Responsible Drinking Part 1: The Bar

This week's Greg Hall controversy shed light on being responsible when alcohol is present.  There are two parties who share responsibility: bars and drinkers.  Over two days I will look at both.  Many large breweries run a drink responsible campaign, but realistically if you think about it they don't want you to stop drinking.  This is where an establishment has certain duties.

First and foremost, the bartender needs to know when to cut people off.  I know many of you go out to get drunk.  I am not saying bars need to shut you down at the first sign of tipsiness, but there is a line.  A seasoned bartender can often scan a crowd and see who has gone too far, and offer a glass of water instead of the next drink.

Secondly, when a customer crosses the line bar management needs to take appropriate action.  I was once in a bar where a man pulled out his genitals.  He was quickly ejected and the police were called.  Turns out he was a known sex offender.  If you read the comments in response to the Tribune article many people acted like urinating in bars happens all the time.  I go to a lot of bars and know a lot of people who work in bars.  I have never seen someone do this.  Urinating in the middle of the bar is crossing a line, and bar management should take swift action no matter who the customer is.  While urinating is an extreme act there are other behaviors a bar should take action against.  If a person's behavior is offensive or disturbing to the enjoyment of other customers they need to go out the door.

Finally, a bar is responsible for public safety.  If an employee of a bar sees a patron who is intoxicated get into a car they need to step in.  In this case the bar was under the impression Mr. Hall got into his car and drove off.  I would note Greg Hall told the Tribune he waited in the car while his ride was on the way.  Bar management should have called the police.  Under Illinois dram shop laws Bangers and Lace could have been held liable if Mr. Hall drove home and caused an accident.

I started this post by saying responsibility is to be shared.  Tomorrow I will look at what customers owe the bar and their fellow patrons.