The Michigan Daily/New Student Edition - Thursday, September 7, 1989 - Page 11
Buyer
By Diane Cook
Daily Staff Writer
.rmerchants seize fake
b eware: ID's on a daily basis
You're waiting in line. You repeat to yourself
the name and address on your ID - it's fake. As
'you hand it to the bouncer, you're aware of his
every move. Will he buy it?
Moments like these can be nerve-wracking for
the many underage patrons who enter Ann Ar-
bor's bars every night.
"It's a constant problem. It's one of the big-,
gest problems we have," said Good Time Char-
lie's General Manager Rick Buhr.
"The burden of responsibility is put on us to
Jnsure that people are stamped properly. To help
us with this we use a book (featuring legitimate
JD's), have people verify with signatures, and if
there is any question we refer to a manager," said
Manager Steve Crawley of Rick's American
.Cafe. "We are our only line of defense, so we're
cautious."
Village Corner, traditionally known as the
toughest place to buy alcohol with false identifi-
cation, has a simple, straight-forward approach.
"We confiscate every fake ID," said Dave Morris,
general manager. All valid, but altered IDs are re-
ferred to the police.
It seems that this rigidness is necessary, con-
sidering the sophisticated fakes minors have used.
"It's a challenging job checking IDs," said Jim
Curtis, a bartender at Dooley's.
Several establishments mentioned sibling's
expired IDs, phony "state identification cards" for
people who don't drive, and state licenses made
from photos of poster-size licenses that are pho-
tographed and laminated to a credit-card size, as
' 'frequently sighted fakes.
"Those things people buy in magazines are a
joke," said Buhr. "I've never seen so many peo-
ple (try and get into the bar) who don't drive in
my life."
Occasionally the precautions are unsuccessful.
Some flawless IDs go unnoticed. Some door
people have been known to allow friends who are
underage to enter with a stamp. Also there have
been incidents at various establishments where
the bouncers confiscating IDs, save them and
later sell them to minors.
There was even a reported incident of art stu-
dents who duplicated the legitimizing stamp and
attempted to purchase intoxicants at a local bar.
The final check in this situation proved to be the
bartender who made an ID check because the pa-
tron appeared to be underage.
Another quirk favoring the minor is the diffi-
culty in prosecuting offenders. At most, the ID
can be held and the sale of the intoxicant refused,
but the police may not have sufficient means to
track down the individual holding the phony ID.
This situation makes punishment scarce.
The Ann Arbor police force has taken several
measures to limit the use of fake IDs, though.
The most successful means involve monitoring
the establishments that sell intoxicants, thereby
forcing them to refuse all questionable IDs.
Checks have been made on party stores by plant-
ing minors as decoys who attempt to purchase
intoxicants without proper ID. If a store is negli-
gent, then they are penalized.
Also, officers make routine appearances and
plant themselves in local establishments to be
sure vendors and door people are checking prop-
erly.
Charlie's was closed for three days for serving
minors in November when the police sent an un-
derage decoy to the establishment who was not
carded and was served alcohol. Charlie's also had
to pay a $3000 fine for the incident.
Now, Charlie's door people question any-
where between 5 and 15 pieces of ID a night.
Possession of a phony ID is considered a mis-
demeanor and punishable by 90 days in jail and a
$100 fine said Ann Arbor Police Sergeant John
Bodenschatz.
However, more serious consequences arise
from use of an ID obtained from a forged birth
certificate or other means of manufacturing a
slanted license. This is deemed forgery and is
punishable in Michigan by 14 years in jail - a
steep price to pay for the prospect of a few beers.
Students, however, don't seem to realize the
seriousness of the penalties for conviction of use
of false IDs.
"The worst thing that can happen is they may
take my ID or not let me in," said an LSA
sophomore who refused to be identified. "I don't
think they will, though." So he continues to
carry his brother's license to local drinking estab-
lishments.
In an attempt to curb the use of false identifi-
cation, some party stores are embarrassing the
fake ID carriers as a practice, said Campus Corner
Manager Tracy Zorins.
"It was the most humiliating experience of
my life," said an RC senior who would only be
identified by her first name, Laurie. "I decided
never to try it again. I only have a few months to
go anyway."
Campus Corner may be on to something.
So, at that last second when you feel the fake
ID leave your fingertips as your pulse soars and
heart races consider the penalties, both legal and
emotional, for being caught red-handed.
The line may be long, but the wait is usually worth it
Featuring live music six nights a week, it's sweaty but fun.
FILE PHOIO
at Rick's.
Bars
Continued from Page 10
figured out that the Nite Owl stops
across the street.
The upstairs was recently trans-
formed into a sports bar, to go along
with the small dance floor.
RICK'S, 611 Church St. -
Being located four floors below one
of the largest computing centers on
campus certainly doesn't hurt
Rick's, which features live enter-
tainment nearly every night. You
must be 19 to enter, and pay a $2-5
cover charge.
Lines and crowds are the largest
on nights with reggae bands, and for
$2 pitchers on Wednesdays.A small
dance floor, pool tables, and a games
center take up most of the available
space in this dark, hot, but lively
bar.
DOMINICK'S, 812 Monroe
St. - Everyone goes to Dominick's
at some point during the year. Grad
students and local residents are regu-
lars, but undergraduates tend to dom-
inate the happy hours.
The daquiris and beer is served in
old mason jars, but using a fake ID
to buy it is the wrong idea. If you
are buying a drink, you'll be asked
to prove you are 21 and often the
manager walks around and confis-
cates drinks from underage imbibers.
Dominicks closes at 10 p.m., but
there is more than enough time to
partake in the full menu of food.
Weather permitting, one can sit out-
side on the patio, or deck and enjoy
the sun.
NECTARINE BALLROOM,
510 E. Liberty - The campus
dance-bar, it avoids Top 40 like the
plague. "Proper attire is required" for
all of those over 18 who want to let
it all out on the spacious dance
floor. There is a cover charge and
drinks are expensive.
THE U-CLUB, inside the
Michigan Union - Open to stu-
dents, faculty, staff, and alumni, and
their guests, so bring your student
ID with you. If you are under 21,
you must sign a pledge not to drink.
Happy hours are known for cheap
drinks and good popcorn, and nightly
offerings include reggae, comedy,
and new music among others. Cover
charges depend on the particular
night's agenda.
DOWNTOWN
THE QUALITY BAR, Corner
of William and Main St.- Offers
great burgers to go with expensive
drinks. The atmosphere adds to the
comfort of Ann Arbor's newest bar.
You need to be 21 to sit outside on
the roof.
THE BLIND PIG, 208 5S. First
- Routinely features national acts
ranging from blues greats to up-aild-
coming rockers to folk stars. There
is always a cover charge and the beer
is fairly cheap. Plenty of parking is
available, but undergrads do not usu-
ally venture here because of the dis-
tance from campus.
And, if you can't find an Ann
Arbor bar to your liking, you just
haven't looked hard enough. If all
else fails, try Chi-Chi's on a
Tuesday nightIN
AMIT BHAN/Daily
Buying liquor with a fake ID? Avoid Village Corner. VC is known for
being especially stringent when checking for identification.
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