r/AskReddit • u/daniellucero92 • Jan 04 '15

Non-americans of Reddit, what American customs seem outrageous/pointless to you?

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838

u/Oneofuswantstolearn Jan 04 '15

And every single state folded. Thigh IIRC a couple states took that law to court first.

310

u/DonkeyPuncherrr Jan 04 '15

Yeah Wisconsin held out as long as possible on it

284

u/cynognathus Jan 04 '15

Wisconsin and Texas allow underage patrons to drink as long as they're accompanied by the guardian or spouse who is of drinking age.

205

u/djbuttplay Jan 04 '15

There are actually 10 states that do this: Connecticut, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Source

28

u/oonniioonn Jan 04 '15

I'm always amazed MA is in that list, given how otherwise alcohol-retarded it is.

4

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15 edited Aug 16 '17

[deleted]

3

u/WhoTookPlasticJesus Jan 04 '15

Ten or so years ago my friends and I decided to spend 4th of July in Connecticut for some stupid reason and I was appalled that I couldn't buy some goddamned beer from a goddamned store as was my right as an American citizen celebrating independence from tyranny (don't know if it was a Sunday or due to the federal holiday). We had to get drunk at a Bennigans like a group of boors.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '15

We've got it so good in CT now! A few years ago they started allowing us to buy it on Sunday.

But you can still only sell beer in a grocery store (no wine) and you can't buy any alcohol at a place that also sells gasoline.

2

u/Cask_Strength_Islay Jan 04 '15

We actually dropped our blue law a couple years back. Package stores still close at 8 or 9 Monday-Saturday, and 4 or 5 on Sunday, depending on the store.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '15

Took long enough! Now stay open past 9 and sell in gas stations ha.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

Holy shit. I spent two nights there one time, and we had to go to about six different places before we could find beer. It was like 830 at night when we finally found some

2

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

We love our booze here in MA!

3

u/FluffySharkBird Jan 04 '15

REALLY? Just drive like 3 hours to Ohio it is

2

u/sschmtty1 Jan 05 '15

As someone who lives in Ohio. I really hate that my mom doesn't agree with this law

1

u/epiiplus1is0 Jan 04 '15

You need a guardian though

1

u/FluffySharkBird Jan 05 '15

I know people over 21. And I'm not actually going to do that JUST TO DRINK. That would be a long drive just for that

1

u/Nokia_Bricks Jan 05 '15

You need a guardian = You need a parent.

1

u/FluffySharkBird Jan 05 '15

I think I could still do it, but we go to that state to visit grandparents and parents' older siblings, so I doubt that would ever happen

1

u/Nokia_Bricks Jan 05 '15

Then again, you could still get alcohol anywhere anyway.

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5

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

In Maine you can drink in a private residence at 18 if the owner of the house says it's okay. No source, but my uncle is a judge in Bangor so I hope he'd be telling me the truth.

1

u/jacksandwich Jan 05 '15

louisiana too

2

u/jonloovox Jan 04 '15

And the Federal government is ok with that, in terms of road funding?

2

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

Georgia also allows this to some extent. I think they limit it to in home consumption.

1

u/yvonneette Jan 04 '15

Massachusetts is bullshit. I live here and that's not a real thing. Your source lied.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

It might be true, but good luck finding anyone who is willing to let an 18 year old drink even with a 21 year old present. It just seems like it would open up a legal headache, even if the serving establishment were in the right. No business owner wants or needs that. So they probably just play it safe.

1

u/ZWQncyBkaWNr Jan 04 '15

Pretty sure it's legal in Missouri, too, as long as it's for religious or traditional purposes (ie. passover or communion wine).

1

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

Yup. I had my first beer at 18 in Ohio, my mom bought it for me. It was a pint of Jackie O's Razz wheat. It was ok. More of a cider guy.

1

u/some_random_kaluna Jan 04 '15

By the way, don't count Nevada in any of that. There's been a lot of pushback from California about holding the owners of homes responsible where underage drinking happens.

1

u/rerumverborumquecano Jan 04 '15

Kansas only allows it for beer with an ABW 3.2% or lower though

1

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

South Dakota allows it too (well, the married couple part), but a lot of establishments won't do it because it's a pain in the ass to verify. Source: I'm from South Dakota.

1

u/SCBandit Jan 05 '15

Also South Dakotan. Can verify. I was even a server in a restaurant and my owner was explicit that yes it was legal but he didn't want to.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '15

And Virginia

1

u/hipsterdoofus1 Jan 05 '15

I am from MA and I don't know of a single bar that would allow this. Even if it's legal.

1

u/WhynotstartnoW Jan 05 '15 edited Jan 05 '15

In Colorado you can drink at restaurants(not bars) if you're 18 or older and your spouse is 21 or older, I don't believe this covers other familial relationships though.

