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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this girl won't turn 18 tomorrow?

76 replies

CrohnicallyFarting · 27/02/2014 19:53

I was listening to the radio, and they were wishing a happy birthday to someone who is celebrating their 18th birthday tomorrow (28th Feb).

The thing is, she was born on Feb 29th. Obviously, this year isn't a leap year, so she can't celebrate her actual birth date. But I can't help thinking she's celebrating a day early and she should actually have 1st March as her 'birthday' in non-leap years.

I just have this vision of the poor girl going out for a few drinks tomorrow to celebrate as is customary for people turning 18, only for her to get IDed and turned away for not actually being 18 yet.

So AIBU or is she?

OP posts:
IneedAwittierNickname · 27/02/2014 20:41

I agree that the 1st Jan would be the 1st day of my 2nd year, but surely I'm not a year old until the end of the day on 31st December? Still Confused

LynetteScavo · 27/02/2014 20:43

Of course she will be 18 tomorrow.

She's not 4 years old, is she!

And if you count your birthday by days, ie 365 X 18, then she will be 18....(lets someone else do the maths as I've ahd a Wine and need to put DS2 to bed.

Original poster
CrohnicallyFarting · 27/02/2014 20:46

That's another thing. I get that someone born on the 29th February only has an actual birthday every 4 years, but after 72 years they are definitely 72 years old even though it's their 18th birthday. They can't be 18 because the 'years old' is implied.

And I'm sorry for any alarm my thread title caused, I honestly hadn't realised it could be taken like that till someone said!

OP posts:
Original poster
CrohnicallyFarting · 27/02/2014 20:47

Lynette- that's not what I meant. I know she is turning 18, but can she legally drink tomorrow or does she need to wait till March 1st as Feb 28th is actually the day before her actual birth date?

OP posts:
Original poster
CrohnicallyFarting · 27/02/2014 20:49

kisses but if I was born at 12 noon on 1st January, my year isn't completed till 11:59 on 1st January, so I can count the first moment of 1st January as being a year old. Surely?

OP posts:
tb · 27/02/2014 20:52

Jean I thought of Pirates of Penzance, too Grin

merrymouse · 27/02/2014 20:55

Agree with Maureen. I think we all just have to get through the next couple of days by imagining that she is having a meal at home with her family on the Friday night and going out with her mates on the Saturday. I think that would make more sense for her anyway because presumably she is at school tomorrow and might want to get her hair done before she goes out.

meditrina · 27/02/2014 20:55

Once upon a time I had a rather good looking young colleague who invited us all for drinks to celebrate his 6th birthday. Rather a good do, and not remotely like a typical children's party

JeanSeberg · 27/02/2014 20:58

Jean I thought of Pirates of Penzance, too

Great minds think alike tb!

Original poster
CrohnicallyFarting · 27/02/2014 21:00

Thank goodness for family meals. Actually, that makes me think even more. She could go out for a meal with her family, and so long as someone over 18 orders a bottle of wine, and she sits down for the meal, she can drink some of the wine regardless of whether she's turned 18 or not.

At least, that's what we were taught when I was at school, that you can drink wine at 16 with a sit down meal so long as an over 18 orders it. in fact, at our leaving do the teachers ordered us some wine to go with our meal. And I had some even though I hadn't even turned 16 yet.

OP posts:
Hulababy · 27/02/2014 21:00

My uncle always celebrates his leap year birthday on the 28th February.

A person with a leap year birthday still accumulates the normal number of years for the ages. They just have a quarter of the actual birthdays.

LynetteScavo · 27/02/2014 21:01

Well, If I was serving her in a pub, or a bouncer on the door, I would let her in.

If my birthday suddenly disappeared, I damn well want a drink the day before, in the same month.

Probably, in a court of law, she won't be 18 until the 1st march.

Maybe someone should test it out? Or maybe someone already has, and there is a definitive answer. Actually, there must be.

Aren't there any solicitors on this thread?

Original poster
CrohnicallyFarting · 27/02/2014 21:03

lynette if you acknowledge that in a court of law she wouldn't be 18 till march 1st, you'd let her into a venue/serve her alcohol and knowingly break the law and risk prosecution?

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 27/02/2014 21:10

Yes, because I am currently under the influence of a rather decent bottle glass of red Wine

I don't acknowledge in a court of law she would still be 17, I suspect. I'm not a lawyer, I don't have a law degree, I'm just guessing. (The law tends to err on the side of boring IME Wink)

AnnabelleLee · 27/02/2014 21:13

Seriously, risk prosecution? Do you think the police and courts have nothing better to do? Don't be daft.

Original poster
CrohnicallyFarting · 27/02/2014 21:18

annabelle I don't know about where you live, but round here underage drinking is taken very seriously. The police do undercover operations where they send minors into pubs/clubs/shops to attempt to buy alcohol. They also do random checks of licensed premises to ensure that everyone is of a legal age. People can and do get prosecuted for allowing underage drinking.

OP posts:
Original poster
CrohnicallyFarting · 27/02/2014 21:19

lynette I think if you were really in that situation, you'd err on the side of boring too?

OP posts:
Sallyingforth · 27/02/2014 21:20

Pirates of Penzance anybody?

I've sung Ruth's part! "When Fred'rick was a little lad he grew so brave and daring..."

LynetteScavo · 27/02/2014 21:24

Well, if I were making up the law as I went along, and I was a judge wearing a curly wig, having the final say on whether a publican was right or wrong to serve half a larger to someone who celebrating their birthday under these circumstances, I would declare there is no case!

(Dramatically while slamming down my gavel)

That's probably not how these things work, though.

HadABadDay2014 · 27/02/2014 21:24

I would rather not sell age restricted things, I have tried googling but found nothing, so rather protect my job/business

Original poster
CrohnicallyFarting · 27/02/2014 21:25

I suspect it depends on whether the judge is under the influence of a bottle glass of red.

OP posts:
Original poster
CrohnicallyFarting · 27/02/2014 21:27

HadaBadDay- do you mean you'd rather not sell them at all?? Or rather not take the risk of selling to someone underage?

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 27/02/2014 21:34

Well, when does the Queen send out telegrams to people who are 100 yo? On the 28th, or the 1st????

HadABadDay2014 · 27/02/2014 21:36

Take the risk of selling underage. Like a bottle of wine I would take 1 march 1996 as being of age and not 28th

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