id and was simply allowed to pass (as below).

UK and Irish citizens do not need travel documents to travel between the countries (a legacy of 1920's independence legislation). However, when arriving by air in the Republic it is simpler to have a passport since checks are made. I have not sampled the process without a passport!