Why do people drink so early at airports? | Hacker News Reader

Why do people drink so early at airports?

theatlantic.com

11 pointsimartin2k38 comments

Because if I'm between legs of a 12-24 hour travel day, and I started +/-6 time zones away, I don't care what time of day it is where I am when I ask for a glass of bourbon.

> Nobody has control. You cannot control the people sitting next to you, or their children, or the security line, or the prepackaged sandwich options

I was just saying this two days ago to my girlfriend while we were sitting at a bar in a casino where I lit a cigarette: This place is the exact opposite of a hospital or an airport. I love this place because they want me to enjoy myself. I'm still under some kind of control, but unlike a hospital or airport, I'm not likely to die here, and as long as I'm within the boundaries of reasonable behaviour I probably won't even be assaulted. What I hate about airports and hospitals is that they now force you to relinquish total control over your own sphincters in order to be there; that, I think, is why so many people die in hospitals. The loss of control.

In attempting to regain that control, we drink; thus airport bars (and lounges and rewards cards).

Other than that: Flying causes gas. Drinking helps reduce it, and makes it less disgusting when everyone around you farts.

> What I hate about airports and hospitals is that they now force you to relinquish total control over your own sphincters in order to be there; that, I think, is why so many people die in hospitals. The loss of control.

Well, no.

What is correlation not, again?

Stop. Turn right. Take your shoes off. Accept this tube into your sphincter. Don't gag. Look into this camera.

In speaking about having no control, I was actually just referring to the loss of bodily autonomy at TSA security checkpoints, not the danger of a plane crash.

Also, to your specific question, while correlation between [1. sitting at a bar, smoking a cigarette, 2. imminent death] is low, and correlation between [1. hospital where you can't drink or smoke, 2. dying] is quite high, that was actually the humorous part of my critique.

There just happens to be a weak correlation between people who are fervent readers of HN and those likely to get my sense of humor.

Humor often gets in the way of interesting discussion because of the ambiguity it introduces. Perhaps you can find another outlet for it, then bring your more serious thoughts here?

Whippersnapper, at one point HN was full of jolly, good fun, and filled with cracks and quips.

I quite like noduerme‘s writings, because it’s novel, raw, and most of all original. Pedantism for its own sake is not discussion — but noise. And most of all… he’s been here longer than you and still retains the original ethos of this platform (punk, create, disrupt — not curmudgeon, consume, and conform).

Name-calling, appeal to seniority, and nostalgic callbacks aren't deepening the conversation much; or likely to win anyone over.

FWIW I do appreciate hearing from another perspective. And didn't think this was a forum encouraging punk, cracks, quips, and raw thoughts. Perhaps the commenting guidelines have become to 'square' as the kids say.

ham sandwiches

You may have missed the point in time where you could pass through an airport without being treated like you were being booked into jail. Or the time when you could go out on the street without being surveyed as if you were in prison. But there was, in fact, a long time where you were not forced to show ID or submit to random checks or be scoped eyeball to asshole by cameras. I suppose you're okay with that because you're "not doing anything wrong" but that sort of proves the point that they were so successful in creating a society willing to inculcate their children into believing that such an insane degree of degradation and voyeurism by the authorities was necessary to keep them "safe". They didn't win by convincing your parents, they won by convincing your parents to teach you that you should submit.

> unlike a [...] airport, I'm not likely to die here

What?

Yeah, i am confused too. Are airports known for high death rates or something? I don't even remember the last time I heard about someone dying at an airport outside of a warzone.

I think the OP has a fear of flying and hasn't read the statistic that he was far more likely to die on his way to the airport instead of using the safest form of travel.

I should mention that I also always, always ask for a pat-down rather than walk through the body scanner. And it's usually received by the TSA agents with a shrug and grin and something like "I hate having to stand next to that thing".

We're bored. We had to get there over an hour before boarding, and now we're just sitting around waiting. No one will make conversation at the gates. And there's probably at least three and maybe seven hours before we step off the plane.

Enduring the wait and the upcoming flight are good reasons. Drinking eventually makes you sleepy when you are mid-air. It's also more awkward to keep asking the flight attendant for drinks, the looks you'd get if you asked for the whole bottle lol.

Plus, who cares?

I remember last year returning from a long trip at the airport, the long drive home felt too much so I had drinks at like 7AM alongside some breakfast at the airport before picking up my baggage and heading home.

You had drinks and then proceeded to drive home?

They didn't say they were driving, they said the drive was long. My personal assumption was that they either got a taxi/rideshare or got someone they know pick them up.

Uber, hate driving.

Aha I see, sorry!

To me a drive home is synonymous with me being behind the wheel, hence the confusion.

Makes sense. I avoid driving so much I forgot how that would sound. I didn't even think about being able to drink and drive as an advantage of avoiding driving until now. Other advantages:?avoid cops,insurance people,mechanics,car salespeople,gas stations, tow trucks, work/nap during commute. Of course, not for everyone.

https://archive.is/2023.06.08-152400/https://www.theatlantic...

The article names a good reason but ultimately it's because they are removed from the circumstance in which they would incur negative consequences or social stigma for drinking throughout the day. The degree to which they would imbibe varies but done moderately but it is in contrast to the "drink your drinks at night" which is now the modern world standard. I wager the "drink a little all day" used to be more common in the pre modern world.

I don’t buy that, people don’t normally have to sit around for hours just waiting, there’s nothing to do apart from shop for overpriced brands

That's certainly a factor but it's not too hard to plan ahead and bring or buy a book. Or work on a laptop.

>people don’t normally have to sit around for hours just waiting

Waiting in lines, waiting in traffic, waiting for buses. There's still plenty of waiting. And when people have free time (weekends, etc.) Yes they often drink.

Alcoholism. Most alcoholics can hide it most of the time but not there. (Note: I first heard this opinion from an alcoholic)

So if I have 1 mimosa at 7a before a flight and otherwise don't drink for the rest of the month, I'm an alcoholic? This logic is wack

I almost never drink, maybe a couple times a year socially. However, I get a drink or two every time I’m flying.

Flying (well, navigating airports) is stressful, and the long gaps between flights are boring. That combination always seems to direct me to the bar.

It's a stressful experience and water costs as much as beer...

If you are drinking before lunch, then you might be an alcoholic.

Because they are alcoholics and drink whenever they can.

Indeed, most people manage to travel through different time zones without the need for alcohol. Just as most people can manage to take a 30 minute train journey without stuffing their faces with food.

yeah time zones are a good excuse... Sometimes I also use the excuse that I work nights

One of the best reasons for a train is you can drink, not on your morning commute of course, but going somewhere for a night out, and you don’t have to wait half hour to take off, or painfully slow service, you can bring your own drinks of choice. You can get nice seats with a group of friends with a table and leg room, it’s lovely.

I only drink when I fly. Not on trains, not on car rides, not socially, not alone in my home — only when I fly.

There is nothing to do in an airport or an airplane. It’s like solitary confinement. All you can do is eat, drink, maybe buy a shitty book from the local duty free shop, and wait out your sentence.

A terribly uncomfortable experience.

'There is nothing to do in an airport or an airplane.'

I get this, but I've also met some interesting people and sometimes found myself deep in honest conversation for hours at a time. I'm saying this as someone who is usually reserved to the point of being anti-social.

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