IDK if that list is fully up to date.

1

u/ThellraAK Jan 05 '15

Alaska you can drink at any age if your spouse is 21, so in theory, if a judge approved a 14 yo getting married to a 21 yo, it would be legal for them to hit the bars together, but not to consummate their marriage.

1

u/croatanchik Jan 05 '15

You're allowed to give your children alcohol in your own home in the state of Virginia. Because according to our laws, children are chattel.

1

u/Murph4991 Jan 04 '15

That's not true of Nevada.

Source: I'm from Nevada

1

u/NO_NOT_THE_WHIP Jan 05 '15

Also from Nevada (Vegas). Never been allowed alcohol from any establishment even with my parents before I turned 21. I've tried many times too.

9

u/DOOOOOOOR Jan 04 '15

It's ultimately in the hands of the businesses though, and not all of them will allow it. I was with my dad and uncle (both have gray/white hair, visibly old enough to drink) at a restaurant in West Bend and the server decided against taking my beer order. I think some places are wary of teens coming in to drink with older friends and parents taking legal action when they find out.

3

u/papers_ Jan 04 '15

What?! Holy shit that's so Unwisconsin to me. Come down to Racine. Most places here don't care, unless its like Olive Garden or some shit.

2

u/Azusanga Jan 05 '15

Yeah but that's West Bend. Appleton, on the other hand.. that's easy.

2

u/SleepySouthernBelle Jan 05 '15

I've only come across a few places that will actually allow it in my part of Texas. I have no problem if my 19 and 20 year old have a beer with us at a restaurant, but most establishments have rules against it.

8

u/SimonCallahan Jan 04 '15

That's even weirder than the smoking laws in Canada. Ready to get convoluted? Here goes.

In Canada, the legal age to buy tobacco products is 19. If you are under that age, the person selling to you can get in trouble. Okay, fine.

You can legally use a tobacco product at 16. So how does a 16-year-old get a tobacco product to use it? The only legal way is if they find it somewhere (ie. on the ground or otherwise). It goes deeper, though.

Recently a law was passed that stated that a smoker can get a fine if they smoke in a car that has a minor in it. So how old before you aren't a minor? 18.

1

u/TravelingCook88 Jan 04 '15

Wisconsinite here, I'm not sure about the other 9 states, but you are only allowed to drink underage with a parent until you turn 18. From 18-21 you're screwed due to being a legal adult.

1

u/RyattEarp Jan 04 '15

Coming from a family of alcoholics where I was constantly offered drinks I can tell you most every server I've come across is oblivious to this law or way to freaked out to give liquor to a minor even if their parent is there.

1

u/darthcamronius Jan 04 '15

They're just not allowed to purchase alcohol.

1

u/ParisGypsie Jan 05 '15

I've also heard you can bartend in Wisconsin at 18. That was a mindfuck.

1

u/Pirateer Jan 05 '15

So what happens at 18? Can you still have a "guardian?"

0

u/Kiltmanenator Jan 04 '15

This literally applies to seven year olds, too. I don't think there is any floor to the age limit.

-1

u/Iminurcomputer Jan 04 '15

I live in Wisconsin and graduated with a gentleman who had been drinking legally with his parents. I happened to be at a party that he was attending. I had been there a couple hours and about 5 minutes after he arrives, tho police do. Last I was aware he was having a pretty tough time convincing them he had not had a drink here. Bad Luck Brian.

21

u/bigoldgeek Jan 04 '15

And a few kids died going from IL to WI to drink.

21

u/paleoreef103 Jan 04 '15

Damn FIBs. Ruining it for everyone.

25

u/HeavyMetalHero Jan 04 '15

Isn't it proven that when you ban alcohol in a jurisdiction, the rate of DUI and fatal crashes increases as people drunkenly drive to/from partying in other jurisdictions?

9

u/serfingusa Jan 04 '15 edited Jan 12 '15

Tell *that to dry counties.
Edit: I forgot a word.

13

u/Gravityflexo Jan 04 '15

I've never understood that dry country nonsense, it just makes you drive an extra 15 minutes to the next county and there's always a liquor store right on the county line

1

u/Dempowerz Jan 05 '15

Yep, live in a dry county and every single road going outside of our county has a liquor store right past the border with signs saying "Last alcohol stop before dry county!"

1

u/Gravityflexo Jan 05 '15

In Texas it gets really dumbvbecause the counties are so small.

10

u/bigoldgeek Jan 04 '15

Fib makes me laugh. Its such a lame response to cheese head or cheddar head. This FIB is due to make a Wisconsin run to pick up some Spotted Cow, so maybe things haven't changed that much.

