This is the number one complaint about tailgating and absolutely needs to be fixed. It can’t continue. You can’t keep scaring away generations of future fans. Eliminate tailgating for 18-21 year olds on any college campus and see what happens to the support. The university won’t “endorse” drinking for underage kids but it openly happens at every campus in the country
BLUE LOT DRINKING TICKET
- Thread starter SF88
- Start date
It goes beyond petty when the mom has to pay $1000 for something so trivial.
These particular overzealous cops are being ridiculous. Short of people being disorderly they should not be carding anyone. Why should kids who are of legal age be carded and treated as potential "criminals" in front of their family and friends? Besides, there are "amnesty trash cans", manned by police, on the way to the stadium. These amnesty trash cans grant absolution as long as you throw the last of your beer into them on your way into the stadium.
Losing Life long season ticket holders by the ticket and by the minute.
This is the smoking gun that most people on here have suspected
I've had this discussion, and I'm with ya.
Bring mom to court and lie to the judge? That's a good one!!
"We Are Penn State A-holes!!"
I agree, but until the laws change, society needs to abide by them.
As to the OP subject, the 19 year old was in violation of the law. I get it, it's a tailgate, we did it as college students, etc. It's a much different society today. Litigation and liability are huge issues in this world. Add in social media and the problem magnifies. People here want police officers to use discretion and allow responsible underage drinkers to continue, but then bring the hammer down on rowdier ones. What about the grey area in between? Give half tickets, and spare the other 50%? When an underage drinker gets injured or causes harm, then witnesses and/or cell phone recorded evidence shows the cops were there, but did nothing. Who is responsible? If Penn State used some sort of discretionary tactics like that when policing/reprimanding fraternities for underage drinking, are they in some way responsible for Mike Piazza's death? That does take it to the extremes, but that is what's faced when turning your cheek the other way when under age drinking is involved in a public arena.
If true, that’s insane. There is definitely a police presence there that I haven’t seen elsewhere.
No sympathy. RU tailgates aren’t a safe haven for underage drinkers. Every one of them knew they were breaking the law. Not Rutgers problem. And who knows, maybe the tickets will deter from irresponsible acts another time and place, maybe even while driving.
Is it really a lie? It's between the family what they were doing and it is pathetic that with some cities in NJ dangerous as ever and a severe opioid epidemic that this is what our tax dollars are used for.
Think about this, a 19 year old at a Canadian football game would be committing no crime. Do they have a worse alcohol problem than us?
If it was my family Id talk to the prosecutor and ask him to dismiss the tix. If he refuses then offer to pay $100 w no court costs. In court can they prove the cup contained liquor ? No.
Prosecutor is likely to want to settle out of court IMO.
Prosecutor is likely to want to settle out of court IMO.
I doubt that RU Has much control over what the cops do. In any case, RU is not going to tell the cops to ignore an act that, for better or worse, is illegal. Imagine what would happen if someone drank in a lot and then got into a fatal accident on the way home: RU would be paying a hell of a big damage award and have a huge black eye.
The age-21 restriction is not really NJ's fault. Federal law prohibits states from receiving important highway funding unless the state prohibits drinking by those under age 21. Parents are taking a big chance if they allow their under-21 children to drink, and everyone has to recognize that. I think the cop should have simply given a warning and stopped at that, but not all cops will do that.
The age-21 restriction is not really NJ's fault. Federal law prohibits states from receiving important highway funding unless the state prohibits drinking by those under age 21. Parents are taking a big chance if they allow their under-21 children to drink, and everyone has to recognize that. I think the cop should have simply given a warning and stopped at that, but not all cops will do that.
I don't teach law, but I would take the time to argue with a couple of these points. For one thing, I think there's a solid 4A issue to be argued with respect to cops just assuming the contents of a solo cup. I'd love to see someone tell them, when asked, that it's non-alcoholic beer and make them prove otherwise.
For another, I don't believe that Rutgers would be on the hook for "a big damage award" in the event of someone getting into an accident on the way home. Rutgers isn't serving the alcohol. They are not, in any way, enabling unlawful behavior. If anything, the massive police presence puts them at greater risk because it's setting the expectation that the school is obligated to control illicit behavior.
As others have said today, and as I have said on previous Sundays, every other major school in the country is able to manage this situation without calling in the Gestapo. This is just another example of Rutgers being Rutgers - well-intentioned, but utterly inept.
I think his point was that if RU had told the police to ignore underage drinking, that they would be enabling the illegal activity, and then could be subject to lawsuits.
Correct counselor?
Yes, but that's the delta, here. You don't have to be told "ignore underage drinking". You just have to be told to not walk up to people and ask them for ID barring exigent circumstances. That would be perfectly legal.
Two years ago I saw a 19 year old ticketed in the blue lot for standing next to a beer - not even holding it. Everyone at the tailgate was well aware of how strict the lots were so the underage kids wouldn't be caught dead with a beer in their hands. When the 25+ year old whose beer it was argued to the cop that it was his beer, the cop wrote another ticket to the 19 year old. The officer did it all with a smile on his face - it was absolutely pathetic.
I would be in favor of people training their phones on all cops in all lots at all times and recording absolutely everything that they do.
I'm 100% in favor of appropriate action being taken against anyone - not just kids - who may be unruly, disorderly, etc. I am 0% in favor of the cops harassing anyone who is simply minding their own business and not bothering anybody.
I'm 100% in favor of appropriate action being taken against anyone - not just kids - who may be unruly, disorderly, etc. I am 0% in favor of the cops harassing anyone who is simply minding their own business and not bothering anybody.
