IDs, such as driver's licenses, should work like credit cards. That is, they should have a readable bar on them that must be swiped for the purchase of alcohol or tobacco, or other age-restrictive items. If some guy wants to buy some Budweiser, his ID must be read to process the...

Some stores have that now actually. and most DMVs use that feature, along with cops when they pull you over (to see if you have any warrants, tickets, etc)

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Those do exist. They put the card in a reader and it scans it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

They do. I work at target, and when someone buys an item meant for someone 18 and over, ie - fireworks, white out, tobacco, or over 21 - alcohol, a message pops up on the machine saying to scan their license, and the machine decides whether or not the transaction goes through. I have no say in it, so it's literally impossible to sell something underage there.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Hmm, maybe it's only for certain states...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I'm pretty sure I've never been carded for buying white out. No wait, I'm 100% sure I've never been carded whilst buying white out.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

You have to be over 18 to buy white out? Wow, I must be a bad ass then. Buying white out when I'm under aged. ;)

by Anonymous 12 years ago

In my state I've always been carded for it. They claim you can huff it and get high. But I know for a fact I have to card people who buy it. I guess it's a state to state law, I never put much thought behind it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

If the system is automated, how will it know if I'm scanning my own license or the license of my 90 year old grandmother?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Because the cashier looks at it too, and even with my 11th grade education, I have a feeling I can tell the difference.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

sounds like Target and the DMV have stolen your idea

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Its like that here in Oklahoma! Not all stores though

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah Quiktrip does it! I'm too lazy to actually do it though...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Me too... usually I just overide it.. Lol

by Anonymous 12 years ago

They didn't have those scanners at Shartworld, but mostly because that place is falling apart.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

This is offensive to my fake ID.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Uhm, then how am I gonna' get a fake?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Here's an idea: wait a few years and get a real one! Problem solved.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Why I would I do that?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

This is a really good idea. I've never seen one, like other people have, but I can definitely see it working. They should start introducing it everywhere.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I feel so old. This has been around for a cool minute. :/ Sincee well before I was 18.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Why would you want to prevent that

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Because kids don't need that shit.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I actually have no problem with letting 18 year olds buy alcohol. I also have no problem with letting any person of any age buy white-out.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Good for you for breaking the law.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

What an original idea that almost every nightclub in Australia has been using for months

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Texas has a black strip on the back of IDs and licenses. Also I couldn't buy white out or sharpies as a minor.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That's ridiculous though. Am I, as a 17-yo, supposed to ask my mommy to get school supplies for me?!

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yes.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

yep, apparently so.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I hadn't heard of this until now, it's actually a pretty good idea. Except for the fact that people could just take and swipe anyone's I.D. And that a lot of people who are clearly over 18 don't bother taking their cards or I.D.s into shops when they purchase tobacco or alcohol.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Not if the clerk checks the ID as well. And why wouldn't you have your ID on you if it's your license?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Even if the clerk checks it, it can easily belong to a sibling or a look-a-like. I work at a small convenience store, and a lot of our customers just walk or ride down with their change to buy their smokes. Besides, you need to take into account the fact that some adults don't even have a license to begin with.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Well, it's not as though this new system imposes or introduces the sibling-lookalike issue. And I don't have a license, but I have a state ID...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah, I was just responding to you since you said "not if the clerk checks the ID as well". My point is that even if the clerk checks it, people can easily get away with using someone else's - for example if it's someone who looks similar to them. It's just something that would influence the effectiveness of the system, that's why I mentioned it in the first place. Aaaand as I said in my first post, a lot of people who are quite obviously over 18 don't take their cards or IDs into shops when they purchase ... which includes any forms of state ID or drivers licenses ... so what's your point?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

For the issue of the person who "looks over than 40" (that's what signs say in my state) that wouldn't get carded, the clerk could override the ID swiping part, like the people above said they do (only they did it for lazy reasons, not valid reasons). It would be the same as a clerk not asking for your ID in the present system because you're clearly a 70 year old who doesn't carry around their ID

by Anonymous 12 years ago

(It's 35 and over in my state). Also, in my state, I'm pretty sure it's a law that technically you have to have your ID with you whenever you purchase tobacco or alcohol, even if you won't get carded; it's a necessity for purchase. Like, if ALE sees you buying something and then they ask for your ID and you don't have it, you can get in trouble.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I think it is a law here too. And I don't see the big deal about carrying around a card, its not like it takes up much space. I was just taking the information from the rule-breaking clerks and offering a viable option to treescancatchfire so people "quite obviously over 18" needn't be burdened with carrying around an ID

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I see. Hmm, I don't know, if clerks can bypass it, that might get out of hand. Guy who looks 30: "Come on, dude. I'm old enough, I swear. Just bypass it this once man."

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah. I disagree with the idea of not using the ID every time, no matter what. I looked it up and in my state, it's illegal to not have your ID with you once you're past 16. At any time, a cop could ask you and ticket you if you don't have it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Why wouldn't you keep your ID in your wallet at all times...where your money is...?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I'm not sure if any of you live in Australia, but that's where I'm from and as far as I know there's no obligation for people to have their IDs on them at all times, so that's the context of my comments above. Thanks CarolineGustin, I haven't actually seen this in action so knowing that side of it exists makes it seem a bit more practical. And Rocky, like I said in an earlier comment, a lot of people do just bring whatever change they have and walk down to the stores, so they don't bother with wallets or whatnot.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

They have that in Pennsylvania.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

You can make fake ids with the swipe feature that's just like a real one so it won't help shit... And most kids with fake ids use real ids that aren't theirs anyways not homemade actual "fake" ones

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Thank you for informing me.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yea any decent fake ID site will have it scan. I use a friends that looks like me so i get around this system.

by Anonymous 12 years ago