# The Drunk British Youth. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 16, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429 "2005-02-16T21:44:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/41 "2005-02-18T12:16:48Z")
> [@Cemetery Savior](#): > > In re: Twisty…no-one would watch a TV show consisting entirely of docilely saturated lager-worshippers eing herded into waiting cabs. Indeed, but I’m just waiting on “Taxu Drivers uncovered” any day now on Sky. I can’t wait to see their informative and balanced investigative reporting on “The Chavs” that will be showing on Monday at 9pm. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/42 "2005-02-18T13:57:06Z")
Ever since 1780, British men are reared with a natural feeling of inferiority to Americans. They recognize our might, penis size, and advanced dentistry. This causes them to become overly aggressive to compensate. Add a little alcohol to the mix and those feelings of inadequacy are expressed as hooliganism. It doesn’t help that the British women are too tight-boxed to give the lads a little “pip pip cheerio” in their knickers from time to time. Very good sir. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/43 "2005-02-18T14:10:50Z")
In Edinburgh, having had pretty relaxed views on granting late licence extensions to almost anybody who asked, there’s now a swing starting back to more regulation to try to cut back the amount of pubs open until 01.00 or 02.00 and later which is seen as a major cause of overdrinking and associated anti-social behaviour. In a lot of cases our extended hours haven’t lead to a more leisurely approach to drinking, just to people drinking more for longer… ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/44 "2005-02-18T14:17:26Z")
> [@Meurglys](#): > > In Edinburgh, having had pretty relaxed views on granting late licence extensions to almost anybody who asked, there’s now a swing starting back to more regulation to try to cut back the amount of pubs open until 01.00 or 02.00 and later which is seen as a major cause of overdrinking and associated anti-social behaviour. > > In a lot of cases our extended hours haven’t lead to a more leisurely approach to drinking, just to people drinking more for longer… I think something similar happened in Ireland - especially around the temple Bar area in Dublin. Can anyone confirm this? ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/45 "2005-02-18T20:35:08Z")
That’s what I hear, but I avoid Temple Bar like the plague, so I couldn’t say for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/46 "2005-02-18T20:53:59Z")
Hmmm…so longer drinking hours didn’t fix things? I guess the only thing to do is go in opposite direction. Prohibition! No more dirty, drunk chavs filling the streets. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/47 "2005-02-18T21:07:07Z")
The British drinking problem is nothing new: wasn’t it Hogarth’s _Gin Lane_? ---
**Author:** ![Legolamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Legolamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legolamb)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/48 "2005-02-19T04:35:01Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Hmmm…so longer drinking hours didn’t fix things? I guess the only thing to do is go in opposite direction. Prohibition! No more dirty, drunk chavs filling the streets. And in the long-term, so we can eventually bring alcohol back, we could neuter them all too. Brilliant! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/49 "2005-02-19T04:52:08Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Can we get one of these shows shipped over to the U.S., so we can make knowing generalizations about the state of British society? > > Seems like a fair trade for _America’s Wildest Police Videos_. 😃 “Look at that bullshit. See’at’s what happens when people can’t carry guns on’em.” ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/50 "2005-02-19T09:58:45Z")
Looking at this thread, you might get the impression that the fighting and poor behaviour occurs in the streets around the pubs. It’s true this happens, but what also happens is that this large number of very drunk folk also happen to reach the fast food outlets and taxi ranks also at the same time. It means if you had some disagreement elswhere in the evening and maybe walked away because you were slightly less drunk, you have a very good chance of meeting them again, only now both parties are far more drunk. Arguments arise over all sorts of stupid things, queuing mainly, but tripping, or piss taking also are good starters for fights. The females are hardly any better either, the boys will make some twisted gesture of chivalry, and the girls wil often egg them on. The drinking establishments also bear a huge responsibility, they only have interest in selling more booze, and do plenty to encourage drinkers to consume more, the ‘happy’ hours that go on all night, the 5 for 4 offers which are fairly common and the high alchohol content drinks, most of these kids couldn’t hold enough beer to get as drunk as they do, but they achieve it by drinking pretty flavoured alchopops. One very common trick in such drinking factories is to make sure the music is turned up way too loud, this means that you can only talk to the person nearest to you, and others can’t get close enough to be included in the conversation, the noise drwons out speech any further that maybe two feet. This leave everyone else not in a conversation to do nothing but drink, this is pretty much industry standard practice. Next time you go in a UK drinking place, note the type of place it is, note the clientele, and then note the sound levels, you’ll see a connection between the amount consumed per person, and the noise. The industry itself denies this claim but the reality is that UK pubs of this type expose their clients to noise levels which exceed occupational health limits, in other words, if you boss exposed you to the same noise levels then you would need hearing protection, and if your hearing was damaged you would win a claim in court, no contest. [http://www.tuc.org.uk/h\_and\_s/tuc-9119-f0.pdf](http://www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s/tuc-9119-f0.pdf) Don’t underestimate the effect of continuous assault by noise, a night spent drinking with communication made difficult and frustrating is bound to contribute to the behaviour of the drinker. Continuously loud noises tend to increase levels of aggression and alertness if its on an occasional basis, like once or twice a week, more adrenalin is produced, but if a person is routinely exposed to this they become worn out - such as a factory worker, exhausted by the end of the week. My personal observation is that quieter places do not generate anything like the same amount of drunkeness and violence. There is also a culture of personal weakeness too, trying to belong. When you know you cpacaity to drink, its very hard to keep within it if you are out with friends drinking in rounds, its made harder because these groups will go to one place for one drink, and rpaidly move to the next place for one more drink and so on. It means you have one drink per destination and these being so concentrated in some town centres, drinkers with lower alchohol tolerance can soon find that capacity exceeded. Young persons of drinking age seem unable to say no to the next round, they haven’t got the self security of person to be able to refuse another drink, and they are not strong enough to simply keep out of a round and just buy the drinks they wish to consume. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/51 "2005-02-19T10:36:35Z")
What **casdave** says is spot on. I would also add that these places sell alcohol for pocket money prices - even in london you can buy a double spirit and mixer for £2.00. Furthermore these places also don’t have places to sit down. or place a drink down. So you are standing with a drink in your hand which makes you drink it faster. ---
**Author:** ![Avenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Avenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avenger)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/52 "2005-02-19T12:07:07Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Hmmm…so longer drinking hours didn’t fix things? I guess the only thing to do is go in opposite direction. Prohibition! No more dirty, drunk chavs filling the streets. To replace fox hunting, legalise chav hunting. Solution to two problems, everyone’s a winner. Tally ho! ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/53 "2005-02-19T12:44:59Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > What **casdave** says is spot on. I would also add that these places sell alcohol for pocket money prices - even in london you can buy a double spirit and mixer for £2.00. Furthermore these places also don’t have places to sit down. or place a drink down. So you are standing with a drink in your hand which makes you drink it faster. Add to that my theory about the volume of music - the louder it is, the less conversation takes place, so you’re likely to drink more. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429/54 "2005-02-19T13:03:08Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > As far as I am concerned you go down the pub at about 8pm if you’re going for the evening. You’d be mortal by 1 o’clock at that rate. Wow. So British bars close early to make sure that young people keep their status as demi-gods, immortals. I had no idea. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-drunk-british-youth/290429.md?page=2)