"Get yourself fired for me! Come on, help a friend out!"

[PepperElf]

However, lately, Japan is cracking down on bigger cities, since according to another friend, for the the first time, drunken driving is on the rise over there. :/

Yeah that shit's no joke in Japan. They consider DWI & DUI as separate categories. DWI is similar to that in other countries - .08% BAC or higher. But DUI ... that runs from .03% to .07999%. So pretty much if you drink one beer and then get behind the wheel you're fucked.

And the driver's not the only person who gets to pay the fines. There's also the passenger, whomever supplied the alcohol, and the owner of the car.


Of course in the big cities, there's really no reason to have to drive drunk anyway. If the bar isn't already in walking distance (and believe me they often are) then you can just hop a train.

[Jester]

Just another example of why he's like the coolest Dad/uncle ever.

What do you mean, "like"?

I got severely drunk first time in my life at age 19 though. I was at a party. Horrribble (I cannot stand pineapple vodka, still, two years later)

Instead of getting angry, he just let it happen and let me clean up my own messes. He laughed at me later for it.

My mom doesn't drink. Never really has. She really doesn't see the point. And she doesn't understand why her three kids drink as much as they do. However....

When I was 17, I got completely trashed one night at a party. So trashed that when my friends drove me home, two of the larger guys literally had to carry me to my front door, at which point I decided I could walk. Which I did, kind of, right past my mom, who followed me as I pinballed off the walls on my way to my room.

In my room, my mom tried to talk to me about it. After just a few moments I said, "Mom, you can sit here and talk to me and I can pass out, or you can get the hell out of my room and let me pass out, but either way, I am going to pass out now, thank you very much." So Mom left the room. This is not, however, why I think my mom is so damn cool. THIS is:

The next morning, right around the crack of noon, I came to with a hangover the size of Europe. I stumbled bleary-eyed and fuzzy-tailed into the kitchen, where Mom was sitting there, drinking her coffee. Without saying a word, Mom just handed me a bottle of ibuprofen.

I take my cue with my nieces from my parents. I think they set a pretty damn good example for me. And now my niece is 18, and not only drinking beer, but drinking good craft beer. I think I set a pretty good example for her. Is she drinking under the legal age? Yes. Is she enjoying herself and drinking responsibly? Yes. So I really have no issue with it, especially since, as long as I'm not serving her, I have no problem with a legal adult enjoying some adult beverages.

Yeah, what is worse is when they want to debate the finer points of the law, and your philosophy, like that is going to change the present reality even if you did agree.

Precisely. My philosophy is that if you are old enough to decide you want a beer, and mature enough to handle it, knock yourself out.

However, I do not work under my philosophy. I work under Florida state law, which has quite a different viewpoint. And as long as I work under Florida state law, my serving practices will remain as strict as that law, and not as relaxed as my personal philosophy.

[Cosmart Security]

Yeah, what is worse is when they want to debate the finer points of the law, and your philosophy, like that is going to change the present reality even if you did agree. Saying you are a prude or implying you are being a hall monitor or puritan is pretty laughable aswell.

It's like look her DB the law clearly states that i can neither knowngly or not server a minor alchohol, whether i agree or not, and no amount of money a loser like you is going to come up with, will cover me for the fines, getting fired, and possibly blacklisted for hire anywhere else.

Yeah some of these people and their views on how others should bend over backwards for them is incredible.

[Fudgethatkay]

I'mma ramble on a bit if no one minds;

I had my first sip of beer at age 5. I actually didn't mind it. (Although it was Coors Light...which now I cannot stand)

Over the years, while mom seemed to be that, "BLARGBLAR ALCOHOL IS EVIL" type...my dad was relaxed. When I was 16, he would let me have a beer with him.

I got severely drunk first time in my life at age 19 though. I was at a party. Horrribble (I cannot stand pineapple vodka, still, two years later)

Instead of getting angry, he just let it happen and let me clean up my own messes. He laughed at me later for it.

Maybe he was too lax, but I'm glad it was around him.


Now, oddly enough, despite the legal drinking/smoking age in Japan being 20, teens are commonly seen in pubs and out smoking, and police let it be. I look like I'm still in junior high, so I get carded often, but in Japan, when I ordered a beer, no fuss, no muss. My own friend was even able to work and serve and pour alcohol when he was 18 back there before he moved to the States.

However, lately, Japan is cracking down on bigger cities, since according to another friend, for the the first time, drunken driving is on the rise over there. :/

[vikingchyk]

I imagine there are a lot of people who started to drink while underage and came out fine, but I just can't imagine why any parent would let their underage kids start drinking while they are young.

"start drinking" and "sampling" are different concepts. The latter is open minded enough to let a kid sample stuff, thus taking some of the mystique and "forbidden fruit" aspects away. The parents really have to know their child well enough to determine if it's appropriate, and I'm for it being a parental decision. That's assuming the parents are reasonable, which is never a given nowadays If they are being stupid, so their child is getting drunk or sick, then throw the book at them.

My family was always very open about letting me try anything I was interested in - within limits, usually a sip or wine or hard liquor, or a shot glass serving of beer, only at home. I bonded many a weekend evening with my grandpa with my little beer stein shot glass of brew, from the age of 3 or so. Yeah, I came out fine. No, I don't drink much, and I never have. Maybe I'm speshul ETA: or not, judging by the others who have said the same thing - I didn't see the third page of responses :hide:

[Jay 2K Winger]

Re: Jester's alcoholic teaching methods for his totally-awesome soon-to-be-adopted-daughter Dragon.

