Rail Users Ireland Forum - View Single Post - [Article] Is it time to put a stop to drinking on trains?

sean · 02-04-2011, 18:23

While I agree anti social behaviour on trains is a problem (as it is throughout society, unfortunately) I disagree that a simple ban on alcohol is the answer. For two reasons:

As a Libertarian, I don't see the point in punishing those who can have a quiet drink - and indeed IMHO there are two kinds of people: people who can have a few quiet drinks and people who become loud and threatening after one or two.
It won't solve the other problems: people taking drugs, people smuggling booze onto the train and taking it out when there's no-one to tell them otherwise. It also will do nothing about people who are just plain old scumbags, whether they be drunk or sober.

For both of those reasons I think it would be a better idea to have those STT guys patrolling trains that are likely to have problems.

02-04-2011, 18:23	#4
sean Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Dublin Posts: 707	While I agree anti social behaviour on trains is a problem (as it is throughout society, unfortunately) I disagree that a simple ban on alcohol is the answer. For two reasons: As a Libertarian, I don't see the point in punishing those who can have a quiet drink - and indeed IMHO there are two kinds of people: people who can have a few quiet drinks and people who become loud and threatening after one or two. It won't solve the other problems: people taking drugs, people smuggling booze onto the train and taking it out when there's no-one to tell them otherwise. It also will do nothing about people who are just plain old scumbags, whether they be drunk or sober. For both of those reasons I think it would be a better idea to have those STT guys patrolling trains that are likely to have problems.