Drinking age?

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

So you think we should RAISE the drinking age..to say 30?

And the college presidents came forward with this idea because 18 year olds are drinking ANYways. The problem is since it's illegal for them to drink in say a bar or restaurant the only time they drink is in their dorm rooms or at parties where they drink themselves into oblivion.

I don't think lowering the age is going to put more drunks on the road, they are already there. How many accidents did we have in St Mary's county last year with <21 year old drivers that were impaired? I know of at least one fatality caused by a drunk 19 year old driver,

Lower the age.

Now you really want to get your dander up? How abour RAISING the BAC level for DUI? What is it now? .08? how many fatal accidents are caused by someone driving at a .08? Base it on research, statistics, not some feel good mamby pamby "The MADD people said it was the right thing to do!!"

Good points.
While I agree that .08 BAC is somewhat foolish to say you can't drive, at that point, you ARE most likely under the influence (hence the charge) and your reaction time and such is at least somewhat slowed. I'd be lying to say I have never driven over this limit, but I can say with confidence that I no longer even take that chance unless it's an emergency anymore You get in an accident, no matter who effed up, guess who gets the blame.

 

[itsbob]

they can however make the drinking age on base 18 even if the state it is in is 21.

Or if the base is in a Dry County!!


Ft Knox, Ky.. *hic*

 

[bcp]

Good points.
While I agree that .08 BAC is somewhat foolish to say you can't drive, at that point, you ARE most likely under the influence (hence the charge) and your reaction time and such is at least somewhat slowed. I'd be lying to say I have never driven over this limit, but I can say with confidence that I no longer even take that chance unless it's an emergency anymore You get in an accident, no matter who effed up, guess who gets the blame.

while Im with you on the reduction of driving and drinnking. (I used to do it too) I have to ask.
what constitutes a great enough emergency in your mind to possibly sacrifice someone else's family on the highway.

Im just curious.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

while Im with you on the reduction of driving and drinnking. (I used to do it too) I have to ask.
what constitutes a great enough emergency in your mind to possibly sacrifice someone else's family on the highway.

Im just curious.

Hypothetically speaking, someone close to me is in physical danger and I'm the only one home and can't wait for a ride or they may die.
Or a parent has suddenly had a heart attack or something and I need to get to the hospital and see them before they may die.

Call it selfish, but I would be taking my chances if I have no other transportation and a similar scenario occurred.

 

[Queenofdenile1]

Should it be lowered to 18?

You can vote at 18 but you can't drink a beer or have a Jack and coke. You can detect IED's and kill the enemy at 18, but you can't have a beer or a nice glass of wine or 10. You can go to college under 21 and see to your laundry, eating, homework, getting to class and getting up in the AM, but you better stay away from the 2,587 bars in the neighborhood and darn well best stay away from the 7,491 keg parties on any given night of the week.

To me, this sort of non sense breeds cynicism that is far more harmful to our society than being able to drink at 18.

So, what we we, the people, say?

I don't know. I get it but I think its too young to drink. A lot of irresponsiblity at that age. It bad enough now that kids are driving like maniacs. It's one thing to drink and get wasted, but getting behind the wheel and driving like a bat out of hell, is another. They do it sober, lord knows what the streets would be like with them schnockered. I say keep it at 21. It isn't hurting them any.

 

[Larry Gude]

University...

I don't know. I get it but I think its too young to drink. A lot of irresponsiblity at that age. It bad enough now that kids are driving like maniacs. It's one thing to drink and get wasted, but getting behind the wheel and driving like a bat out of hell, is another. They do it sober, lord knows what the streets would be like with them schnockered. I say keep it at 21. It isn't hurting them any.

...presidents are saying "Hey, we're here to educate your kids. NOT babysit them. You don't want your kid drinking at 18? Tell 'em not to. Just don't put us in charge of babysitting. It takes away from our primary mission; education."

I am more open to an argument that says you can't be an adult until you are 21 than I am to an argument that says 18 year olds can't handle drinking.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

I don't know. I get it but I think its too young to drink. A lot of irresponsiblity at that age. It bad enough now that kids are driving like maniacs. It's one thing to drink and get wasted, but getting behind the wheel and driving like a bat out of hell, is another. They do it sober, lord knows what the streets would be like with them schnockered. I say keep it at 21. It isn't hurting them any.

This is a stupid arguement IMO.
you are dishing out a guilty before proven innocent verdict. NOTHING says that kids are going to be going around getting drunk and then driving all over town :shrug:

 

[Larry Gude]

Oh come...

This is a stupid arguement IMO.
you are dishing out a guilty before proven innocent verdict. NOTHING says that kids are going to be going around getting drunk and then driving all over town :shrug:

...on! Of course they will be. The question is whether or not they can handle it, not if they're going to do it or not.

If you start drinking, having a beer or glass of wine around the house once in awhile when you are, say, 14-16 or so, by the time you are 18, not only is alcohol not new, it is not mysterious and it is something you have experience dealing with it.

Same goes for guns. Start learning to shoot around 10-12 or so, learn a little hunting, shoot some skeet, some handguns, some plinking, you're less likely to have an accident later in life.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

...on! Of course they will be. The question is whether or not they can handle it, not if they're going to do it or not.

