Would you be for/against limits on alcoholic drinks sold in bars,etc?

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   Deb Welchposted 12 years ago

   
   Should this be enforced, due to the great amount of drunken
   driving accidents, deaths, injury, and damages?
           Maybe a number should be given at the bar after 3 or 4
           drinks are sold for each person, a server
           could put the number on the bill as well.                     
           Possibly sign a book for the selected driver if the
                                there seems to be a problem.

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      Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Presently, it's not enforced by any authority other than the owner of the bar. And, it shouldn't be anything someone else should regulate or watch. There's already enough government interference in the lives of people as it is.
      As I said above.
      ?

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         paxwillposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         agreed

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   Dr Poojaposted 12 years ago

   Worth a try to save precious lives lost to accidents ,drunken brawls and numerous crimes after excessive drinking. My vote is For !!

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      Deb Welchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Something really needs to be done - everyday I read or hear about a dunken driver plowing into people and killing pedestrians and injuring many.

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   kirstenblogposted 12 years ago

   This sort of issue is raised all the time here in the UK with binge drinking and the need for what they call the 'booze wagon' an ambulance especially set up for drinking related problems on weekends. The problem is if you cannot buy from the bar/pub, you go to the shops and buy. If people want to over drink they will. They actually tried changing and reducing restrictions that meant that drinks couldn't be sold after a certain time because it was causing people to drink as much as possible as quickly as possible before the last calls for buying your drinks.
   What I would like to see is responsible drinking, and teaching responsible drinking to the next generation. Being restricted by the government is not responsible drinking, its restricted drinking and people will always rebel against big brother restricting them.

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      kirstenblogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      So in short, I don't think it would make any difference.

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         Deb Welchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yes - here in the US - they close bars earlier - some bar owners don't need to serve to customers that they deem too drunk to manage.  Yet - people drink for lunch and go out into heavy day traffic - too dangerous.  Probably in twenty years they will lawfully do something about the abuse.

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   recommend1posted 12 years ago

   Here in China there is no restriction of any kind on sales of alcohol and very little public drunkenness, fighting is almost unheard of and people don't drink and drive because it is dangerous and they have a social conscience not because of the law - generally.  Except of course Americans here who generally hang out in their own bars - easily found by the smell of cannabis smoke and the puke all over the pavements, and of course the violence in and around them.

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      Deb Welchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      We have been having problems with night spot bars and the drinkers taking their drinks out into the street which is against the law.  They do get rowdy too.

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   tamronposted 12 years ago

   I don't think you should be cut off at a certain amount of drinks by law.  No,I think it should be up to the bar tender.
   
   If I have had to much to drink they cut me off or they take my keys and call a cab for me.
   
   I know most of the bar tenders around here as friends that has came to my house went boating,cookouts ect..
   
   They cut me off so they would someone they didn't know.  As soon as someone gets a little mouthy they are cut off or asked to leave.
   
   I live in a small town.  In a big town their would be noway a bar tender could keep up with a certain amount of drinks per person because they can always get someone else to buy their drinks for them.

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      Deb Welchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      For a small town this practice would work great - but for big cities - you are right - the bartender could never keep track  In years to come they may install a breath meter - too many accidents and deaths are happening too frequently.  What happened to responsibility and maturity?

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   paxwillposted 12 years ago

   The bartender can (and often will) refuse to serve an extremely drunk patron more drinks, and it doesn't need to be regulated any further than that.  The problem with capping it at a fixed number is that everyone's tolerance is different.   4 beers may have a minimal effect on a 250 man, but for a 100 pound woman could be more than enough to intoxicate her.

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      Deb Welchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Agree - pax - I can only handle one bottle of beer, one glass of wine or one mixed drink - singularly not all together at one time.  Everyone's body chemistry is different - a breath meter would be the gauge.

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   HurricaneHunterposted 12 years ago

   I'd be for it, I would think there would be less accidents. I believe that if someone wants to get that drunk they can do it at home. Though I agree with some other comments that it depends on the person on whether or not they get drunk. Honestly I think there should be someone walking around to make sure there isn't someone completely smashed, especially outside near the cars. It'd definitely save lives.

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      Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      What is the cost to society? to the Economy? to a person's individual rights?(the bar owner, who will most likely have to flip the bill for the government intervention, which will be passed on to the customer, driving up the prices.
      Yes, common sense would dictate, but people don't have the same "common sense" as others do. It's a self realization which needs to gain awareness in the individual person and how it relates to their actions. To see the possible consequences of doing it some place that's not home. Stupidity in motion is just like ignorance and is very dangerous for others. It needs to stop. How to stop it? Educate society honestly. Instead of the BS being dealt out now.
      That's why bars have bouncers.

