Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

[MotherOfGizmo]

Texas has begun sending undercover agents into bars to arrest drinkers for being drunk, a spokeswoman for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission said on Wednesday.

The first sting operation was conducted recently in a Dallas suburb where agents infiltrated 36 bars and arrested 30 people for public intoxication, said the commission's Carolyn Beck.

Being in a bar does not exempt one from the state laws against public drunkeness, Beck said.

the whole article
http://www.davesdaily.com/out.php?id...YwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

[Richt]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

Is it illegal to be drunk in the States then?

Bizarre!

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

All States have different laws Rich.

[Precious]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

This is so stupid i think arresting people who are drunk in a bar just stupid i cant say anything else lol

[Heidi3]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

it is far more important that people stay in their houses and be drunk in this country I guess?

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

LOL--but then the alcohol commission in Texas wouldn't have anything to do on a Saturday nite!

[teejay]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

As Ron White said, " I wasn't drunk in public, I was drunk in a bar. They THREW me into public, arrest them."

Man it is a wonder they even have bars in Texas. Do you have to be under the legal limit or what?

What if you have a designated driver? I guess it doesn't matter huh?

[*Emma*]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

Its gettin pretty bizarre here too....

Im a personal alcohol license holder and being one it is against the law for me to serve anyone alcohol who is drunk, in fact - it is for the license holder to warn all their staff of this law if not - they are at risk of prosecution, being a license holder is very awkward, any premises i enter even if not my own - my license is still valid therefore if people are serving drunk people in their own pubs i could be at risk of having my license revoked because i know its happening - i find it stupid... its not my premises so it shouldnt count but it does... also... if i know that anyone on the premises has drugs and it comes in to court later and i knew and didnt inform the police i'd get jailed for 17 years. Scary stuff.

[Piasabird]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

The goal, she said, was to detain drunks before they leave a bar and go do something dangerous like drive a car.

"We feel that the only way we're going to get at the drunk driving problem and the problem of people hurting each other while drunk is by crackdowns like this," she said.

"There are a lot of dangerous and stupid things people do when they're intoxicated, other than get behind the wheel of a car," Beck said. "People walk out into traffic and get run over, people jump off of balconies trying to reach a swimming pool and miss."

She said the sting operations would continue throughout the state.

I think that most of the stupid things that people do involve alcohol. And I guess I don't much care if they go off and hurt themselves while they're in a drunken fog. But stay the f**k away from me and all of the other innocent people out in the world!

When I was a kid I was exposed to a lot of adults who were drinking to excess on a regular basis. I was dragged to quite a few bars and I don't think there's anything fun about getting stinking drunk or being around someone who is.

Arresting 30 people out of 36 bars seems like a small beginning to me.

[Heidi3]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

when I visited my daughters in Texas this past summer they had drive through liquor stores where you could pull up get a frozen daquiri with a straw!!! LOLOL then a block way I tried to buy beer in a "Dry County"...one county you can drive though and drink (not legally but it is there) the next you can not buy a beer in a store...go figure on that?

[Heidi3]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

I don't know maybe it is me..but if I go into a bar..I expect to find drunk people ..duh...

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

As Ron White said, " I wasn't drunk in public, I was drunk in a bar. They THREW me into public, arrest them."

I LOVE Ron White, In fact my "Drunk in Public" t-shrit is my favorite t-shirt!

It is also illegal to serve an intoxicated person here in N.C. and if you serve someone alcohol and they proceed to drive and get in a wreck and injure or kill someone, the person who served them the last drink they had can be tried as an accessory to manslaughter! I worried about this alot in my 17 years of bartending! Grown adults that are old enough to drink should be held responsible for their own actions!

[ladyinred]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

We have the same laws here Mog. But how are they determining level of drunkenness? Are they breathalyzing everyone? My darling dh is very, very silly. He can have one light beer (just enough to get booze breath) and then act like himself. The cops might think he was drunk by his behaviour. How do they know the difference between tipsy and hammered? Maybe if they waited outside and saw obviously drunk people getting into their cars or weaving across the highway, that would be one thing. But going into the bars to get them? What happened to innocent until proven guilty?

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

That was my biggest gripe w/ that law LiR. I was susposed to be able to look at someone I had never seen before and determine if they were intoxicated or not. It was especially hard when I had no idea if they had come to my bar from another bar. Sometimes you can serve someone one drink and suddenly they're falling off the bar stool, then come to find out they had come from another bar! But the last one to serve them is the one responsible. This law even applies to guests at your home! So if you throw a party and some leaves and gets in an accident you are liable as an accessory! Very scary business!

[Heidi3]

Re: Finding drunks in a bar -- what are the chances?

I believe when I throw a party and serve booze I am liable if someone leaves drunk period....I make sure no one leaves my house drunk and if I had a breathilizer I would check them before they left...my house, my booze, my responsilbilty

I have a great trick I use..if someone gets shiiitfaced at my house I have one of the kids ask if they can move the car then they do not give the keys back period ...they either sleep here or we have someone sober drive them...

but a bar...ok get them as they leave that is fine but in the bar it is stupid...leave people alone