(Lighthearted) to ask for your ID please!?

[WantingMuchMore]

Out shopping today and I popped into a poundsaver type shop to stock up on e-liquid. I usually do this once a fortnight or so, as I dont use my vape all that often but never had anyone raise an eyebrow.

"Do you have ID?" asks the sales assistant.

I laughed and said something like, "thats quite funny seeing as I'm ".

Well, I wasnt prepared for the stony face and the next "your ID, if you dont mind",

Slightly confused, I hand over my driving licence which is studied hard for quite some time before being handed back and my purchases rung through the till.

I'm stunned. I'm (well) over 40 have smoked on and off since I was 11 (on the back of the bus) and havent been asked for ID in clubs, pubs or off licences since I turned 15 years old. I dont think I look anywhere near 18 or even 25 - I'm an almost ex smoker, we arent known for aging well!

Anyone else been the subject of seemingly random and pointless ID checks, just to brighten the sales assistant obviously boring day?

[RavenBlack]

Very odd. Most people look their age, and no-one looks more than 7-10 years younger than they actually are. (Not when you look at them properly...)

Nowhere on earth would anyone of 40 look under 18. Not even in the most dim lighting!

[ilovesooty]

I doubt if it was to brighten her day. She will have been instructed to ask for it.

[Sparklesocks]

When selling an age restricted product it flashes up on the till for the cashier to ask for ID/ensure customer is of age, I think sometimes staff are on autopilot and ask even if the customer is clearly of age.

Another point to consider is that the cashier can be fined personally (as well as the store) for selling restricted products to underage customers so I do think sometimes they are overly cautious just Cover themselves.

That said, what a nice compliment OP

[onemorecupofcoffeefortheroad]

I'm 53 and was asked for ID in Hobbycraft a couple of years ago when I bought glue.

[RebootYourEngine]

You say that you were stocking up on e-liquid how much were you buying? If you were buying a lot maybe she was a bit suspicious.

[nikkylou]

Very likely they asked on auto pilot. Sadly, as I've had to explain while working at a bar at uni, once I've asked I can't unask and sell whatever without seeing ID.

[elephantoverthehill]

I'm not a fan of the 'clearly over the age of 25' button on the self service tills in Tesco. . I bought some paint brush cleaner from The Range a few weeks back. On the label it said 'No ID, no sale'. I wasn't questioned, but that may be because the sales assistant had been in my tutor group for the previous 5 years.

[Gingernaut]

Usually, the signs read something like "If you look under 18/21/25, please don't be offended if we ask for ID"

I've never been in a situation or been present where people have had to show ID.

[Wellthatwasembarassing]

My job requires asking for ID and it grates on me that people get offended. It’s a complement that you look young and we will not be losing our job and a huge personal fine just because someone wants some vape juice. Sorry, yabu

[BendingSpoons]

I got asked for ID buying a bottle of vodka in Iceland (the shop) when I was about 21. Fair enough, I was quite young and it was a bottle of vodka. Handed over my driving licence and the guy said 'I need something with your date of birth on'. I proceeded to point it out and left bemused.

[PutTheBunnyBackInTheBox]

I had to wait at DM's house the other day for a Sainsbury's delivery and when asked to sign for it, I asked if it was ok for me, not DM, to sign. He said it was fine as long as the customer was over 18. I was a bit put out that he assumed I was over 18

[BeALert]

Anyone else been the subject of seemingly random and pointless ID checks, just to brighten the sales assistant obviously boring day?

Yes pretty much all the time. I'm 48.

I'm in the US and the penalties for people who sell to underage drinkers or smokers are pretty strict so they card anyone who looks under 70.

[elephantoverthehill]

Right that's it. I'm off to the States

[Movablefeast]

My salt and peppered 49 yr old DH was asked for ID at the supermarket in the last couple of weeks. I think he was buying alcohol.

[Movablefeast]

Forgot to put HAIR in that sentence I didn't just season him before he left the house!

[SomewhatIdiosyncratic]

I still get IDed regularly despite being 35-40 age group. The wording of being prepared to show ID if you look under 25 is a bit awkward, because who's to say I'm looking at least a decade younger than I am that day. (I do habitually carry ID and see the funny side and don't get uppity about it). I am at the stage where my DOB gets much scrutiny and the photo much comparing with my face before concluding that it is genuine, and I really am that much above the age limit, normally accompanied by something like "gosh, you look young!"

(I did get a child bus fare inadvertently at 29, despite feeling abysmal with morning sickness! You're supposed to have a card to prove entitlement to child fares and I wasn't asked for one. I was just puzzled that the single fare was so cheap compared to the usual day saver until I looked at the ticket )

[Scrowy]

I got asked for ID to buy teaspoons in my 30s

Teaspoons!

[Sayyouwill]

I got id’d recently.
I was born in 80s and the kid behind the bar got a calculator out to work out my age.

[MillieMoodle]

I got ID'd buying a tin opener in Matalan when I was 30. The girl on the till was about 18 and when she'd taken my driving licence and worked out my age she looked really embarrassed and kept apologising. It made my day though, and I told her it had

[Oldsu]

I have the opposite problem I am 62 and if I go anywhere where there are concessions for the over 60s I take the opportunity and I have NEVER been asked to prove my age, note to self must look for a good anti wrinkle cream

[thelastredwinegum]

When it was 16 to buy cigs, I'd driven to the petrol station filled up the car paid then asked for a pack of cigs and was asked for ID

[Sgtmajormummy]

I thanked the till operator in LIDL who murmured "Is this person over 18?" and looked up at me to judge...
I haven't seen 18 for several dacades!
Most of them just ask for ID with my credit card.

[sheepysheep]

Yep it happened to me in Tesco at the grand old age of 37. I’d rushed in just to grab one of those meal deals and they refused to sell me the alcohol as I had no ID. I thought they were joking, I was looking pretty haggard that day. They were really arsey when I told them I didn’t want the rest of the overpriced mediocre food on its own as I only wanted the meal deal. I should’ve just swapped the alcohol for soft drinks but I was a bit flustered by the whole thing so fled empty handed and red faced .

[Montythespookymouse]

Usually happens near us if they have been caught selling to someone under age. Ours ask everyone so they don't offend someone.