Carded

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rustythread

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The other day at the grocery, I made my approximatly-annual purchase of a pack of 4 Bic lighters. At the checkout, the clerk demanded my driver's license. Now, I'm visibly tending toward the ancient--white hair, white beard, and enough wrinkles to impress a French bulldog. WTF? The clerk stated "It"s required." as she scanned my DL.
No explanation whether this is state policy or store manager fiat.
Here in the People's Democratic Republic of Illinois there is more than enough silliness to go around. Gotta wonder if they'd have strip-searched and fingerprinted me if I'd tried to buy a can of charcoal starter fluid. I guess I'm supp;osed to be grateful that the state is protecting me from the menace of private ownership of the means to cause mass conflagrations.
 
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Don't feel alone. Think it has become policy at many nationwide retailers (Love's Truck Stops come to mind) that they will require an ID to scan for any tobacco or tobacco-related products. The same is true down south here in Mississippi. However, I can go to a gun store and buy a bunch of ammo and they don't ask for an ID at all. I know in your state you are required to have a Firearms Owner's ID (FOID) to buy any ammo or firearms. I lived in Illinois in the late 80's during one of my active duty Air Force tours. I just got back from vacation in Utah and despite my gray hair they asked for an ID to purchase alcohol without exception; state law.
 
Huh, Didn't know there was an age requirement for lighters.

I'm 73. First time since I was a kid I got carded was buying beer in Hawaii in my early 50s. I was pretty surprised. Asked the cashier about it and she said it was store policy.

I get carded all the time nowadays.

My belief is that it is store policy, and the reason for it is the owners of the store want to follow state law for age requirements, and they have had a few knuckle-headed cashiers who have sold to minors. So rather than monitoring the knuckleheads, it's easier to just make a policy to card every single person buying alcohol. (Or lighters, apparently.)
 
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rustythread said:
The other day at the grocery, I made my approximatly-annual purchase of a pack of 4 Bic lighters. At the checkout, the clerk demanded my driver's license. Now, I'm visibly tending toward the ancient--white hair, white beard, and enough wrinkles to impress a French bulldog. WTF? The clerk stated "It"s required." as she scanned my DL.
No explanation whether this is state policy or store manager fiat.
Here in the People's Democratic Republic of Illinois there is more than enough silliness to go around. Gotta wonder if they'd have strip-searched and fingerprinted me if I'd tried to buy a can of charcoal starter fluid. I guess I'm supp;osed to be grateful that the state is protecting me from the menace of private ownership of the means to cause mass conflagrations.
Click to expand...
Looking at a ID and comparing it to the purchaser is one thing. Scanning it into the system is another, A BIG ANOTHER!:mad:
 
NYlakesider said:
Looking at a ID and comparing it to the purchaser is one thing. Scanning it into the system is another, A BIG ANOTHER!:mad:
Click to expand...
I agree, but I think what is going on is the store wants an indisputable record that anyone who has bought alcohol in their store was of legal age.

I think the point from the store's point of view is that if somehow alcohol is sold to a minor in their store they can make the case that they have a strict policy against this and it was the individual cashier's fault, not theirs.

Thinking about it, I don't think I have ever been carded in a liquor (hard liquor) store since I became old enough to obviously be of age. Just in supermarkets when buying beer or wine.
 
rustythread said:
The other day at the grocery, I made my approximatly-annual purchase of a pack of 4 Bic lighters. At the checkout, the clerk demanded my driver's license. Now, I'm visibly tending toward the ancient--white hair, white beard, and enough wrinkles to impress a French bulldog. WTF? The clerk stated "It"s required." as she scanned my DL.
No explanation whether this is state policy or store manager fiat.
Here in the People's Democratic Republic of Illinois there is more than enough silliness to go around. Gotta wonder if they'd have strip-searched and fingerprinted me if I'd tried to buy a can of charcoal starter fluid. I guess I'm supp;osed to be grateful that the state is protecting me from the menace of private ownership of the means to cause mass conflagrations.
Click to expand...
It is a liability and confrontation avoidance thing.
If the clerk just asks everybody for an ID, it takes the responsibility for determining younger customer’s ages based on appearance out of the clerk’s hands, and so eliminates the possibility of selling controlled items to underage people.
Offend everybody equally.
 
Onomea said:
I agree, but I think what is going on is the store wants an indisputable record that anyone who has bought alcohol in their store was of legal age.

I think the point from the store's point of view is that if somehow alcohol is sold to a minor in their store they can make the case that they have a strict policy against this and it was the individual cashier's fault, not theirs.

Thinking about it, I don't think I have ever been carded in a liquor (hard liquor) store since I became old enough to obviously be of age. Just in supermarkets when buying beer or wine.
Click to expand...

The last time I got carded buying booze was so long ago our drivers licenses were made of cardboard and had no picture!

This come to you from a person when the legal drinking age in NY was 18 and at 16 in most places I had no problem. Times they have a changed! :D
 
Onomea said:
I agree, but I think what is going on is the store wants an indisputable record that anyone who has bought alcohol in their store was of legal age.

I think the point from the store's point of view is that if somehow alcohol is sold to a minor in their store they can make the case that they have a strict policy against this and it was the individual cashier's fault, not theirs...
Click to expand...
Sadly, I think you're right. My Latin is a tad rusty, but in legal terms it might be lex protegere culo ie to Cover Your A**. But after lighters, what's next? Background check for Bernzomatic torches & propane?

I don't think they do it here yet (British Columbia) but at Home Depot in Bellingham at the self-serve checkouts (pretty much the only choice) the scanner also has a camera.

We need to sign to purchase bear spray, yet a number of criminals are using it in holdups if they can't get a gun. (However, it appears they can get guns without signing anything!(
 
I have a situation where my hair on top is still black and my whiskers are practically white. I guess if I was still drinking I'd have to go without shaving for two days in order to buy liquor.
 
My local Safeway started that policy a few years ago with nicotine patches and when wine and beer sales became legal here. It was kind of amusing when I forgot to renew my license prior to COVID and most of the dmvs were closed down. The pharmacist would not sell me the patches,but the cashiers would sell me wine or beer lol. (It took an entire day with an appt to take both tests and renew that license😱😳)
 
Yep, liability for the store. Big trouble these days if some idiot does something stupid. Not his fault, who can we blame. Deep pockets.
 
My son's father in law is retired from the local ABC Board . He was an Investigator . He said they routinely sent underage people in to attempt to make purchases of alcohol and tobacco products .
 
My wife sent me to the grocery store for generic Sudafed the other day. She said to make sure to have my ID with me. I had to go to the customer service counter to get it and it was locked up of course. The clerk took out a book, recorded all of my information and had me sign for it. It is used in manufacturing Meth so that is what it has come to.
 
djohns6 said:
My son's father in law is retired from the local ABC Board . He was an Investigator . He said they routinely sent underage people in to attempt to make purchases of alcohol and tobacco products .
Click to expand...
Back in the day, we were smart enough to pay a bum to go in for us. Of course every now and then the bum would take off with the booze and the money, but that was a risk one ran, back in the day...

(Hmm. I wonder why we were't smart enough to hand over the money after receiving the goods...)
 
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