Bob

the don't do drugs and drive sign as your driving into glasgow amused me...

Ash UK/US

They could raise the age limit to 50 and it wouldn't do any good... why? because a lot of places don't enforce the age limit. At 15 I was able to drink in all my locals without getting ID for it.

Bob

Aye, it's all rather stupid, also depends on where you are etc...though in Oxford, the council is doing a voluntary scheme where pubs/clubs don't do cheap £10 jugs of cocktails and bundle of drinks anymore...it's voluntary, but then if they don't join in, they would find it a lot tougher to renew their licenses when they come up again...

scrubbedexpat099

I agree with the original comment that the age limit of 21 does seem to produce a much nicer environment. We have had 2 fatalities, the girl in Fort Collins and the boy in Boulder over the last few weeks, neither it seems were related to licensed premises, both involved student private parties. I know Boulder was dry until about 30 years ago, always struck me as odd when the towns around here were built around Saloons, Dancing Halls and Bordellos.

My stepson goes to Boulder, he spent his 15 to 18 in the UK so of course went through that phase before he came back. He made various disparaging comments about his fellow freshers attitude, but really they were just a few years behind him. If the social mores makes it seem so attractively forbidden, what do you expect when they can?

doctor scrumpy

Just a thought, but given that both bush & blair have kids who have been caught drunk underage, how much authority would they have in their respective country preaching about kids drinking underage ?

Tash

My personal opinion is that raising the drinking age will not help the problem of bingedrinking or troubles on the street.

I live just outside of Amsterdam, and allthough I think 16( as it is in Holland) is to low, I think 21 is to high. I did an internship in Falmouth, MA and I lived in a motel with 52 students. Most aged under 21. The main reason they all drank was because it was not allowed, and anything that is forbidden is fun to do, when you are that age. I think it strange that you can drive, vote, join the army and be an adult from the age of 18, but you are not allowed to drink untill your 21. You give them all the adult things but then say, Oh wait, by the way you are not adult enough to drink. I think sticking your head in the sand as goverment is not the best way to go about it. Better eduaction and information about what binge-drinking does is a better solution. I have never, not even here in Holland, seen binge-drinking untill I went to the US

NJ_Dave

The difference between binge drinking in the USA and UK is that in the US it tends to occur when the kids are at properly organised parties or are away from home for the first time at college. In the UK you have gangs of 14-15yr old kids who are getting served alcohol without being asked for ID, are getting pissed and then intimidating people and vandalising property just because they have nothing better to do. Frankly I don't care if they raise the limit to 21 in the UK, as I'm over 21 and it will not affect me. Plus if the drinking age was already 21 I would have probably got a lot more work done and spent a lot less money at uni. Our priorities should be to check for ID whenever there is the slightest doubt of a person's age, to give the police more powers to round up gangs of drunken youths making people's lives a misery, and to encourage kids to find something constructive to do after school (assuming they bother to attend in the first place) instead of just going round the shop and buying 3 litres of cider. And if all of these solutions fail, then try to rasie the limit to 21.

Bob

Very true, not best examples

Bob

Fair points...uni, the drinks were only 10p cheaper than the normal pubs, so that wasn't a problem....as for ID, well there are stong fines, but they aren't enforced, places should really have to worry about losing their license to sell booze, when that happens, they will take it more seriously, and maybe would be a good incentive, because at the mo, they don't care as there making money all the same.
As for things to do after school, would be good, but, at the same token, the scrotes should probably be at home on a school night, parental responsibility ain't it and all that.

scrubbedexpat099

I know in Boulder they do lose their drink licenses.

People who too me are more likely to be in their 30's get carded. I am still waiting, I think losing it at the front and going grey does not help my cause.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that if you get caught here underage drinkingmyou are in trouble, not so in the UK. Therefore as has been said they are somewhat more discreet and certainly not in your face.

Bob

Caught under age in maine, you loose your drivers license automatically...
but that's another story...and yet to actually see it enforced...
the whole ID thing is a bit of a joke though, hannafords, the local grocery store ,bit like sainsburys, anyway, they don't except drivers license that aren't from new england unless the manager ok's it, and they don't except a passport, which is really annoying, so it's all a bit heavy handed...especially when it's so much easier to go to the next town and buy a gun at walmart *l*

ScousePete

The reason the drinking age is enforced so rigidly here in the states is because of accountability.

When I was living in Wisconsin, the local cops would run sting operations where they would send an underage person into a bar to buy a drink. Once the drink was served, the cops would swarm the place. Everyone in the joint would be checked for ID. Anyone found to be underage would be fined (The fine is about $300)

But in addition, both the bar AND the bartender would be fined $300 for EACH underage person on the premises. To bartend in Wisconsin you must be licensed, and you could easily lose your license (and your living) by serving a minor. The bar, of course, also ran the risk of losing their license.

If you are over 21 and a bartender (or store clerk) asks to see your ID, take it as a compliment - they are only doing their job

Ash UK/US

When I was on holiday down in Florida I was in a gas station and saw a notice behind the counter (it was not meant for public view but I did see it where I was standing) it basically said anyone that looks under 30 ID them regardless.

Ash

tony_2003

That's by far the biggest pile of shite you have come out with on here mate.
I have personally known three people who were kicked unconcious by drunks on seperate ocasions for bugger all in Edinburgh. Take a gander up lothian rd or rose st on a saturday night and tell me thats civilised. As for Glasgow being a civilised place lol! Every weekend there is multiple occurences of knife attacks in that dump. Scotlands big cities are no better or worse than Englands for tossers who cant handle there drink. I'm a Scot, but I don't live with my head up my ass like you seem to!

Bob

Aye, that's fair enough...but comeon, a passport is a lot less likely to be faked than a drivers license...
But it is a good money earner doing the sting, kinda entrapment though...
and also, if the bars supposed to ID when you enter, bit hard fining the bartenders....