One of the many delights of living in Oxford was the experience of stepping around the splattered sidewalk vomit known among the locals as “pavement pizzas.” The crazy pub closing law (since, thankfully, repealed) was no doubt at least partly responsible for the serial downing of multiple pints following the “Drink Up, Gent’lmen!” call from the barman. But more may be at work than just foolish pub laws, as Sarah Lyall indicates in her New York Times article, “Ever Since Falstaff, Getting Sloshed Is Cricket.”
The question is whether in Britain either the binge drinking is caused by the restriced drinking hours, or by social custom. I think it is the latter. Binge drinking has become highly popular within a certain part of the population. Being drunk has become the synonym of having a good time.
Over the coming years we may see the prove or disprove of either theory. As the restriced opening hours are being abolished, we will be able to measure whether binge drinking has actually decreased. Incidentally, the abolition of drinking hours was the result of heavy lobbying by the special interest group of chain pub owners.
The abolition of restricted opening hours has created another ill: in city centres it has become almost impossible for residents to sleep or enjoy their environment. Of course, where you live is your own choice. All-night shouting, cars etc. (since the abolition of the drinking limits)is not wat residents went for when they decided to buy their house or apartment. Will they receive fincancial compensation for their loss from the drinking establishements? Theoretically, this would be the solution; in practise, this is unlikely to happen, as it is difficult to find out which drinking establishements precisely are responsible for which (amount) of nuisance. Should we plead for a new nuisance tax, to be paid by drinkers? But then, drinkers who do not cause any nuisance would pay too?
In addition, it is the local residents in city centres who, though their taxes, pay for the cleaning of the city. If, as I think, binge drinking is cultural, and will therefore not cease now that the drinking hours have been abolished, the amount of fouling is likely to increase. So our taxes will go up to pay for the drinking nuisance of others. How can residents living in city centres reclaim this money from the outsiders who come in “to have a ball” and, when all is covered with vomit, leave and go back to their suburbs? Again, do we need a new tax to cover this?
I560 Ringtones
None of the big fellows wouldn’t let her talk, you’d really think they have been replaced by men and knew what to think.