Downtown bars could begin to stay open until 4 am

[SpartanDawg]

Personally think its a very smart move if it passes. It passed in the house, is now going to the senate . Brings in more money to the city in terms of the fee and would attract more young people downtown [[although the bill is not exclusive to Detroit, seems like city bar owners downtown are the ones who want it the most)

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/mobile/...a-m-under-bill

[mtburb]

Remember the last time bars closed at 4 AM?

The result: rioting.

[Hypestyles]

good. the night life is dead in much of Michigan.

[Cliffy]

Just wait until a drunk driver kills someone during the morning rush and that law will change ASAP.

[mtburb]

Just wait until a drunk driver kills someone during the morning rush and that law will change ASAP.

Or wait until we watch the news of a police raid at one of these bars at 3 AM turning into a Ferguson-style civil unrest-that's the reason why the closing time was changed to 2 AM in 1967 and that's what also caused the decline the city was already in to immediately speed up.

[animatedmartian]

Or wait until we watch the news of a police raid at one of these bars at 3 AM turning into a Ferguson-style civil unrest-that's the reason why the closing time was changed to 2 AM in 1967 and that's what also caused the decline the city was already in to immediately speed up.

If it's a licensed bar, the chances of it being raided are pretty low, I would think.

[Zacha341]

Yep. Another reason for me to stay at home and drink or make sure my fun ends by midnight if I am a bar...... no way do I want to put myself out into the melee of extra drunks fighting, and driving over an newly extended period that late. I agree there will be problems. No thank you.

Or wait until we watch the news of a police raid at one of these bars at 3 AM turning into a Ferguson-style civil unrest-that's the reason why the closing time was changed to 2 AM in 1967 and that's what also caused the decline the city was already in to immediately speed up.

[animatedmartian]

Just wait until a drunk driver kills someone during the morning rush and that law will change ASAP.

Drunk drivers kill people in the middle of the day and most people don't have to go to bars to drink. That's a weak argument to revert the law at best.

[Jayp213]

drunk drivers kill people in the middle of the day and most people don't have to go to bars to drink. That's a weak argument to revert the law at best.

amen amen amen!!!

[Spartan]

Just wait until a drunk driver kills someone during the morning rush and that law will change ASAP.

morning rush at 4:00 a.m.? How early are people going to work now?

[G-DDT]

morning rush at 4:00 a.m.? How early are people going to work now?

Ah, I'm a night owl, who takes early morning walks, there is a small commute of folks leaving between 4 and 5 in the morning.

[EastsideAl]

Ummm, the raid that precipitated the 1967 Detroit riot was on an unlicensed bar operating after hours.

[motz]

Ummm, the raid the precipitated the 1967 Detroit riot was on an unlicensed bar operating after hours.

Uhhhh, EastsideAl, don't you know that user mtburb knows all of these things better than you? And to everyone who thinks drunk driving won't be a problem, it's not like anyone drinks at home or has alcohol that they drink out of the designated hours of 7am to 2am.

Sarcasm aside, anyone who is Nancy Grace'ing this law needs to get over themselves. Drunk driving is going to happen regardless of the time bars close. You could even enforce prohibition and people will STILL find a way to get drunk and STILL find a way to drive and STILL find a way to injure innocent people. Saying 2am vs 4am is going to have any meaningful impact is hyperbole meant to enforce your rigid views on how other people should handle their vices.

[bailey]

Uhhhh, EastsideAl, don't you know that user mtburb knows all of these things better than you? And to everyone who thinks drunk driving won't be a problem, it's not like anyone drinks at home or has alcohol that they drink out of the designated hours of 7am to 2am.

Sarcasm aside, anyone who is Nancy Grace'ing this law needs to get over themselves. Drunk driving is going to happen regardless of the time bars close. You could even enforce prohibition and people will STILL find a way to get drunk and STILL find a way to drive and STILL find a way to injure innocent people. Saying 2am vs 4am is going to have any meaningful impact is hyperbole meant to enforce your rigid views on how other people should handle their vices.

Lets also recognize it's only bars in designated downtowns and those bars are going to need to pay extra for the privilege.

the ridiculous thing is that this law's only chance was in a lame duck session.

[EastsideAl]

Uhhhh, EastsideAl, don't you know that user mtburb knows all of these things better than you? And to everyone who thinks drunk driving won't be a problem, it's not like anyone drinks at home or has alcohol that they drink out of the designated hours of 7am to 2am.

