I was in Cary Street Cafe and two guys come in with satchels and little handheld computer-y looking things. The first thing you think is suicide bombers, right? I notice they carefully select people to talk to in the bar, and whoever they select opens their wallet for them. What are they selling? They never talk to me, but I see my husband open his wallet for them. I now notice they are approaching only people who are smoking. Then I figure it out. Then I am appalled.
"Did you just let those guys scan your license?" I asked my trusting, naive husband.
"Yes?" he says, already knowing he did something goofy.
"And you did this for....let me guess, a free pack of cigarettes?!"
"Yes," he says, now even more ashamed. He knows he screwed up. "And they're Camels!" my Marlboro Man adds. He sold out for not even his brand.
I'm desperately thinking what kind of information is on his license. They've got our address, so I guess there will be plenty of mail coming. And if they want, they can reprint the license, replace his photo and now there will be hundreds of illegal aliens claiming to be my husband, living at my address.
I suppose there's some legal reason cigarette companies can't just hand out cigarettes to everyone in a bar like they used to; that they are now required to get and record ID, but it all seems sleazy and invasive. A machine that scans in your license for a pack of cigarettes. It's like Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of porridge. (Old Testament shout-out)
1 comment:
If you're interested in seeing what's stored on the 2D barcode on the back of your license, try this Java based application:
turbulence.org
The data stored on a Virginia license is still fairly innocuous but more and more states are planning to use the license for purposes other than it was intended - a license to operate a motor vehicle.
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