You're joking, right?!

[dakhur]

I might be a manager, but I still throw myself behind a console twice a week for a full 6 hour shift. Helps me keep in touch with what's really happening in the store and allows me to free up the wombles for other stuff. In this case, it's training a new staff member.

Anyway, it's about 3pm on a Friday afternoon, and we're winding up her training shift, when a young male comes in and wants a pack of smokes.

Now, to buy smokes in Oz, you have to produce a photo ID. Either a drivers license or a passport. Technically, it's supposed to be only Oz or NZ licenses, but we'll accept Euro cards as well. They're a legit photo document. The rules are the same as booze -- you must be over 18. No "but I turn 18 tomorrow" type of stuff.

Now, as we're training, everyone is in a heightened sense of "this is the rules. We follow them because we get fined a lot of money otherwise."

So, I ask the male for ID. He produces a wallet with the card in a mesh pocket.

I've met these pockets before, and I hate them. You can barely see the information, and with the new license design to prevent forgery, you can't see birthdates at all. So, while chatting with the guy, I handle the wallet and tug the card out, just enough to see the date --

Which makes him 17 1/2!

After pointing this out and reminding him of the law, he goes into full "but I always buy smokes here!" I demand to know who from, no answer. Then we get into "then I'll just send my mates in to get them", which earns him a "then your mates will be refused as well."

After this, things get slightly impolite, ending with me tossing his wallet back over the counter and ordering him from the shop. Not being a complete idiot, I follow him out of the store, to see him talking to a usual suspect, who takes money from him and gets up.

The look on both of their faces as they saw me standing there was priceless. As was the moment I announced in a loud voice that not only was the original guy banned until January, but the other bloke for another 2 months.

He's a regular suspect. He charges kids 20 bucks to come in and buy their smokes for them. Cosmic irony has a sweet taste sometimes.

[Pixilated]

Obviously it never crossed his mind that you would actually walk out of the store to see what he might be doing ... after he'd just finished telling you what he was going to do.

[Jaspar]

allows me to free up the wombles for other stuff

Love this part, made me LMAO...XD

[fireheart]

Good call. Secondary sales are illegal here in Australia.

Oh and there's one more thing you forgot to mention as well: in addition to the first two you mentioned (Drivers Licence and Passport), depending on the state, you can also use a Proof of Age card. Basically you can get one as soon as you turn 18 and it's considered to be a legitimate form of ID. Both my boyfriend and I have one and it comes in REAL handy when you need to do a 100pt ID check (it's also the ID we use out at pubs since if we lose that card, we still have our drivers licences)

[taxguykarl]

He's a regular suspect. He charges kids 20 bucks to come in and buy their smokes for them. Cosmic irony has a sweet taste sometimes.

Don't the local police know about this guy?

[Kristev]

In America, they call that kind of thing contributing to the delinquency of a minor. It's a crime. In fact, it's two crimes, because it's illegal for an adult to buy something like smokes or liquor for a juvenile here as well.

[Jester]

What a maroon!

So, I ask the male for ID. He produces a wallet with the card in a mesh pocket.

I've met these pockets before, and I hate them. You can barely see the information, and with the new license design to prevent forgery, you can't see birthdates at all.

And this is one of the many reasons why here in Florida we are told in our frequent alcohol seminars that when we ask for ID we should ask for them to take it out of their wallet so we can actually handle it. I occasionally get someone saying something to the effect of, "I don't really have to take it out of the wallet, do I?" To which I say, "Nope, not unless you actually want to drink." They always take it out of the wallet.

[BrenDAnn]

Yes, the taking the ID out thing is why I'm careful of my wording when asking for ID's. Instead of "May I see your ID please?" I tend to ask "May I HAVE your ID please?"...Usually works. As for your SCs, what dumbasses. Glad you hit them both with the banhammer!

[Laund-o-rama Mama]

Ah karmic loveliness!
Apparently it never occurs to these brain trusts to do what every other kid in existence does: send an older friend or sib to buy them while you stay OUT of sight-preferably, at HOME.

[Seshat]

Oh and there's one more thing you forgot to mention as well: in addition to the first two you mentioned (Drivers Licence and Passport), depending on the state, you can also use a Proof of Age card. Basically you can get one as soon as you turn 18 and it's considered to be a legitimate form of ID. Both my boyfriend and I have one and it comes in REAL handy when you need to do a 100pt ID check (it's also the ID we use out at pubs since if we lose that card, we still have our drivers licences)

Also useful for people who can't drive, for whatever reason.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Also useful for people who can't drive, for whatever reason.

That would be known as a State ID card here in the US. My brother has one, as he's not able to drive due to having developmental and intellectual issues.

Me, I have a learner's permit. Hopefully by this time next year I'll have a full fledged driver's license. In which case, all the idiots need to get off the damned road.

[EricKei]

Hopefully by this time next year I'll have a full fledged driver's license. In which case, all the idiots need to get off the damned sidewalk.

Fixed that for ya ^_^

Fair warning juuust in case you haven't heard -- most DMV's seem to go out of their way to take the absolute WORST picture they can for your license...I once had one where I was sitting normally, looking right into the camera, and they told me to hunch over a bit and look down and to the side. I don't think I can accurately describe the result without accidentally sounding insulting >_> I was PROUD to cut that sucker into little bitty pieces after it expired and was replaced.

[fireheart]

Also useful for people who can't drive, for whatever reason.

My boyfriend and I both weren't able to drive at that time. Mostly because neither of us had gone for our Learners. I'm about 3 months away from getting my full licence.

Fixed that for ya ^_^

Fair warning juuust in case you haven't heard -- most DMV's seem to go out of their way to take the absolute WORST picture they can for your license...I once had one where I was sitting normally, looking right into the camera, and they told me to hunch over a bit and look down and to the side. I don't think I can accurately describe the result without accidentally sounding insulting >_> I was PROUD to cut that sucker into little bitty pieces after it expired and was replaced.

Ditto with my uni ID. I'm now debating whether to "accidentally' lose it, since my ID photo looks HORRENDOUS.

[dalesys]

It is very well known around here that there is one and only one thing that will make the picture on your drivers license look good...


The picture on your new license.

[taxguykarl]

Fair warning juuust in case you haven't heard -- most DMV's seem to go out of their way to take the absolute WORST picture they can for your license

At the Thompson Center, there were actually floodlights over the photography area--guaranteeing that everyone looked gaunt....Ready for my closeup Mr. Romero. That one couldn't expire fast enough.