Asking for or being asked for ID?

[DimesDan]

Where I work we have a policy called "Think 25". Even though the age you can legally buy alcoholic beverages and cigarettes in the UK is 18, if you look under 25 which actually applies to all age restricted products, I can, as part of my job, ask a person for ID and if they don't supply the ID or they show me one that isn't recognised as a legal form of ID I can refuse sale.

Now this really only applies to selling/buying alcohol as I work the Beers, Wines and Spirits department. The BWS department is as you can imagine a popular department with in the store and because there are two universities in Bath, the city has a high percentage of young people who fall under the Think 25 category. So I do ask for ID at least a few times each shift.

Normally most people are fine with being asked and if they don't have any, they understand (although a little annoyed) that I can not legally allow them to proceed with their purchase of alcohol. I've had a few who have got very angry and on one occasion, I had to get security involved and the person was escorted out of the store.

From a more personal viewpoint of it, I don't tend to agree with mine and other supermarkets/public houses/clubs being allowed to have such a huge age gap between when it's legal to do something and then, you must look over a certain, far older age to buy the product. There used to be a policy of Think 21 which I think is fairer, but I think that was upped due to not being very effective.

Being 28 but looking younger than I am, I still get ID'd which, I find amusing and somewhat flattering, but what do others think? If you're in a job that requires you to ask for ID on age restricted products, do you enforce it as well as you should, do you feel comfy asking and do you even agree with asking for it in the first place and those of you who still get ID'd, do you find this annoying or like me, flattering?

 

[Kestra]

No problem with it.

 

[thestrangequark]

It doesn't bother me, I know they're just doing their jobs. And I do get carded every time I purchase alcohol, cigarettes, or try to enter a club. However, seeing as I was recently asked by a tourist if I take the subway to high school by myself, I can see why it happens so often. I'm 28.

 

[kirsten187]

I used to work on the checkouts in a supermarket when I was at uni so I was well used to asking for ID from 2001 to 2005. I'm 31 and I was asked for ID earlier this year (granted, was 30 at the time) but it was still pretty cool!

 

[auntiehill]

I got asked for ID until I was about 32 ish. Then comes that fateful day when no one even HESITATES anymore; they just let you buy the wine or get into the club without a second thought. OUCH.

That's when you know you're no longer young.

 

[tafkats]

I'm 31 and it's still 50/50 whether I get carded or not, unless it's at a place where people recognize me.

Interestingly, they're a lot less likely to ask when I'm coming from work and wearing a tie.

 

[RoJoHen]

In the US, most places follow an "under 40" policy. It's a little extreme, but at least it covers your ass. I was a bartender for 5 years, and I would much rather be safe than sorry. If I had sold alcohol to someone underage, I could have gotten in A LOT of trouble, and the bar where I worked could have lost their liquor license.

People need to realize that we don't card them to get them in trouble. We card them to keep ourselves out of trouble.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

I'm 21, and I only get asked for ID about half the time. Either I seem older than I am or people are rather laidback about doing their job. I certainly don't mind being asked, especially given my young age. The few times I've been asked and haven't got any identification on me, I just accept my poor decision and try somewhere else (whether the poor decision was forgetting age identification or the choice of establishment I'll leave up to you ). Usually the second place won't ask for ID, so it doesn't make much of a difference. I try to remember to bring something next time.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

People need to realize that we don't card them to get them in trouble. We card them to keep ourselves out of trouble.

That's a very important point.

 

[Emher]

I've probably been carded a handful of times when buying alcohol. First time it happened, a full two years after I had reached the age to legally start buying stronger alcohol in Sweden (21), I was so happy it's crazy

 

[Count Zero]

I don't think I ever got carded in the super market even when I was underage and buying alcohol.
The only incident I can remember was being carded when I tried to watch a movie rated 18 when I was 14. But I was successful at the next place.

 

[Finn]

An attendant at the airport once took his time comparing the photo to me, squinting at me and back to my driver's license several times. It was odd. I looked the same as I did in the photo.

 

[Jonas Grumby]

Well, it's been my experience that there are two types of people who would make a big stink about being asked for proof of age: those who actually are underage and those who are just assholes. Refusing service to either type has never cost me any sleep.

