If you bring in increasingly draconian measures, then you inevitably enable the nasty little jobsworths who find a little bit of power that they can exert over others. I mean, it’s not as if history isn’t littered with examples. But this seems to have come as something of a surprise to the cretins now running the country.
Middle-aged customers are being ‘humiliated’ by ‘app disciples’ at pubs and restaurants banning them from going in without the NHS Covid-19 app – despite government rules saying it is not compulsory.
The infection tracing software has been used as an excuse for refusing entry to older drinkers and eaters without it downloaded onto their phones.
This is despite the government’s own guidance stating it should not be a precondition of entry.
I don’t find this remotely surprising. But that’s because I am something of a student of history – in particular, I was paying attention during the 20th Century and the various despotic regimes that were filled with these nasty little control freaks.
On asking for proof of the legality of his refusal he backed down muttering about protecting his staff.
Ah, yes, the mantra of the propagandised, hard-of-thinking moron who simply believes all that he is told without questioning the obvious flaws or the evidence. Keeping people safe. It’s bollocks of course. It always is, but the mantra sounds nice and cuddly. Much like the committee for public safety.
Although this article blames younger people and it probably is predominately younger people, previous generations were just as guilty of this. It seems that the same lessons have to be learned again with each generation.
So once more we see ourselves facing a generation of people who must relearn the importance of not trading liberty for safety.
Every generation in every country has these people. The unthinking, ill-educated, zombified believers in whatever propaganda is pummelled into their vacuous brains by cynical, manipulative media liars and disingenuous governments.
I’ve stopped banging my head against the wall as I’m in danger of running out of analgesics. Meanwhile any business that turns me away for not having the app may do so, but they will be turning me away forever.
I still have the ‘giant numbers on a brick’ elderly person’s mobile handset which I bought for the sadly-departed Ma Janszoon some years ago. I think I might start carrying it around and pretending it’s mine. If any of these Warden Hodges types tries it on with me, I can produce it from my bag and say innocently “Young man, could you help me download this app onto my phone now?”
Nice one, definitely the thing to do.
Will they be refusing entry to Plod?
My mother, well I, have already made a complaint to ICO about messages she’s receiving on Dumb-Phone
Don’t be tested, don’t be tracked – Be A Free Man
PS “I’m Too Sexy For My Mask” Freds were at Freedom Rally:
When I have a spare afternoon I’ll visit the 5 local Weatherspoons with only my old, but still used, Nokia just for the sake of getting turned away.
Don’t know if Tim Martin keeps tabs on such things.
This app, I hear tell it’s incompatible with NHS data, therefore about as much use as a chocolate teapot.
I thought the hospitality industry was claiming to be on the edge of bankruptcy because of Covid-19.
And now they are choosing to turn away customers|?
Any bar/restaurant doing this deserves to go bust, and soon.
I got turned away at a Toby Carvery this morning after offering the number on my old phone.
“No QR no service”.
Went round the corner to the upmarket cafe who were fine with it (nicer breakfast too).
For an industry suffering from the lock down, this is insane. I would have reminded them of two things. One, I will never come back. Second, a satisfied customer is likely to tell twelve others of their experience, whereas an unhappy one is likely to tell twenty-four.
I used a local Subway when I stopped for lunch with my students yesterday. We all ignored the QR codes and no one challenged us.
Play authoritarians at their own game
– Say you can’t use a smart phone due to disability then phone cops
For disabilities see mask exempt at .gov.uk and pick one. For phone one could add dexterity, complexity, vision. A Doro phone helps
Demand free meal too