Question for my mates outside of the US

[Iceman]

So you mates, HBK, Simon, etc., who live in England and other Europeon countries. You only have to be 18 to drink over there? So when you mates say you go to a club, you can pretty much get done your last class from high school (if your 18), go to Taco Bell, then go to a club later, have a brew, listen to some good club music, and dance with some fine woman? If so that's crazy, lol.

Here in the United States you have to be 21 to drink incase none of you knew. I am old enough, just saying, and when I wasn't I had a fake ID anyway, lol.

[simoneaton]

Well the thing is we leave school at 16 then have the choice to go to college then onto uni so we can leave college or work at the age of 18 and do all that except I dont think we get taco bell over here lol. And also its really easy to get served in this country I started when I was 15 along with most of my mates from school was a crazy time that but I stopped drinking just over a year ago and took up the good old straight edge life style. But yeah we cna drink from the age of 18 and do all those things you said. It sounds good but its getting out of hand now and we are a huge "booze nation" and now with 24 hour drinking laws we cna drink all the time bloody stupid government

[hbk]

Yep, 18 is the age that can start drinking at over here. But just like Simon said, it's gettin out of control. Binge drinking is pretty bad over here!!

[Iceman]

Wow, that's crazy guys, you have no Taco Bell. Lol, just joking, that's crazy at age 18 you can drink and it's the same as when we're 21 here. And you can usually get served at some places at age 15? You did Simon. Wow, now that's crazy, I didn't even think about drinking till I was 18 or 19 and you needed a good fake ID to get served. Now though it's almost impossible for people to drink before 21 unless they have a really really good fake ID, they need a near perfect fake Driver's License.

24 hour Drinking Law? What's that mean, you have bars open 24 hours a day? Lol, if so that's crazy too. Most bars where I live close at 2:00 AM, if you can find an after hour club in Philly their open until 3:30 or later.

Crazy how your done high school even at age 16. 18 or 19 here actually to finish 12 grade. I went on to college and got my Associates Degree (2 year Degree).

Not where I live, but in Florida for example you can buy beer anywhere, I mean, a 7-11, Gas Station, Food Store, etc. What about with you mates?

[simoneaton]

Nope no Taco Bell but crap loads of kebab houses

Yeah 15 its pretty darn easy to get served although some places are trying to clamp down more and more e.g. The Sugarmill in Stoke has you giving ID before you enter if you are 18+ you get a wrist band and its no wrist band no drink

Your only suppose to let people drink with valid Driving Liecene or Passport but some places are a little lack just aslong as they dotn cause trouble. It measn the bouncer busines is booming I suppose.

Yeah places can be open 24 hours if they want to its suppose to give us a more "European Feel" but it just means more binge drinking until later in the night (Or earlier in the morning depends on how you look at it) and paying staff longer for serving less (After about 3 o'clock the places are normaly dead due to everyone running out of money) But venues have the choice to close when they want to so they cna close at normal times. They do it in Austraila and Europe aswell but they more more responibile than the drinkers over here most of them are just f**king idiots who deserve to get ran over by more drunk idiots

I think it works out the same amount of time in education. I just think we call the 2 extra years college and not in high school. Which I think id prefer more it provides a good tranisition from School to Uni instead of going from the strict school to the more free atmosphere of Uni

We cna buy beer most places aswell and now again going back to the 24 hour drinking we can get anytime aswell as it extends to other places like petrol stations

But its realyl not fun and games we have higher crime rates, over worked medical staff and a whole sh*te load more problems due to the binge nation we have become. And the thing is as I am a bar man if someone gets drunk in the place where I work then gets hurt on the way home its my fault apprently and I could be fined from £80 and its me responability that he doesnt drink to much. How does that work you ask? I dont know I dont see why I should be the one to stop a moron drinking its his own dam fault he shouldnt drink that much he should know when to say no not em I havent got a clue who this person is I cant tell what hes like.

[tysontomko]

Here in Canada. Drinking age is 18!!
Right Now You can drop out of high school at 16.
Without Parents Permission!!!!

[simoneaton]

oh and I just remebered you only have to 16 in Belgium and maybe a few outher european countries to drink

[Iceman]

Kebab houses, what are they?

15-18, wow, that's crazy to get into some places like that, lol. And 16 in Beligum and other places (not in England like you say), lol. Maybe some places people there are actually more responcible, not here I don't think, and that's why it's 21 to drink, lol.

Wow, 24 hour places to drink. That's crazy too, and probably not safe, lol. We only have that in Atlantic City where I've been, and Las Vegas.

Yeah, heard about Canada being 18 Samoa, that's still different to me, right near New York to get there for a lot of people.

I guess the US is the only place you have to be 21 to drink? Lol. Actually like 30-35 years ago in some states, NJ for example I heard you only had to be 18 to drink, guess they changed that quick though because people got too crazy, crazy enough in Philadelphia at times already, lol.

