1722 replies to this topic

[tedward]

The bigger question (to me) is: Why can't you drink alcohol on the sidewalk?

 

Because we don't want more drunken idiots wandering the streets? 

I personally support allowing beer and wine to accompany meals anywhere (ie. picnics) but just randomly walking down the sidewalk drinking any alcohol? Not so much.

[lanforod]

Don't get rid of drunk in public laws, but whats wrong with having a beer while strolling along the harbour? 

 

The drunken idiots wandering the streets are already doing it regardless of it being illegal or not.

Edited by lanforod, 11 September 2018 - 08:11 AM.

[Mike K.]

All pool-related discussion must continue here, please, and thank you.

[jasmineshinga]

Most of Europe, Oceana, and various civilized countries allow public drinking (not intoxication) with some restrictions such as localized neighbourhood bylaws, school areas, and sensitive natural areas (beaches mostly). Seems to work just fine for them.

Edited by jasmineshinga, 11 September 2018 - 02:03 PM.

[johnk]

Because we don't want more drunken idiots wandering the streets? 
I personally support allowing beer and wine to accompany meals anywhere (ie. picnics) but just randomly walking down the sidewalk drinking any alcohol? Not so much.

On a 90° day in Montreal I would pop into a grocery store and head to the cooler in back to snag an ale. 25 cents, 2 cents deposit and how convenient that an opener and a brown bag were located right next to the till. Next block, refreshed, and into a grocery store to recycle la bouteille and recoup my 2 cents. Never saw people staggering or barfing. Civilization.

[Stephen James]

Because we don't want more drunken idiots wandering the streets? 

I personally support allowing beer and wine to accompany meals anywhere (ie. picnics) but just randomly walking down the sidewalk drinking any alcohol? Not so much.

Do you perceive there are more "drunken idiots" on the streets where having a beer is legal?  (thinking all of Europe, most of S America... and so on.)

[Stephen James]

I've asked people who use the word "Kek", "Praise Kek", stuff like it, to explain the reference for 2 years and never received a reply from even one person.  Anyone heard of this "Kek?"  Some of the places I've it mentioned are pretty sinister.

[spanky123]

Most of Europe, Oceana, and various civilized countries allow public drinking (not intoxication) with some restrictions such as localized neighbourhood bylaws, school areas, and sensitive natural areas (beaches mostly). Seems to work just fine for them.

 

Now I haven't been everywhere is Europe but I have been to many places. My experience is that you can't just go wandering down any street drinking booze. Most places I have been to allow outdoor drinking next to a bar, pub, etc to expand the area and allow for socializing outdoors.

[rmpeers]

Bringing it back to the thread topic, Issit's raising the need for safe-toking spaces is to me symptomatic of someone whose priorities as a councillor are way off base. Look around at the city... are safe havens for the gettin' higher choir really a priority item at this point?

[Mattjvd]

I've asked people who use the word "Kek", "Praise Kek", stuff like it, to explain the reference for 2 years and never received a reply from even one person.  Anyone heard of this "Kek?"  Some of the places I've it mentioned are pretty sinister.

I guess no one around here knows? I've never head it, and didn't notice that was a username of a member until after I read your comment.

[shoeflack]

I've asked people who use the word "Kek", "Praise Kek", stuff like it, to explain the reference for 2 years and never received a reply from even one person.  Anyone heard of this "Kek?"  Some of the places I've it mentioned are pretty sinister.

 

Have a read here...

 

https://knowyourmeme...mes/cult-of-kek

[m3m]

Now I haven't been everywhere is Europe but I have been to many places. My experience is that you can't just go wandering down any street drinking booze. Most places I have been to allow outdoor drinking next to a bar, pub, etc to expand the area and allow for socializing outdoors.

 

My experience in Europe is totally different.  I've absolutely been able to take alcohol and walk down any street without anybody looking twice.  I've done it plenty of times and nobody has ever given me a dirty look.  Picnic under the eiffel tower? Definitely bring a bottle of wine.  Heading to a concert?  Bring a beer for the tube ride.  Heading to the beach? bring a six-pack.   The only drunken hooligans I saw were the football crazies and the after-the-bar-closes crazies.

 

My favourite public drinking experience from my time in Europe is when I walked the Camino de Santiago.  Along the path there is a "wine fountain" where pilgrims are encouraged to fill up their canteen's with wine to give them strength to walk the last couple of kilometers.   (google "bodegas irache")

 

Honestly, it's one of the things I miss most about living in Europe and because of that I've basically stopped caring about the public consumption laws here.  In summer, I often stop into a liquor store and pick up a tall can or two with the girlfriend and walk around downtown with it, watching the buskers, enjoying the sun.  I'm not being a delinquent, I'm being European. 

[spanky123]

My experience in Europe is totally different.  I've absolutely been able to take alcohol and walk down any street without anybody looking twice.  I've done it plenty of times and nobody has ever given me a dirty look.  Picnic under the eiffel tower? Definitely bring a bottle of wine.  Heading to a concert?  Bring a beer for the tube ride.  Heading to the beach? bring a six-pack.   The only drunken hooligans I saw were the football crazies and the after-the-bar-closes crazies.

 

My favourite public drinking experience from my time in Europe is when I walked the Camino de Santiago.  Along the path there is a "wine fountain" where pilgrims are encouraged to fill up their canteen's with wine to give them strength to walk the last couple of kilometers.   (google "bodegas irache")

 

Honestly, it's one of the things I miss most about living in Europe and because of that I've basically stopped caring about the public consumption laws here.  In summer, I often stop into a liquor store and pick up a tall can or two with the girlfriend and walk around downtown with it, watching the buskers, enjoying the sun.  I'm not being a delinquent, I'm being European. 

 

I think we are talking about different things. Are you saying that you see people with open bottles drinking while walking downtown or just that they bring booze to destinations that they can then drink at? 

[Mike K.]

Honestly, it's one of the things I miss most about living in Europe and because of that I've basically stopped caring about the public consumption laws here.  In summer, I often stop into a liquor store and pick up a tall can or two with the girlfriend and walk around downtown with it, watching the buskers, enjoying the sun.  I'm not being a delinquent, I'm being European. 

 

 

You're the brother I never had.

[m3m]

I think we are talking about different things. Are you saying that you see people with open bottles drinking while walking downtown or just that they bring booze to destinations that they can then drink at? 

 

Both. They even sell wine in juice boxes specifically for this.  If you were feeling extra fancy, you'd get something like this:

 

[LJ]

^ A lot of single use plastic there, that would never work here.

[jasmineshinga]

Germans take it a step further, with beer kiosks on street corners. One purchases a beer (ein Mass = 1L) in a glass stein and pays a Euro deposit. You receive a coloured token. You can then wander town, drinking and enjoying the sights, and when you reach another kiosk you can trade your token and stein back for a refund, or else buy a refill and keep going. This was valid anywhere in Berlin: streets, parks, plazas, etc. Not usually cool to bring your full beverage into a restaurant though, they want you to try their beer I was there when Germany won the 2014 World Cup, and the city did not turn into a heap of broken glass shockingly.

[Nparker]

Berlin is awesome for so many reasons.

[Rob Randall]

Yeah, but Germans are very orderly and regimented. There's a lot of stuff they do there that if it was implemented here all hell would break loose. Imagine if Beacon Hill Park had a nude section.

[Nparker]

...Imagine if Beacon Hill Park had a nude section.

As long as no one is charged a fee to partake in the nudity, the "Friends of BHP" should approve.  After all what is more natural than being nude?