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Pointless Alcohol laws......

#41
I've read some bloody stupid things in this thread.

The main one being that alcohol-law and driving-age are some how related?

To further this point, you can buy a gun in the USA at 21 - to use the argument of Mike and Cheeze, surely the drinking age should be raised up to 23 so you've got 3 clear years of being "responsible" around guns before you drink yourself silly on vodka and murder your work mates?

The secondary one being "I'm 40, you're 20, therefore I'm right and you're wrong, ner-ner-ne-ner-ner"

If the USA alcohol laws are working - why do a vast proportion of your 18-21 year-olds go to Cancun every Spirng Break and flash their breasts on "the boobie show"? I don't see any European's in the same age group doing that.
 
#42
Bad Brains said:
I was talking to a friend of mine, who was walking home last weekend when a police car strolled up behind him, asked him to come over, and questioned him about his age and whether or not he has been drinking. Thankfully he was 22 so it didn't matter.

My question was "Cops can do that?". Apparently they can now as many states now have this really stupid law that counts the body as a container, thus counting as possession of alcohol.

What next? Are people going to start getting busted for just looking at alcohol? Who are these people in office who make these laws and how do they get elected? How can an 18-19-20 year old even get a MINOR in possession then they aren't even minors?

I'm all for busting drunk drivers and people under the age of 18for drinking, but give me a break. At least let the 18-20 crowd have the substance in their bodies. You Europeans must laugh at us.
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Was he staggering and weaving?

Did he do ANYTHING to indicate he was intoxicated?
 
#44
Toasted said:
If the USA alcohol laws are working - why do a vast proportion of your 18-21 year-olds go to Cancun every Spirng Break and flash their breasts on "the boobie show"? I don't see any European's in the same age group doing that.
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Can't let this go. "Vast Proportion"???? I don't think so. And how do you tell the Americans from the Euro's in those group shots???
 
#46
Toasted said:
...

The main one being that alcohol-law and driving-age are some how related?

...
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From what i have heard, yes...The main reason for changing the drinking age is because there was a high number of car accidents caused by drunk 18-20 year olds...of course if you ask me, in Northern Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin there are as many car accidents caused by 21 year old drinkers as there are 40 year old drinkers and i would go so far as to say that in 1970 there were just as many 18 year olds in the ditch as well...I think its more an issue of responsible drinking rather than age, but as stated by other tb'ers, i am only 20 and don't know anything about anything...as Denis Leary said, our job as 20-33 year olds is to look good and shut up!
but thats still my opinion as a 20 year old northern Wisconsin college student.

as for whether nancy or ron made the decision, i don't think that just because Ron's name is on all the paperwork, that doesn't mean that she did have influence in that...i think any married or seriously dating male tb'ers could enlighten us on women's influence on men...
 
#47
what's to say a 21 yr-old, drinking for the first time, will be any more mature than an 18 yr-old drinking for the first time?!

its down to the people, in the end. Being taught the 'ways' at a young age is ideal. Hide your kid from the world until they're 21 will result in a wreck (not necessarily on the road). Introduce them to a little bit of everything as you go along, let them find their way, the kids will be more educated and less narrow minded, and understand consequences.

there are always exceptions.

personally i think if your friend, BB, was staggering, he wasn't safe on the streets. if he was walking along no different than normal... then the cops are full of it.
there are a lot of drunken scumbags on our streets, more of them need to be picked up.
 
#48
I don't buy this relation to increased drunk driving accidents with lower alcohol ages. For one thing, it's extremly easy to get a hold of alcohol if you are underage. A bit of a hassel, but easy. In other words, the laws aren't working. If kids want to drink they will drink.

I will get bashed for this one of course, but what it comes down to is $money$. Raise the age to 21, and establish a source of revenue by giving fines to the 18-20 year olds (whom are more likly to drink on a regular basis then the 14-17 year olds).

They really want to stop drunk driving then harsher penalities will work. For example, if you get caught then 10 years in prison automatically. Extreme maybe, but very few will do it.

Just across the river in Canada the law is 19, and they don't have half the problems we do and they are basically a part of the same culture. Drunk driving is not as big of an issue there because they are harder on that law. 21 is way too extreme.
 
#49
Toasted said:
I've read some bloody stupid things in this thread.

The main one being that alcohol-law and driving-age are some how related?

To further this point, you can buy a gun in the USA at 21 - to use the argument of Mike and Cheeze, surely the drinking age should be raised up to 23 so you've got 3 clear years of being "responsible" around guns before you drink yourself silly on vodka and murder your work mates?

The secondary one being "I'm 40, you're 20, therefore I'm right and you're wrong, ner-ner-ne-ner-ner"

If the USA alcohol laws are working - why do a vast proportion of your 18-21 year-olds go to Cancun every Spirng Break and flash their breasts on "the boobie show"? I don't see any European's in the same age group doing that.
Click to expand...


Hey Toasted, once again you are proving my point. I was just saying that someone 20 and someone 40 think about certain things differently. It certainly wasn't meant to imply that 40 year olds know all and 20 year olds know nothing. It's just a matter of having a different perspective.

The only thing confusing me, is your statement that Europeans don't flash boobie. :)
 
#50
Bad Brains said:
I don't buy this relation to increased drunk driving accidents with lower alcohol ages. For one thing, it's extremly easy to get a hold of alcohol if you are underage. A bit of a hassel, but easy. In other words, the laws aren't working. If kids want to drink they will drink.

