Run out of beer on Sunday? Someone is worried:"they’ll be able to drive to the store to buy more,”

[The Straight Story]

A traffic safety expert is warning Georgia cities to make sure they’re prepared for an uptick in drunken driving before they decide to let residents vote on the chance to buy alcohol in stores on Sundays.

To Bob Dallas, former head of the Governor’s Office on Highway Safety, that means more training for police to spot impaired drivers and local campaigns to make it clear offenders will be found.

“If people are drinking at home and run out of beer Sundays, they’ll be able to drive to the store to buy more,” he said. “That’s a threat to keeping your community safe.”

Regional police agencies, though, downplay those worries. Many argue that their traffic patrols won’t change much if Sunday sales are allowed.


http://www.ajc.com/news/sunday-sales-impact-on-950839.html

[damntexdem]

1. Yeah, because that would never happen on any other day of the week.

Of course, it may be that when they get out of church on Sunday, a lot of Georgians may feel the need for a drink. ;-)

[monmouth]

10. My dad headed for the Knights of Columbus, had a bloody mary

and called it "benediction."

[era veteran]

25. The Elks Club and The American Legion

[Bozita]

2. Maybe Georgia could just rule out by law the days other than Sunday.

Imagine the increased godliness!

[cordelia]

3. Back in the old days

we'd just drive across the state line to SC and get our Sunday fix from the bootleggers.

[former9thward]

4. It is not a very logical argument.

If you are drinking at home on a Monday you can drive to the store and buy more. Should we ban beer sales on Monday as well as every other day you can drink at home?

[Lionessa]

5. That's ridiculous. I was raised in TX and we had blue laws and dry/wet counties

and cities. It was even more ridiculous. I don't know if that's changed, haven't been back since mid-80s. I do know that Bryan/College Station went from dry to wet because so many TxA&M students were getting killed in accidents going to nearby counties for booze. Of course, back then drinking age was also 18, not 21, so lots (ie most) of college kids wanted to drink.

[customerserviceguy]

12. I'm hoping

that in some future year, in some sort of Supreme Court that is free of religion, that blue laws are finally declared to be an establishment of religion, as prohibited by the First Amendment.

[Lionessa]

13. So they are still going? You still have half the stores roped off on Sunday?

Too f'ing funny,... okay not for you, for you it sucks.

[CTyankee]

29. That's what we have in CT supermarkets! You CANNOT purchase beer

in supermarkets or any food stores on Sunday in the state! And the liquor stores are closed also. Unbelievable!

The liquor store owners trade association is behind keeping this restriction tho most people WANT to buy beer on Sundays in the supermarkets. They don't want the state lege to allow the liquor stores to be open on Sundays either. They think it will end up costing them more than they would profit because they have to pay for staffing the stores, electricity, etc.

The will of the people of my state is being thwarted by one small interest group...

[DiverDave]

6. Just make friends with the bar owner,

he will let you buy on sunday.
Thats what my friend did in Rockport, Indiana.

[WatsonT]

7. These bans only work to ensure that people stock up on alcohol

meaning when they're already kinda buzzed they have lots of booze available to them.

Meaning people get really hammered.

If they didn't fear being unable to get alcohol they wouldn't feel the need to horde.

Blue laws are idiotic and those who support them ought to be embarrassed by their own foolishness.

[spin]

8. The town I live in doesn't allow beer sales on Sunday ...

so I stock up on Saturday just in case.

That usually means I drink more on Sunday than I would if I could buy beer.

[mrcheerful]

9. Funny how blue law states law makers thought they could stop behaviors of people

by making laws to restrict what people can buy on Sundays. So people stock up Saturday which either means Saturday night they drink more then they planned on or Sunday they did the same. It is rather stupid and yet these same people are worried about Muslim laws being enacted, doh.

[spin]

20. When I lived in the Tampa Bay area of Florida ...

I could buy beer after 1 pm on Sunday. In north Florida, where I am now I can't buy beer at all unless I drive 30 miles. I honestly believe a higher percentage of people here are alcoholics than in the Tampa Bay area. North Florida is also a area with a lot more Bible thumpers.

[customerserviceguy]

11. I've lived on the East Coast for a bit more than four years now

And when you look at the laws regarding alcohol, you'd think that Prohibition had just ended five years ago. And, yeah, that goes for the equal-marriage-friendly Northeast, as well.

[CTyankee]

30. In CT it's not a prohibition thing, it's the Liquor Store Owners Association

lobbying (successfully) the state lege. They don't want to be open on Sundays and they don't want competition from the supermarkets so we have the ridiculous sight of the beer aisle being shrouded on Sundays. It's truly bizarre for a state like CT...

[HockeyMom]

14. Back in the 50s, my Uncle crossed state lines

to buy beer for his Sunday BBQ. He went from Indiana to Illinois to get it. Even as a little kid, I can remember him laughing about it.

[XanaDUer]

15. This is totally religion-based bs

I remember reading in the papers how the local S. Baptists loved showcasing this as a cute sort-of-fun "tradition" that should not change, well, just because.

I asked one guy how would he feel if Roman Catholics became the predominant religious group in GA, and outlawed buying red meat on Fridays?

Oh, that particular tradition he wasn't so nuts about.

EDIT: Typo

[taterguy]

16. Easy solution: No beer sales to people driving cars

It's not difficult to carry a 12-pack on a bicycle and if you need more than that then you've got a problem.

(Yes, I realize that sometimes people buy beer to share with others and once in a while people go to a store and buy beer plus other stuff)

[KamaAina]

17. Nice post, Lance Armstrong!

Last I heard, biking under the influence was also illegal. Even wheelchair users have been busted for "WUI"!

[taterguy]

19. For years DUI was the only part of the Motor Vehicle Code that didn't apply to cyclists

The logic was that since most people own bikes and cars you should give them an incentive to use a mode of transportation that isn't likely to harm others.

The lege isn't so logical anymore.

[leftstreet]

18. Why do they sell a case of beer cold, but a case of soda warm?

It's not like you can pop open a beer when you get back in the car

[taterguy]

23. Because you can instantly chill a soda by pouring it in a cup of ice

I guess it's possible to do that with a beer but why would you want to?

[Enrique]

21. easier solution: free beer delivery for everyone on Sunday

the cops could do the deliveries.

[taterguy]

24. Free beer on Sunday?

Damn. I almost wish I hadn't quit drinking.

[Dappleganger]

22. Well if they had beer delivered the same day it wouldn't be a problem.

You wouldn't even need to get out of your Barco-lounger or remove the hand from the waistband of your unbuttoned wranglers. ;)

[HopeHoops]

26. Just a threat on Sunday? Why, because there are already a bunch of drunken church people out there?

[blueamy66]

27. Oh Please.

Gotta love AZ for at least one thing.....we can buy beer at 6 a.m. on Sundays....because of the 3 hour time difference for sporting events on the East Coast and for tailgaters who want to start early before the Cards' games....

:-)

[Shagbark Hickory]

28. Under existing law, they can just go to Applebees and get hammered there. nt