When I received a letter two weeks later containing the card I was surprised: Despite my visa expiring in a year, the card said I was a New Yorker until 2021. My face was over-imposed on the map of the five boroughs for five years!
Two months later, as I tried to get into a well-known Hell’s Kitchen bar, the bouncer asked for proof of age. An occasion to unsheathe my card!
I was baffled when he shook his head and said: “We don’t accept this, this is not valid. You need a state ID.”
“This is from the city of New York,” I said. “Yeah, we don’t accept this.”
My Italian driving license opened the gate. I downgraded the episode, labeling it a misunderstanding.
But after a while, it happened again. This time I couldn’t even get in to a Williamsburg bar, despite my friends’ assurances about my age. And I wasn’t carrying my Italian driving license anymore.
“Why do I need this,” I thought of the license, “if I have the IDNYC.”
My wife laughed at me that night. She didn’t want to get the card after I showed her mine. “You wasted your time,” she said.
I was convinced there must’ve been a mistake, even though I remembered the bank had refused a check without an identification other than my IDNYC.
Finally, the coup de grace came in May. I went for a jog in Prospect Park, and I was returning home when I thought to stop by the zoo. As an IDNYC holder, I was entitled to free entry: finally some privilege!
I approached the gate and showed the card. I was told that I first needed to go to the Bronx Zoo (physically) to register before I could gain free entry.
Rome is well-known for its byzantine bureaucracy. I have lived in New York for about a year, and I don’t carry my IDNYC card anymore. I now feel at home.:
23 comments:
IDNYC were designed for illigals.
The promised free museum memberships are also not what they're cracked up to be. At the Museum of the Moving Image, MOMA (and probably others), you can't get the free membership if you've been a member in the past 4 years.
IDNYC has always been clear on this point: "The IDNYC card does not authorize cardholders to drive or provide proof of identity to obtain a driver's license. The card also does not authorize cardholders to purchase alcohol or tobacco products, receive public assistance benefits, or travel on an airplane. The IDNYC does not confer immigration status or provide work authorization."
This is also old news: https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20151211/williamsburg/bar-bouncers-are-confused-by-your-city-municipal-id
That thing ain't worth the paper it's printed on.
I can't believe some schmo thought it was a valid ID for anything.
It's old news that you have to first go to the Bronx Zoo in order to go any other in the city? Because who the hell knew that?
Nothing blaBlasio does is legitimate. His own people don't listen to him!
The only thing entitled is this ignorant woman. I understand that she's evidently from Italy and doesn't know some of the laws in the US, but there are enough condescending Europeans in the city at the moment for me to have too much empathy.
The NYCID wouldn't work for entry to a bar because it's the state of New York that authorizes businesses to sell and distribute alcohol in the five boroughs--not the city.
All that counts is if you can vote with it.
There are some perks, you just have to read thru it. I get free parking in some places, and the zoo museum perks are great for the kids.
It's old news that you have to first go to the Bronx Zoo in order to go any other in the city? Because who the hell knew that?
It says it right on the IDNYC website that you must enroll at the Bronx Zoo in order to qualify for the WCS (zoo) membership.
Says it right on the WCS website as well.
What did you think, Crappy, people are just walking up to places, flashing their card and saying, "GImmie free shit!"? Oh, wait...probably.
So if you live in Brooklyn or Queens, you need to make a trip to the Bronx in order to use this card at your local zoo. If you live in Staten Island, no problem.
This makes perfect sense!
You never knew this? These cards are not worth the paper they are printed on, yet cost New Yorkers millions per year. This was Duhblazio catering to the illegals.
So what is this ID good for, other than giving those who have the time to travel all over the city free admission to some museums?
>The only thing entitled is this ignorant woman.
Is your reading comprehension so poor you didn't notice that the author's name is Roberto and he talks about his wife?
>All that counts is if you can vote with it.
Good point. Would this ID be legal to vote with if the city or state establishes voterID laws? (Or in the few current instances where you need to show ID to vote?) After all, BoE is a state government department.
This card should be a one way ticket out of the country, your name on a list, never to allow return...
I signed up for IDNYC only to use it in cultural sites in all the boroughs. I used it for the NY Botanical Gardens last week and was only allowed a "ground" pass. Every other building was off limits except the gift store and mens room !
Funny how he thinks this card confers citizenship. Notice how his visa expired last year, and he thinks the card grants him NYC citizenship status for the next 5 years? So he's here illegally right now. I could tell this NYCID program was going to be wildly popular. A crappy meaningless ID is still better than nothing if you're trying to get a toehold in the US, I always say.
One word answers all this:
Trump.
The ID is not state issued or above. So it's not valid for buying alcohol (NYS SLA) or buying cigarettes. I'm not even sure if it's valid id for Notarizing non NYC documents.
TIA ploy to get illegals and terrorists trackable, uselss otherwise
>Every other building was off limits except the gift store and mens room !
You should tell them that under city law you're now allowed in the womens room too!
The Womens room is always off limits for me but that has changed for others when they feel like a women some days !
Tough shit...hipster. NYS oversees the liquor authority. Get drunk at home.
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