[pp.int.general] Big Brother in NL?

[Reinier Bakels]

> Meanwhile, France has a nasty policy of asking people's names when
> selling them train tickets.  That too is something to campaign
> against.

I like the German system. It allows you to print your (demestic) tickets at 
home. Obviously you should not be able to print tickets for friends who have 
not paid - the germans solved that by linking the ticket to the credit card 
you used for payment. You could someone elses credit card, but then you 
should have it with you if you travel. The ticket contains a pattern (a kind 
of two-dimensional barcode) and the guards (conductors) have portable 
equipment to verify whether the credit card you present matches the code on 
the ticket.

A true hacker will - of course - try to hack the system. I hope they don't. 
I like the system.

In Germany, all railway station sell international tickets. Which is 
logical, uni a united Europe. I tried in vain to buy a ticket in Strasbourg 
to the Netherlands. So I had to buy a separate ticket for the German part of 
the itinerary, and again for the Dutch part. Buying international tickets in 
NL is also quite difficult. It is a shame. People should travel preferably 
by train for distances up to - say - 500 km (300 miles). It is better for 
the environment - and often it saves time because you avoid the airport 
hassle.

Richard should avoid the Ukraine as well. There they also require your name 
to put on your ticket. So you better be prepared and have your name in (the 
Ukrainian variant) of the Cyrillic script available. I sacrificed my provacy 
and hads a great time traveling in Ukrainian trains. It is cheap - and the 
Dutch like that.

reinier