I'll not get into the right-or-wrong debate about it. But it's good that he is interested in teaching her responsibility and moderation. Just another example of why he's like the coolest Dad/uncle ever.

[Jester]

Same here. As a child I was fascinated by that 'beer' stuff my father tended to order when we were going out. So, after I had pestered him long enough, he commented 'Sure, take a sip!'
The (for a kid) horribly bitter taste I experienced reduced my interest down to zero for quite some time (until I was about 16 or so...)

I had a vaguely similar experience, though the setting was much, much different. At the reception/family gathering time directly after my father's funeral (yeah, I know), I saw my 9 year old cousin drinking a beer. Chagrined that he could have one and I did not, I asked my mother if I, clearly senior to my cousin at the ripe old age of 10, could also have a beer. Seeing no issue with it, I guess (or not really paying attention, considering the circumstances) Mom said sure. I took one sip...and was thoroughly and utterly repulsed. And knew that I would never drink that nasty stuff again.

My, how times change.

Ya know, now that I think about it, that may have been Mom's way to try to get me to NOT drink beer. I often forget how truly bright my mom is. She tried something similar when I was 6 and asked for a sip of her coffee, which she gave me...and it completely disgusted me. And while I have tasted it since, out of curiousity or drunkennes (or both), to this day I can't stand coffee.

I don't believe kids can buy it, but children under 18 can drink alcohol on private property with their parents permission.

Florida's laws are quite strict, quite specific, and quite draconian on this point. Under state law, no one under 21 can drink alcoholic beverages, period, at any time for any reason (though I don't now if religious services are exempt), and it is illegal for any of-age adult to give any child, theirs or someone else's, alcohol at any time in any place. In other words, in your own home, it is technically against the law to give your child even a sip of any alcoholic beverage, parenting skills be damned.

Not that people adhere to this law to the letter, of course, but I am amused by how strict it is.

[crazylegs]

While I have never gone that far, I have dealt with idiots that I would not serve in the bar, who moved to the dining room or another end of the bar. At which point I would merely inform the other bartender/server covering that part of the dining room what had happened, and NOT to serve that idiot. And, of course, I informed the manager of the situation, so they were prepared to deal with the asshat.

A lot of towns operate a radio scheme that links all the bars/clubs in a particular town centre to the police CCTV so idiots like this can be passed around. It's so useful that in my town it's a requirement of the licence that the store/bar/club takes part in the scheme.

[SongsOfDragons]

Teaching kids about responsible alcohol drinking in the ways mentioned in this thread should be in every parental literature.

Amusing story. I went to a garden party (ferret racing and cake!!) with my neighbour's children, who were all about ten years my senior. One of the other guests had a toddler running around, lovely little girl, bright and polite for her age. She could tell that the adults were drinking something interesting, and in the end after she kept reaching for the glasses of wine and being told no, the neighbour's daughter who was currently holding her dipped her pinkie finger in her wine and let the little girl lick it off.

The face she pulled was adorable. Mum was right nearby and had given a nod of approval, and she was laughing.

Then she kept trying to taste the water that had gathered in the dips in the manhole covers instead... XD

[Midnight_Angel]

My parents did. They wanted to take away the 'mystique' that drinking alcohol seems to have around it.

Same here. As a child I was fascinated by that 'beer' stuff my father tended to order when we were going out. So, after I had pestered him long enough, he commented 'Sure, take a sip!'
The (for a kid) horribly bitter taste I experienced reduced my interest down to zero for quite some time (until I was about 16 or so...)

[Cazzi]

And why would you let underage kids drink if you are a parent or parental figure?

So they learn how to drink responsibly, realize that it is both not that big a deal (since you are not banning it) and that a lot of responsibility (such as not driving) comes with drinking.

Exactly right.

I'm a parent, I let my son drink at home from about the age of 15/16 because he was getting to the age where he'd probably want to go out in the evenings with friends & I wanted him to know the taste & effects of alcohol in a safe environment rather than hit 18, then go out, start drinking & be drunk/in trouble before he knew what had hit him.

Being in the UK, I wasn't breaking any laws either, the UK law states that alcohol can be drunk at home from the age of 5. Don't think I would have let him start that early though

[Cia]

I imagine there are a lot of people who started to drink while underage and came out fine, but I just can't imagine why any parent would let their underage kids start drinking while they are young.

My parents did. They wanted to take away the 'mystique' that drinking alcohol seems to have around it. The first time I got drunk I was 7 - I remember drinking the beer, don't remember turning green and getting sick - and the last time I was 26.

[pzychobitch]

I know what I would if I was the owner, make that waitress the new MOD with a big fat raise.

GOD himself would not be able to buy booze with her on duty if he does not have valid ID on him!

The exact same thing I'd do if I was the owner as well!

[PepperElf]

did you ever get an update (or a thank you) from the other bar?

[dragon_wings]

My parents let my brother and me taste the various beers and wines they had over the years. My brother would try them more often then not. I on the other hand usually didn't. I think I had my first sip of alcohol at 18.
Oh and my family was host to quite a few foreign exchange students over the years. My parents (my mother mostly, damn good hostess that she is) would offer them a glass of wine of they came from a culture where it might be culturally acceptable for a young adult to have a glass of wine with dinner.