I have just been doing some GA flying in the US and it rams home to you what a load of bull**** this ASIC card stuff is. Nothing like it exists at all there and the notion that an airport in the middle of the nowhere has to be surrounded by a big wire fence with access only an ASIC card would be thought absurd, as indeed it is.
Then add in helpful, laid back ATC, including at large airports, no landing fees etc etc etc. But the ASIC card malarkey is the most ridiculous. Nothing like it in the UK either, or Switzerland, where I have also flown. So why do we need it here? And what does it do anyway, especially out in the regions?