Rutgers could also do a little data-mining project and find out who the well-intentioned officers are that are signing & submitting these tickets, and politely yet firmly inform the individuals they are no longer welcome on the special detail (or hand them a pair of day-glo orange gloves and have them direct traffic at the RAC lots). Reward the good behavior, punish bad behavior.
I would expect that a cop who sees an underage kid being taught how to drive by a parent in an empty warehouse parking lot has enough discretion to not treat them like he would a car load of 16 years caught joy riding. They should have a brain enough to use some discretion in this situation as well.
They got what they deserved. Underage drinking is a huge problem in this country. I don't give 2 ***** what the perception is RU should have no association with underage drinking. Glad they got ticketed
I hope you get a speeding ticket the next time you’re doing 26 in a 25. After all, you are breaking the law, and you’ll be getting what you deserve.
Witnessed the same ticketing at my family tailgate earier this year. 2 tickets were issued, one for “peace and good order” and one for underage drinking. And in this case, the red Solo cup was empty; when I asked the cop how he could tell it was alcohol and he said he “smelled the cup”. $1,000 fine and $33 court cost. The cop said if you plead guilty to the lesser offense, they drop the underage drinking offense. So you end up pleading guilty, even though you were at a “peaceful” tailgate.
Won’t ever see another penny from me.
Bob Mulcahy and Schiano got us into the B1G. They deserve statues for that.
Everyone and everything since them has been a joke.
Bob Mulcahy and Schiano got us into the B1G. They deserve statues for that.
Everyone and everything since them has been a joke.
Steve and others,first let me say I have never drank or done drugs so my viewpoint may be different from some of you. Would people be OK with the policeman giving the child a breathalizer test and if she passed tell her pour the alcohol in the ground and not give a ticket?
Did you just make an analogy to a RU student, with her parents, relatives and neighbors having a red cup of beer to a dead pledge at Penn State??? That's a streeeeeeeeeeetch. Do you honestly believe that the MCSD should be out actively carding folks just hanging out at a tailgate?? That's NOT what was faced here. A young ADULT with her family drinking a beer. Is that worth a $500-$1000 ticket? Should the "officer" have used discretion, seeing a family tailgate, and continued on looking for drunk/disorderly/unsafe situations? It's called COMMON SENSE!!! The 2 girls puking on someones car, yes ticket them. The idiots throwing full cans of beer across the lot, yes ticket them. The 18 year old on his 4th shotgun, standing in the back of a pick-up yelling, yes ticket him. The girl standing with her mother-father-aunt-uncle-neighbor???? Come on!!!!
Just had an interesting discussion with the missus about how this would stand up in court. She raised the point that if the cops don't administer a breathalyser test, how can they prove that the person was drinking?
Sadly an IQ test isn't required to post on this board.
Comparing driving in a warehouse parking lot is a little bit different than underage drinking by the way. If it's ok to drive in a warehouse, and we up the ante to public, underage drinking supervised by a parent...can we then extend it to adult supervised marijuana and heroin use as well?
Like I said, where is the line drawn? Who gets the free pass and who doesn't? Should the cop interview the underage drinker with her parent, check to see if she hasn't had too much alcohol, ensure she will not be getting behind the wheel of a car? And after that is all said and done, the police officer will turn the cheek, thus saying "I have taken an oath to uphold a law while serving and protecting the public. I am choosing to turn my cheek in this instance." Something happens during or after the underage drinker is questioned by the police. Lawsuit to Rutgers University and the police department involved.
In NJ, it is legal for minors to consume alcohol under parental supervision at home.
I wonder if a good lawyer could fight this ticket based on the definition of "home". I don’t know the answer. Does home mean only inside a physical house, or does it include the yard? What about an RV? Or the yard of an RV? Or a campsite? Does a tailgate area count as a campsite?
Certainly if the parent were serving a minor in a restaurant or other licensed facility, that would be illegal. But the tailgate lots aren't a licensed facility.
It would be interested to see a good lawyer challenge this case.
NO!!! there is simply no reason to be actively ask anyone for identification....period. The only situation is if there is an obvious drunk/disorderly/unsafe situation. In that case, you've made you bed cause you're an idiot, so sleep in it
If it's the underage drinkers cup, with alcohol in it, and the mother claims it as her own...that seems like a lie to me. Would you be willing to perjure yourself in a court of law under the guise of believing it isn't a lie?
I won't disagree that the opiod problem in this country is bad, but so is alcohol abuse and dependency. What is consumed in the presence of family members is ok....when it is done on private property. What is done on public property in regards to underage consumption is clearly defined and underage consumption is against the law. Not much to argue for the parents, the underage drinker, or the people here who think it's ok to break the law.
Said underage drinker throws back a few with her parents, leaves and joins her college friends for beer pong and shots, gets in a car, and plows into a crowd. Cops looked the other way 2 hours earlier but were filmed "harassing" the underage drinker as she sat with her parents. Cops and university in big trouble.
The streeeeeeeetch comparison I made involved overlooking a problem which resulted in a bad outcome...much the same as can happen at an RU tailgate by letting underage drinkers break the law.
COMMON SENSE doesn't trump the law.
Couldn't the same bad outcome scenario play out if the drinker had the beer legally with her parents at their house, or if the drinker was 22?
I snapped this photo on the way to the Scarlet Walk. The cop on the left is the big ticket writer. The cop next to him looked 12. The kid in the black shirt already has a ticket in his back pocket.
It's the SAME sherrifs officer every single week. Older guy who walks around with two or three younger guys. They have completely ruined the atmosphere for students.
100% absolutely correct...but the act of drinking on private property or 21 and over consumption is not illegal. Underage drinking is and therefore breaks the law being upheld by the men and women in blue.