White Spirit

[Alex L]

Can anyone tell what the legal age is to buy white spirit. I'm 20 and was refused the sale of it today for not being 21. This seems crazy to me as I can do everything but drive a LGV... and buy white spirit apparently.

I'm pretty sure it was a think 21 then check, not actually you have to be 21 to buy.

Can't find any information on the web.

[thirdcrank]

I think this is the legislation:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/26/contents

It's a general ban on the sale of anything intended to be used for "glue sniffing" to anybody under 18. Higher ages, sometimes as high as 25, are self-imposed by many retailers as a safety margin if the staff can't verify somebody's true age. It also seems to be interpreted in a similar way as a ban on anything which might be used for sniffing.

You need a trip to B&Q on a Wednesday which is Diamond Card day when everybody takes their dad/ grandad along to get the 10% discount. Bearing in mind it's a DIY store so they sell lots of sharp stuff and glue etc., the alarms on the self service tills never stop ringing and then some teenager comes galloping over to ensure an old git like me can by a tin of paint stripper.

[Alex L]

I have emailed Wickes and am awaiting a reply.

Thank you for your help, unfortunately I don't have any Grandads and my Dad isn't old enough. Looks like I need to drag you into B&Q or I'll just grab a random guy on the street

[al_yrpal]

When I was in the US recently at a ball game I went to the bar to get some beers and they asked for id. I have grey hair and a wizzened appearance. Waving $10 bills worked.

It's a mad world!

Al

[Alex L]

I got IDed for petrol recently but at least they sold it to me once I proved I could legally drive to buy the fuel anyway...

[Edwards]

I got IDed for petrol recently but at least they sold it to me once I proved I could legally drive to buy the fuel anyway...

Enjoy your young looks while you can.

I got asked for ID in Poundland for some Stanley Knife blades in the same week that I was offered a B&Q Diamond card.
The shops just want to cover themselves as the can be done for supplying the stuff to underage persons.

[thirdcrank]

... I'll just grab a random guy on the street ...

I did have a chunter in B&Q with another Diamond Cardholder and I reminisced about asking strangers to take you into A fiims. I've also been stopped a couple of times outside supermarkets by under-age girls and asked to buy booze for them. My dear old dad used to send me into shops for his fags while he waited outside. I never understood why he did that because I was often refused so we'd sometimes try another shop.

[cycle cat]

It is an offence to sell it to a person if you think they are buying for someone else.
If the suspected "someone else" is under 18 the sales person can refuse the sale.

It is now " think 25" as it is very hard to tell if someone is 18 or not.
The shop has to keep a log of refused sales.
If you are regularly Id'd take a passport or photo driving licence with you.
Both the shop and the sales person can be fined if they don't comply with the law.
Sales people are on minimum wage. The fine is up to £1000.

[Alex L]

I brought my driving license and proved that I was 20 and was still refused the sale.

[tonythompson]

I brought my driving license and proved that I was 20 and was still refused the sale.

Quite right too, we know what you youngsters are up to, probably planning to clean your chain.

[cycle cat]

Without knowing what you look like I can't know why you were refused.
The sales person should have filled in a refusal log.

Did they think you were going to drink it? Did they think your licence was fake?
Who knows?
How old was the person selling it? May be they had just done their training and were being extra vigilant.

[reohn2]

I got into the cycle show at the NEC as a concesions and I'm only 59 1/2,for £14 though I still think I was robbed
First and last time.

[Alex L]

I actually wanted it so I could paint the wall and wash the brushes after.

Without knowing what you look like I can't know why you were refused.
The sales person should have filled in a refusal log.

Did they think you were going to drink it? Did they think your licence was fake?
Who knows?
How old was the person selling it? May be they had just done their training and were being extra vigilant.

The person serving was young. I looked fairly smart and geeky I'd say I don't look like someone that was going to abuse the substance but what do I know. My license is in good nick so doesn't look tampered with and all the protective holograms were intact. They didn't question the fact I was over 18, they just believed I had to be 21 to buy it. In fact, she couldn't even work out my age from my date of birth. She had to ask me.

[cycle cat]

It does sound a bit too vigilant. Now how did I guess it might be a youngster that refused the sale?
As far as I can tell, you can buy white spirit when you are 18, providing the retailer doesn't think you are going to abuse it.
The tills in the shop where I work flag up the appropriate age.
You then press a button to accept or decline.
This usually works ok until we try to sell a treacle tart which you have to be over 18 to buy!
It doesn't contain alcohol.

I think your till person had just finished her training including the solvent abuse bit.
No excuse for not working out your age from your licence though.
Post a piccie and try to buy a bottle of beer.
Im intrigued now.

[Alex L]

The local pub are happy to sell me a couple of pints I usually get IDed in supermarkets for alcohol though. This was me at Easter:

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/6491/13712624.jpg

I'll admit I'm not the oldest looking 20 year old (19 at time of picture) but I look like my drivers license.