Are we all bibulous?

[ian]

OK hands up how many of you like me had to google it to find out the true meaning of the word.

Just found a review of the Brown Bear, Sheffield.  The review says that people who drink in Sam Smiths pubs tends to be bibulous.  It enough to drive you to drink.

http://gettothepub.com/tag/football/page/6/

[Derbyshire OBB drinker]

Interesting article.  I occasionally watch Sheffield FC and I can recommend the Coach & Horses at Dronfield, although Thornbridge Ales are a little sharp for me.

Sad to say but I've normally been in the Brown Bear as a result of my being bibulous.  Aren't pubs for the bibulous?  I'm not ashamed of being bibulous (it's much better than being drunk).  In fact, I'm just going to open a bottle of Taddy Porter and imbibulise myself here at home after leaving this post!  (It's what we have to do in Derbyshire, a county with only 2 Sam's pubs, which has poor reception of both OBB and mobile phone signals.)

[OldBreweryDrinker]

Had to google it and find out all about it. It does relate to many people that use SSOB pubs though.

[whizz]

There's me thinking that we were all bible bashers.

[OldBreweryDrinker]

There's me thinking that we were all bible bashers.

Surely you prefer the term god botherers 

[Derbyshire OBB drinker]

Are the recent price rises an attempt to drive some of the overbibulous out of Sam's pubs?  It may be that the brewery doesn't wish to be listed on cheap beer websites and the like.  Several of Sam's pubs on-line write ups remark unfavourably on the type of people who are drawn to them by the low prices.
I'm not sure that the alkies and pensioners amongst us will be replaced by modern-day Yuppies in the current economic climate, but it could be part of a plan to go up-market.

[OldBreweryDrinker]

Are the recent price rises an attempt to drive some of the overbibulous out of Sam's pubs?  It may be that the brewery doesn't wish to be listed on cheap beer websites and the like.  Several of Sam's pubs on-line write ups remark unfavourably on the type of people who are drawn to them by the low prices.
I'm not sure that the alkies and pensioners amongst us will be replaced by modern-day Yuppies in the current economic climate, but it could be part of a plan to go up-market.

Think the recent prices rises are to do with the raw material costs going up, as well as transport costs. But also i think that Humphrey has suddenly realised that he can't keep his beer as affordable as it once was. It's a decent pint at a decent price, dispite been knocked by several review websites and the like.

[ian]

Are the recent price rises an attempt to drive some of the overbibulous out of Sam's pubs?  It may be that the brewery doesn't wish to be listed on cheap beer websites and the like.  Several of Sam's pubs on-line write ups remark unfavourably on the type of people who are drawn to them by the low prices.
I'm not sure that the alkies and pensioners amongst us will be replaced by modern-day Yuppies in the current economic climate, but it could be part of a plan to go up-market.

Think the recent prices rises are to do with the raw material costs going up, as well as transport costs. But also i think that Humphrey has suddenly realised that he can't keep his beer as affordable as it once was. It's a decent pint at a decent price, dispite been knocked by several review websites and the like.

I think a lot of people knock Sam Smith's because they are beer snobs. Just like people who shop at at places like M&S and Whiterose call shops like Lidi or Netto.


I heard a few times in different pubs around the country, that Humphrey what's a more upmarket customer in his city pubs upnorth.   

[whizz]

With regard to rising prices, I see that the medical proffession and the law once again advocate the increasing of the price of alcohol as a means of cutting down on binge drinking, and so  penalising moderate drinkers. We get the same old rhetoric that it's costing the NHS X amount of pounds as an excuse, that the A&E dept. at hospitals are being inundated every weekend and even more so at this time of year, why?, why should it cost anymore?, why should we have to pay for others binge drinking? The binge drinkers who get carted off to the A&E depts. are in themselves in the perfect position to be penalised directly, make them pay for their treatment, if their money is taken away then it stands to reason that they wont be able to afford to binge drink, and as it is payment for treatment and not a fine then it should not involve the courts, that is unless they commit an act of violence at the hospital.

[ian]

With regard to rising prices, I see that the medical proffession and the law once again advocate the increasing of the price of alcohol as a means of cutting down on binge drinking, and so  penalising moderate drinkers. We get the same old rhetoric that it's costing the NHS X amount of pounds as an excuse, that the A&E dept. at hospitals are being inundated every weekend and even more so at this time of year, why?, why should it cost anymore?, why should we have to pay for others binge drinking? The binge drinkers who get carted off to the A&E depts. are in themselves in the perfect position to be penalised directly, make them pay for their treatment, if their money is taken away then it stands to reason that they wont be able to afford to binge drink, and as it is payment for treatment and not a fine then it should not involve the courts, that is unless they commit an act of violence at the hospital.