I will get bashed for this one of course, but what it comes down to is $money$. Raise the age to 21, and establish a source of revenue by giving fines to the 18-20 year olds (whom are more likly to drink on a regular basis then the 14-17 year olds).

They really want to stop drunk driving then harsher penalities will work. For example, if you get caught then 10 years in prison automatically. Extreme maybe, but very few will do it.

Just across the river in Canada the law is 19, and they don't have half the problems we do and they are basically a part of the same culture. Drunk driving is not as big of an issue there because they are harder on that law. 21 is way too extreme.
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The revenue arguement doesn't hold water. After all, the States are making LESS tax revenue from bars due eliminating a portion of their potential patronage.
 
#51
That is a good point, but what the bars loose in the tax revenue for the state, the liquor/beer stores gain back by having underage kids giving money to older kids who buy the booze for them which they would have bought at a bar.

I personally think they should raise the driving age since it's pretty much a proven fact that younger drivers cause the most accidents. I'm sure more people die from car accidents then from underage drinking, drunk driving not included. (I could be wrong on this, but i'm just assuming).

Raise the driving age to 18, lower the drinking age to 19. Harsh penalities such as 10 years in prison automatically would eliminate a lot of the drunk driving problems. The 16 and 17 year olds are off the roads sober or not. And everyone is happy.
 
#52
Bad Brains said:
That is a good point, but what the bars loose in the tax revenue for the state, the liquor/beer stores gain back by having underage kids giving money to older kids who buy the booze for them which they would have bought at a bar.

I personally think they should raise the driving age since it's pretty much a proven fact that younger drivers cause the most accidents. I'm sure more people die from car accidents then from underage drinking, drunk driving not included. (I could be wrong on this, but i'm just assuming).

Raise the driving age to 18, lower the drinking age to 19. Harsh penalities such as 10 years in prison automatically would eliminate a lot of the drunk driving problems. The 16 and 17 year olds are off the roads sober or not. And everyone is happy.
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Good point..kids can't drive!

Almost every time I see an accident near a highschool I see a smashed up Mustang..with a little chick looking at the car crying with the words "hottie" on her pink pants. I think they have added a probation period in Michigan and only allow driving certain times of the day for new drivers.
 
#54
Bad Brains said:
Hahaha don't get me started on that.

Spolied suburban teenagers have forever tainted the image of the Ford Mustang for me. Everytime I see one I think of upper middle class teens driving around, reving up the engine while blasting Eminem on their systems.
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LOL..I think you live close to wear I grew up if I recall..your in GC? I am from Canton originaly. I would drive by the HS and see an accident at least once a week. Mustang and or little Hs girl was always involved.
 
#55
I'm back... and I'm going to change the direction of this thread just a little bit, 'cuz after all, it is entitled "Pointless Alcohol Laws."

In Texas, as I seem to recall, if you want a bottle of liquor, you have to go to a designated liquor store, and while I forget what time they are allowed to open the door for business, they are required by law to close at 9:00 p.m. I also believe liquor stores are still closed on Sundays. Also on Sundays... no alcohol sales (beer, wine or booze) what-so-ever before noon (or is it 11:00 a.m.). I recall visiting family one summer. My wife, two of my nephews, and I had a 10:00 a.m. tee-time on a Sunday morning. Shoots, I walked up to the snackbar counter and ordered a couple of Coors Lights to take on out to the golf course. The young lady looked at me like she knew I wasn't from around them parts... I forgot about that Sunday thing! So, I had to wait until the turn before I got to buy a beer.

They do have liquor stores in Oklahoma, but they have some strange laws regulating them, too. If you're going to have a liquor store in OK, you cannot put up a big neon sign saying "Dave's Liquors." You can only put up a yellow sign with black lettering simply stating "Liquor Store." I'm not quite sure, but I think the letters cannot exceed 12 inches, and the over-all size of the sign is regulated. OK's liquor store hours are regulated, and they, like Texas, are closed on Sundays. OK sells 3.5% beer... 24-7... in grocery stores, gas stations, etc...; however, if you want 'regular' beer, you have to get that at a liquor store... and it must be sold warm... not refrigerated.

Here in Hawaii, you can buy beer, wine and liquor just about anyplace... grocery stores, gas stations, 7-11, etc... seven days a week. The time frame is regulated: no sales between midnight and 6 a.m. (I'm not too sure about the 6 a.m.... it could be an hour or two later than that...)

Anyway... thought some of y'all might find this interesting. Anybody got something to add... that would be fun to know.
 
#59
RicPlaya said:
Good point..kids can't drive!

Almost every time I see an accident near a highschool I see a smashed up Mustang..with a little chick looking at the car crying with the words "hottie" on her pink pants. I think they have added a probation period in Michigan and only allow driving certain times of the day for new drivers.
Click to expand...

No, it's just many girls can't drive well at all.
 
#60
Having a lower drinking age doesn't make Europeans any more or less cultured than Americans. It only implies that alcoholism will be more acceptable. I would even go as far as to say that 21 may be too young; neurologically speaking, 25 should be the minimum drinking age. Before that age, our brains are not fully developed. Most importantly, the development of judgement is not complete until that age. That's we we always lump together 18 to 25 year olds as a demographic group. There isn't a huge difference in recklessness between a 23 year old and an 18 year old, but by 28/29/30, those carefree days are over.
 

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