If you start drinking, having a beer or glass of wine around the house once in awhile when you are, say, 14-16 or so, by the time you are 18, not only is alcohol not new, it is not mysterious and it is something you have experience dealing with it.

Same goes for guns. Start learning to shoot around 10-12 or so, learn a little hunting, shoot some skeet, some handguns, some plinking, you're less likely to have an accident later in life.

Good points.

My thinking is, lower the drinking age, but keep steep penalties for kids under 21 who drive with a BAC over 0.08 :shrug: Then the kiddos can drink, and if their irresponsible and drive "drunk", they will face the consequences.

 

[Larry Gude]

I haven't...

Good points.

My thinking is, lower the drinking age, but keep steep penalties for kids under 21 who drive with a BAC over 0.08 :shrug: Then the kiddos can drink, and if their irresponsible and drive "drunk", they will face the consequences.

...heard anyone argue to reduce penalties for anyone. It's just silly to argue a kid can learn to handle an M-16 and not shoot his buddy on patrol in front of him but can't handle 3 or 4 beers and drive home just fine.

 

[Dougstermd]

I agree with active duty only, but certainly not all 18 yr olds. Now days most are still stupid and irresponsible. And yea, I know, so are some adults.

why ya gotta bring me into this???

 

[Queenofdenile1]

This is a stupid arguement IMO.
you are dishing out a guilty before proven innocent verdict. NOTHING says that kids are going to be going around getting drunk and then driving all over town :shrug:

Well, lets just get one thing cleared up, I didn't start this thread. An opinion, was asked, heres mine. No, perhaps my kid wouldn't, your kid wouldn't, Joe Schmoes kid isn't going to do it but....someone's kid will. Read the paper...how many kids got killed last year in Chuck County? They weren't drunk, just stupid. So, based on that, you can tell your kid "NO" doesn't mean they aren't going to do it. Doesn't mean that they won't try. My problem with it is why is it so important that the age be lowered? Is it REALLY THAT CRUCIAL to lower the age because why? Because it's fair? Because it gives them what? Making them think they are an adult? "I'M 18, I'M an Adult, I can do what I want now"? Yeah, okay, lets see, your in school, you live here, I'm still supporting you. Gee, I don't see the logic in it. There is alot more to being an adult than being able to drink. Drinking doesn't make you an adult. There are adults out there who don't exactly set the example either.

 

[Queenofdenile1]

...presidents are saying "Hey, we're here to educate your kids. NOT babysit them. You don't want your kid drinking at 18? Tell 'em not to. Just don't put us in charge of babysitting. It takes away from our primary mission; education."

I am more open to an argument that says you can't be an adult until you are 21 than I am to an argument that says 18 year olds can't handle drinking.

Here's my question, why is it important to drink at 18? Is this a guy thing? Because it makes you an adult? No it doesn't and it doesn't make you a man or woman either. I didn't suffer because I couldn't drink at 18. I think they raised it about a year before my 18th birthday but I wasn't much of a drinker anyway. So what is the big deal?

 

[Christy]

Here's my question, why is it important to drink at 18? Is this a guy thing? Because it makes you an adult? No it doesn't and it doesn't make you a man or woman either. I didn't suffer because I couldn't drink at 18. I think they raised it about a year before my 18th birthday but I wasn't much of a drinker anyway. So what is the big deal?

Why is it important to drink at any age really? The fact of the matter is, some people just do. Some drink sanely, some don't. I don't really think age should be any sort of deciding factor.

I wish we'd get back to some semblance of sanity in this country when it comes to legislation that is passed to save us from ourselves. We should get back to individual freedoms, and back to punishing people when they misbehave vs punishing a group because of what some may do. People of legal drinking age still drive drunk, they still start bar brawls, they still make themselves a public nuisance at times.

I just don't see any added benefit to society by having the drinking age be 21. :shrug:

 

[Kerad]

If you're old enough to die for your country, get married, be executed/spend life in prison...you're old enough to drink. "Land of the Free"....right???


Not only that, but being underage doesn't stop anyone from drinking...you just may have to associate with some unsavory characters to get drinks every now and then.

Hell...it's easier for kids to get drugs than beer....and that can't be good.




18.

 

[Xaquin44]

This is a stupid arguement IMO.
you are dishing out a guilty before proven innocent verdict. NOTHING says that kids are going to be going around getting drunk and then driving all over town :shrug:

except a lot of them do already. just like a lot of adults do. Making it illegal just compounds the charges to hopefully get the point across before they make it a habit.

 

[BuddyLee]

Leave it at 21.

 

[BuddyLee]

This is a stupid arguement IMO.
you are dishing out a guilty before proven innocent verdict. NOTHING says that kids are going to be going around getting drunk and then driving all over town :shrug:

Then you shouldn't have a problem with keeping it at 21.

Most kids think they know but they don't know. I think plenty says kids will be getting drunk and driving around town.

 

[BuddyLee]

...violates equal protection, thus unconstitutional.

It's 18 for everybody. Or not.

Not if everyone agree's with it.

Perhaps you need another poll.

 

[BuddyLee]

Once again, its a shame about the preception america has on its teenagers

No, not really.