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Yea, lots of comments in here advocating for full digital or “just use passport cards” are coming from a narrow perspective of only having to use passports in e

Yea, lots of comments in here advocating for full digital or “just use passport cards” are coming from a narrow perspective of only having to use passports in established travel routes like major international airports or developed countries. Most of these suggestions just simply wouldn’t work in the majority of the land border crossings I’ve experienced in places like Laos, Cambodia, rural China, Thailand, Peru, Bolivia, etc.

sojournerc 2y ago
Or... Canada! I've biked from Montana into Alberta and the border crossing was in the middle of forest in the middle of nowhere. Definitely no reception or wifi there.
- jillesvangurp 2y ago
  Put a star link there, problem solved. That works pretty much anywhere in the world.
  - sojournerc 2y ago
    But there currently isn't a problem with physical passports. They work! Why introduce new problems? I was bike touring and wasn't carrying a phone. Isn't that allowed?
    - jillesvangurp 2y ago
      They work, sure. It just involves queueing, lots of manual checks, endless amounts of misery at airports, etc. But it works. But I would label it as a problem. I like being able to skip all of that. That works too. It's not that hard.
      - sojournerc 2y ago
        I wouldn't qualify standing in a line as endless misery... Regardless, I have global entry so I do appreciate the desire to skip a line, but I don't follow how 100% digitization solves the need for checkpoints completely. It just seems like techno utopianism to me.
  - ocular-rockular 2y ago
    This is such a brain dead solution to a problem that shouldn't exist. Why push for digitization?
    - jillesvangurp 2y ago
      Because it works, quite well actually. It isn't that hard or expensive. And it's convenient. Why push for the old stuff? There's absolutely nothing fun about having to queue for some TSA prick for two hours after a transatlantic flight who hates his pointless, miserable life (and rightfully so). All that stuff can be automated these days.
      - sojournerc 2y ago
        TSA does not do border control, and in fact border control is usually relatively fast compared to being re-screened through security (TSA). Edit: It's convenient if you are a digital native, but elderly folks, among others, will not find it easier than a physical passport. The push to require everyone to have a digital device to participate in society is troubling to me.
      - ocular-rockular 2y ago
        I guess if that's how you feel about it, more power to you. The day I get away from almost all tech will be a good day. Also I get that TSA sucks but I don't think they deserve the vitriol you're throwing.
  - placardloop 2y ago
    This is the narrow perspective I was referring to. There are border crossings in the world where there is no reliable electricity, and laptops/smartphones are a rare luxury. Starlink is not a solution to these problems.

sojournerc 2y ago

Or... Canada! I've biked from Montana into Alberta and the border crossing was in the middle of forest in the middle of nowhere. Definitely no reception or wifi there.

jillesvangurp 2y ago
Put a star link there, problem solved. That works pretty much anywhere in the world.
- sojournerc 2y ago
  But there currently isn't a problem with physical passports. They work! Why introduce new problems? I was bike touring and wasn't carrying a phone. Isn't that allowed?
  - jillesvangurp 2y ago
    They work, sure. It just involves queueing, lots of manual checks, endless amounts of misery at airports, etc. But it works. But I would label it as a problem. I like being able to skip all of that. That works too. It's not that hard.
    - sojournerc 2y ago
      I wouldn't qualify standing in a line as endless misery... Regardless, I have global entry so I do appreciate the desire to skip a line, but I don't follow how 100% digitization solves the need for checkpoints completely. It just seems like techno utopianism to me.
- ocular-rockular 2y ago
  This is such a brain dead solution to a problem that shouldn't exist. Why push for digitization?
  - jillesvangurp 2y ago
    Because it works, quite well actually. It isn't that hard or expensive. And it's convenient. Why push for the old stuff? There's absolutely nothing fun about having to queue for some TSA prick for two hours after a transatlantic flight who hates his pointless, miserable life (and rightfully so). All that stuff can be automated these days.
    - sojournerc 2y ago
      TSA does not do border control, and in fact border control is usually relatively fast compared to being re-screened through security (TSA). Edit: It's convenient if you are a digital native, but elderly folks, among others, will not find it easier than a physical passport. The push to require everyone to have a digital device to participate in society is troubling to me.
    - ocular-rockular 2y ago
      I guess if that's how you feel about it, more power to you. The day I get away from almost all tech will be a good day. Also I get that TSA sucks but I don't think they deserve the vitriol you're throwing.
- placardloop 2y ago
  This is the narrow perspective I was referring to. There are border crossings in the world where there is no reliable electricity, and laptops/smartphones are a rare luxury. Starlink is not a solution to these problems.