4 ms·

I sent a postcard last week without providing a senders address. I also bought the stamp with cash.

croon 4y ago
Well, then you also don't need an email address, since you can just email from a random new one each time, so I think GP's point stands.
- Xylakant 4y ago
  You can also set up a mailbox at any address and receive actual letters there, no registration required. Needs permission of the owner of the place, but that’s similar with email. There are many states around the world where you can buy a prepaid SIM card without registration and participate in the public phone network. No permission at all required, cash payment works. There is no direct connection between “public” utility and “requires registration.” But many public utilities consist in a delivery to a specific place (water, electricity) or want to charge you. So they need your address to perform their service.
_trampeltier 4y ago
In Canton Zürich (Switzerland) the parlament argued, everybody has a smartphone today anyway, so for public transport, from now on it legal, the only way to buy a ticket is an App. Do it without an Google account. But a postcard is a good example. Even the badest murder / raper in a prison will get a postcard.
- jacquesm 4y ago
  > the only way to buy a ticket is an App That's horrific.
  - Xylakant 4y ago
    It also seems to be wrong, since the ZVV website explicitly mentions the app, the online ticket store and vending machines. [1] What seems to have happened though is that during the pandemic, the bus and tram personell that used to sell tickets as well stopped doing so to minimize contact. [2] This obviously is still a problem since not all stops have vending machines, so there’s the extra rule that you can buy your ticket at the next stop that has a vending machine. Inconvenient? Certainly. End of the anonymous travel? Certainly not. [1] https://www.zvv.ch/zvv/de/abos-und-tickets/tickets/einzelbillette-und-mehrfartenkarten.html https://www.zvv.ch/zvv/de/abos-und-tickets/tickets/einzelbil... [2] https://www.zvv.ch/zvv/de/allgemeine-seiten/medienmitteilungen/2020/coronavirus-massnahmen-mvu.html https://www.zvv.ch/zvv/de/allgemeine-seiten/medienmitteilung...
    - _trampeltier 4y ago
      https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/billettverkauf-in-zuercher-regionalbussen-wird-abgeschafft-884998852548 https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/billettverkauf-in-zuercher-regi... Änderung bei ÖV-Tickets Billettverkauf in Zürcher Regionalbussen wird abgeschafft
      - Xylakant 4y ago
        "You can no longer buy a ticket on the bus" is different to "you have to use the app" You can't buy a ticket on a Subway, S-Bahn or regional train in Berlin - it's been like that for decades. You have to use a vending machine.
        _trampeltier 4y ago
        In regional bus, there are no machines in small bus stops.
  - tripa 4y ago
    And, to the best of my knowledge, wrong. I bought a ticket there on the automated machines just a month ago
    - jacquesm 4y ago
      Thank you for clearing that up, I had a hard time envisioning the Swiss from disenfranchising the elderly in such a callous way. Usually their policies make good sense.
- _trampeltier 4y ago
  Maybe I wrote it a bit quick. It is still possible to buy tickets on machines. But they changed the law on the beginning 2022. Now in regional busses, they don't have to sell a ticket. They still do. But the law is now, they don't really have to do it. Änderung bei ÖV-Tickets Billettverkauf in Zürcher Regionalbussen wird abgeschafft https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/billettverkauf-in-zuercher-regionalbussen-wird-abgeschafft-884998852548 https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/billettverkauf-in-zuercher-regi...

Well, then you also don't need an email address, since you can just email from a random new one each time, so I think GP's point stands.

Xylakant 4y ago
You can also set up a mailbox at any address and receive actual letters there, no registration required. Needs permission of the owner of the place, but that’s similar with email. There are many states around the world where you can buy a prepaid SIM card without registration and participate in the public phone network. No permission at all required, cash payment works. There is no direct connection between “public” utility and “requires registration.” But many public utilities consist in a delivery to a specific place (water, electricity) or want to charge you. So they need your address to perform their service.

_trampeltier 4y ago

In Canton Zürich (Switzerland) the parlament argued, everybody has a smartphone today anyway, so for public transport, from now on it legal, the only way to buy a ticket is an App. Do it without an Google account. But a postcard is a good example. Even the badest murder / raper in a prison will get a postcard.

jacquesm 4y ago
> the only way to buy a ticket is an App That's horrific.
- Xylakant 4y ago
  It also seems to be wrong, since the ZVV website explicitly mentions the app, the online ticket store and vending machines. [1] What seems to have happened though is that during the pandemic, the bus and tram personell that used to sell tickets as well stopped doing so to minimize contact. [2] This obviously is still a problem since not all stops have vending machines, so there’s the extra rule that you can buy your ticket at the next stop that has a vending machine. Inconvenient? Certainly. End of the anonymous travel? Certainly not. [1] https://www.zvv.ch/zvv/de/abos-und-tickets/tickets/einzelbillette-und-mehrfartenkarten.html https://www.zvv.ch/zvv/de/abos-und-tickets/tickets/einzelbil... [2] https://www.zvv.ch/zvv/de/allgemeine-seiten/medienmitteilungen/2020/coronavirus-massnahmen-mvu.html https://www.zvv.ch/zvv/de/allgemeine-seiten/medienmitteilung...
  - _trampeltier 4y ago
    https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/billettverkauf-in-zuercher-regionalbussen-wird-abgeschafft-884998852548 https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/billettverkauf-in-zuercher-regi... Änderung bei ÖV-Tickets Billettverkauf in Zürcher Regionalbussen wird abgeschafft
    - Xylakant 4y ago
      "You can no longer buy a ticket on the bus" is different to "you have to use the app" You can't buy a ticket on a Subway, S-Bahn or regional train in Berlin - it's been like that for decades. You have to use a vending machine.
      - _trampeltier 4y ago
        In regional bus, there are no machines in small bus stops.
- tripa 4y ago
  And, to the best of my knowledge, wrong. I bought a ticket there on the automated machines just a month ago
  - jacquesm 4y ago
    Thank you for clearing that up, I had a hard time envisioning the Swiss from disenfranchising the elderly in such a callous way. Usually their policies make good sense.
_trampeltier 4y ago
Maybe I wrote it a bit quick. It is still possible to buy tickets on machines. But they changed the law on the beginning 2022. Now in regional busses, they don't have to sell a ticket. They still do. But the law is now, they don't really have to do it. Änderung bei ÖV-Tickets Billettverkauf in Zürcher Regionalbussen wird abgeschafft https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/billettverkauf-in-zuercher-regionalbussen-wird-abgeschafft-884998852548 https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/billettverkauf-in-zuercher-regi...