To think only the computer literate can now go on a foreign holiday

[rookiemere]

We're just back from Tenerife and had a wonderful time, but oh my goodness the online forms to fill in were not easy for either Spain or UK, nor was the Randox registration for our PCR tests on return ( in Scotland).

I consider myself to be reasonably computer literate, but I was very grateful for some prompts I found on a Facebook help group. It took me an hour for each passenger locator for, and another hour roughly for three PCR tests ( plus an additional half hour to drive to a drop box as apparently they don't accept Royal Mail boxes anymore).

I get why the documentation is needed, so I'm not against that per se, but the fact it must be done on a device means that some people may not have that and are now forced to buy a smart phone which seems unfair.

You also need to be pretty literate to interpret the questions, so again could be tricky for some.

So my AIBU is, is it right that the form can only be completed online ?

I struggle with my sight on my smartphone even though ive made the text as big as I can! Also if you make the text bigger then the whole screen becomes very difficult to navigate. How can that problem be resolved? Anyone?

Well I'm a lawyer so practically glued to my laptop and constantly filling out forms... but all the Covid travel requirements are utterly Byzantine and a total pain.

M'y DH works in IT and it took him bloody ages to deal with all the paperwork to travel France-UK and back. Only the day 2 test involved but thé passenger locator form for Eurotunnel is 4 pages long and can't be completed till 48 hours before travel (in spite of the fact that no test is needed to travel France to UK if fully vaxxed).

For the return trip (which he also had to wait to complete till 48 hours before travel) Eurotunnel directed him to the wrong form for entry to France (where he has to declare he hasn't knowingly been in contact with anyone with Covid). He was directed to fill in the form for unvaxxed rather than vaxxed passengers, I think. And he did day 2 test on Saturday and still doesn't have the result. Will most likely leave before he gets it so what was the point exactly? Oh yes, money-making exercise. Yes travel is not essential but he went to see his Mum, a widow in her 80s whom he hasn't seen for 2 years.

Relatives on my side with a holiday home in Portugal spent a fair amount of their holiday organising tests for their return.

It shouldn't be so complicated, and the vaccine passport should make it simpler, but it doesn't!

Sounds like it’s all designed to put people off travelling

@Sugarandtime

Sounds like it’s all designed to put people off travelling

its worked in my case , if i won the lottery tomorrow and could afford to go abroad with dd ,im not sure i could face all this shit online , it sounds very onerous and id get too confused and give up

I think it’s the fact that you can’t even prepare well in advance. Tests have to be done within so many hours of flying, passenger locator form within so many hours of leaving. All adds to pressure and you think is it worth it?

Well, I think it's worth it, but stressful and confusing. It would be enough to put me off travelling often, but I would still do once a year despite the faff, as its lovely to be away in Europe.

Yes that's a good point @Caffeinefirst . I like to be organised and get admin tasks out of the way, but there's no way to do any of this stuff in advance, so you can't avoid taking time out of your holiday to do it.

I'm thinking about going abroad for a long weekend later this year and find myself gravitating towards Spain as at least I've successfully completed the plf once so know what to expect.

Just because computers have been around for quite a long time now, doesn't mean that adults who hadn't been taught how to use them, could use them. I'm in my sixties and basically had to teach myself. I know loads in my age group, even people in their 50s who can't.

Unless you make the decision to learn about computers or if you aren't in a job that required you to learn, then it isn't a given that everyone under 70 should be able to.

I suspect lots of people dont realise how many jobs you can still do without a computer. Or alternatively only using one work app but nothing else e.g. amazon drivers.

I think the pandemic has only accelerated the need to have a smart phone for every day life.

@julieca

I suspect lots of people dont realise how many jobs you can still do without a computer. Or alternatively only using one work app but nothing else e.g. amazon drivers.

You may be able to do the job without a computer, but more and more firms except you to submit your timesheets online and access your payslips online.

@LittleBearPad

I'd imagine many elderly people would have great difficulty navigating what is required.

Comments like this are so patronising. Why the assumption that elderly people can’t use the internet. It’s been around 20 odd years.

My Dad's 88 and has never had a computer or a mobile phone of any kind.

@user1497207191 you dont need to access your payslip generally. And doing timesheets online takes very basic IT knowledge. It is very different from being IT literate.

I honestly think people need to at least try to use computers. Just because they cannot be bothered, dont want to try, would rather do it the old fashioned way doesnt mean those ways carry on.

Banks are shutting because they are expensive to run on the high street yet people want to do it the way they have always done it and that just isnt feasible now.

Some old people are even proud they dont have a phone, computer etc but they I expect increasingly find that they are shut out of some things. If someone can say drive a car with all that that entails then surely they can gain some IT skills.

Computers have changed a lot over the years and unless you have kept up with doing anything more than the basics I completely agree with the OP. My DH works in IT but says he can't do a Tesco online shop - go figure!

@Franklin12 and what about those with a tremor, memory problems or other issues that make using IT difficult or impossible? What about the disability act? Are these people just going to be cut out of society?

People are claiming younger people don’t know how to use computers either? Are there really schools there where students are still researching essays using encyclopedias and writing them long-hand?

I’m in the U.S, students in my area start taking tests on computers in reception. They are completely integrated into the classroom.

TBH the young people in my workplace are great at using IT to do written reports and using social media and AV apps. But most are not good at doing anything new where they have to figure out how to do things. This is the skill you need as you get older and leave the workplace.

Franklin12

Lots of people try but still struggle. My mum gets very upset and frustrated about not being able to do things herself online. She can manage emails, what’s app and online banking but struggles with stuff like uploading documents, sorting out printing issues.

I think it’s very bad how everything is going online without a thought to the very large number of people who will struggle without family support to help. And as I’ve learnt with my mum you have to be close by to offer tech support. Trying to help her over the phone is a nightmare!

My MIL had no online access at all; no computer, tablet or smart phone. There is so much she cannot access easily eg like cheaper energy deals.

What age groups are you talking about who can take overseas holidays and not use a computer well?

I'm an old bag. My entire career has been with computers.

I find filling out forms tedious. I do nearly everything online. I don't want to print anything or post anything or go somewhere to get something certified.

But that's just me, because I've been with it since near the beginning and have adapted.

I have relatives who still pay bills in person, write cheques for things.

I would say to take a course in basic skills.

I agree with you, OP. YANBU.

@DriftingBlue

I can maybe buy into people in their 80s possibly not being computer literate, but everyone below that, including people in their 70s have used computers actively for a long time now.

Really??

I agree @RantyAunty that people should try to acquire basic IT skills where they can, but having been through the passenger locator form process for both Spain and back to the UK, being able to do some rudimentary navigation round the internet is not going to cut the mustard.

@Caffeinefirst

Franklin12

Lots of people try but still struggle. My mum gets very upset and frustrated about not being able to do things herself online. She can manage emails, what’s app and online banking but struggles with stuff like uploading documents, sorting out printing issues.

I think it’s very bad how everything is going online without a thought to the very large number of people who will struggle without family support to help. And as I’ve learnt with my mum you have to be close by to offer tech support. Trying to help her over the phone is a nightmare!

My MIL had no online access at all; no computer, tablet or smart phone. There is so much she cannot access easily eg like cheaper energy deals.

But most people are able to learn and will find it easier with practice, plus things like uploading documents is very very easy on a tablet or smartphone.

Neither of my parents used computers at work but both learned the basics in their 60s/70s, with help from their children and grandchildren.

Yes, its a steep learning curve and no not everything works as well as it should, but most of this is not as impossible to access as many are making out.