UTMC

So after moving back to NY, best experience so far has been dude who wouldn't sell me beer because I didn't have a NY state license.

I was quite irritated, but laughing at the absurdity at the same time.

welcome back to the east coast. precisely why i am as far away from it as possible for me. i have some great friends out there, however, as an overall experience . . . i just get tired of that kind of shit.

The Shifty Jesus wrote:So after moving back to NY, best experience so far has been dude who wouldn't sell me beer because I didn't have a NY state license.

I was quite irritated, but laughing at the absurdity at the same time.

Yeah, they do that in Massachusetts too. Whatever, there's always New Hampshire.

I guess you could do CT or NJ.

If that was your best experience, what's second best? A kick in the groin?

SomeMook wrote:Yeah, they do that in Massachusetts too. Whatever, there's always New Hampshire.

Nope, sorry... drank it all.

About a year ago, on the eve of my 40th birthday, I stopped to buy beer and the lady wouldn't let me have it because I didn't have ID. I'm going to be 40 tomorrow. I'm thirty nine years old. Do I look like I'm 20 to you?" I asked. "Well, no but I have to see your ID before I can ring it up."
"Who's to say I didn't show you any?"
"Well--nobody, but--it's my job."
"So you're going to let someone tell you that you can't think for yourself?"
"I'm sorry, but--"
"So do I look like I'm FUCKING TWENTY YEARS OLD TO YOU?"

This was actually the second store in a row that had refused to let me buy beer on the way home from work, so I'd had about a block to get all worked up about it. That poor woman. Yeah, I don't get that bullshit policy that they actually have taped up on the wall, something like if you even look to be younger than some stupid random age then you should expect to show ID. I bet some Santa Claus-looking dude doesn't get carded. Wtf...

My hairline is my id.

Sisyphus wrote:About a year ago, on the eve of my 40th birthday, I stopped to buy beer and the lady wouldn't let me have it because I didn't have ID. I'm going to be 40 tomorrow. I'm thirty nine years old. Do I look like I'm 20 to you?" I asked. "Well, no but I have to see your ID before I can ring it up."
"Who's to say I didn't show you any?"
"Well--nobody, but--it's my job."
"So you're going to let someone tell you that you can't think for yourself?"
"I'm sorry, but--"
"So do I look like I'm FUCKING TWENTY YEARS OLD TO YOU?"

This was actually the second store in a row that had refused to let me buy beer on the way home from work, so I'd had about a block to get all worked up about it. That poor woman. Yeah, I don't get that bullshit policy that they actually have taped up on the wall, something like if you even look to be younger than some stupid random age then you should expect to show ID. I bet some Santa Claus-looking dude doesn't get carded. Wtf...

Ever sold liquor for a living? I don't know about out there, but Washington State is terrible about that kind of shit. There is really no incentive whatsoever to let employees use any kind of judgment whatsoever.

SomeMook wrote:

The Shifty Jesus wrote:So after moving back to NY, best experience so far has been dude who wouldn't sell me beer because I didn't have a NY state license.

I was quite irritated, but laughing at the absurdity at the same time.

Yeah, they do that in Massachusetts too. Whatever, there's always New Hampshire.

I'm dumbfounded

I've got about half an 80s metal band hanging off of my face, but every now and then, some tobacconist and or booze-monger will card me.
Which isn't so bad...it's when all I want is a pack of smokes or whatever and they ask my date of birth. For some bizarre reason, I'm always caught sufficiently off guard that I have to pull some picture ID from my wallet and hand it over.
That's embarrassing.

I totally get the whole protecting-the-children and the store clerks having to follow the law to the letter bit, but seriously, when they write these laws, can't they put something in there about half a foot of facial hair being a reasonable indicator of sufficient age?

DerGolgo wrote:I've got about half an 80s metal band hanging off of my face, but every now and then, some tobacconist and or booze-monger will card me.
Which isn't so bad...it's when all I want is a pack of smokes or whatever and they ask my date of birth. For some bizarre reason, I'm always caught sufficiently off guard that I have to pull some picture ID from my wallet and hand it over.
That's embarrassing.

I totally get the whole protecting-the-children and the store clerks having to follow the law to the letter bit, but seriously, when they write these laws, can't they put something in there about half a foot of facial hair being a reasonable indicator of sufficient age?

In Germany? It's been awhile since I was over there, but there were still cigarette machines on street corners. I never got carded by any of them. . . .I just put my 5 mark coin in the slot (I guess that dates the transaction, eh?).

Rabbit_Fighter wrote:

DerGolgo wrote:I've got about half an 80s metal band hanging off of my face, but every now and then, some tobacconist and or booze-monger will card me.
Which isn't so bad...it's when all I want is a pack of smokes or whatever and they ask my date of birth. For some bizarre reason, I'm always caught sufficiently off guard that I have to pull some picture ID from my wallet and hand it over.
That's embarrassing.

I totally get the whole protecting-the-children and the store clerks having to follow the law to the letter bit, but seriously, when they write these laws, can't they put something in there about half a foot of facial hair being a reasonable indicator of sufficient age?

In Germany? It's been awhile since I was over there, but there were still cigarette machines on street corners. I never got carded by any of them. . . .I just put my 5 mark coin in the slot (I guess that dates the transaction, eh?).

We still have the machines, they take euro-coins now, but before they do, you need to shove an atm card with a "Geldkarte" feature in for age verification.

