Drinking, What can we get away with?

[UK Jane]

As a Police Officer in the UK, with friends serving in US Police departments, I can only reiterate all the good advice given above. Do not contemplate breaking any of their drink laws. If you think we are strict in the UK, I can promise you that you have not seen anything compared to the US approach. Don't spoil your trip for the sake of a beer.

[phaedra]

"Sounds fun.... Why are they such a pain in the a*** about it?? They need to lighten up a bit by the sounds of it."

I really don't know what to say, have you seen the amount of teenagers & younger kids wandering around with cans of beer/lager and smoking, sitting outside shops drinking from early morning to night?.

Read the amount of posts from adults who go on AI holidays and brag about how many pints or shorts they managed to drink in one night?, the US have got it right, achohol abuse and underage smoking are huge problems here in the UK, how many streets have you walked down and seen empty beer cans lying in the gutter or tossed into gardens?, you won't see that in the US and to be honest the sooner the UK follows suit the better.

[linda.s]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by phaedra
"Sounds fun.... Why are they such a pain in the a*** about it?? They need to lighten up a bit by the sounds of it."

I really don't know what to say, have you seen the amount of teenagers & younger kids wandering around with cans of beer/lager and smoking, sitting outside shops drinking from early morning to night?.

Read the amount of posts from adults who go on AI holidays and brag about how many pints or shorts they managed to drink in one night?, the US have got it right, achohol abuse and underage smoking are huge problems here in the UK, how many streets have you walked down and seen empty beer cans lying in the gutter or tossed into gardens?, you won't see that in the US and to be honest the sooner the UK follows suit the better.
[/quote]

In many ways I do find the US laws on this subject very imposing, but having seen a documentary on TV the other week regarding teenage drinking and teenage alcoholism, then I can only say that the sooner the UK follow suit, the better! I was horrified by the programme, seeing 16 and 17 year old kids being treated for alcoholism, and one being told that should she ever have alcohol again, her liver might pack up for good - she was 17! Alcohol does untold damage on growing and immature organs, and most people are unaware of the damage being caused.......

[Nostromo]

While I agree that UK law enforcement forces are too lenient on youngsters smoking and drinking, it is a big mistake to think that it is a relatively minor problem in the USA. It is not as obvious in the UK that's all, but very much there. A lot of US teenagers do it on the sly and get away with it. It may not be as common is squeaky clean Orlando, but go to places like Baltimore (where it is a BIG problem), New York, San Antonio or other bigger cities, then the story is very different. The police do try, but even with best intentions they cannot be everywhere at the same time.

PS: This is not just guesswork. My wife worked for 3 months each in Baltimore & San Antonio and regularly came across this problem. And NOT just within a certain Ethnic community)

[NickClark]

If your lucky you will get away with a refusal. If you are not so lucky a night in a local jail ror buying alcohol for an under aged person. I would imagine not a nice experience. I am 34 and am regularly told I look older, Damn , and I still get asked for I.D even at the liquor stores in the supermarkets.[B)][msnsmile]

[Nostromo]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by NickClark
If your lucky you will get away with a refusal. If you are not so lucky a night in a local jail ror buying alcohol for an under aged person. I would imagine not a nice experience.
[/quote]

Don't get me wrong. I am not condoning the UK laxity with underage drinking nor critcising the American approach to the problem. All I am saying is that the difference in this problem between the two countries is not as far different as it appears on the surface. The US had many years of total prohibition in the 1930s and yet there was more illegal drinking then than at any other time.

[ellie]

A friend of my daughters was on his way to buy some beers from a local shop - he was over 21.(British) There is a STOP sign in the road on their estate of apartments - it is not a junction, merely meets a small lane which golf buggies use to access their parking bays - and this was at night. The local sheriff was driving through the estate, noticed he did not stop (not slow down, you must stop) so he hauled him and a friend out of the car and made them lie down in the road whilst they handcuffed the driver with his hands behind his back. He had points put on his driving licence.

It was a good job they had no alcohol in the car.

Take the advice seriously - they do not handle you with kid gloves either - they mean business. It may be inconvenient, but that is Florida law - there are plenty of other places in Europe which will allow young people to drink without restriction, but if you want the good bits you have to accept the restrictions.

Despite this, you will have a great time there, as there is so much to do and see. Hope you enjoy it.

Ellie

[MTP]

Hi Bison,

I don't know if you have been to the US before, but you will probably find that as the drinking culture is different and you may not mind that you are not having a drink (assuming that you will support your girlfriend by not drinking in places where she can't). This does seem to be much more the norm and at times feel that if you buy more than a six-pack of beer in the supermarket they look at you as if you are an alcoholic.

I too have been carded for ID - my wife used to love the fact that it was always her that was asked for ID and not me, even though she is 18 months older than me. When we were staying at WL I went down to the bar to get a couple of drinks for the room when our little ones had gone to sleep and they asked me for ID. Luckily I had my driving licence with me - but Mrs MTP thought it was hilarious that I got asked (I have had greying hair since my teens!).

The other thing to remember is that the Americans tend also to be very cautious about the amount of alcohol that they will sell you in a bar. On our honeymoon we were chatting to a bartender at our motel in Key West about the different attitudes to drink and he pointed out that he or the bar could be held liable if they sold you too much alcohol and you went out and did something stupid or were involved in an accident.

The one thing to enjoy drinking in is the wonderful atmosphere (sorry if that isn't much consolation). It will be a cool place to enjoy your 20th birthday otherwise.

[beer snob]

In some states, if you can prove you are married and your spouse in old enough to drink, you can also. So, if you realy want her to enjoy herself, get married before you go. That would show her your realy care. Of course, I would make sure Florida is one of those places.

By the way, if you are drinking quietly in you villa/hotel room, no one is going to stop you. If you get loud and the police are called, and they aren't in the best of moods, then you are in trouble. The "adults" also get in trouble of contributing to the delinquincy of a minor.

[Bigblue33]

I found that on "park days" I would get back to the villa and maybe have 3 B&C's and be ready to drop. Many a time my wife fond me snoring on the couch with an untouched drink sitting on the table. God...33 and past it! [msncry]

Don.