# Crazy Woman accosts my son and me in a bar **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 13, 2014, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648 "2014-01-13T10:45:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/81 "2014-01-14T21:50:15Z")
> [@](#): > > Confronting you regarding the issue of alcohol was definitely crazy. On the other hand, if someone confronted you about the wrongness of referring to your child as “the tax deduction”, they would have a point. Mr. Grouchy got out of the wrong side of bed today I guess. When come back, maybe bring a sense of humor? > [@pancakes3](#): > > What if she was… Canadian? I’d be shocked - and I’m not even joking here - if someone from Canada did this. _Shocked_. Canadians are far too nice. Good thing we weren’t in a movie theater in Florida tho. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/82 "2014-01-15T10:20:04Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > So is a pub a restaurant that also serves alcohol, or is it a bar that also serves food? I’d be rather shocked to see anyone underage in the latter. I’ve never seen a bar without a ‘no one under 21 allowed’ sign, hell even a lot of restaurants don’t let kids in their bar area. Of course, I only go to gay bars so seeing a kid would especially be really, really strange. A pub may sell food, or it may not. Nearly all pubs will sell bar snacks like crisps and nuts, however. Down to the pub in question. My in-laws own an inn in Scotland and they sell food. About half their income comes from the restaurant and half from the bar. It used to be when I was small (i.e. in the 90s), and may still be the case, that many pubs did not allow children (perhaps as a matter of law) in to the bar area itself and had a separate vault or other room where children could sit with their families. > [@Darryl Lict](#): > > Well this article claims 224 taps all with different beers at the Taco Mac in Cumming, Georgia. > > Same article says that the Yardhouse in Long Beach has 250 taps but only 180 different beers. > > I seem to recall that the Goat’s Hill Tavern in Costa Mesa had the world record at one point but currently has 140+ beers on tap. I’ve actually stood in the keg room and yeah, it is a marvel to behold. Marvel? Sounds more like a disaster! Once you get past five or six pumps in all but the busiest of bars there’s no way that people are drinking the beer fast enough to stop it going stale, and the amount of work to keep the pipes clean must be astronomical, if they’re actually keeping them clean, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/83 "2014-01-15T10:24:21Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I’m an American who has never been to England but I know that’s not true. They serve some ales at a warmer temp than a lager, but still far colder than room temperature. > > What Americans do is drink alot of beers ice-cold, which is great for an awful, mass-produced, flavorless beer like some of our more popular ones. They even promote that in their ads. A good lager will taste better when it’s cold, but not on the verge of frozen. Yes. British and Irish ales are properly served at cellar temperature (modulo Guinness, which has an extra cold line out, but is ordinarily served at cellar temperature too), which is cooler than room temperature but not as cold as fridge temperature. Lager is served refrigerated but not icy cold. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/84 "2014-01-15T10:40:44Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > What if she was… Canadian? > [@DragonAsh](#): > > I’d be shocked - and I’m not even joking here - if someone from Canada did this. _Shocked_. Canadians are far too nice. Well, in Canada (the province of Alberta specifically), we do have bars where minors (those under 18) are not permitted under any circumstances. If they’re 18 or over, they’re welcome. But not under, and so, in such places, even a family with kids under 18 cannot enter. Note that when Albertan kids hit 18, they’re not interested in being out with Mom and Dad. They’re off to the bars and clubs on their own. (The drinking age in Alberta is 18.) ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/85 "2014-01-15T11:49:04Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Well, in Canada (the province of Alberta specifically), we do have bars where minors (those under 18) are not permitted under any circumstances. Just clarifying because of the way this was worded - does that mean you have bars where minors -are- permitted? Or do you mean that all bars are off-limits for minors? How are bars defined? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/86 "2014-01-15T14:26:16Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I’m an American who has never been to England but I know that’s not true. They serve some ales at a warmer temp than a lager, but still far colder than room temperature. > > What Americans do is drink alot of beers ice-cold, which is great for an awful, mass-produced, flavorless beer like some of our more popular ones. They even promote that in their ads. A good lager will taste better when it’s cold, but not on the verge of frozen. Yes, I’d love to know where this “Brits drink beer at room temperature” idea got started. We really don’t. If I got served a pint at room temperature then I’d hand it straight back. Bitter/ale just doesn’t taste right if it’s fridge cold. It’s kept in the cellar which is usually around 10-13C (50-55F) when served. Draught lagers are kept chilled but not at freezing point. Bottled lagers and other drinks are kept in fridges behind the bar which are at fridge temperature. Both of these are probably around 4-5C (40F). ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/87 "2014-01-15T14:43:57Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > When come back, maybe bring a sense of humor? Even if I accepted the proposition that referring to a child as “the tax deduction” is funny, that’s beside the point. Children can be emotionally hurt by an attitude, even if the adult intends it to be funny. A child’s mind doesn’t always grasp the intent behind a remark, even when the adult thinks it’s obvious. Has it occurred to you that when he’s somewhat older, your son might read your posts on this very message board? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/88 "2014-01-15T14:53:43Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > Marvel? Sounds more like a disaster! Once you get past five or six pumps in all but the busiest of bars there’s no way that people are drinking the beer fast enough to stop it going stale, and the amount of work to keep the pipes clean must be astronomical, if they’re actually keeping them clean, that is. Clean? What is this “clean” you are talking about? Goat Hill has a cement floor covered in peanut shells, tables made out of lineman spools, and more crap on the walls than you can imagine. And not that “Cracker Barrel rustic” decoration, either. Genuine American crap! I’ve been hanging out, off and on, at that place for decades. I think they are still on their first keg for some of those taps. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/89 "2014-01-15T16:02:40Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Yes, I’d love to know where this “Brits drink beer at room temperature” idea got started. We really don’t. If I got served a pint at room temperature then I’d hand it straight back. It’s because you’re Brits. You do everything slightly wrong. This is America, where we know how to drink beer correctly - ice cold, mass-produced using rice sugar, and generally awful. > [@](#): > > Draught lagers See what I mean? You even spell “draft” wrong! 😃 (I once had a laugh when a guy told me that he had seen “Guinness DROT” on sale.) ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/90 "2014-01-15T16:04:43Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > Even if I accepted the proposition that referring to a child as “the tax deduction” is funny, that’s beside the point. Children can be emotionally hurt by an attitude, even if the adult intends it to be funny. A child’s mind doesn’t always grasp the intent behind a remark, even when the adult thinks it’s obvious. Has it occurred to you that when he’s somewhat older, your son might read your posts on this very message board? Had it occurred to you that one of the most important things to teach a child is how to have a sense of humor? No, probably not. I think any kid who can read this board and/or knows what a tax deduction is can handle a little teasing. ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/91 "2014-01-15T16:06:10Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > Even if I accepted the proposition that referring to a child as “the tax deduction” is funny, that’s beside the point. Children can be emotionally hurt by an attitude, even if the adult intends it to be funny. A child’s mind doesn’t always grasp the intent behind a remark, even when the adult thinks it’s obvious. Has it occurred to you that when he’s somewhat older, your son might read your posts on this very message board? Well, by that time my child will have had the benefit of og knows how many years of actually…you know, living with me. Actions vs words, etc; my guess is it wouldn’t matter what I called him if I actually treated him merely like a tax deduction. More importantly, it’s occurred to me that when he’s somewhat older and able to read posts on an adult message board, he will have the capacity to understand devilishly difficult, arcane concepts such as humor, sarcasm, terms of endearment, and the like. Maybe your children don’t. But nice to know the PC Police are still out in force, trying to tell everybody how they should speak. :rolleyes: You do realize you’re the message board equivalent of the crazy lady in the bar, right? ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/92 "2014-01-15T16:13:28Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > You do realize you’re the message board equivalent of the crazy lady in the bar, right? Boom. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/93 "2014-01-16T08:25:45Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Yes, I’d love to know where this “Brits drink beer at room temperature” idea got started. We really don’t. If I got served a pint at room temperature then I’d hand it straight back. > > Bitter/ale just doesn’t taste right if it’s fridge cold. It’s kept in the cellar which is usually around 10-13C (50-55F) when served. > > Draught lagers are kept chilled but not at freezing point. Bottled lagers and other drinks are kept in fridges behind the bar which are at fridge temperature. Both of these are probably around 4-5C (40F). Anecdotal sure - but I do know of one Blardy Pom, he’d call the bar to let the barman (me da’) know he was on the way, and to draw him a pint and set it on the bar - he lived a 30 minute drive away ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/94 "2014-01-16T14:53:25Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > Incidently, I’m currently working at a bar at in football ground- the bar may be inside the stadium, and alcohol may be sold before the match, during half time, and after the match. People are also allowed to stay and finish their drink after half time if they’re not in sight of the pitch, the FA rules just forbid people from drinking in view of a game in play- the rest if left up to the venue. Really? You can’t finish your beer while you watch the game? Has it always been like that, or is that something they started because people were being problematic if allowed to drink all through the game? ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/95 "2014-01-16T15:09:12Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > Really? You can’t finish your beer while you watch the game? Has it always been like that, or is that something they started because people were being problematic if allowed to drink all through the game? Ban was introduced in the mid-1980s, IIRC, likely in response to what was perceived to be alcohol-fueled riots/hooliganism, particularly at football matches. Today, football is the only sporting event I’m aware of in the UK where you’re -not- allowed to drink alcohol at your seat. You can drink a beer during the match in the stadium - but not at your seat. Idea I guess is that if you paid good money to go to a match, you’re not spending the match at the concession stand, you’re sitting in your seat and watching the match. I believe some stadiums must have ‘corporate box seats’ for the big wigs. Are they not allowed to drink as well?? That’d be weird. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/96 "2014-01-16T16:06:15Z")
If she was that upset in a pub, she’d be apoplectic in a Euro MacDonald’s, where they also sell beer. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/97 "2014-01-16T16:06:21Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > Ban was introduced in the mid-1980s, IIRC, likely in response to what was perceived to be alcohol-fueled riots/hooliganism, particularly at football matches. That was the reason I suspected, though I felt a bit delicate asking “Is it because y’all can’t drink during the game without getting shit-faced and starting a brawl?” The news coverage of those riots was my first exposure to European drinking habits–my first exposure to any drinking habits, actually, my family and their friends not drinking anything stronger than coffee. It’s probably why I always have a slight frisson of :dubious: when people wax on about how Europeans are so much more sensible and responsible and moderate about alcohol than Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/98 "2014-01-16T16:07:59Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > Just clarifying because of the way this was worded - does that mean you have bars where minors -are- permitted? Or do you mean that all bars are off-limits for minors? > > How are bars defined? Generally, there aren’t any standalone bars that do not serve food, and minors are permitted in licensed areas if it’s a restaurant. So, what many places have done is to split the business physically into the “bar side” and the “restaurant side.” The full menu, and alcohol, is available in both, but minors are not permitted on the bar side. My guess is that this arrangement was done because of the introduction of video lottery terminals (VLTs) into licensed areas. It’s not the alcohol that’s a problem; Mom and Dad can have a beer while Junior has something less potent on the restaurant side. But the bar side has the VLTs, and we can’t have Junior around those. Of course, with increasingly stricter laws regarding children and smoking over the last twenty years, the arrangement also worked well in allowing adults a place to smoke and drink without exposing children to the smoke. Nowadays, the bar side is smoke-free, but the VLTs remain, so–no minors. Note that a restaurant can designate itself as “no minors” even if it has no VLTs, and some do, but those tend to be the places you wouldn’t want to take children anyway. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/99 "2014-01-16T16:16:21Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > It’s because you’re Brits. You do everything slightly wrong. This is America, where we know how to drink beer correctly - ice cold, mass-produced using rice sugar, and generally awful. I’ve seen my mom put ice cubes in beer which even as a child I instinctively knew was an awful thing to do. Like ice cubes in milk. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648/100 "2014-01-16T16:31:02Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > I’ve seen my mom put ice cubes in beer which even as a child I instinctively knew was an awful thing to do. Like ice cubes in milk. Whoa. I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you’re in therapy to work through that childhood issue. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-woman-accosts-my-son-and-me-in-a-bar/678648.md?page=6)