A similar situation I encounter from time to time and find amusing is when a new bank teller at my local bank (who doesn't yet know me by sight) will ask me for ID when I'm withdrawing money from my account. They invariably apologize profusely for doing so! I have to explain to them that if someone is withdrawing money from my account, I want them to be sure it's me!

 

[Mary Ann]

At 43 I wish someone would card me, even if they're obviously doing it just to make my day.

I was carded for years, though, and it never bothered me. I'm 5'2" and used to have a youngish face, so I was carded into my early 30s. The people doing so were just doing their jobs and protecting their asses from the law, and if carding people like me meant keeping minors away from buying alcohol and such I'm all for it.

 

[sojourner]

For those that forget their ID there is always one of my favorite says:

"Your piss poor planning is not my emergency."

Not really meant for that situation, but it still works.

 

[Kemaiku]

When I was 19 I was still being mistaken for 11 or 15 rather often, I'm now nearly 27, far less androgynous and obviously in my twenties, I still get asked for ID quite often. The day they *stop* asking me, I'll be offended

 

[Kai "the spy"]

Some people will always look not their age.

I happen to work at an adult video store, so I know the situation, although most of my customers are well over 30. But there have been situations when I actually had to ask for an ID.

Once, there was this short guy, coming with another guy. Now, the other guy, no problem, he was clearly around 30. The short guy, who was also skinny, I was not sure of. Especially when the other guy told him to pick a film he liked. So I asked the short guy for his ID. Turned out he was older than me.

Then, another time, there was this guy who stepped under the doorframe, not actually entering. He looked alright to me. Didn't think to ask for an ID. But he stood there, looking at me and asking if I could sell him a DVD. Before I could answer, he asked if these films all had an 18+ rating. And you know, when someone asks you this question, you get a little suspicious. So I told him yes, all the films were for adults only. He looked disappointed, said "I'm only 16" and went off. That guy was as tall as me and had a beard growing. Seriously, he looked well over 18, but apparently was not.
And no five minutes later, he's back again, still not stepping into the store, and asked me if I couldn't make an exception for him. Yeah, right.

 

[RoJoHen]

For those that forget their ID there is always one of my favorite says:

"Your piss poor planning is not my emergency."

Not really meant for that situation, but it still works.

One of my favorite things while bartending was having parents try to vouch for their kids. These kids, who may or may not have been of age, would not bring their IDs. Their parents would try to argue with me. "I'm his dad. I know he's over 21."

Sorry, dad. I don't care. I can't just take your word for it.

 

[Timby]

For those that forget their ID there is always one of my favorite says:

"Your piss poor planning is not my emergency."

Not really meant for that situation, but it still works.

One of my favorite things while bartending was having parents try to vouch for their kids. These kids, who may or may not have been of age, would not bring their IDs. Their parents would try to argue with me. "I'm his dad. I know he's over 21."

Sorry, dad. I don't care. I can't just take your word for it.

Oh, yeah. I got a lot of that (I've told the "Bacardi and white lemonade" story here a few times) when I was managing the bar at a boutique hotel in Galena, Illinois, a few years back. Sorry, folks -- Illinois probably has the most draconian dram shop liability laws in the entire country, no way am I risking a hundred thousand bucks and a prison term just because you'll vouch for your son / friend / girlfriend / whatever.

 

[captcalhoun]

I worked 14 years in a shop selling cigarettes. needless to say, I've probably got a few thousand stories about it, but a classic is from when we were operating Think 21. I asked the lad for ID, he hadn't got it, claimed he was 22 and got real shirty when I told him I still couldn't sell him his rizlas. He retorted with a mouthful of abuse and 'you're probably only 24 any way!'

I was actually 30. He knocked 6 years off my age, thus proving you can't go on appearances, but since he was storming out the door, I didn't get a chance to make that point to him.

I've been ID'd once. Age 22 in Our Price in Gloucester trying to buy a Chuck Norris VHS that was an 18. I was distinctly unimpressed. When I was visiting my sister in Bristol a few months later, I bought the video in Our Price there and said loudly in the queue, 'I hope they don't ID me like they did in the Gloucester branch!' They didn't.

I also had to deal with the old 's/he's my son/daughter, they're old enough.' routine or the 'it was for me any way' excuse. I always said, sorry, can't sell them to you, when I've refused them because I don't know they're old enough and you could be supplying the minor. They hated that.