ID checkers keep underaged on their toes
By owry Boitz
Senior Reporter
Neither rain nor snow nor sleet nor
fake ID’s shall keep them from then
appointed rounds.
This is the creed of the ID check
ers, those who stand at the front door
of bars to make sure only those aged
21 and over are admitted.
Sheldon, a UNL junior majoring
in pre-physical therapy, said his job
at the front door of Iguana’s, 1426 O
St., was pretty easy.
“It’s not too tough, as far as pick
ing out the ID’s,” Sheldon said.
A checker who goes by Pierre at
Morgan’s Upstairs, 1409 O St.,
agreed.
“Most of the time I just sit on my
butt,” Pierre said, “It gets dull at
times.”
But the task of checking to make
sure all patrons are at least 21 years of
age is an important one, Sheldon
said.
By state law, any establishment
serving alcohol to anyone under 21
will be fined $5,000 dollars; the ID
checker who failed to catch the fake
will be fined $500.
“It’s pretty much my call,” said
Pierre. “I can only get into trouble if
a minor gets into the bar.”
Sheldon said, “Whoever is going
to get into this bar has to get through
me first.”
Jeff, a doorman at the Watering
Hole, 13210 St., said checkers looked
at more than just the birthdate.
Travis Hoying/DN
Plarra chocks a patron’s ID at Morgan’s Upstairs, 1409 O St. “Most of tho time I Just sit on
my butt,” Plorro said of Ms Job.
Each doorman has his own tricks
to see through fake IDs.
“Body language is a lot of it,”
Sheldon said. “Sometimes I’ll ask
when they graduated, what their as
trological sign is, stuff like that.”
Other techniques involve the ID
itself.
“The state seal on the driver’s
license becomes distorted if tampered
with,” Jeff said. “Usually you can tell
right off.
But Jeff said even he could be
fooled.
“The bad ones are really bad, and
the good ones are so good, you can’t
tell,” he said.
What happens to someone with a
counterfeit ID varies from bar to bar.
“We always confiscate the fake
ID,” said Sheldon. “I’ll usually get
about one to three a night.
“I’m very rarely threatened. Most
of the time people will give me a little
bit of crap, but that’s it.”
Jeff has been offered bribes.
“I’ve had people come back and
offer me money to get their ID cards
back.”
At Morgan’s, Pierre said, he just
sends them on their way.
“If they come back with it two or
three times, then we take it,” Pierre
said. “There was one time that I had
six people vouching for their friend’s
age, but the answer was still ‘no.’”
Being a frequent patron — called
a “regular”—at a bar can sometimes
get you in without showing an ID.
“If they come here really often,”
Pierre said, “and I’ve seen them a lot,
I won’t check their ID’s.”
“I don’t always check the regu
lars,” Jeff said, “but I always check
new ones coming in with the regu
lars.”
Iguana’s is a bit more persistent,
Sheldon said.
“We always check,” Sheldon said,
“even people 55 or 60 years old. We
check regulars, and even people who
have been in the bar and left.”
After the Nebraska-Colorado
game, Jeff said he had a brief run-in
with one of the Comhusker football
players.
All three have a simple, two-word
reply for people who say they left
their driver’s licenses at home, in the
car or even inside the bar.
“No excuses.”
r
THE WHY HOME KkSss
STRESS
If stress is getting you down, you need "Letting Go
Of Stress" - a cassette tape by Dr. Emmett Miller
& Dr. Steven Halpern, one of the country’s best
^^ selling stress reduction tapes.
3231 S. 13th In the Indian Village Shopping Center 421-1701
Hours M-F: 10-7 Sat: 10-6 Sun:12-5
"SINCE 1986 YOUR FIRST CHOICE FOR INTERESTING MUSIC & BOOKS"
Ready FqbJour Deadtime St
Coming January I3th To
A Crypt-Plex near You
Mary Riepma Ross
8£®i&gs&3g&&&&$8Si83$^gg^
College of Fine & Performing Arts
Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery & Sculpture Garden
12th &,R Sts University of Nebraska-lincoln 402 472-5353
"VANYA' IS MAGIC!
Fiercely funny,
touching and vital!"
-Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE
loilSMALLE
ON 42nd STREET
I
January 5 - January 15
11
★★★★!'
-Jetf Craig, SIXTY SECOND PREVIEW
1
SISKEL & EBERT
Up!”
A Miarious Look at the Over-the-Counter Culture
All Rights Reserved.
January 19-28
Bring in this ad and you'll get two tickets for the price of onel
I
/
SIMPLIFY YOUR Lire/
SPENP HALF A PAY
STARTING YOUR JOP
SEARCH.
WORKSHOPS:
RESUME AND COVER LETTER WRITING
INTERVIEWING
JOD SEARCH RESOURCES
CAMPUS INTERVIEWS AND RESUME
REFERRAL
SATURDAY. JANUARY 14.
*50 A.M. - 1230 P M.
OR
SATURDAY. JANUARY 21.
*30 AiA. * 1230 P.M.
CITY UNION
ram
CAREER
SERVICES
e Service
NIGHT SERVI
*££?&$ m- ■ v ::•;•• *#■* $***5TO* ^WSSK^Wi***®*®*
Departure-Times DepartureTimes
fLvrnanHam
;TMUR.;ONtYil
•.-3* AW- ■**>& «%r.':?:»■'»
Night Shuttle Service is a student fee-supported service of the Nebraska Unions.
•v
j