Age Verification... Why?

Zarf · Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 6:20 pm Post subject: Age Verification... Why?

Maybe I am not thinking about this clearly but I am really starting to get annoyed with all the restrictions for purchasing things. I was at my local Lowes to purchase some paint brushes, stain and mineral spirits. I went to the self check like always and "Boop. Please wait for assistance". What?

Maybe the bar code wasn't in the system..... Nope. You need to be 18 to buy mineral spirits. What? What exactly is someone going to do with that? I know it is flammable but really.

How long before I can't buy chewing gum because it is bad for my teeth so I need my mommy to buy it for me. Worse, maybe I won't be able to buy it all because I have to be protected from myself.

Yes, I could Google uses for mineral spirits that are less than savory but I figured this might be more fun.

jeremy · Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 7:27 pm Post subject:

yeah, that's a bit ridiculous, i don't really remember dealing with that when I was younger, maybe it all comes with this wonderful new america we live in? but then again, i wasn't aware of the anarchists cookbook until i was like 16 or 17 i think

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maggot_hex · Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 7:38 pm Post subject:

A lot of stuff like that doesn't make sense. With the mineral spirits at least, I think it's because it can be used as an inhalant, and they figure by the time you're 18, you'd know better. I've never understood why it would be thought that someone would magically gain wisdom at 16, 18, or 21, or whatever age. I'd be just as likely to make a stupid mistake the day after my 21st birthday as I would the day before.
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mndsm · Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 8:41 pm Post subject:

Home Depot did the same stuff to me the other day. Granted I had a jigsaw and a can of gold spraypaint in my hand, but still. It was arts and crafts time, not get high off paint time.
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Zarf · Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 10:19 pm Post subject:

Inhalant? Damn, it give me a headache just cleaning out the brushes. I can't imagine going out of my way to sniff the crap.

Just when I think I have realized how stupid people are, someone tells me something that lets me know I have once again underestimated people.

Jeremy, that is kind of my point. My mom used to send me to the hardware store to get things all the time when I was maybe 7 or 8. "Go get turpentine!" I agree that it was never like this then (70's). Sadly, I'm sure it will only get worse.

fruitbat · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 2:55 am Post subject:

GeneK · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 4:41 am Post subject:

I agree it's getting ridiculous... sure they busted your balls if you were buying a box of matches or nothing but eggs when I was a kid, but getting ID'ed for buying a fucking circular saw blade? Wasn't terribly amused.

Snall · Wal-Mart Hijacker! Joined: Jan 12, 2008 Posts: 201

maggot_hex · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 4:32 pm Post subject:

You could sue. If the judge is anything like me, he'll laugh at you then slap you with a fine for wasting his and the courts' time, but hey, you could give it a shot.
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mndsm · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject:

But them you'd be the douche that sued Home Depot because they ID'd you for buying a saw blade. That's just a little ridiculous to me. Takes me an extra 10 seconds to pull out my wallet, which is usually out anyhow for my credit card, and they need to see a sig for that, so getting Id'd doesn't really bother me.
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maggot_hex · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 6:36 pm Post subject:

That was my point, even if there's a legal case for a lawsuit, it's still extremely frivolous.
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Zarf · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 6:57 pm Post subject:

Ah getting carded. While I started this commentary, I sadly have never once in my life been carded. I guess I must look really old. /hangs head

The register clerk just hits the magic key and I move on.

jeremy · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 7:59 pm Post subject:

I was the same way, never really carded back when I had the fake id, but i didn't drink that much, then once i turned 21 and you're thinking "oooh, card me card me card me card me!" when you order something, and i wasn't fucking carded for literally a year, and it was always very rarely. so at that point you're like "shit, i could have drank that whole time before i turned 21"

but i do look older.
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Arquinsiel · Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 2:17 am Post subject:

I quit drinking at eighteen... yeah it's that easy.

But as to getting carded for hardware: If you're under 18 and you use the stuff to do something stupid and illegal then in some places the store shares in the legal responsibility for the action. Or at least that's why I was told I wasn't to sell to people that young when I worked in one.
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