Why does one 's driving licence have one's place of birth on it?

[Miljah]

It occurs to me that in these fractionated times, it's maybe not necessary to have this on what for many us your principle form of ID, going into pubs, night clubs etc where one might encounter 'more elevated' emotions once alcohol enters the mix.

WDYT?

Huh?

Is place of birth particularly controversial then?

I really don't understand where your coming from. Surely it's just a layer of security similar to passports

I've never seen the point of it to be honest. My friend has a random Scottish place on hers because her parents took a mini break and she popped out early.

That has no real day relevance to her identity or ability to drive.

It's not like the average ID check includes a database to verify if the information on your driver's licence is actually accurate.

Passports make more a little more sense but then it doesn't make difference to passport control in Abu Dhabi or Brazil if you were born in Blackpool or Lancaster. Surely your country of origin is more important than your town/city of origin?

Police National Computer uses place of birth as an identifier.
What’s your problem?

^^real day to day relevance FFS

Why would your place of birth affect 'elevated emotions'?

Well it’s an identifier, name and d.o.b are not unique identifiers so a third one helps ensure you have the right person.

So do most of yours say 'Great Britain' on them? Or 'England'? I don't know as no one in my house is British born.

"Why would your place of birth affect 'elevated emotions'?"

Um...

I'm a HCP. I must identify my patients 3 ways.

None include place of birth.

I've read the opening post over and over and still don't understand wtf this means.

Its identifier.

Do you mean you are worried about being attacked, because of not being british.

I am pretty sure, people would know you arent british if they met you anyway?

I am from Ireland, people know that who havent seen my ID.

In my role we often have to provide place of birth for security purposes when booking drivers in to access ppaces which are restricted security, such as airports, air bases etc. So it being on the driving licence is useful.

Still not actally foll9winf why your place of birth affect elevated emotions.

Umm doesnt really answer the question.

Answer the question we're not mind readers.

To counter what i think might be your arguement, what about all the people from BAME communities or irish communities that are british born and tbh british bred who get told to "go home" when we're second, third, fourth generation. And the UK is tje only home we've knoen

So do most of yours say 'Great Britain' on them? Or 'England'?

Neither. Mine says 'SCOTLAND'

Mine says England unlike my passport which has my town of birth much more identifying than just the country

Do you think people are going to get in punch ups in bars because someone's driving licence says Scotland on it?

I have no idea? I'm a bit baffled because I never showed anyone my driving license when I was on a night out. Usually I left it at home

OP did you mean to put place of birth or did you mean to put address?

Police National Computer uses place of birth as an identifier.

Ohh, now that makes sense! Thanks for explaining.

Surely what we should be doing is making this less elevated times?

WTAF are you on about? What’s your problem exactly!

Mine says ‘England’ that’s all

What annoys ME more is that it has my current address on it in my bag, with my keys etc that’s far more of an issue and I barely give that a secon thought

What are you on about OP?

I'm Irish. If I'm in the UK ( 4/5 times a year as I have a close friend living there) all I have to do is open my mouth and the minute anyone hears my accent, they know where I'm from. They don't need to see my driving licence to know that.

I'd never thought of it before or what Brits have on theirs, but yeah, mine has UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I can imagine with a few people that could might cause a ruckus, but as others said, having my full current address is kinda a bit more disconcerting in the wrong hands.

Just compared them out of interest and my Biometric Residence Permit has the state I was born in as my place of birth - not the city or country (and oddly it has the birthdate, place of birth, nationality and sex on the back rather than the front under my name which makes it more awkward to use as ID). It doesn't list my current address, but I guess that's on the chip.