Posted on 08/02/2005 10:24:13 AM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
APPLETON (AP) - At Jokers Bar, the staff of eight has been laid off. Owner Tony Schaefer said he's now working the bar with his brother.
Schaefer is among many business owners still fuming a month after a ban on smoking at all indoor workplaces was enacted in this city.
The ban was approved by 56 percent of voters in an April 5 referendum and went into effect on July 1. Madison's similar smoking ban went into effect on the same day, although there was no referendum preceding it.
"We'll be closing up" if business doesn't improve, Schaefer said. "The sad thing is we don't even know if anyone would buy it."
Some say they have reason to fume.
Nearly three-quarters of the 64 businesses that responded to a request from the Appleton Post-Crescent reported sluggish sales in the past month, most from 10 to 40 percent lower compared with last July. Some reported sales off as much as 70 percent.
Many tavern owners in Madison have made similar complaints, and sympathetic members of the City Council have already tried once, unsuccessfully, to repeal the ban.
More than 30 tavern owners in Appleton have filed a lawsuit to repeal the ban, and the Common Council this month is expected to review a proposal that would exempt taverns and bar areas of restaurants, similar to a measure proposed statewide.
For now, sales are down 35 percent at Shark's Club Billiards Bar and Grill, owner Mitchell Roepke said.
"We're a blue-collar, working-class establishment and they're the smokers. ... I'm losing $11,000 in sales in July," Roepke said.
But Connie Olson, executive director of Community Action for Tobacco Free Living, a group that pushed for the ban, said some of the negative talk becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
"All customers hear are bartenders complaining. Who wants to hear that?" Olson said. "They have to get past this personal vendetta. Don't do that to customers. They need to promote their businesses as smoke-free."
Restaurants reported faring better than bars.
Family restaurants like Applebee's and Perkins, and upscale places like Black and Tan, where smoking had previously been allowed at the bar, saw no ill effect in their July revenues.
At The Bar in downtown Appleton, regular lunchtime diner Carl Schuh of Black Creek compared before and after.
"It's cleaner, fresher and airier," he said.
Several businesses said they were boosting advertising and offering specials to encourage customers to come back, while still lobbying officials for a reversal on the ban.
If smokers are going outside to burn one, then come back in, they stay drinking. I've never heard of a smoking ban resulting in fewer drunk drivers on the roads.
This doesn't even touch the parties in private homes. There's a LOT more people getting busted for drunk driving after leaving a party than in a bar because there's less regulation.
Well, I'm going to bed.
Sleep well, FRiend.............it was an interesting night :)
8 people in one bar just to cater to smokers infer that someone is drinking heavily.
But in this case they are staying home because the staff was dismissed
I've never heard of a smoking ban resulting in fewer drunk drivers on the roads.
It should follow. If these folks are not drinking at the local bar for hours, they must not be driving. Even if one drunk is off the road, that could save many lives.
This doesn't even touch the parties in private homes.
Progress comes slowly.
There's a LOT more people getting busted for drunk driving after leaving a party than in a bar because there's less regulation.
Then you agree, there will be less smoking drunks on the road driving home from the local bar.
has anyone told you lately that you are the epitome of the representative animal of the Rats?
"The workers who served drinks to the smokers were laid off because the smokers stopped drinking and then driving home."
Yep, because no one is throwing parties at their homes and no one is driving to get more alcohol. Nope, none of this is happening.
What color is the sand when you get past the layer I can see?
"Less drinks served, less drunken drivers. Seems pretty simple."
More miles driven to get to the locality without bans, more miles driven after alcohol consumption. Seems pretty simple.
"8 people in one bar just to cater to smokers infer that someone is drinking heavily."
This statement makes no sense! Have you been drinking heavily?
"This doesn't even touch the parties in private homes.
Progress comes slowly."
Now you admit to your desires to regulate legal behaviours in private homes. How does it feel to by a fascist?
8 people in.. what?
I can't speak for you, but when (extremely rare) I go to a bar I can be there for 4-5 hours and consume 3-4 drinks. Is that "heavy" to you?
You assume the equation is:
Time spent = Intoxification.
While that can be true, it is not true by default.
In any case, you are basically arguing that imposing discriminitory laws against a minority of people is a good thing, based loosely on the off chance that there will be less DUI's.