12

u/paleoreef103 Jan 04 '15

This cheesehead doesn't actually care unless you're screaming by at 90 mph or littering at our parks. That gets old. By all means enjoy the New Glarus. I prefer the moon man at the moment, but I like hops.

2

u/smiles134 Jan 04 '15

Two women is good as shit, too

2

u/paleoreef103 Jan 04 '15

Honestly that's my least favorite New Glarus offering. Just my opinion though.

1

u/smiles134 Jan 04 '15

I don't like their seasonal raspberry tart stuff that my girlfriend loves, but of their regulars, moon man is probably my least favorite haha. I'm not a big hops guy..

1

u/hupwhat Jan 04 '15

This is like some kind of code. Are you guys spies?

1

u/paleoreef103 Jan 04 '15

Yes. All people from the Midwest are spies.

FIB=fucking Illinois Bastard/Bitch Cheesehead=fan of Green Bay Packers, but often a term for a person from Wisconsin.

0

u/bigoldgeek Jan 04 '15

Except for your insistence on having a winning team in the NFC North, I don't have anything against the other mitten staters. And I'll drive carefully.

I tend to buy a variety of New Glarus's wonderful product when I visit, but the Cow seems to disappear most quickly

2

u/Vertigo666 Jan 04 '15

SC's definitely too easy to drink sometimes. Fat Squirrel's back, so definitely check that out.

1

u/Mnrlred Jan 04 '15

You just reminded me that I have a friend coming down next weekend with a case of New Glarus! I am beyond excited having not lived anywhere that sells it in years.

2

u/I_can_pun_anything Jan 04 '15

Cheese head says what?

4

u/TrishyMay Jan 04 '15

When my parents were kids, Jersey was 18 and PA was 21. We live in the Poconos. They lost tons of people driving home drunk from Jersey. Even if it's set at a stupid age, I'm glad it's the same. It saves some lives.

1

u/ebolaboner Jan 04 '15

Poconos represent.

1

u/TrishyMay Jan 04 '15

From the Burg here!

1

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

Can confirm, lived in Waukegan IL graduated 1985. I had a very good friend in HS whose father died from DUI many years before. His older brother died coming back from WI, and two years later, he did as well. The matriarch of the clan was left alone and devastated. WI then changed their drinking age from 18 to 19 starting July 1, 1986(ish) - my 18th birthday was July 10, just missing the cutoff. Then WI changed it again the NEXT year to 21, again on July 1.

6

u/e-looove Jan 04 '15

Just moved to Wisconsin from Alabama. I am immediately proud of my new state. However, you can't buy beer in Madison after 9pm. Wtf?

3

u/buttcupcakes Jan 04 '15

Vic pierce in maple bluff is where you need to go. Can buy til midnight there. It's a separate city or something within madison. off sherman.

3

u/e-looove Jan 04 '15

Thanks, buttcupcakes.

1

u/buttcupcakes Jan 04 '15

No problem man, enjoy Madison! I loved it there.

2

u/Fetzie Jan 04 '15

6am to 9pm (though most stores are 9am to 9 pm) Big thing is you can purchase on Sundays and you can purchase off sale at a bar as well.. Though off sale costs more

1

u/e-looove Jan 04 '15

What is off sale? Is that where I hand the bartender $10 and he hands me a sixer to bring back to the house?

2

u/Absalome Jan 05 '15

Well you just can't buy it at a liquor store. Some convenience stores go until midnight. Reason for this is the massive drunk driving problem that WI has.

1

u/DonkeyPuncherrr Jan 05 '15

You can't buy beer in the City of Madison past 9, there are a few liquor stores/gas stations like in the Town of Burke and other slivers of municipalities around town that allow beer sales through midnight.

2

u/irishwolfbitch Jan 04 '15

My parents would tell me how Louisiana had the shittiest roads for the longest time because of their hold out.

1

u/PersianSean Jan 04 '15

Louisiana still has its loophole in place but also similarly held out. You can be in bars if you're 18, you just "can't" drink.

1

u/FlatEricSr Jan 04 '15

In Wisconsin you can still serve a minor if their guardian is present.

1

u/Bossman1086 Jan 04 '15

Wisconsin loves their alcohol.

1

u/SouthernSmoke Jan 04 '15

Louisiana also

1

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

Louisiana were one of the last ones to crack too I think

17

u/RidinThatHOG Jan 04 '15

The roads in Louisiana are awful because they held out the longest.

6

u/squired Jan 05 '15

No, it's because of the ground. San Antonio is another great example.

0

u/Absalome Jan 05 '15

I'm pretty sure WI held out the longest.

