Want fewer bar fights in Patchogue? Start with the shot glasses

Opinion |

A few years ago, I was visiting Amesbury, Mass., with a group of friends when we learned something unusual about one of the local bars.

No shots.

I don’t remember whether it was a city ordinance or simply the bar’s own policy. But I remember being surprised. We were grown adults, perfectly capable of ordering a round of tequila shots, and the bartender wasn’t having it.

Looking back, I think they might have been onto something.

There’s been plenty of chatter lately about fights breaking out in downtown Patchogue, particularly around its bars and nightlife scene.

And while I don’t know whether those fights are actually becoming more frequent, I do know that the complaints aren’t doing the village any favors.

So here’s my proposal: Stop serving shots at downtown Patchogue bars after 10 p.m.

Or 11 p.m. I’m flexible.

Now, before anyone accuses me of trying to ruin a good time, hear me out.

There’s a reason people order shots. They’re quick. They’re easy. And often, the whole point is to get a little drunker, a little faster.

A standard shot of liquor contains roughly the same amount of alcohol as a regular beer. The difference is that you can knock back two or three shots in the time it takes someone else to finish a few sips of their drink.

And we know what alcohol can do to judgment, impulse control and aggression, particularly when consumed rapidly.

Does that mean everyone ordering a round of Fireball is looking for a fight? Of course not.

Does it mean eliminating shots would eliminate bar fights? Not a chance.

But if the goal is to slow down excessive drinking late at night, removing one of the easiest ways to consume alcohol quickly seems like a reasonable place to start.

I’m not suggesting we take away anyone’s beer, wine or cocktails. I’m not even suggesting we eliminate shots altogether.

Want to toast your buddy’s birthday with a round of Jameson at 8 p.m.? Have at it.

But by 11 p.m., when the bars are filling up and people have already been drinking for hours, maybe it’s time to put the shot glasses away.

There are legal questions, of course. New York State regulates liquor licenses, and I don’t know whether Patchogue Village could impose such a restriction on its own.

Maybe it would have to be voluntary, with downtown bar owners agreeing to give it a try.

That’s fine, too.

Try it for a few months. See whether police calls, fights and other late-night disturbances decline. If nothing changes, at least the village and its bar owners tried something different.

Downtown Patchogue has become one of Long Island’s premier destinations for dining, drinking and entertainment. That’s something worth protecting.

And if putting away the shot glasses a little earlier helps keep the peace, isn’t that worth a shot?

---

Top: A view looking east along Main Street in downtown Patchogue. (Credit: GLI/Mike White, file)