Bureaucracy Gone Mad?

Recently I lost my wallet containing all my plastic cards. After a few days, although there did not appear to be any unauthorised activity, I cancelled the cards and made arrangements to replace my QLD driving license.

I had one of those licenses with a chip in it. The other day the replacement came through together with a pamphlet of explanation. Unfortunately SWMBO heard me exclaim "What a load of ******g rubbish" and hoisted it. It means that I can not now refer to it and must rely on a less than perfect memory.

Remember this is a driving licence. It came with a booklet that took around twelve pages to explain the new card. One page, for example, was devoted to an explanation of around twenty to thirty abbreviations. It told me that I would be able to access online my personal details such as height, weight, eye colour, hair colour and age. I felt like pointing out I have known these things for some while now.

By the end of the pamphlet, I had learned nothing and there appeared to be no benefit to this card apart from being much more difficult to forge, which I sort of knew already. I had no intention of forging a new card as I could pop down to the cop shop, which is less than 200m away and replace it really easily. The young lady there was very helpful and it turned out she was the wife of a work colleague.

The final indignity was that after losing the card for three weeks it was found where SWMBO had had a clear up and swept up the wallet with some other gear!

Regards
Paul

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Originally Posted by Bushmiller

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The final indignity was that after losing the card for three weeks it was found where SWMBO had had a clear up and swept up the wallet with some other gear!

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I am going to look at the positive side of this, at least it was not stolen. :U

Time to get LOYL's eyes checked I think a wallet is no small item to not see when sweeping. There must not have been any $$$$ in it or she would have never missed it. See plastic can be a good thing.

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Originally Posted by Bushmiller

. . . .The final indignity was that after losing the card for three weeks it was found where SWMBO had had a clear up and swept up the wallet with some other gear!

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Reminds me of a friend of mine who had her handbag stolen from inside her house while she was asleep. The bag also had her wallet and full set of keys (house, cars, boat etc) in it.
As you can imagine replacing all cards, keys and locks etc cost was a right PITA. 2 weeks later while doing some gardening out the front of her place, the handbag with all the keys in it an the wallet (minus cash) was found behind a large shrub.

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Originally Posted by wheelinround

Time to get LOYL's eyes checked I think a wallet is no small item to not see when sweeping. There must not have been any $$$$ in it or she would have never missed it. See plastic can be a good thing.

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I agree :) . She scooped up a pile of items off the table, she has worn glasses ever since I have known her and you're absolutely right about the lack of money as she got that before it ever reached the wallet :wink: .

Consequently I spent three weeks of angst.

One thing I am reviewing is the wisdom of keeping so much plastic in the same wallet :no: .

Regards
Paul

Best ever example of bureaucratic BS I have ever heard was during the Viet Nam era.

Some Bloke in a high up military office sent for a file - as was the sop's in those days you initialed the cover as well as any additions or deletions. One day he sent for a file, initialed it, then discovered it had been security upgraded beyond his level so he sent it back. About a month later it came back with a very terse notice attached ordering that he erase his initials and initial his erasure.

Do I really need to say any more..................

There is also the story of the NSW Public Service Department (Lands I believe) in the seventies that ran out of order forms for ordering order forms. The place ground to a halt for about a month before they could get things going again.

Seriously though, my paranoia about the information being kept on everyone nowadays is getting a bit out of control. I know the excuse is that it is harmless unless you are one of the "them" but the definition of "them" is alarmingly flexible. Anyone who grew up or experienced Eastern Europe or Russia in the fifties, sixties and seventies can tell you about the misuse of all of this kind of information. And now that auto face recognition technology is becoming inexpensive I can see a society where your every movement is tracked. The potential for misuse is staggering. Im glad they at least tell you what they know about you because its a fraction of what they actually know about you.