I just want to be clear.
Taking that on face value, did you ever stop to think that maybe people who don't smoke may stay longer in the bar (since it's so summer breeze fresh) and end up leaving more intoxicated, thereby filling the void left by the boozing dui smokers?
It's all nonsense.
As have gun grabbers in some locales, and as have white racists in parts of the south, in times past. Anti-Jew laws were the law of the land in Nazi Germany. So, not much difference there. Care to try again?
You believe that none of those smoking drinkers drive while intoxicated? Thats pretty naïve for a freeper.
The majority in this nation banned discrimination and protect gun rights. Sorry they also hate smokers.
The Amount of Drinks it Takes to Get Over the Legal Limit for Driving
Legal Topics > Criminal Law and Police > Automobile > Drunk Driving DUI/DWI
How Many Drinks Does it Usually Take to Reach the Legal Limit of the Blood Alcohol Percentage for Driving?
There is no exact answer to determine how much you have to drink to reach the legal limit for driving. However, there is a way to approximate whether you are approaching the legal limit in your state (usually 0.08 blood alcohol level) based on your weight, how much you have had to drink, and how long you have been drinking. For example:
* If you are around 100 lbs., you can generally only have about one serving of alcohol before being over 0.08, and only two servings before being above 0.1 (for those states where the legal limit 0.1)
* However, a person is closer to 160 lbs. can have about 3 servings of alcohol and still be below the legal limit for driving
A good rule of thumb to use is that no matter what your weight is, if you have had three servings of alcohol in rapid succession you are most likely over the legal limit for blood alcohol level when driving.
Your blood alcohol level will also depend on how much time you have spent drinking. If you have a spaced your drinks out over a lengthy period of time, such as the span of a few hours, your blood alcohol level is going to be significantly lower than if you had the same amount of drinks in the span of one hour. Generally, you can subtract 0.01% from your estimated blood alcohol level for each 40 minutes that go by while drinking.
What Is 1 Serving of Alcohol?
Keep in mind the amount of alcohol that constitutes 1 serving differs depending on the type of drink. For example, 12 oz. of hard liquor is a far greater amount of alcohol than 12 oz. of beer, and as a result will have a much greater impact on your blood alcohol level. Generally, the rule is 1 serving of alcohol is equal to 1 oz. of 100 proof liquor, a 12 oz. beer, or 4 oz. of table wine.
What Are Some Other Factors that Affect a Persons Blood Alcohol Level?
Though the amount of drinks, the drinkers weight, and the time between drinks tend to play the largest roles in estimating a persons blood alcohol level, there are some other factors that can play a role as well:
* Fatigue exhaustion can significantly increase a persons blood alcohol level when they are drinking. Keep in mind, even if you have not had much to drink, fatigue can adversely affect your judgment just as alcohol can
* Medications some types of medications can have adverse side affects when taken with alcohol, so be sure to check the warning labels on any medications (prescriptive or over the counter) you take
* Food drinking on an empty stomach can increase your blood alcohol level significantly more than if you been eating before or while you were drinking
If I Have Been Arrested for Drunk Driving, What Should I Do?
Contact a criminal defense attorney immediately. Your attorney will be able to advise you of your rights and help you with any possible defenses you may have. Keep in mind that the criminal justice system can be rather complex and confusing, so your attorney can help guide you through it and help you pick out a path that is in your best interests.
http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/-the-amount-of-drinks-it-takes-to-get-over-the-legal-limit-for-driving-.html
Are you advocating a 2nd prohibition?
"You believe that none of those smoking drinkers drive while intoxicated? Thats pretty naïve for a freeper"
I give up.
You still fail to see my point.
You go ahead and rant on about dui.
You're right. I'm wrong.
Buh bye.
(try reading my posts)
Not exactly They closed the bathhouses but did not ban the practice.
I was out there at the time. And then worked in SF for five years. Use to eat lunch at a bathhouse converted to a restaurant. Sort of neat. Had a retractable roof over the dinning area.
On second thought. You aren't getting off that easy. Don't put words in my mouth PUTZ. Show me. I dare you SHOW ME where I said NO SMOKERS GET DUI'S!
I thought so. Stfu fool.
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