While I can understand whizz's point of view I have to say that this must never happen.   The NHS as and should remain free to all.  It is not up to us or the NHS or even the police to judge who should or should not pay for hospital treatment. This could be the thin end of  a very wide wedge.  Who would be the next?   The smoker, the car driver or the sportsman. Like whizz (whizz was into long distance running) I do a lot of long distance walking and I would be very upset if I ever had a accident and was taken to hospital, only to have someone tell me that it was my fault and I will have to pay for my treatment. I think the cheap drink that is to blame is the likes of White Lighting that I've seen people drinking on the streets while I've been going to work early in the morning.


Britain should never end up like Canada & the US and quite a few more where if you can't pay or hand over a CC you are not allowed in the front doors of the hospital.   ( A few years ago while in Canada my Mother broke her arm. On arriving at the hospital she had to give her CC details before treatment)

ian

[Derbyshire OBB drinker]

I quite agree Whizz.  Sadly Tax is the only real weapon the goverment can wield against any of us to try and bring "social change" to appease some of these well-paid lobbyist and their suggestions. 

A relative of mine has worked as an A&E doctor and I think is quite dispairing at times, he often sees the same faces from one week to the next on Friday and Saturday nights.  He thinks many seem to accept a 50/50 chance of ending up in hospital at the end of a night on the town. I'm sure he studied medicine to cure people, not to use his skills treating idiots who can't/won't be responsible for themselves.

You have made the best, simplest, suggestion for tackling the problem AT SOURCE leaving the responsible majority to look after themselves.  Whizz for Prime Minister!

Of course, Ian,  the authorities need to find a system we can all have faith in!!!  I think that's a seperate problem.  Genuine addicts should be identifiable and on treatment programmes that don't begin in A&E.  Unlike broken arms (I bet that was a nightmare for your mother), how much we each imbibe is normally our own responsibilty.

[ian]

Please do not get me wrong. I'm against any person who becomes violent, drunk or sober. I've been in A&E in the early hours and seen it for myself.  I'll be honest I don't know what the answer is? But I can't see having to pay for treatment at the hospital being part of that answer. While most on this forum will like a drink or two, I guess like myself most will be sensible and have never ended up at A&E because of drink.   

ian.

[jboycott]

I agree with Ian.
If I had, say, 3 or 4 pints yesterday and came out of the pub and slipped on the ice and bust my wrist, would the nurse breathalyse me to ascertain whether it was "my fault"? Who would set the threshold, presumably, like drink-driving law, someone would have to decide what is a "safe" level of alcohol for everyone, to remove any personal or subjective decision-making by the medical staff. This of course would be unable to take individual tolerance into account. The so-called safe level for men/women's weekly allowance was plucked from thin air yet is constantly quoted by the medical profession, even though gps  know that lots of blokes lie about their intake, and indeed may drink more themselves, without ill-effect.
As has been said this would be the start of a slippery slope, no doubt with little charges here and there eventually leading to the credit-check at the door. What if you didn't have any savings to draw on when faced with the bill, which would no doubt be in the thousands, would you be sued for the cost? Made to sell your house? Sell your kids?
Like smokers, drinkers have to be painted as "baddies", as we do something that some others disapprove of. Well I think people who choose to play or do physical sports and hobbies put themselves at (through their own choice rather than necessity) risk. They enjoy kicking a ball around, I enjoy a few pints.

[DarkieBoy]

While walking home from the pub a couple of Christmases ago I slipped on some ice and banged my head.  DarkieGirl called for an NHS taxi and I was whisked off to hospital.  I was breathalysed in hospital and passed, although I would never have dreamt of driving!

I felt guilty of having had a drink and ending up in hospital.  However, I could have been drinking lime and soda water (like Mrs Ian) and still slipped where I did.

DB.

[whizz]

The problem with these arguments against my proposal is that a degree of common sense (common sense isn't by the way) is required to impliment this. We all know who we mean, a doctor can tell the difference between a  drunken trouble rouser and a person who has had a drink, has had an accident, hurt him,or herself, causes no trouble, no assaults, or a sportsman who has had an accident, and isn't causing any trouble. The trouble rowsers are quick enough to blame drink when they come before the courts on a charge of man slaughter as an excuse for their crime. Usually the police are involved in most of these trouble cases, that is a clue, if you want to know the crime, ask a police man.