American drinking laws - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

msutton · 12-14-2005, 01:48 AM

I have been saving up for a little while now with plans to visit Europe in July first stop Spain for the running of the bulls then hopefully tag along with some other backpakers stopping at France, germany, England, Ireland, And lastly in scottland to visit some girls that i met earlier this year, that worked in my local pub for 3 months. But a mate of mine is going to america in april and says that i should go over with him and get some work there with him before going to Europe, now he is 21 but i am unfourtunately not. Is it 21 to drink in all parts of america or just some. and are they very strict on this. Cheers

**omisan** · 12-14-2005, 01:51 AM

21 across the entire country, and relative to most other countries, they're very strict about it. Bars and stores follow a general guideline of asking for ID if you appear under 30, though you won't find that everywhere. The bigger a city you're in, the more likely you are to get carded, whereas if you're out in woop woop, you're less likely to be asked for ID. Also, it all depends how old you look. If you appear to be over 21 and you're walking into a place that's either not too populated, not near a university, or not all that crowded, there's a good chance no one will say a thing.

msutton · 12-14-2005, 02:14 AM

Rightio. thanks for yer info and advice. Might have to get a job on a ranch or something. i remember when i was like 15, 16, 17 i could drink in the pub but when we went to the city i hated it so much cause i couldnt drink and like 99% of my mates were older than me hence leaving school and stating work so early. when we went to the city they used to pretend to start fights with each other to distract the bouncers so i could sneak in or i would try using there id and they would copy the stamps u get at the door on my arm with a niko and even swaping clothes. but when i had finally turned 18 it kinda took away half the fun of going out cause you were aloud to, its kinda weird but it was more fun going out underage with the risk of getting in trouble. pretty stuped really. now if i go to america i'll have to start all over again But i dont think i'll try any of that i've seen your american cop shows on tv and i'll probably get shot in the ass or something

**bluepea** · 12-14-2005, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by msutton@Dec 14 2005, 02:14 AM
But i dont think i'll try any of that i've seen your american cop shows on tv and i'll probably get shot in the ass or something

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Yeah, they might shoot ya for being "farrin."

I've been going to bars and drinking since I was 19. Had some good times. Like you said, you just have to know how to sneak in. A good fake ID is never a bad idea, especially if you have a non American accent. Have a good trip!

**Sijuki** · 12-14-2005, 07:21 AM

You could always slip across the border to Canada and drink if you like... its 18/19 (i believe) depending on the province. Ontario is 19... i know that much

**The Monsignor** · 12-14-2005, 02:53 PM

Face it, how many U.S. Bartenders actually know what an Australian Driver's license looks like... get the fake at home, it will be hard to spot in the states!

**omisan** · 12-14-2005, 03:13 PM

Yeah, I've heard many stories of fake foreign IDs being successfully used in the past...

**bookofkels** · 12-14-2005, 05:06 PM

Years ago you never had to show proof of your date of birth when applying for a Northern Irish learners Driving licence, so people that knew they where going to the states sent off for one with their date of birth changed to make them 21, i don't know what happened when they moved back to Ireland and applyed for their actual licence and had to change the date back, i'm sure that took alot of explaining!

I was 21 when i moved to America so i've never had that problem, but the fun i used to have driving on my learner licence and the cops thinking it was a full licence, but thats a whole other story........

**benna2** · 12-14-2005, 06:33 PM

I agree with Monsignor...get a fake id in Australia. Learn to love it and use it in the States. They are strict about carding people. Living in Canada and being 25 I got used to not even carrying my id with me sometimes, even when going to the bars. Of course when I was in the States I was carded all the time. They really do card you if you appear to be under 30 like Omi pointed out.

Have a great trip though. And show the US how those Aussies can party!

**TheJake** · 12-14-2005, 11:43 PM

thers drinkin laws???A

msutton · 12-15-2005, 02:17 AM

Rightio thanks for your advice guys and gals. we shall party hard.

**MeTurk** · 12-15-2005, 04:27 AM

When I went to the states I didn't get carded once until I shaved my beard.

**bellelass** · 12-15-2005, 10:42 AM

Every now and then I didnt get carded when I was still underage. And now that Ive turned 21 of course Im dying to use my ID, and Im really really shocked at how few places around here actually card. I mean, this is a university campus for the love of God.
But yeah.. Once they hear you're accent you're done for. Cant have any drunken aussies beating up our wogs in the streets.

msutton · 12-15-2005, 11:44 PM

hahaha is our sydney rioting on your news overthere. thats cool

**Joker** · 12-15-2005, 11:58 PM

It all depends on where you go.

A few years ago, my Polish friend Marcin had some ladies from back home staying with his folks for a few weeks. Being the gracious American host that I am

we decided to go to the local club area so the ladies could shake their tailfeathers. There was a sign clearly marked as not allowing foreign ID's (!!!) at the main entrance to the 4 or 5 clubs. Why? Dunno. Guess there was too much BS going round with foreign ID's and underage drinking. Unfortunately my country is a little too Puritan on that shit.

But for the record, we went to some other bars and no issues were found. Their foreign fake ID's worked fine and a good time was had by all! Guess it really just depends on where you go.

chelseafc05 · 12-16-2005, 12:05 AM

The laws are there for a fuckin reason stop being such a petty criminal bitch and follow them if everyone broke that law there would be chaos put you fuckin manners back in

anyone fall for that?

msutton · 12-16-2005, 12:13 AM

hahaha that was a good one.

ya got me i was like wtf, whose this old man

**bluepea** · 12-16-2005, 08:27 AM

Laws are meant to be broken I say! My brother spent a year in France and came back around his 21st. He had a friend come visit and we all went out to eat. His friend was French and wasn't 21 yet. We weren't sure if the place carded, so they schemed that if the waitress ID'd, he'd only speak French (he's bilingual) and pretend he had no idea what was going on. She LOOKED at his ID and then my brother was explaining to him (in French) and he's pretending to be all confused (in French) and finally the waitress relented and brought him a beer.