Drinking Culture!

I've never seen anyone drinking on a train at 9am in 27 years of living in the UK.

I was on a train between Sheffield and Bristol that left fairly early in the morning (9ish). Some guys in bathrobes, each with a 6 pack of beer, boarded as well. When we pulled into Derby there were police on the platform ready to board the train. Once they were in custody the train pulled away and the conductor made an announcement apologizing for the disruptive passengers.

I've only seen people drunk (ish), but not drinking, on the tube/buses later in the evening.  

Yeah, Legs, it's definitely a sector thing.  I used to work at an asset management firm, and it was a very work hard/play hard type of thing.  People could just DRINK.  The pressure would build up so much from all the hours at the office, so people would really let their hair down.  I know it wasn't every company (and my company certainly wasn't the worst of it, either.  I'd say were were tame compared to some of the investment banks) but it's there.

My friend said it was similar to when she was in a big law firm.

What about drunken yobbos peeing on the pavement in London on an Easter Sunday morning?

What about drunken yobbos peeing on the pavement in London on an Easter Sunday morning?

Hee! I see that every time I'm in NYC! I think it's a 'big city' thing, unfortunately. 

Hee! I see that every time I'm in NYC! I think it's a 'big city' thing, unfortunately. 

I've seen more men peeing in Dublin than one person should in their lifetime!

I really just have a problem with people not being able to hold their liquor i.e. sick on the sidewalk.  I think I've said it before in another thread, but Monday morning in Glasgow means fresh doses of grossness.   

Ha, after the Chelsea games, it would be dodging piles of vomit on the way to the tube in the morning.  Lovely!

I really just have a problem with people not being able to hold their liquor i.e. sick on the sidewalk.  I think I've said it before in another thread, but Monday morning in Glasgow means fresh doses of grossness.   

Saturday and Sunday mornings in Newcastle are exactly the same. It's pretty gross.

I was always told you couldn't get a Tattoo if your drunk cause alcohol thins your blood so most tat places wont work on you how true is this?    I'm just asking cause I don't know the truth an was curious if what I was told was true or false?  

not only does it thin the blood, but also the person tends to move a lot,and act like a wanker. So you are correct,if they have been drinking they wont get tattooed. And they also wont be allowed in the reception area as well

I guess we've all had different experiences concerning "drinking cultures".  Comparing where I came from to where I am now alcohol is much more a part of life in the UK.  It apparently is different for others in other places. 

DH was talking to some friends who asked about pubs/taverns/drinking in America.  He explains it like this... 
In America they do more family get-together sort of things.  You bring the chicken, you bring the salad, you bring the pie, etc.  In England, when we get together, it's you bring the cider, you bring the lager, you bring the wine, etc.   
He's only slightly joking though, that's honestly how he sees it.  But that is what life is like in the US for me, I'm sure it's completely different for someone else.

I definitely see a difference in drinking culture. In the UK, it was SOP for me to hear people of all ages talk about going out to the pub and potentially getting very stupidly drunk. And there was no embarrassment about it.

In the US, by the time you hit your late 20s or so, people may still drink, but it's less likely to happen at a bar. It's more likely to be a BBQ or tailgate or some other gathering at a home. So I agree with June Cleaver above, but IME, the food list is followed by making sure someone is bringing the beer or wine.

I found, in England (and I lived in many places throughout England), that drinking and drinking a lot was much more acceptable across the board. I find in the US that people drink less in general or at least don't let you know about it.

For example, I knew a couple in England who rountinely drank a bottle of wine between them every night with dinner. Actually, I knew many couples like this. But in the US, even those whom I know to be real wine connoisseurs don't drink that much. They typically save it for the weekend or limit themselves to one glass.

I'm not going to weigh in on what is better lifestyle choice. There's loads of people out there who say that Americans drink just as much, they just hide it or are prudes about it. And there are loads of people who say the UK is in serious trouble with it's drinking culture.

I don't miss the messy town centres of England on the weekends. At least here in the US (or in Baltimore) it's confined to specific areas and there are plenty of other parts of the city to go to that won't be overrun with vomit and pee.

Just my personal experience.

My experience has pretty much been the same as Balmerhorn's.

One thing that I have noticed is that British people seem to be suspicious of and uncomfortable around someone who doesn't drink when they are around other people who are drinking - unless there is an obvious reason like they are driving or they are pregnant.

I find that if I want people to warm up to me, I have to be holding a drink or have a drink in front of me, even if I only take a few sips from it.

If I order something non-alcholic, particularly when I'm with people I don't know very well, they will tend be stand-offish toward me.

Also, pretending that you are having something alcoholic when you're really just having a soft drink doesn't work with the rounds system, since people are buying other people's drinks so everybody knows what everyone else is drinking.

One thing that I have noticed is that British people seem to be suspicious of and uncomfortable around someone who doesn't drink when they are around other people who are drinking - unless there is an obvious reason like they are driving or they are pregnant.

Everyone's experiences are definitely different because my friends don't mind it if I don't drink at all. In fact, many of them don't drink either.

In the US, by the time you hit your late 20s or so, people may still drink, but it's less likely to happen at a bar. It's more likely to be a BBQ or tailgate or some other gathering at a home.

I think this sort of depends on what type of people in their late 20s you are talking about.  Most of my friends in the US are in their late 20s and early 30s and still primarily go out to bars on the weekends, and occasionally during the week.  However, very few of them are married and those that are married don't have kids. I think something like that depends on how settled the circle of friends are.

It's also in a semi-urban area close to NYC and not far from Philly either.  I think that plays a role in it as well.  They don't live out in the middle of nowhere where the only real option is to go to someone's house, which is generally what happens with the people my age who live where I grew up.

I definitely see a difference in drinking culture. In the UK, it was SOP for me to hear people of all ages talk about going out to the pub and potentially getting very stupidly drunk. And there was no embarrassment about it.

In the US, by the time you hit your late 20s or so, people may still drink, but it's less likely to happen at a bar. It's more likely to be a BBQ or tailgate or some other gathering at a home. So I agree with June Cleaver above, but IME, the food list is followed by making sure someone is bringing the beer or wine.

I found, in England (and I lived in many places throughout England), that drinking and drinking a lot was much more acceptable across the board. I find in the US that people drink less in general or at least don't let you know about it.

For example, I knew a couple in England who rountinely drank a bottle of wine between them every night with dinner. Actually, I knew many couples like this. But in the US, even those whom I know to be real wine connoisseurs don't drink that much. They typically save it for the weekend or limit themselves to one glass.

I'm not going to weigh in on what is better lifestyle choice. There's loads of people out there who say that Americans drink just as much, they just hide it or are prudes about it. And there are loads of people who say the UK is in serious trouble with it's drinking culture.

I don't miss the messy town centres of England on the weekends. At least here in the US (or in Baltimore) it's confined to specific areas and there are plenty of other parts of the city to go to that won't be overrun with vomit and pee.

Just my personal experience.

I could have written this.

I also know people in Canada and the US who are teetotal. But not here.

Generally, I only drink after supper and it is usually only one (maybe two, but not so often) and not every night. When I was in Canada, I probably drank around the same, but only on weekends.

It's not better or worse, just different. And every culture has great points and social issues to contend with.