Winnipeg - Of Interest

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Nothing wrong with it, but I would have a hard time enjoying myself knowing that an ornery cop could write me a ticket costing hundreds of dollars for doing nothing more than sitting in a park quietly enjoying a rosé.

You kind of forget how dumb it is until you go to another part of the world where people are entrusted with the awesome privilege of being allowed to have a drink in a park or wherever.

You are not a true Manitoban until you have mastered the art of conceal and disguise.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

You are not a true Manitoban until you have mastered the art of conceal and disguise.

Ha... I suppose that is the purpose of empty Tim Hortons cups and travel mugs?

[rivercity]

Since the start of the pandemic, myself and most people that i know have definitely become more brazen to publicly imbibing. as do most people i see while out and about as well. Havent heard of anyone getting a ticket. Maybe something positive about this whole pandemic is that they can look at changing the rules on public consumption? The sky hasnt fallen yet and society hasnt collapsed into a drunken disorderly place.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by esquire

travel mugs?

For sure!

[zalf]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I take beers with me all the time. Bike rides, walking. As long as you're not being an ass. You shouldn't have any trouble.

This describes both my behaviour and my experience.

Originally Posted by esquire;9284274 [...

but I would have a hard time enjoying myself knowing that an ornery cop could write me a ticket costing hundreds of dollars for doing nothing more than sitting in a park quietly enjoying a rosé.

But this describes my concern. Also, it's just the principle of the thing. I don't love having laws on the books that are selectively enforced based on the mood of some bylaw enforcer. King Zalf the Wise would definitely strike this one from the books.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Nothing wrong with it, but I would have a hard time enjoying myself knowing that an ornery cop could write me a ticket costing hundreds of dollars for doing nothing more than sitting in a park quietly enjoying a rosé.

You kind of forget how dumb it is until you go to another part of the world where people are entrusted with the awesome privilege of being allowed to have a drink in a park or wherever.

In Germany and most of Europe, open containers are allowed and they don't seem to have any more trouble with public intoxication than we do. If anything it almost feels more civilized.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

You are not a true Manitoban until you have mastered the art of conceal and disguise.

I always use a disguise when drinking in public.

[steveosnyder]

In Brisbane some of the larger parks have open alcohol allowed, but only in designated areas. It changed while I was there actually as a pilot and it's since been expanded.

I think having a small area with BYO options would be fine.

The biggest difference though is that the vast majority of people who attend Winnipeg's regional parks, like Assiniboine, Kildonan or St. Vital, drive there. I can see this being a problem.

Maybe in some of our more urban parks, but the urban parks have urban problems...

[buzzg]

I have always said we should allow drinking in public places. At the very least in parks and beaches if not on the sidewalks everywhere, it’s ridiculous you “can’t” crack a beer while having a BBQ at Assiniboine Park. That being said I always do and so do many others, and agreed people seem to not even be hiding it much anymore.

The big argument is people being wasted and causing problems… hate to break it to ya but those people are doing it already regardless of the law. Nothing would change - if you’re “disturbing the peace,” that’d still be illegal. It’s like when everyone thought Armageddon would happen with weed legalization and when The Forks added booze. Literally everything carried on as is and if anything got better.

FWIW last week Edmonton announced they’re piloting legalizing drinking in city parks this summer.

[biguc]

Anglos always make some pilot program to sign up and get a permit to drink in the park and they're like, see, it's just like Europe. But it never is.

[bomberjet]

The point is not to be European. North America is not Europe. NA is a subrubran wasteland. That's what it is.

Maybe being North American is just drinking in the park whenever you want, against what the law says. Who cares.

If all we want to be is like Europe, lets just go back like biguc did.

There's very few areas in Canada that have dense urban feel. Downtowns of Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto. Quebec City is nice. The rest is basically farmland and subrubs. That's what "Canada" is.

[OTL]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

There's very few areas in Canada that have dense urban feel. Downtowns of Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto. Quebec City is nice. The rest is basically farmland and subrubs. That's what "Canada" is.

That's was Australia and New Zealand are as well. See the new world connection here?

[OTL]

Originally Posted by steveosnyder

In Brisbane some of the larger parks have open alcohol allowed, but only in designated areas. It changed while I was there actually as a pilot and it's since been expanded.

Whilst this is true, because of the exponential increase in meth use across Queensland (and Australia in general) there is now consideration of backtracking on this to clamp down on social misbehaving. In most parks, open liquor is prohibited.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Nothing wrong with it, but I would have a hard time enjoying myself knowing that an ornery cop could write me a ticket costing hundreds of dollars for doing nothing more than sitting in a park quietly enjoying a rosé.

pft couple hundred bucks my ass its a 1400$ ticket.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

pft couple hundred bucks my ass its a 1400$ ticket.

Open liquor is a $1400 ticket?!? Good grief, that is insane.

I was in my early 20s the last time anyone I know got hit with a ticket for that and it was a few hundred dollars which seemed harsh enough at the time.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by esquire

Open liquor is a $1400 ticket?!? Good grief, that is insane.

I was in my early 20s the last time anyone I know got hit with a ticket for that and it was a few hundred dollars which seemed harsh enough at the time.

The cost of fines seems unnecessarily harsh and high here in general. Way beyond corrective deterrence as far as I'm concerned. If the punishment isn't having the desired effect on behaviour then clearly you're going about it wrong.

[buzzg]

FWIW I was sitting in Stephen Juba Park last night for 3 hours having beers at a picnic table. The park was very busy all night (good to see) and there were a few other tables of people casually having drinks. At least 7 cop/cadet cars drove by, and a pair of beat cops walked by and definitely saw and didn't care.

Also, there are many cities/states in the US that allow drinking in public places. It's totally fine and doable.

[drew]

I think Police will generally use discretion when handing out tickets to people for what would be described as "look the other way" type stuff.

Most people (including cops) don't want to be the asshole. Unless there is some other reason at play, they aren't going to come over and start handing out tickets.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by drew

I think Police will generally use discretion when handing out tickets to people for what would be described as "look the other way" type stuff.

Most people (including cops) don't want to be the asshole. Unless there is some other reason at play, they aren't going to come over and start handing out tickets.

This is why I won't drink in public. You can sit there quietly enjoying a drink in the park and all of a sudden the cop who had a bad day sees you and takes his frustrations out on you and then you have, apparently, a $1400 problem on your hands.

I mean, I like a frosty Labatt's Blue on a hot day but not quite enough to justify that kind of hassle. I'll just enjoy it on my deck instead.

[GreyGarden]

Originally Posted by esquire

This is why I won't drink in public. You can sit there quietly enjoying a drink in the park and all of a sudden the cop who had a bad day sees you and takes his frustrations out on you and then you have, apparently, a $1400 problem on your hands.

I mean, I like a frosty Labatt's Blue on a hot day but not quite enough to justify that kind of hassle. I'll just enjoy it on my deck instead.

I think this is probably why Winnipeg parks were always pretty quiet pre-pandemic. Proportionally, a lot more people have access to private outdoor spaces in Winnipeg.

Also, I'm sure the risk of being hassled and fined by cops for enjoying a drink in a public park with your friends is a lot higher if you're black or indigenous.