The thimple tholution to drunkths in our pubths

RobK says:

07:47am | 09/10/12

I’m a little confused as to what the rest of the iceberg and the real issues you mention are supposed to be. This article is a light-hearted suggestion as to how to deal with violence in pubs and clubs, the issue which is commonly raised to justify increasing restrictions. Maybe if you have a problem with another aspect of pubs and clubs you should address that individually on it’s own merits rather than trying to lump it together with violence to advance your own agenda.

Tel says:

08:39am | 09/10/12

‘....... close at 10 pm but no one, not even the loudest proponents for change, have ever called for such a ridiculously early closing in NSW. ‘

Time was (and not that long ago) that ALL pubs in NSW closed at 10pm, with the police there to enforce it as likely as not. Not so very long before that they closed at 6pm! I can remember the referendum held in the late 60’s or early 70’s that called for the 6pm closed to be reinstated. So, in a word - BULLSHIT!

Tell It Like It Is says:

09:28am | 09/10/12

@Tel I apologise for the ambiguity in my comment. What I was saying is that I know of no one nor have I read of anyone NOW in the current discussions about earlier closings and lockouts calling for such times. 
I am aware that such has occurred in the past/history.

So not really ‘bullshit’. Simply how you read what I should have clarified.

Gordon says:

10:53am | 09/10/12

Poe’s Law = proved

Greg says:

11:45am | 09/10/12

I have spent my fair share of time during my younger years in electronic music playing establishments, places where it’s pretty safe to say 80-90% of people are doing things other than drinking.

Never in many years did I see a single fight, no one got glassed, no one was stabbed.

It’s easy to blame drugs and alcohol but if you look at the real issue the people who go and bash others don’t suddenly become violent because they have a few drinks, other substances might amplify their behaviour but at the core they are rubbish people to begin with if we could identify such types before they got to indulging things would be a whole heap simpler for the rest of us

T says:

12:36pm | 09/10/12

“For example, maybe in SA someone has ever suggested that the pubs and clubs should close at 10 pm but no one, not even the loudest proponents for change, have ever called for such a ridiculously early closing in NSW”

Northies in Cronulla shuts at 10pm on a sunday night and the club up the street shuts well after 2:30am….

And North Gong in Wollongong shuts at 10pm while others just around the corner shut well after 3am.

Bullshit!

Cry in my Gin says:

08:06am | 09/10/12

Yep. That will really help the victims who lose an eye in a glassing.
Nothing works like lockjng the gate after the horse stomps your face into the concrete in a drunken amphetamine induced fit of stupidity.

Black Dynamite says:

08:33am | 09/10/12

Cry in my Gin, so everyone is penalised for the acts of a few? I believe fml’s point of view was making the penalties for these actions actually match the degree of the crime to those who commit them which I wholeheartedly agree with.

BD

fml says:

08:43am | 09/10/12

“Yep. That will really help the victims who lose an eye in a glassing.”

It would actually, It will help prevent it from happening to others (by the same person). No preventative measures are going to stop completely stop violence, there is hardly any evidence that it does anything other than frustrate people who want to enjoy a night out.

What is the point of having preventative measures when the perpetrators are let off with a slap on the wrist then they exhibit the same behavioral patterns?

Since you disagree with me and with actually charging people with crimes, maybe you would like to put forward a measure that would work? I guess your idea of what to do is not charge people with crimes and implement some feel good measures which does nothing at all, and how would that exactly help the victims of a glassing?

Greg says:

09:21am | 09/10/12

FML is right if we properly policed and punished these people it might make the others think twice about it because they know they will be caught and they will be subjected to a public beheading or something similar.

Even if you bought in the happy, sleepy and angry groups there is nothing stopping an angry from getting loaded by 7:30 and bashing people.

AFR says:

09:53am | 09/10/12

Are you seriously suggesting someone drunk and/or high is going to consider their punishment before they glass/bash someone?

Greg says:

11:19am | 09/10/12

AFR
It’s impossible to stop all crime but if the types of people who bash/kill/glass other people knew public stoning or being buried up to their necks in a fire ant nest was the punishment waiting they might stay home.

Even if harsher punishments only saved one life then I class that as a win.

phillb says:

11:45am | 09/10/12

Policing and charging doesn’t work.  If someone is drunk and ready to start a fight chances are they are beyond thing about the repurcussions.  And it seems a lto are repeat offenders even if previously charged.

fml says:

12:14pm | 09/10/12

phillb,

“Policing and charging doesn’t work.” No, It doesn’t completely work, but it doesn’t infringe on the rights of others who are having a good time and it does act as a deterrent to some people. Half measures prevent nothing and act as a deterrent for others who want to go out and have a fun time.

