Legal Drinking Age

VisualShock · #1 04-24-2008, 02:41 PM

What's going on!? so many people say they celebrate thier 21st by buying a few cold ones and sharing them out with thier friends... Great. I did that for my 15th. These days i dont even get ID checked. I have a fake id, but in the 2 months i've had it, i've been buying alcohol (in a club or from an off-licence) atleast 12 times, and needed it once. I'm 16....

What's the legal age where you are, and how easily can you bend the rules?

EDIT: thought i might add a picture.. see if you think i look 18...
I'm the scared looking one...

TrooperFarva · #2 04-24-2008, 02:47 PM

I wish I were as cool as you. Underage drinking, so awesome.

BTW, this thread will probably be closed.

i_got_a_mohawk · #3 04-24-2008, 02:48 PM

Meh, drinking is overrated.

But for what it's worth, it does seem to be enforced more strictly in the US.

I did similar to you to be honest, drank regularly(ish) with mates from age 14. Stopped at 18 tho.

And if it makes you feel better, I don't think you look old enough, so you would have been ID'd in my bar

StanFan · #4 04-24-2008, 02:48 PM

I'm always ID checked. Every time I've been to a bar everyone close to my age (22) is asked for ID. They are supposed to check if you look younger than 25 I think. Legal age is 19.

i_got_a_mohawk · #5 04-24-2008, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StanFan

I'm always ID checked. Every time I've been to a bar everyone close to my age (22) is asked for ID. They are supposed to check if you look younger than 25 I think. Legal age is 19.

Similar to over here, just different ages. Anyone who looks 21 or under is meant to be ID'd, legal age being 18.

Joey3313 · #6 04-24-2008, 02:52 PM

18 is the legal age here, and it is enforced pretty strictly (when it comes to purchasing).

If a minor is caught with alcohol, they are fined and their stuff is dumped, but that isn't enforced quite as much as it should.

By the time I could legally buy the stuff, I didn't even want to...funny how that works.

SirCanealot · #7 04-24-2008, 02:53 PM

I only started drinking when I was 22. Err...

MOST people under 18 in England drink, to be perfectly honest. Some can handle it, some can't. Much like all the 18-25 year olds I know

And they recently randomly changed the legal smoking age to 18 here from 16, so whatever...

And I get ID'd all the time here in London -- apparently I look under 21, which is a good thing, I guess...

Got ID'd on my 23rd birthday and had to spend 90 minutes going home to get my ID. Really put me in a party mood...

VisualShock · #8 04-24-2008, 02:54 PM

What annoys me about it over here though, is i can get drunk and have a laugh, but i see kids younger than me, who will get an adult to buy them alcohol, and they'll drink it like water. i had to look after a guy who'd had a good litre or so of vodka outside a gig and i was the only one who knew him. That's why i can understand why the law is as it is, but in america if it's 21, surely it's just going to cause people to want to find other passtimes such as drugs?

SirCanealot · #9 04-24-2008, 02:59 PM

I think 21 is way too harsh, but America also has "dry states". (can't buy or sell any alcohol in them, but it's legal to drink)

Whatever, people will do what they want to do. And everyone needs a way to get a release (drummers are so lucky in that way :P)

And yeah, I've been in clubs thinking "I swear she looks 15...".

I think a lot of people around my age are less responsible than people who're 16 right now. Since a lot of them are under a lot of stress from work/uni, or are just looking to go on like a "young lad" and "get pissed/smashed". But that's the UK for you

VisualShock · #10 04-24-2008, 03:03 PM

such is life...

i_got_a_mohawk · #11 04-24-2008, 03:04 PM

I think 21 would be a better age to be honest

Hopefully would stop a few of the idiots. But aye, the UK has one hell of a drink problem!

mike_v_s · #12 04-24-2008, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VisualShock

That's why i can understand why the law is as it is, but in america if it's 21, surely it's just going to cause people to want to find other passtimes such as drugs?

This doesn't make sense.

18 year old wants to have fun.
18 year old cannot legally buy alcohol.
Law encourages 18 year old to buy something else illegaly.

?

Mike

Bad Brains · #13 04-24-2008, 03:09 PM

The drinking age in the United States is ridicules and illogical.

I'm still trying to figure out how an ADULT can get a MINOR-in-possession. I always thought someone considered a legal adult, is considered a legal adult. So much for rationality.

XtreO · #14 04-24-2008, 03:23 PM

I'm grown up when taking public transport, ie at 16, but cannot buy high percentage alcohol (liqour) before at 21. Beer and wine at 18. Which pisses me of really.

I get the same as Visual shock by the way. Can buy at about 40% of the places I try without fake ID. Though 60% of the places ask, and about 40% of those again refuse my ID.

mike_v_s · #15 04-24-2008, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtreO

I'm grown up when taking public transport, ie at 16, but cannot buy high percentage alcohol (liqour) before at 21. Beer and wine at 18. Which pisses me of really.

In all fairness, public transport doesn't have the ability to seriously impair your motor skills and judgement.

Mike