Texas arresting people in bars for being drunk

Torrere · 04-09-2006, 03:54 AM

Quote:

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - 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 drunkenness, Beck said.

Sheeeeeeeeeesh!

xoxoxoBruce · 04-09-2006, 10:40 AM

Are they testing or making subjective judgements?

Beestie · 04-09-2006, 11:32 AM

Since when are bars public property?

Clodfobble · 04-09-2006, 03:33 PM

Subjective judgments. They are specifically not doing breathalyzers or field sobriety tests, they're pretty much going based on whether your behavior is considered disruptive or not. It's almost more "disturbing the peace" than "public intoxication," though the latter is still what you're charged with I believe.

There's been a huge uproar, and I expect the nonsense will cease shortly due to the PR nightmare it's turned into.

Elspode · 04-09-2006, 06:28 PM

What's next? Busting people in whorehouses for having sex?

zippyt · 04-09-2006, 11:01 PM

Since when are bars public property?

I agree , I don't see haw this could be constitunal .

I wounder if the rangers came to your house , and you were sitting quietly in side buzzed ( leagealy on say beer ) , they knocked on your door , ( by mistake , wrong address ) , could they bust you for opening the door ?? or would you have to step out side ???

04-10-2006, 12:40 AM

Yep, bars are private property. That's why they have bouncers to kick the rowdy patrons out. The bar owner frowns on such behavior in HIS establishment. Now, if the cops stood outside the bar and arrested drunks coming out, that might be different. Still, I see drunks here coming out of bars all the time and waiting good naturely for a cab to take them home. I really don't see why the cops would do such a thing. Isn't there enough ACTUAL crime in Texas to keep law enforcement busy?

Its one thing if a rowdy drunk starts accosting people on a public sidewalk; a whole other thing if someone quietly drinks 6 martini's in a bar and then takes a cab home. Stupid thing to waste the time of law enforcement officers on and unconstitutional, as well.

Flint · 04-10-2006, 09:06 AM

Sadly, his very real news item almost belongs on The Onion.

Trilby · 04-10-2006, 09:08 AM

I thought bartenders were supposed to sort of have a feel for a patron and if said patron was snockered, to quietly get him/her a cab or similar? No?

Flint · 04-10-2006, 09:42 AM

@B: True, yes, but at the same time they are serving alcohol - and applying an arbitrary law enforcable point where the effects of the product being sold are considered not acceptable is a little hard to make sense of. Either alcohol is illegal or it is not.

The bartender that stops serving you is making a private business decision.

FallenFairy · 04-10-2006, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

The bartender that stops serving you is making a private business decision.

Right on the head Flint... but take it one step further - the bartender is also covering their own ass... in most states now the bartender and bar owner can be held legally responsible for allowing an overly impared patron to leave their establishment, should accident or death befall that person due to drunk driving or other alcohol related accident ... I spent some time bartending in Seattle and we were sent to classes held by the Alcohol Control Board to learn how to determine a patrons height/weight and the amount of alcohol it would take to impair that person... (an inaccurate and futile game, how does one know how many drinks or other substances said patron had before entering your establishment?)

Point is once the powers that be make it so not only the bar patrons are accountable for their individual actions ie. over-imbibing and choosing to drive, but that the bartender and bar owner are responsible for that individuals bad decision... well, the demise of the friendly neighborhood bar is on the horizon....
Seems to me the authorities in Texas are looking to hurry the process.

Trilby · 04-10-2006, 03:33 PM

whaa...? I'd love t'know what yoooo said but em tooo drunksye

jaguar · 04-12-2006, 08:26 AM

In the UK it's illegal to serve someone who appears drunk but any attempt at enforcement would result in another poll tax riot.

Flint · 04-13-2006, 09:13 AM

Due to public outcry, the TABC is suspending this program, pending an internal investigation. What a joke. What happens when you make something that people are going to do anyway illegal? They do it anyway, but you lose tax revenues. They do it anyway, but completely unregulated. They do it anyway, but an underground industry is formed, and violence follows as organized crime bosses muscle in for a piece of the action.