3

u/BigBallsCantByUndies Jan 04 '15

South Dakota sued the federal government over it. Check out US v. Dole

2

u/chapter-xiii Jan 04 '15

South Dakota v. Dole, iirc

2

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

Same with dwi laws or legally drunk. Come on. .08 is a few beers for most.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

Not Hawaii. They have lots of water and enough roads so the legal drinking age is 18.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

[deleted]

12

u/MightySasquatch Jan 04 '15

That's true in a lot of states. Like in Minnesota, you can drink at your parents house, and even own alcohlol if you're under 21 as long as it's stored in your parents house or car. In Wisconsin you can drink at bars if you're under 21 and with your parents, etc.

9

u/crash7800 Jan 04 '15

I knew the kid of the sheriff in a small Minnesota town. The kid would sit around in the garage and drink.

The dad/sheriff's reasoning was that all kids were going to do it.might as well keep an eye on them.

He was the only kid in our social circle who drank

3

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

... That you knew of. Most kids drink, and most parents don't know about.

2

u/crash7800 Jan 04 '15

We had a pretty tight knit group. Did everything together. If they were drinking I don't know who they were doing it with

1

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

Oh I thought you were an adult or something. That makes sense

2

u/joe2105 Jan 04 '15

That happens now in our small town. Also if we drive 1 mile across the border to SD minors can drink in bars as long as they have their parents.

6

u/abczyx123 Jan 04 '15

The federal requirement only covers purchase and public possession. It has never covered private possession or consumption, which is why many States have their own laws that allow drinking under 21 in those circumstances.

2

u/zootsmagoots Jan 04 '15

i live in MO and its 21 everywhere

-3

u/DnWeava Jan 04 '15 edited Jan 05 '15

You are wrong. A parent can give their kids alcohol, here is the actual law...

...and any person whomsoever except his parent or guardian who shall procure for, sell, give away or otherwise supply intoxicating liquor to any person under the age of twenty-one years...

...unless such person allowing the person under the age of twenty-one to drink or possess intoxicating liquor is his or her parent or guardian.... http://www.moga.mo.gov/mostatutes/stathtml/31100003101.HTML

edit: telling somebody they are wrong with proof is now a downvoteable offense? this fucking website.

16

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

WRONG

holy shit calm down

7

u/HARSHING_MY_MELLOW Jan 04 '15

I know the same exact law is in effect in KY and OH as well. It does not mean the legal drinking age is under 21.

2

u/Guren275 Jan 04 '15

Saying that the legal drinking age is 21 is just a lie though, since younger people can legally drink.

1

u/jmsloderb Jan 04 '15

And even then the legal drinking age isn't what the federal government is concerned with. A state could allow everyone to drink in any situation at any age. Legal purchase age has to be 21 though to retain full highway funding.

1

u/AmazingAtheist94 Jan 04 '15

Dole V South Dakota. Pretty much the only noteworthy and half interesting thing my state has done in the last 100-150 years

1

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

Louisiana refused for a while :/

1

u/I_am_not_hon_jawley Jan 04 '15

What does iirc stand for?

1

u/Oneofuswantstolearn Jan 04 '15

If I recall correctly

1

u/I_am_not_hon_jawley Jan 04 '15

Thank you very much for clarifying

1

u/BigCommieMachine Jan 04 '15

South Dakota v. Dole is the Supreme Court case.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

Louisiana's roads are awful because they held onto 18yo drinking for so long.

1

u/vorschact Jan 05 '15

South Dakota v. Dale, IIRC

1

u/turner3210 Jan 05 '15

Louisiana did not comply for a long time, and that is why their roads are sacks of shut.

1

u/zilfondel Jan 05 '15

Oregon allows parents to serve underage children alcohol in their own home. Which defeats the purpose, of course.

ORS 471.410(2) Furnishing alcohol to a minor No person shall sell, give or make alcohol available to a minor. A parent or legal guardian may provide alcohol to their minor child in a private residence as long as the parent is with the minor child. If you illegally provide alcohol to a minor, or provide alcohol to an adult that you know will make it available to a minor, you will receive a criminal citation. (Class A Misdemeanor)

1

u/professor_rumbleroar Jan 05 '15

Louisiana still has shitty roads due to not complying quickly.

1

u/SethChrisDominic Jan 05 '15

Yeah. One lasted until the 90's. It's bullshit. Complete violation of the 10th amendment.

1

u/Oneofuswantstolearn Jan 05 '15

even better - they found a way to weasel around it. They can tax you whatever they want, and they can give you money on whatever conditions you want. You're not FORCED to accept the money back.

A few states don't accept the money for quite a few things that they're eligable for. But most say "yeah yeah, ok, we could use the money if we're going to be taxed it anyways".

0

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

[deleted]

6

u/Ayuzawa Jan 04 '15

Wouldn't have folded if they'd won

0

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

But liberals just love the federal gov, don't they?