Should drinking outside be legal?

[they don't love you like i love you]

By "outside" I mean on a street corner or sidewalk or some place that isn't private property.

I say yes. I've found it kind of interesting how one can not legally have a smoke and drink at the same time in my apartment, as smoking's not allowed inside, and because of the law, drinking alcohol is not allowed outside of the rooms. But I see no reason why it should be illegal for you to have a beer while walking off to some place you're going, or just outside your door, considering one can smoke in those locations, which spreads second hand smoke and smells disgusting. I'd much rather be waiting for a bus in a bus stop with a guy having a beer than a cigarette. And the problems caused by too much alcohol comsumption are no more problems if it's consumed outside. I've never understood why in most places it's illegal to consume alcohol outside of your residence, private property, or a bar/restaurant.

[Peter]

Not on anything adjacent to a public highway. Allowing people to get drunk at the side of the road is inherently dangerous not only for the drinker but for the person who drives into them. True, they might well fall into the road walking back from the pub, but the total amount of time spent next to a road whilst drunk is reduced. Also there is the obvious problem of a beer bottle getting chucked onto a road, which isn't particularly good for my tyres.

It should however be legal to drink in public parks (presuming they aren't drunk and disorderly or criminal in some other way). It is technically illegal in the UK to drink in public parks; Now I might see the need to do this during the evenings/nights when kids generally congregate to get pissed on cheap cider, but I know of instances where people having wine with their picnic on a summer day have been caused problems by the authorities, which seems to me to be wholly unreasonable.

[PBrunsel]

As long as you cover the bottle or can with a paper sack then there is no problem.

[Alcon]

As long as you cover the bottle or can with a paper sack then there is no problem.

I'm not sure that is actually legal, but rather is an attempt at avoiding being caught.  Not familiar with this facet of the law, though.

[they don't love you like i love you]

True, I have in fact drank outside before including right in front of cops, but it was always a rum/soda mixture inside the pop bottle. I have even done this in class before (although not in a very long time)

[Yates]

I would say yes, and the Constitution would back that up.

[Alcon]

I would say yes, and the Constitution would back that up.

I'm not sure I'd quite extend freedom of speech to "freedom to drink wherever you want"...

[Beet]

I would say yes, and the Constitution would back that up.

I'm not sure I'd quite extend freedom of speech to "freedom to drink wherever you want"...

They are making a political statement, Alcon.

[Alcon]

I would say yes, and the Constitution would back that up.

I'm not sure I'd quite extend freedom of speech to "freedom to drink wherever you want"...

They are making a political statement, Alcon.

I'm not a Constitutional scholar (at all) but it seems kind of like anything that could be called a political statement would automatically be Constitutional.

[Beet]

I would say yes, and the Constitution would back that up.

I'm not sure I'd quite extend freedom of speech to "freedom to drink wherever you want"...

They are making a political statement, Alcon.

I'm not a Constitutional scholar (at all) but it seems kind of like anything that could be called a political statement would automatically be Constitutional.

We need A18 or Emsworth on this one.

[KEmperor]

Yes, of course.  I see no reason why it is illegal in most jurisdictions at the moment.

[Nation]

Drinking in public is fine, as long as the person is not piss drunk and a danger to others (by danger to others, I simply mean being drunk enough to wander in the street or harrass other passersby).

How you would legislate this, I don't really know, so I'm obliged to say just keep the law the way it is now. Too many grey areas of this issue.

[MODU]

I say "no" if you are within 300 yard of a public school or youth center.  So, that basically screws everyone in the cities.

[MasterJedi]

I'd say "No", but if you wanted to do it on your lawn I wouldn't have a problem.

[Bono]

No, it should be illegal on all public property.
Though I'd be willing to compromise if the law let you shoot drunkwards who were harrasing you.

[Lincoln Republican]

Absolutely not.

In fact, all alcoholic beverages should be eliminated from society altogether.  This would cut down considerably on cases of domestic violence, would reduce tremendously the cases of physical altercations between individuals, would eliminate drunk driving, would save companies and employers billions as abseentism would be dramatically reduced as employees would not be absent due to hangovers and other drinking related issues, would save billions in health care costs due to people leading a healthier lifestyle, students would be more alert and capable of learning.

People would be much healthier and better off without having alcohol to  impair the brain and damage the body.       

[they don't love you like i love you]

Wow, you seem to be the only extreme authoritarian who can even give Jake a run for his money.

[??????????]

Absolutely not.

In fact, all alcoholic beverages should be eliminated from society altogether.  This would cut down considerably on cases of domestic violence, would reduce tremendously the cases of physical altercations between individuals, would eliminate drunk driving, would save companies and employers billions as abseentism would be dramatically reduced as employees would not be absent due to hangovers and other drinking related issues, would save billions in health care costs due to people leading a healthier lifestyle, students would be more alert and capable of learning.

People would be much healthier and better off without having alcohol to  impair the brain and damage the body.       

Yes, because we saw it worked so well the first time it was banned.

[Speed of Sound]

I'd say "No", but if you wanted to do it on your lawn I wouldn't have a problem.

[KEmperor]

Absolutely not.

In fact, all alcoholic beverages should be eliminated from society altogether.  This would cut down considerably on cases of domestic violence, would reduce tremendously the cases of physical altercations between individuals, would eliminate drunk driving, would save companies and employers billions as abseentism would be dramatically reduced as employees would not be absent due to hangovers and other drinking related issues, would save billions in health care costs due to people leading a healthier lifestyle, students would be more alert and capable of learning.

People would be much healthier and better off without having alcohol to  impair the brain and damage the body.       

I would like you to please google the name "Al Capone."

[The Constitarian]

Absolutely not, it is their right to drink and that right should not be imposed upon.

[??????????]

Absolutely not, it is their right to drink and that right should not be imposed upon.

Yes, so walking into govt buildings or down a busy street chugging a whiskey bottle is constitutional.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Yes, unless you're in my front yard and leaving your bottles and cans there, then no.

[Lincoln Republican]

Absolutely not.

In fact, all alcoholic beverages should be eliminated from society altogether.  This would cut down considerably on cases of domestic violence, would reduce tremendously the cases of physical altercations between individuals, would eliminate drunk driving, would save companies and employers billions as abseentism would be dramatically reduced as employees would not be absent due to hangovers and other drinking related issues, would save billions in health care costs due to people leading a healthier lifestyle, students would be more alert and capable of learning.

People would be much healthier and better off without having alcohol to  impair the brain and damage the body.       

Clearly, and in reality, it would be impractical, even impossible, to eliminate alcohol from society.  Even if I was a legislator, I would not even attmept to introduce legislation to have alcoholic comsumption banned.

But, at least, does anyone agree with any of the points I have raised, let's say, that if there was less alcoholic consumption, that there would be

Fewer incidents of domestic violence?
Fewer incidents of physical altercations?
Fewer incidents of drunk driving, thereby saving lives?
Less absenteeism in the work place, thereby saving employers lost time and wages?
Savings in health care costs?
Students would be better able to concentrate on their studies?

I would appreciate your feed back.  Thank you.

[J-Mann]

Once a year, my hometown rescinds the law so that people can drink outside...it's during our city fair time, and people make good use of drinking wherever they can: main street, back alleys, public parks...

It's a hell of a lot of fun, I'll give you that, but it always causes trouble.  I feel bad for the poor guy that got a whole six-pack of bottles smashed over his face this last year when the whole town got drunk and decided to brawl.