I was just surprised that I would have to remind people of that crucial historical point.

When I lived in NYC I didn't see any particular problem with the 4 AM closing time. Even in the outer boroughs and suburbs where people drive a lot more there didn't seem to be any more drunk driving incidents than we have here in Michigan - maybe less.

The plain fact was that, except for certain places in Manhattan and some busy dance clubs, the crowds thinned out pretty significantly that late. Most bars really didn't make it to 4, especially on weeknights, and would just close up as the customers dwindled down to few or none sometime after 1 or 2.

[TheUsualSuspect]

You could even enforce prohibition and people will STILL find a way to get drunk and STILL find a way to drive and STILL find a way to injure innocent people.

Motz, what you are saying is true. The fear is whether there will be MORE drunk drivers on the road and/or whether we've made it easier or more difficult for law enforcement identify and catch them before tragedy strikes.

Nighttime on the roads will get a little more dangerous. I kinda thought they were dangerous enough.

Motorcycle helmet laws repealed and alcohol serving hours extended. I never thought I'd see it.

TUS

[G-DDT]

Nighttime on the roads will get a little more dangerous. I kinda thought they were dangerous enough.

TUS

Actually, the only real danger will be that it is coldest before the dawn at about four in the morning. As long as no one passes out on the cold,cold ground before getting to their car or careening on a wet road that got rather icy at that time...God Forbid. Yet, it will also be rather vacant on said roads at that time.

[Zacha341]

Nancy Grace'ing! LOL! I don't do cable so I don't see her, but I get your point.

Setting that aside however, people have a right to not welcome these extended hours, and that cannot all be rendered as shrill. Booze, eh-er, alcohol has always had some form of regulation and rule of law [[failures to that end withstanding). Note, there's no law about what level of drinking in goes on in your home or what size bottle to buy on the way home [[yet).

Heck, in NY, ala their benevolence to monitor self-destructive 'behaviors', is on the nut regarding how much dog-gone soda pop you can consume! Duh!!

Anyway these extended hours are probably coming. And as individuals everyone just needs to adapt and engage as they need to. I will.

Sarcasm aside, anyone who is Nancy Grace'ing this law needs to get over themselves. Drunk driving is going to happen regardless of the time bars close. You could even enforce prohibition and people will STILL find a way to get drunk and STILL find a way to drive and STILL find a way to injure innocent people. Saying 2am vs 4am is going to have any meaningful impact is hyperbole meant to enforce your rigid views on how other people should handle their vices.

[sumas]

I must say in younger days we knew the after hours joints. Tea coffee or booze. Just not worth it anymore.

Mostly I remember a two time Vietnam vet, two tours. Killed by a drunk at 8 am on the Lodge Eway. He was married only 7 days. His wife lost her mom a dear aunt and husband within months. She is dead now too. She couldn't handle all that loss. Suicide by drugs.

[mikeg19]

Plenty of cities already have this in place. I don't see why it would be a big deal to enact it here in city centers. And just because a bar is open til 4am doesn't equate to more drunk drivers. It's the establishment's responsibility to not overserve patrons. They need to make sure thay are adhearing to that whether the bar is open until 9, 12, 2, or 4.

[401don]

Plenty of cities already have this in place. I don't see why it would be a big deal to enact it here in city centers. And just because a bar is open til 4am doesn't equate to more drunk drivers. It's the establishment's responsibility to not overserve patrons. They need to make sure thay are adhearing to that whether the bar is open until 9, 12, 2, or 4.

I've never quite understood how the bartender is supposed to determine who in their establishment that's on their 3rd drink is driving.

[mikeg19]

I've never quite understood how the bartender is supposed to determine who in their establishment that's on their 3rd drink is driving.

And yet, it is. I'm not saying the system is perfect, but I don't see the harm in it.

I just wonder how all the bartenders and waitresses feel about having to work another few hours, considering a lot of them are usually there cleaning up for an hour after the bars close as it is.

[hybridy]

LOL closing time...lots of places just close & lock the door and pull curtains if you're in the know. happens more often in small town usa + then the ashtrays come back out. WIN

[Zacha341]

That's a point!! Puff-puff! There's always been after-hours on the 'down-low', but not everywhere in the D.

LOL closing time...lots of places just close & lock the door and pull curtains if you're in the know. happens more often in small town usa + then the ashtrays come back out. WIN

[1953]

I can't imagine that extending the drinking hours is a net positive for society, so I oppose this change of law.