Mon 30 Oct, 2017 04:29 pm
My immediate post will be about an aggravation of mine today, but I mean the thread to be more long term, useful for the rest of us to post about.
A friend and I went shopping as we often do, and I ran into a situation that threw me for a loop. I was dumbfounded and reacted, but the clerk held her own.
This was at Walgreen's, a popular store in the United States and, for all I know, elsewhere. It has a pharmacy plus aisles of various products.
My friend went off and bought some stuff, and so did I: butter, coffee, shredded cheese - not my favorite shop, but doable. I moved over to alcoholic beverages, got some cabernet and some rum, and went to the sales counter. The clerk told me I needed two i.d.'s. What? I started trying to figure out what would pass for the second one.... my old land arch license? my bank card? (I had been paying cash.)
No, no. The friend who was waiting for me had to show her I.D.. What is up with that? She was just waiting, standing x bunch of feet away.
I consider that invasion of her privacy.
I was close to exploding, and semi exploded, but knew it wasn't the clerk's fault, this sort of thing came from higher.
Friend and I are two women in our seventies.
I hope to never have to go to Walgreen's again.
Oddly, just before we went in the store I mentioned how I'd liked Walgreens as a kid.
I get there may be other views on this - I may be behind the times, scary in itself.
Let me know if I am way off base.
@ossobucotemp,
I have always been able to get past the walgreens' checkout with only a driver license, but they were adamant about seeing it. I am also in my 70's.
By the way, Walgreens is the best in town for alcohol. Also low prices on stuff of the As-Seen-On-TV variety. Otherwise, they have the highest prices in town.
@roger,
The clerk saw my i.d., always previously accepted, but there was this woman clearly waiting with her own packages (I tend to need some help getting around ramps and curbs and stuff, though I still can do it, and she waits for me, re my getting out the door and so on, an easing of my way.
Hey, I remember my last trip to Italy when I was dealing with some horrendo beautiful marble stairs, where, maybe the Barberini. My lack of some ability has probably been lifelong.
I'm still good to go some of the time. Just take longer.
By carding EVERYONE, they can't be accused of discrimination.
@PUNKEY,
Not to argue with my friend, standing maybe 10 feet away from me with her own packages, somewhat adjacent to the outside store door but probably just within the booze/wine department space, not sure - who wasn't bothered about having to show her i.d. - if that were me, I would have refused.
I'm interested in the law on this. I assume I'm wrong re legality on all this since the clerk was sure of herself, but I think it's very weird.
@ossobucotemp,
I'm sure they can establish higher standards than the law requires. Having done that, they might have a problem if they didn't enforce it uniformly.
@PUNKEY,
I've noticed that on FB lately, lots of mature friends commenting on being carded. Most are amused - some are pleased
@ossobucotemp,
It's totally mental. Over here the signs in shops say if you look under 25 you'll be asked for id, (age for buying booze is 18.)
Some idiot is being over zealous for fear of prosecution.
@PUNKEY,
PUNKEY wrote:
By carding EVERYONE, they can't be accused of discrimination.
that does seem to be the standard
ask everyone
makes it easiest not to make a mistake
just ask everyone
my guess is that some training group decided this was the best way to go
around here it's all about i.d. for cigarettes
a few local corner stores got busted for selling to underage customers so now everyone has to show i.d.
@ossobucotemp,
ossobucotemp wrote:
Not to argue with my friend, standing maybe 10 feet away from me with her own packages, somewhat adjacent to the outside store door but probably just within the booze/wine department space, not sure - who wasn't bothered about having to show her i.d. - if that were me, I would have refused.
I'm interested in the law on this. I assume I'm wrong re legality on all this since the clerk was sure of herself, but I think it's very weird.
I know that often times places where you can purchase beer, wine and/or alcohol in MA have a sign that says all individuals in the party must show ID or be of age - something like that. I think the idea is so you don't buy the alcohol and then give it to a 15 year old that is with you.
In one way I think this is plain dumb because if you were really buying it for the 15 year old - all the 15 year old needs to do is stay outside of the store.
I personally have never seen this enforced (other than at bars or places where you are going to drink it right there - when you are buying more than one drink) - but I have seen the signs. And on occasion I have had my kids/teens with me so obviously they don't even enforce it.
@izzythepush,
izzythepush wrote:
It's totally mental. Over here the signs in shops say if you look under 25 you'll be asked for id, (age for buying booze is 18.)
Some idiot is being over zealous for fear of prosecution.
Usually the aged sign here is if you look under 30 - there are few places that card everyone - more often sporting venues or places that got fined for serving/selling to underage persons previously.
@Linkat,
That's interesting. I've never seen a sign like that.
I long ago accepted they'll card you in most shops that sell spirits even if you are one hundred years old. I was carded of course in this instance, as usual. But my friend was not buying anything, just waiting to help me out the door to outside. I'm not positive she was fully in or out of the wine and spirits space within Walgreens; that space is a whole rather large separate room. My fleeting impression is that she was in the store but not in the wine/booze space and walked into that department when the clerk wanted to card her. Of course I may be wrong, she might have had her feet just inside. I get it that "pulling" someone waiting into the room to card must be legal, but I still think it's weird.
I may end up going there again in some emergency, but they've basically lost my 50 plus years of doing business at Walgreens.. There are other pharmacies, drug stores, and spirit purveyors.
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