Alcohol and drugs amplifies the sober mental state. If we can make people understand that their consequences of their actions before they get drunk and plant that seed in their head, then they will think about it later and maybe even walk away. All these current measures are doing are congregating angry people earlier in the night, then they are dispersed to other areas where there are no curfews.

Michael says:

08:49am | 09/10/12

I would say your criteria makes them a big C word…yes CLOWN!  the violence i think, is down to the inability to reconcile the differences of opinion people have, at an emotional level.

Grrrr me confused, why you no agre? you think HULK wrong? HULK mad! HULK smash! grrrr.

I hate pies says:

09:25am | 09/10/12

Many fights also start when people accidentally knock each others drinks over and look at each other. Therefore I propose mandatory sippy cups in pubs, and mandatory blindfolds for all.

Chris says:

01:03pm | 09/10/12

And I have seen many co-workers punch on, so I propose we ban drinking with colleagues

ben says:

04:43pm | 09/10/12

nah, ban work. problem solved

modern primitive says:

02:17pm | 09/10/12

Those who feel they have to preach are worse.

Is it impossible for you to just live and let live, or is there some personality defect which requires you to look down your nose at others to feel better about yourself?

Waiting for you to call me a bogan in 3,2,1…

Diogenes says:

01:30pm | 09/10/12

And you can buy booze in just about any supermarket.

My experience in SFO was that there weren’t precincts of drinkers (ie pubs/bars spread out) . Also these were smaller

It was an interesting experience watching the Obama, Romney Debate in a pub ... Lots of opinions, lots of name calling - (both sides even though SFO is called the Peoples Republic of SFO) but NO punching

Greg says:

11:40am | 09/10/12

You go out on the town now and look at the people causing violence there is a large number of people who shall we say aren’t the descendants of the detritus of 18th Century England transported to the enormous penal colony of Orshtraya but more recent arrivals to Australia.

These are also the types of people more likely to pull a knife in a fight and kick blokes in the head while they are on the ground.

Violence comes from all types not just bogans or roided out idiots or people on drugs

Greg says:

12:04pm | 09/10/12

So because others are incapable of making the correct choices in life, those of us who are responsible adults should be shut ins?

We have seen plenty of cases in recent years of people minding their own business on the street having not had a single drink and one lowlife ends their life.

The solution isn’t as simple as just saying well don’t drink.

Colin says:

12:26pm | 09/10/12

@Greg 12:04pm | 09/10/12

“The solution isn’t as simple as just saying well don’t drink”

Er, yes, it is.

Smoking causes cancer. Don’t smoke.

Taking LSD causes brain damage. Don’t take LSD.

Driving at very high speeds into brick walls causes death. Don’t drive at very high speed into brick walls.

Alcohol is a poison that damages your brain and the rest of your body. Don’t drink.

NO ONE should drink. And - NO - you are NOT a “Responsible adult” if you drink. Alcohol is a poison and you are being IRRESPONSIBLE by drinking..!

Chris says:

01:16pm | 09/10/12

@Colin
Drinking does not cause violence.
People cause violence.

I have been partying my arse off for nearly 10 years now, almost every weekend. I’ll admit that some weekends I’ve had a lot to drink.

I am still in very good physical fitness (I go to the gym twice a day ~4-6 days a week) and my health is fantastic.

I have never nor will I ever be involved in a fight. I’ll admit some idiots have done some extremely bad things that made me want to - but even whilst heavily intoxicated - I did not.

I can always either talk my way out of it, or if the individual has his/her heart set on violence I simply walk away. They follow me - I simply walk up to the bouncers, explain the situation and move on to the next place.

Harsher penalties are understandable, and will work to reduce crime rates.

But Never ever is there an excuse to reduce individual freedoms because of the mistakes of a minority.

Colin says:

01:53pm | 09/10/12

@Chris 01:16pm | 09/10/12

I didn’t say “Drinking causes violence”; I said alcohol is a poison and should not be consumed. At all. By anyone.

So, you drink heavily and think you are healthy, hey? Go ask a GP what he thinks of your general state of health when you tell him you binge drink. Oh, and frighten him with how often you go to the gym too; combining alcohol and the over-use of the gym is a recipe for all sorts of organ failure…Go on, ask him.

If you really wanted to be as fit and healthy as you think you are, then part of your regime would involve NOT drinking alcohol.

Admiral Ackbar says:

03:02pm | 09/10/12

So Colin, legalise weed then right? If we’re banning things that are bad for us then presumably the things that are not bad for us will be legal. Makes sense.

“I have been partying my arse off for nearly 10 years now”

Sounds like one hell of a party Chris.