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         HurricaneHunterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         True, very true. My brother was a bouncer and I remember him telling me how he couldn't leave his spot despite this man clearly drunk as a dog and stumbling out. (He had to watch the other door, due to such a crowd.) Which is why I wish they would hire someone to walk around outside and watch out for those who are completely drunk. To make sure they get home safely and cause no harm to those around them. Or at least help them call someone to pick them up. But unfortunately that's a bit hard to do and I doubt bar owners would hire those kinds of people. That's what I was trying to imply anyway, sure there's bouncers but they kind of just kick everyone out if their drunk or guard the door. But I'm not saying all of them do this of course.
         Unfortunately despite all the ads you see on TV about drunk driving it still continues. Which again brings the question on what to do about it. You are right, we need to educate people. I think they should start that in school, a special class that talks about it. I never got those kind of classes and I took health all throughout high school. The teacher said one thing, don't drink. But that isn't going to stop kids from drinking or help those out of school.
         I was talking to a friend once about how there should be places similar to bars you could go to, where you could just stay the night after drinking. Instead of driving but like you said that'd be at a cost to society. Because who knows if that would work or not, some may find it stupid while others would find it a good idea.
         And yea, unfortunately some do not have enough common sense to realize that they are putting others in danger when they do those things.
         I don't mean to say people shouldn't have their rights taken away but when their rights put others in danger, it isn't really a right anymore. At least that's what my opinion is.

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            Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            The right doesn't put other people in danger. It is a person's inability to be responsible about said right that puts people in danger. Don't confuse the two.

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               Deb Welchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Driver Education courses in high school could bring more information into the course regarding mixing drinking and driving.  The consequences nobody wants if they are caught and cause an accident or kill someone.

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                  Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  That's understood, but doesn't negate the post you're responding to.

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      Deb Welchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Hurricane - Yes - someone walking around the lounge and restaurant areas - checking customer's drinking habits - excellent.

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   Actually, I'm reasonably sure that law already exists. Bartenders are not allowed to serve intoxicated customers. Problem is that the bartenders all ignore that little regulation...

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      lrohnerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There are laws that prevent bartenders from serving obviously inebriated customers, but I'm pretty certain the laws vary by state and even county or municipality. In any case, it's generally a misdemeanor offense and is usually only called upon if there is a subsequent crash/death that results from a person being overserved.
      
      It's a terribly impractical law, especially in busy bars and nightclubs where bartenders have maybe 10 or 15 seconds to determine if someone is inebriated, which is probably why it's not used very often.
      
      It's really a difficult issue because while it is illegal in the US to drive with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher, there's no law against it if you're not driving. My three 20-something kids all work on the designated driver system when they go out with their friends so they never have to deal with the issue.
      
      IMHO, people who have had even one drink shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car. Full stop.

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         Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Interesting statement.

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            lrohnerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Well, think about it, Cags. You can't send a text while driving or talk on your cell phone, but the average guy can go and slam back five beers and legally get on the road and drive.   Something's really wrong with that.

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               Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Someone who slams back 5 beers isn't legally allowed to get behind the wheel of a car. However, that also depends on the individual and their tolerance to alcohol.
               
               If someone walked into a bar, slammed back 5 beers and left. They are no longer a legal driver by law. If they take 6 hours to drink those 5 beers then we would be talking about something different.

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                  Deb Welchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Five hours later after drinking quite heavily and being quite drunk, the alcohol should be worn off to a great extent depending on the person.  You can leave the establishment - drive on a lonely dark road - hit something and while texting - not know what that was.  A local doctor did this after leaving a country club - and hit a teen-ager riding her skateboard on the side of the road coming from work at 11 pm - she was wearing dark clothing and crouched down.  He killed her.  He got home and he told his wife - go to that area and see what he hit - the ambulances were there.  Five hours later - he called the police.

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                     Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     Hey Deb, do try to pay attention to what I said instead of making up things.
                     
                     I said, if you walked into a bar, slammed down 5 drinks and left, then that person isn't legal to be behind the wheel.
                     
                     I also said that if someone in a bar for 6 hours and drank 5 beers(NOT MORE), then it would be a different story when they left the bar.

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                        Deb Welchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        Excuse me - I did not make this story up.  It actually happened recently.
                        Okay - within 6 hours if you drink such a number of drinks and not eat any food - to absorb the alcohol -  or not dance to work off the alcohol - you could be quite smashed - still depending on the person drinking.  Sorry about  not comprehending completely.  Leaving to drive - your blood alcohol level could still probably be too high legally depending on the person.

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                           Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           I didn't think you made up a story. And yes there are a lot of different factors which would go into determining whether or not someone is affected/effected by the alcohol they drink.
                           
                           I know, I drink. And my tolerance for alcohol is so high it's not even funny. For me, at least the place I drink is walking distance to my apartment and if I'm going to get really hammered for whatever reason, I know enough to say the hell home.

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                  lrohnerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  The average 200 lb guy who drinks five beers in a two-hour period (not six) most likely has a BAC that's within legal limits -- four for a 175 lb man. Sorry -- I shouldn't have used the word "slammed."
                  
                  In any case, I wouldn't want to be in the car with them or near them. I know for me that after one glass of wine or one mixed drink, I shouldn't be behind the wheel. That's why I don't drive when I've had anything at all to drink.

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                     Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     That's good for you. You at least have the conscious ability to understand both the effects and consequences with regards to your abilities while drinking.

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