Somebody in the USA died, a bar tender who drank too much and was killed whilst driving.
Tiger Woods is being sued.
Yes, the person who died should have been responsible for his own actions. But it is not enough to shrug and say that. Supposing it was your family member?
Supposing your family were killed by the oncoming car, driven by a drunk driver?
When I lived in the USA I experienced three types of restrictions.
West Virginia
Only clubs could serve alcohol. We drove for a long way looking for a restaurant but could see only private clubs. Eventually we stopped and asked a passer-by. He revealed that to serve alcohol the restaurants needed to be clubs.
To join the club was no problem. You could join instantly. You paid a fee of a dollar and supplied your ID and left your name and address and contact details. d back toal the restaurant. Sounds good. We
We were a couple on a tight budget. At the restaurant, we mutteringly complained to each other that it would be cheaper to drive on to McDonalds, that the cost of joining the club offset the low offer on the price of food. We decided to walk out. The owner, said he would give us a voucher equivalent to the cost of joining the club.
Washington DC
Another restaurant nearer Washington DC served us a meal with a bottle of wine. We could not finish it and wanted to take it away. The restaurant owner said he was not allowed to let us do that because we could not drive with a bottle of opened wine in the car.
In some ways this is counter-productive. Next time, we were tempted to drink more at the restaurant, rather than seeing half a bottle of wine going to waste.
Down South
At New Year's Eve towards Houston, Texas, the bar had a sign saying that we could get a free lift home to a home or hotel from a local taxi. This system was started by a local taxi driver whose friend of family member had been killed by a drunk driver on New Year's Eve. He asked all the bars in the area to put up a sign saying he would offer a free ride to anybody drunk, because it might save a life.
His offer was copied by all the other taxi drivers in the city.
We accepted the free ride, but decided to pay the going rate for the taxi.
I though it was a great idea.
CALL TO ACTION
Every bar needs a big sign stating how much a person can drink or order without waiting, taking water or food in between. Every bar needs a big sign saying the bar tender can lose his job for serving somebody who is intoxicated.
May be a free fruit juice alternating with every alcoholic drink. Free cocktails, mostly non alcohol.
In the same way that a free muffin is often given with coffee, free or low price food should be served with drink.
In the UK pubs are closing down and being taken over by gastropubs which serve food and the same choice of alcohol. Sad or good?
Sweden?
The Scandinavians found the answer. Some countries will not serve drinks without food.
Canada
Canadian areas have also tried this.One rule can be that a place serving alcohol must have a kitchen.
Maybe it's time to ask drinkers if they are driving. hand everybody a coloured voucher or re-usable token - date-stamped so they cannot save yesterday's.
If somebody is driving, keep a bar check on the phone ap showing how many drinks you have had and when to stop.
The Future
With the third drink or round of drinks, you should get a voucher for an uber.
Useful Websites
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7025599/Tiger-Woods-sued-drunk-driving-death-bartender-Florida-restaurant.html#newcomment
Drinkaware
https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/
Swedish taxes, drinking habits and EU forcing changes
https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/28/world/europe-making-sweden-ease-alcohol-rules.html
Canadian Rules
https://www.chowhound.com/post/bar-serve-alcohol-food-ontario-split-ontario-board-585817
USA
https://www.thestranger.com/seattle/booze-and-the-law/Content?oid=10205
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
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