every single link to G+ this comes up, and every single time the response is the same: If you are signed in to google but not G+, you have to sign in. If you aren't signed in to google, you don't have to sign in.
Why cant I read the web without a public profile that includes my real-world first and last names?
I could try and logout, but this has certain implication on my Android phone I don't want, like possibly disconnecting Sync and Gmail etc.
Also, saying "you can, but..." is a weasely way to describe things. I think that having to do anything beyond clicking on a link in order to read a public webpage is an unacceptable barrier.