Yosser

is it the same in your area?....what I mean is we have dry and wet zones here. In the city (well suburb) I live in, we have a dry area, meaning I have to drive 15 miles to purchase some beer and wine etc??? what was the thinking behind that

All the wino's are hanging out downtown anyways so its not like there going to commute 30 miles out to get their fix.

There ain't nothing worse than cracking up the barby Q, slinging on some steak, only to find zero cold ones in the fridge and then having to drive half way across america to buy some

Pimpbot

I have not heard of that here in AZ. But thats not to say it could be the case. Are you in a heavily populated school district or something?

Yosser

There are a few schools close to where I live, but the areas that are wet have just as many schools too.

Back in blighty, all you had to do was walk down to the local VG, even the post office/grocerie store, sold beer,wine and spirits etc.

The weird thing is also, because the public transport sucks and you have to wait over an hour for a taxi, can you imagine the amount of drunk drivers on the road on any given night? or the everyday worker having to drive out of there city limits and then swigging on a beer while driving back home! now you know why they all drive automatics in the U.S.

suebo

Not in Baltimore, there is a Bottlo atleast every 5-10 minutes apart. Must be a bunch of p#ss heads here.

Jabba1

I would just like to say for the record that I have never been a drinker in my life. I've never even tasted a beer, but I'm am in full support of strict alcohol laws. Drunk driving is far to wide spread in the US as it is, and I'm glad that my county is trying to get off the bottle, as it were.

TexasPenguin

Here in Tyler,TX (Smith County) it is also 'dry' in that you cannot buy booze in supermarkets etc. You CAN get a drink at any restaurant bar with this wonderful 'Unicard' thing.
However, the flip side of this is that, even in the middle class affluent areas of the UK, underage drinking is a REAL problem - these damn alcopops and 900 proof cider were available at every paper shop (surprised ToysRus didn't sell them!).
The net result was, every Saturday night, drunk kids on the street corners and beer bottles (and worse) over garden fences etc. (And I'm not talking inner city squalor either).
Personally I have to drive for 20 minutes to get to an out of county liquor store. It's a decision to do so, not a whim when you are buying bagels for the morning. In the liquor store you need over 21 ID, 15-21 year olds lose their license for ANY alcohol (or tobacco, for that matter).
Which is best? I know where my vote would go....
I enjoy a drink as much as the next guy, often drink too much, but.....

Yosser

Never tasted beer? you don't know what your missing

I don't know why having dry zones will get your country off the bottle, it just means everyone has to drive to the beer store, then they drink as they drive back making twice as many piss heads on the road!

If my local Tom Thumb sold it, I wouldn't have to drive anywhere, as its walking distance....maybe if the local transport services could get its act together and provide taxis, maybe that could cut down the drink/driving offences.....just a thought

TexasPenguin

What, you need a drink THAT BAD that you drink it driving back from the liquor store!???
So, when you go to the store to buy a magazine or newspaper I guess you read that on the drive home too?? (Actually, strike that question, I've seen people do it!).

Yosser

No I didn't say I needed a drink that bad, but all the americans I have been with can hardley wait to get out of the store before cracking a beer open.

at xmas time all you see is highways full of drunk drivers so I guess "the dry zone" isn't working.

Taffyles

Prohibition didn't work either. No dry zones in our part of Florida- you can get beer everywhere, and the kids know where they can purchase it too...most of them have to *drive* out of town to get it though Judging by the number of teenage driving accidents and fatalities involving drink- the law isn't effective either.

Lion in Winter

The suburb of Chicago where I live was the headquarters of the Womens Christian Temperance Union. Even in 1983 it was still dry. Then they daringly allowed alcohol to be served with meals in a restaurant. Needless to say, the street that is the boundary with Chicago was a veritable all-night party. Now you can buy alcohol here, but no cold beer, only warm, on the theory that if it's warm you won't lie around on the pavement getting drunk outside the supermarket, or some such.

robclews

Remember walking through Tesco or Sainsbury and having a whole isle or two crammed full of booze.

Here in maryland supermarkets aren't allowed to sell booze, and liquor stores are closed on Sundays, I really do find the whole alcohol thing a bit of a mystery at times, although on a boiling hot day its nice to take your time in the cold room where they keep the beer.

Rob

barnsy

My aunt used to live in a "dry zone" just outside of Dallas, and she used to drive over the county line to buy booze. I'm sure she said it was illegal to have the booze in the car, it had to be in the boot (sorry trunk) must have been real difficult driving and drinking from there!!

Yosser

I actually break open the beer box and put it on the back seat, that way I only have to reach over and take my eyes off the highway for no more than a few seconds...




Just kidding..

The booze store I go to has a full time sheriff sat inside, he doesn't give a toss where you put it, inside the boot or sat on your lap

bubbadog

That's very much a Bible Belt thing, Yosser. East Texas has a lot of areas like that...thus explaining why I live in South Texas!