Oh ya Simon, so you think the years of education work out the same. I hear what your saying and that's cool/different, never would of thought of that. Maybe would be a smoothier transition for some.

So how many grades do you have in school before you go to the University? We have 12 grades in school, then College if we want, which can be very expensive. Weird, here Unversities and Colleges are the same thing, just different names. You have to pay to go to a Unvi for those 2 years I take it? Unvi are only 2 years? So that would be 11th and 12th grade maybe? And of course you have to pay for college over there too right?

Higher crime rates than us? Probably not as bad as Philadelphia, Trenton, Camden, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc. Lol.

Yeah, but you mates have free public health care right? Must be nice, here half the people don't have health care. I don't for example. So how is the health care there?

Sorry in general that England is becoming such a binge or drinking place over there like you say. Maybe England's government should close down alcohol sales at 2 AM? Unless the government makes money off of it.

Thanks for the info Simon, was always curious.

[simoneaton]

A kebab house is a small fast food joint that isnt big or a chain and they sell every sort of popular fast food such as burgers, pizza and fried chicken and the all important kebeb which is LOADS of dona meat, a little bit of salad in nam bread I think but im not sure I dont like them they are popular and big sellers because drunks lap them up when the munchies set in on the way home.

And yeah people are generaly more responsible in other countries than here very responsible

Its not realyl safe people are easy to mug, people get brave and think they can mug people themselves, riots start, people get rapped


education years we have 1 or 2 years or play scholl when we are really little (Think thats like your day care). Then 5 years in juniors school then move onto High School for another 5 years. Then you can choose to go to uni where the normal amount of tiem is 2 years but you can do different length courses and choose to do other courses if you wish and they are free up until your 19 I think they you have to pay for them. You can then go onto Uni which is another 3 years and cost a LOT and if you want to specialise in soemthing such as teaching or medicine you do an extra year

Probably not some place but you cant forget we have places like moss side and the bad areas of Glasgow......I mean I have never heard of anything such as a Philiy Handshake but I have heard of a Glasgow Kiss which comes from alot of people getting headbutted up there

Yeah its free unless you go private then you have to pay. But its going down the crapper we have over worked and under paid medical staff and for this reason less and less people are going into medicine and more and more people are going out getting drunk getting into fights and getting pregnante because they have one night stands in the bogs with someone they otherwise wouldnt touch with a bardge poll. And then even the responsible people could end up going to hospital due to getting there drink spiked like I nearly had to one day. Plus this on top of already overcrowded hosptial because we are slowly becoming an over populated place like alot of other countries

Yeah it is a shame Englands going down the crapper. And the governement make money off alcholol and smoking with taxes so dont expect anything to change soon

And its OK mate im always up for slagging off society lol

[Iceman]

simoneaton said:

the all important kebeb which is LOADS of dona meat, a little bit of salad in nam bread I think but im not sure I dont like them they are popular and big sellers because drunks lap them up when the munchies set in on the way home.

Your funny Simon, sounds like you've seen it all or been through a lot and simply tell it how it is, thus keeping it real. Same as me, good sh*t mate, lol.

Wow, going to the Doctor's office or hospital and actually getting help and treatment without having to pay, that's crazy, and really how it should be. Wish it was like that here. My regular doctor just to see him no matter what the problem is the visit is $70 right off the bat.

Wow, sorry to hear how where you live is going downhill so much. That's ashame. Is it most of England you think or just where you live?

Thanks for the heads up too on everything. If you ever wanted to ask about anything where I live (USA) you could start a thread and I'd answer what I can.

[simoneaton]

I tried a kebab once then spat it out never had dona meat one thing I dont have a clue what it is and as far as I cna tell noone else does and 2 its revoluting ill stick to southern fried chicken or a burger thank you very much. I do most of this stuff the way I see it I cant lecture other people of these things if I have never tried them so try them dont like them complain about them lol

Its most of England unfortuntly but only after 8 then if you know where the decent places are you can avoid most of the dicks out their. Maind advice if you coem over watch yourself and use common sense.

hhmm what would I ask about America.........I cant think of anything at the mo but fi I do I will let you know

[Cradle Shock]

Stupid thing about here (the UK) is, you can get served drinks at 15 if you look matureish, but the guys at Virgin Megastores won't let you buy a 15 certificate DVD when you ARE 15! Yeah, I hate Virgin Megastores.

[simoneaton]

My mate is 26 he got ID for a 15 movie and for buying some fruitcakes

[Iceman]

simoneaton said:

My mate is 26 he got ID for a 15 movie and for buying some fruitcakes

Really, for buying a DVD (age 15) Movie and a Fruitcake, lol. Suprised they care so much about both of them when they let people drink so easily.

[simoneaton]

Fruitcake? I typed in f a g as in cigeratte thats odd. And what can we say its odd odd times we live in. Dam these boards I fancy a bit of fruit cake now I bet their in league with fruit cake makers to get you to buy more