The "if you don't look 21" rule

phill

phill

phill

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25 Nov 2005
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419
I am all for bars/clubs/pubs & shops asking for proof of age when people buy alcohol. But what really gets me is this "if you don't look 21" rule that has appeared everywhere.

I'm 23 and never really get ID'ed - the first time it happend was at a local bar. We all got ID'ed on the door by the door staff. Thats fine I thought i'd rather everyone in there be 18 and over. We then went to get a drink, and the barman asked us for ID again. I said i'd just shown the doorman my ID, he said I didn't look 21 and wouldn't serve me unless I showed him my ID again. OK but wtf has 21 got to do with anything, when you only have to be 18 to gain entry and buy drinks!

Why not choose 20 or 22??? Why 21 I DONT LIKE 21!!!

This happend sometime ago and then i saw a sign up in a shop yesterday saying the same thing. Surely this is plain stupid? IF you don't look 18 fine ID time. This is not a bitch about having to show ID because I think you should, its the fact this 21 rule has appeared and its BS IMO!
:confused:
 
It's because so many kids get served for alcohol, it covers the shop / bar / clubs back really. It makes sense to me.

I mean, I got served in the local 'Booze Buster' / 'Cellar 5' when I was 14. There's NO way I looked 18 at all IMO.
 
I think 21 is an arbitrary figure, possibly influenced by US licencing laws.
 
Is it not the old thing of "coming of age" when you get to 21???

So at 21 you are then regarded as an adult

I can't see it as anything other than a random arbitrary age though really.
 
The_TailGunner said:
because lots of 16 and 17 year olds can get away with looking 18, but its far less likely that they can look 21.

i reckon its a great idea personally
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I agree. A lot of places put it as "if you're lucky enough to look under 21" which I think is a nicer way of saying it :)
 
Rotty said:
Certainly would be a good idea and reduce a lot of the problems in town centres
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Not sure about where you live, but in my opinion it's generally people over 21 that cause the problems. I've hardly ever seen anyone around the age of 18 starting trouble.
 
Rotty said:
Certainly would be a good idea and reduce a lot of the problems in town centres
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you know....i actually agree with that rotty

the vast proportion of trouble you see in town on a friday/saturday is caused by young men who have had too many

at least, in sheffield, exeter, dublin and glasgow (the places ive seen it myself)
 
Defcon5 said:
Think they could raise the actual age to 21 in the future then?
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I don't think they would. 18-21 year olds have a huge amount of disposable income and the licencing trade as a whole would take a huge hit. I don't see a problem with bars implementing their own age policy though.
 
Defcon5 said:
Think they could raise the actual age to 21 in the future then?
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They'd bloody well better not. I'm 17 and I've been buying alcohol back when I was 13 to drink on the streets, down the park or whatever with my mates, past two years I've been drinking in pubs, never once been ID'd my whole life lol :D I don't understand that, why would you have to look 21 to get served when you only need to look 18, I've never seen that but if that happened round ere they'd lose my custom that's for sure.

Oh and... FOUR DAYS TILL I'M LEGAL :p
 
Defcon5 said:
Think they could raise the actual age to 21 in the future then?
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quite a lot of cities make a hell of a lot of money from students drinking.. and i'm sure some students would rethink being a student if they couldnt drink.
 
I hate getting IDed more than once at each club/pub. It rarely happens, but when it does it's a royal PITA. Why ID me at the door if I'm going to get IDed at the bar anyway (and vise versa)?
 
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