Am I to understand that we will still have bars, they will still serve alcohol, but it will be illegal to get drunk? So you have to go to a speak-easy?

FallenFairy · 04-13-2006, 09:30 AM

Maybe we should invest in a speak-easy now and beat the rush...if this is a sign of the times, there's gonna be lots of business for us!

Possibly TX will consider passing legislation imposing a 2 drink limit in all public places...

ahhh but again - bars are privately owned...

04-09-2006, 10:40 AM	#2
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Are they testing or making subjective judgements? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

04-09-2006, 11:32 AM	#3
Beestie -◊\|≡·∙■·∙≡\|◊- Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Parts unknown. Posts: 4,081	Since when are bars public property? __________________ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦

04-09-2006, 06:28 PM	#5
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	What's next? Busting people in whorehouses for having sex? __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

04-09-2006, 11:01 PM	#6
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	Since when are bars public property? I agree , I don't see haw this could be constitunal . I wounder if the rangers came to your house , and you were sitting quietly in side buzzed ( leagealy on say beer ) , they knocked on your door , ( by mistake , wrong address ) , could they bust you for opening the door ?? or would you have to step out side ??? __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

04-10-2006, 09:06 AM	#8
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Sadly, his very real news item almost belongs on The Onion. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

04-09-2006, 03:33 PM	#4
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Subjective judgments. They are specifically not doing breathalyzers or field sobriety tests, they're pretty much going based on whether your behavior is considered disruptive or not. It's almost more "disturbing the peace" than "public intoxication," though the latter is still what you're charged with I believe. There's been a huge uproar, and I expect the nonsense will cease shortly due to the PR nightmare it's turned into.

04-10-2006, 12:40 AM	#7
marichiko Guest Posts: n/a	Yep, bars are private property. That's why they have bouncers to kick the rowdy patrons out. The bar owner frowns on such behavior in HIS establishment. Now, if the cops stood outside the bar and arrested drunks coming out, that might be different. Still, I see drunks here coming out of bars all the time and waiting good naturely for a cab to take them home. I really don't see why the cops would do such a thing. Isn't there enough ACTUAL crime in Texas to keep law enforcement busy? Its one thing if a rowdy drunk starts accosting people on a public sidewalk; a whole other thing if someone quietly drinks 6 martini's in a bar and then takes a cab home. Stupid thing to waste the time of law enforcement officers on and unconstitutional, as well.

04-10-2006, 09:08 AM	#9
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	I thought bartenders were supposed to sort of have a feel for a patron and if said patron was snockered, to quietly get him/her a cab or similar? No? __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

04-10-2006, 09:42 AM	#10
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	@B: True, yes, but at the same time they are serving alcohol - and applying an arbitrary law enforcable point where the effects of the product being sold are considered not acceptable is a little hard to make sense of. Either alcohol is illegal or it is not. The bartender that stops serving you is making a private business decision. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

04-10-2006, 03:33 PM	#12
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	whaa...? I'd love t'know what yoooo said but em tooo drunksye __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

04-12-2006, 08:26 AM	#13
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	In the UK it's illegal to serve someone who appears drunk but any attempt at enforcement would result in another poll tax riot. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

04-13-2006, 09:13 AM	#14
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Due to public outcry, the TABC is suspending this program, pending an internal investigation. What a joke. What happens when you make something that people are going to do anyway illegal? They do it anyway, but you lose tax revenues. They do it anyway, but completely unregulated. They do it anyway, but an underground industry is formed, and violence follows as organized crime bosses muscle in for a piece of the action. Am I to understand that we will still have bars, they will still serve alcohol, but it will be illegal to get drunk? So you have to go to a speak-easy? __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

04-13-2006, 09:30 AM	#15
FallenFairy nope Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 322	Maybe we should invest in a speak-easy now and beat the rush...if this is a sign of the times, there's gonna be lots of business for us! Possibly TX will consider passing legislation imposing a 2 drink limit in all public places... ahhh but again - bars are privately owned... __________________ ~going, going... gone now

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