Actually, it's not the only state where that can happen. We have the same idiocy here in Tennessee. I'm 56 and look every day of it, but I have to show my DL every time I buy a six-pack.
I'm sure the bouncer thought it was a test of some sort like "I let you in without an ID even though you're clearly paleolithic, and suddenly we're raided by the State police, right?". Given the pulic hysteria surrounding underage drinking, had I been the bouncer, I probably would have done the same thing.
I say GOOD!
If legislators, executives, and judges want to turn our society into a excruciatingly micromanaged nannytocracy, grievanctocracy, saftocracy, etceteratocracy...then let them taste of their fruit.
I was born early in 1939, and a few months ago a kid who was selling me a six-pack of draft Guinness at a deli in Maryland said, tentatively, he supposed I was of age. I couldn't have been more startled for a moment than if he'd asked me if I were the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
I gave him a 'give me a break' look and he sold me the beer.
I am 42 years old with peppery hair. I was recently carded by a 20 year kid whilst trying to purchase two bic lighters at a drug store on the Delaware shore.
I thanked him profusely for his diligent adherence to the law.
I am reminded of the VISA checkcard(?) ad that featured Bob Dole in his hometown, recognised by everybody; until he tries to pay by check. It was just after the 1996 election, and was quite funny.
Hurray for the bouncer! Stick it to the man!
Aw c'mon, give this 23-year-old bouncer a break.
If he is turning away aging governors then he is also turning away 17-year-olds looking for trouble.
His boss should give him a raise 
I think it is a shame that bar bouncers and convenience store cashiers are put in this position.
But if they get caught, they certainly do arrested. And they certainly do have to pay fines out of their minimum wage salaries.
As a former server, I can attest to the fact that we were "secret shopped" regularly by people who were hired by the restaurant I worked for to make sure we were carding. Some of my co-workers were fired for not carding the shopper who to them looked of age. It didn't matter to the company that they guy had gray hair, looked of age and was obviously able to buy liquor. The policy was to card everyone who looked younger than 40, no matter what.
I just pine for the days when I could send my ten year old to corner store for a fifth.
Under twentyonesomething and want a beer? DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!
Under oh, say, 16 and want an abortion? Come on in! It's nobody's business, not even your Mom and Dad's!
What a world.....
If legislators, executives, and judges want to turn our society into a excruciatingly micromanaged nannytocracy, grievanctocracy, saftocracy, etceteratocracy...then let them taste of their fruit.
It was probably all staged. A publicity stunt. We're talking politicians after all. And CV, if our society weren't so puritanical about having a couple of beers, 17-year-olds might have a much healthier attitude toward drinking.
Mark is right: this is idolatry of the small laws.
Gregoire should have demanded a recount to see if a few years couldn't be added to her age.
(ducks, runs)
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (that is, the government-run racket that controls all of our booze) has a policy that potentially beats this. Something crazier than Washington state in Canada, you say? Incredible.
The LCBO has what is on paper a very strict enforcement policy when it comes to checking identification. If you look young, for whatever given value you'd like to assign to that, they'll card you (the drinking age here is 19). Fair enough. This doesn't actually happen all that often because most of their employees value swiftness of purchase over strict policy adherence--particularly on a Friday night in a college town, of which there are many.
The trouble comes when they do ask you for your ID. They need photo identification that includes your name and your date of birth, naturally; that's fairly prudent. Thanks to another state-run racket (socialized healthcare, though it's not nearly so bad as it could be), we all have government-issued ID of this very sort. The Ministry of Health pushes these cards pretty hard.
So take one guess as to what makes the list of types of ID that the LCBO refuses to accept.
The worst part is that not even the managers I've spoken to, let alone the hapless employees enforcing it, have been able to articulate a reason why this should be so. I'd even settle for a stupid and unconvincing reason, but I've never managed to get any further with them than that it's simply LCBO policy.
This is not to say that they are strict in this, of course; it should not surprise anyone to learn that most employees, finding this as absurd as I do, will just accept the Health Card as legitimate ID and move on. If they were acting as a private citizen they sure would, after all; hell, police officers accept the Health Card as valid identification.
Nevertheless, the policy exists. You make the call.
Nick,
Our green health cards do not have your age on them...to the best of my knowledge. I mean, I would have to walk half a foot to get my wallet, but I have strongly felt feelings to back me up.
Also, we have the highest liquor taxes in the world. At least, according to Wiki we do...
I was going down to visit my infant grandson April a year ago and got carded ordering beer during my layover in Atlanta. I was 50 then. That was the first time I had been carded since I turned drinking age.
Airports seem to do this alot. Since then, I've been carded in the Vegas airport.
Paul--
You should have walked that half a foot. The date of birth is listed right under the name and number; middle of the bottom right quadrant of the card.
Re: the Ontario silliness...
maybe the rules just haven't been changed because of the old red and white health cards which just have a name and number?
I still had once of those old cards until two years ago (when I moved to Alberta). As far as I could tell from asking around, Ontario stopped issuing new cards for those who had the old ones unless they lost them or otherwise needed replacement.
You'd need more flexibility to have a rule stating that health cards of this type count but not that type then the liquor board appears to have.
Mainly, you just need more non-idiots.
Commenting by HaloScan
