Man, 72, Refused Alcohol Over Age

[Tufsoles]

I do realize they have a strict policy at atht place but come on, he is a 72 year old white haired guy, you would think he was old enough to drink. I understand someone carding me cause I look like I'm 12 when I am 21 but this is a 72 year old guy were talking about.

[SaintOlaf]

I manage a drug store here in michigan that sells alcohol. To refuse to sell to an elderly man like that is really just uncalled for, unless he was visibly intoxicated. I card everyone that looks to be 35 or younger (unless it's a regular, then it's a different story) and occaisionally I'll card a middle aged woman just to make her day. But taking it to that extreme, is just ridiculous IMO.

[CatherineM]

The last time I was carded was in Florida for buying brake fluid. I thought it was strange at the time, but found out it is because they can use brake fluid for making Meth. Anyway, I was 43 at the time. He looked at my license, then looked again, and looked at me, I guess thinking I was using someone else's DL. Then he said, "wow, you don't look that old." I wanted to tell him that I had socks older than he was, but I guess I was a tad flattered. That happens when I'm 70, and I would probably be just as hacked off as this guy was.

[ardillacid]

Utter stupidity. Age requirements, that is.

[Deeds]

[quote name='Justin86' post='1389019' date='Sep 20 2007, 04:16 PM']Ditto. All this "they should have shown a sense of humor about it" is ridiclous. As if the clerk is still going to think this policy is funny after the upteenth time he's asked someone who's clearly over 21. Obviously some have never had to serve the public before.[/quote]
That's exactly what I thought.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='notardillacid' post='1389281' date='Sep 20 2007, 03:45 PM']Utter stupidity. Age requirements, that is.[/quote]



My landlady told me I'd get in trouble with her if I bought alcohol for minors at the liquor store right by where I live. Apparently that's a common request made of residents in my building?

[ardillacid]

[quote name='Terra Firma' post='1389287' date='Sep 20 2007, 04:49 PM']
My landlady told me I'd get in trouble with her if I bought alcohol for minors at the liquor store right by where I live. Apparently that's a common request made of residents in my building? [/quote]
Well, you do live in a seedy part of the U.S.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='Terra Firma' post='1389287' date='Sep 20 2007, 04:49 PM']
My landlady told me I'd get in trouble with her if I bought alcohol for minors at the liquor store right by where I live. Apparently that's a common request made of residents in my building? [/quote]
You should tell her, "I'm a law student. I wouldn't do something stupid like that. I'd give them the names of someone who would, but I wouldn't do it myself. Got a reputation to watch out for."

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1389121' date='Sep 20 2007, 01:27 PM']THIS the most ridiculous thing I have heard today. Whatever happened to the concept of common sense??? The purpose of the law is to keep minors from drinking. To ask a white-haired old guy if he is over 21 is certainly keeping to the letter of the law [think Pharisee] but not using the law in the way it was intended.[/quote]


[quote name='Tufsoles' post='1389217' date='Sep 20 2007, 03:38 PM']I do realize they have a strict policy at atht place but come on, he is a 72 year old white haired guy, you would think he was old enough to drink. I understand someone carding me cause I look like I'm 12 when I am 21 but this is a 72 year old guy were talking about.[/quote]



[quote name='CatherineM' post='1389278' date='Sep 20 2007, 04:44 PM']The last time I was carded was in Florida for buying brake fluid. I thought it was strange at the time, but found out it is because they can use brake fluid for making Meth. Anyway, I was 43 at the time. He looked at my license, then looked again, and looked at me, I guess thinking I was using someone else's DL. Then he said, "wow, you don't look that old." [b] [color="#FF0000"]I wanted to tell him that I had socks older than he was[/color],[/b] but I guess I was a tad flattered. That happens when I'm 70, and I would probably be just as hacked off as this guy was.[/quote]

[MissScripture]

[quote name='Justin86' post='1389019' date='Sep 20 2007, 10:16 AM']Ditto. All this "they should have shown a sense of humor about it" is ridiclous. As if the clerk is still going to think this policy is funny after the upteenth time he's asked someone who's clearly over 21. Obviously some have never had to serve the public before.[/quote]
I've had to, and you darn well better belive we would've been expected to show a sense of humor about a situation like that. Where I worked, it didn't matter how p.o.ed the person was, you smiled and you dealt pleasantly with them. Yeah, some days it was hard, but I learned rather quickly how to seperate my life so that no matter what was going on outside, as soon as I walked into that store, I was the happiest person you could meet, and I'd stay that way until I finished my shift.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='notardillacid' post='1389290' date='Sep 20 2007, 03:51 PM']Well, you do live in a seedy part of the U.S. [/quote]
Yeah ... I'll have to send you my address so you know which liquor store to hang out at. Apparently minors don't have too much trouble convincing people to buy alcohol for them here.