DerGolgo wrote:We still have the machines, they take euro-coins now, but before they do, you need to shove an atm card with a "Geldkarte" feature in for age verification.

That sounds like the same system as in Japan, although the beer/sake/whisky vending machines here require no age verification, which I find hilarious.

It was all made better by walking into a bar Saturday night.
Think Red Lobster circa 1982, minus the food.
I was wary; it was in the shithead area of town.
A) Avalanche game on one television
B) X-Games on another
C) Surfing on a third
D) Rage Against the Machine playing on the Juke, followed by NOFX
E) Cute bartender
F) $8 for a bucket of 5 pony Rolling Rocks

The only downside was a $15 minimum charge. No big deal, but I just wanted a beer or two at the most, not 10 7oz. ones. Needless to say, I made a new friend in the dude sitting next to me whom I kept pawning beers off on. He was totally cool and just wanted to talk endlessly about skiing (which I am always okay with), but he later thought that I was buying them for him and kept trying to return the favor with shots.

There was a couple on the other side of me getting all drunk and grindy and making out though. Good for a laugh or two. I got felt up a few times by proximity, and thankfully I think it was only the dude once. Score.

So I ended up really drunk in an unfamiliar town, wobbling my way back to a home who's location I really couldn't recall all that well. Haven't been blatto like that since I left Denver the first time in '04. I think I grazed a few parked cars along the way. I slept on the floor for some reason. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

This place may not be so bad after all.

DerGolgo wrote:

Rabbit_Fighter wrote: In Germany? It's been awhile since I was over there, but there were still cigarette machines on street corners. I never got carded by any of them. . . .I just put my 5 mark coin in the slot (I guess that dates the transaction, eh?).

We still have the machines, they take euro-coins now, but before they do, you need to shove an atm card with a "Geldkarte" feature in for age verification.

Hmm, last summer in Bavaria I didn't have to shove nuttin but some euro coins for my packs of HBs. As a bonus, one of the packs I got said these smokes will reduce my sperm count. That box was a keeper.

Rabbit_Fighter wrote:Ever sold liquor for a living? I don't know about out there, but Washington State is terrible about that kind of shit. There is really no incentive whatsoever to let employees use any kind of judgment whatsoever.

+1. Don't get pissed at the clerk. Back in the 80s when I worked at a liquor store, if I got caught selling to a minor, the store pays a fine, and I personally would have to pay $500 out of my pocket. And ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) always sent people out trying to snag us--like a horny 20 year old hottie with a bodacious rack who's "turning 21 this weekend and can yopu pleeeeease sell to me? You can come to my party . . ." Yes, this happened to me. I saw her later that summer, and she confessed to me, partly because she was pissed that ABC let her go once she turned 21--didn't have any need fopr her any more, and no, I wasn't invited to any of her parties.

FU, I'm carding to protect my ass.

Zer0 wrote:Hmm, last summer in Bavaria I didn't have to shove nuttin but some euro coins for my packs of HBs.

That's not supposed to be possible - unless that machine was in a location where minors wouldn't be admitted (like a club or something).
Or maybe someone left their atm card in there and the machine didn't have the feature that makes sure the card has been removed before accepting another transaction and some poor sucker had left his card in.

Zer0 wrote: As a bonus, one of the packs I got said these smokes will reduce my sperm count. That box was a keeper.

I like the ones that tell me that smoking during pregnancy will harm my unborn child I can smoke those without ill effect!!

Zer0 wrote:FU, I'm carding to protect my ass.

I worked at a convenience store when I was 20. They sent all employees to a day-long training session on selling alcohol. They had gotten stung before and were trying to make sure it didn't happen again.

So I'm fresh out of the class when a guy walks up to the counter with beer. I was told to card anyone who appeared 30 or younger. He didn't have his ID. Didn't think I needed to card him for his O'Douls*. Pointed to his head and yelled "I have gray hair!". I pointed to my head and said "So do I! I need to see an ID!"

That went on for a couple minutes... he was getting pissy, I was standing my ground. He asked to speak to the manager, who stood by my decision. Guy told me to fuck off and left.

The manager then gave me shit for carding the guy, who clearly was old enough. (I'm still lousy at guessing age)

*I know, O'Douls is non-alcoholic... less than 1/2 of 1% abv. It's still beer. Made with water, hops, malted barley at Anheuser-Busch, a beer company. It's delivered through beer distributors. It's in the beer case. And you can't enter their lame website without age verification. So if they have to card you at odouls.com...

It's not unheard of for secret shoppers to come around, either from the company or the government, to make sure procedures are being followed. I know someone who's job for a while was to go around to different stores and buy beer, and then fill out a report about the store.

rolly wrote:It's not unheard of for secret shoppers to come around, either from the company or the government, to make sure procedures are being followed. I know someone who's job for a while was to go around to different stores and buy beer, and then fill out a report about the store.

I knew a girl in high school who did that. One time she got taken to a mini-mart where she regularly bought beer with a fake id, so the clerk "knew she was 21" and never carded her. She took beer up to the counter and told the clerk she changed her mind. Went out to the cops driving her around and said, "he wouldn't sell to me." She didn't want to ruin her own source.

Another thing about Washington: A few years ago, they passed legislation that makes bartenders and other employees criminally liable for serving under age drinkers. Now it isn't just a matter of establishments being fined, but employees actually being charged (it happens).