Letter: Utah’s fixation on regulating bars doesn’t address real problems with drinking

No one would like to eliminate drunk driving more than I would. However, I enjoy a couple glasses of wine with dinner and I have a few friends that enjoy an occasional cocktail. I have no idea what our blood alcohol level is but I do not feel impaired in any way nor do I detect any impairment in my friends. I am 89 years old and we have been enjoying our wine and cocktails for some 60 years. None of us has ever been involved in an alcohol-related accident. We are not the problem.

When I was a teenager, there was a bar that served a good lunch at a very reasonable price near where a few of us had a part-time job. We walked in, sat at the bar, ate our lunch and went back to work. This did not affect our drinking habits later in life whatsoever.

A few of my fellow veteran friends and I occasionally have lunch at an American Legion post. When we walked in the other day, there was a sign of the door, “THIS IS A BAR.” One of my favorite restaurants had a sign, “THIS IS A RESTAURANT.” Now the restaurant serves cocktails and the bar serves lunch. Will someone please explain what the purpose of this is and how it is supposed to reduce drunk driving?

Someone seems to have an insane fixation on bars and bartenders, something that most of us are completely oblivious to. The regulations being passed lately regarding alcohol are absolutely ridiculous and do nothing to address the real problem.

I understand that drug and alcohol addiction is increasing at an alarming rate. These people and binge drinkers are the people we have to worry about. There are people working on this problem that are doing a good job, but it seems there are others that have no idea what they are doing.

Nyle B. Fox, Holladay