[T-Bone _]

[quote name='MissScripture' post='1389357' date='Sep 20 2007, 04:33 PM']I've had to, and you darn well better believe we would've been expected to show a sense of humor about a situation like that. Where I worked, it didn't matter how p.o.ed the person was, you smiled and you dealt pleasantly with them. Yeah, some days it was hard, but I learned rather quickly how to separate my life so that no matter what was going on outside, as soon as I walked into that store, I was the happiest person you could meet, and I'd stay that way until I finished my shift.[/quote]

There's a difference between smiling and dealing with people pleasantly, and having a sense of humor about things.

[knightec]

Tell grandpa to come over to my place and we'll split a case of Lonestar. I'll share my beer if he shares his glaucoma medicine.

[Norseman82]

Well, if this guy is that much of a crab when he is sober, I'd hate to see him when he's had a few in him!

Edited September 21, 2007 by Norseman82

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Justin86' post='1389019' date='Sep 20 2007, 10:16 AM']Ditto. All this "they should have shown a sense of humor about it" is ridiclous. As if the clerk is still going to think this policy is funny after the upteenth time he's asked someone who's clearly over 21. Obviously some have never had to serve the public before.[/quote]

I don't entirely agree. I mean, from the article I'm not getting that the man was told that it was strict company policy while he was in the store, just that they insisted he show his ID. If I had been in that situation I wouldn't have been happy, either. However, if they'd just said "Sorry, its company policy. I HAVE to ID everyone" it wouldn't have been a big deal to me, even if they lacked humor. Its one thing to say "Show me your ID or I won't sell"--which I don't think is a good approach, and a different story to say "I need to see your ID because its company policy, I'll be in trouble if I don't." If I was a grandmotherly-looking woman I'd think the cashier was stupid if they didn't tell me it was company policy when they asked.

I've been in line in stores where people, clearly over 21, got carded because in order to process the sale the cashier needed to input a birth year. If their system was like that then, again, its totally understandable that they'd insist. Still, I've seen at least one, clearly over 21, man without his ID in hand tell the cashier a birth date that was just within the legal limit. (As I recall he told her he didn't drive and so didn't have an ID he could show her, and when she said she needed his birth date for the computer that was his response). It was pretty hilarious. Sometimes the customer needs to lighten up a little, too. But not everyone carries ID at all times, and not everyone expects to be carded.

[imogen]

ermmmm where did this happen? in england?

[homeschoolmom]

Yeah, I think if the cashier had started with "I know this is really stupid, but if you would humor me here.... " it would have gone over better.

And, as Icy mentioned, not everyone has an ID ready to show. We don't know that the guy drove himself to the store. Maybe he doesn't have a drivers license.

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='imogen' post='1389715' date='Sep 21 2007, 12:12 PM']ermmmm where did this happen? in england?[/quote]

Yes, the Wirral is in England. Close to Liverpool.

[IcePrincessKRS]

Another thing, Justin, while I understand the importance of having ID, you have to remember also that most people in the world aren't like you and I with an ID that we must carry everywhere in order to get into the most basic of places (grocery store, liquor store, sometimes home depending on where you live, etc.). Most people don't have to flash an ID card just to buy milk. We're used to the idea that its total lunacy to walk out the door without that precious ID in our pockets, but not everyone is on our page.

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' post='1389833' date='Sep 21 2007, 05:03 PM']Another thing, Justin, while I understand the importance of having ID, you have to remember also that most people in the world aren't like you and I with an ID that we must carry everywhere in order to get into the most basic of places (grocery store, liquor store, sometimes home depending on where you live, etc.). Most people don't have to flash an ID card just to buy milk. We're used to the idea that its total lunacy to walk out the door without that precious ID in our pockets, but not everyone is on our page. [/quote]

It's true. I mean, now that I live here, and no longer have a car, my only ID that I have on me is usually my student ID and/or bus pass, neither of which has my date of birth on them. I never would have thought about leaving the house without my ID in the US (since I needed it to drive), but don't really think about it here.