It’s summer, Friday afternoon.
You just got off or already are on your way back home from either job or school. Doesn’t really matter. What matters is the certain, and in that case the certain is your phone is about to ring soon or your messenger is just about to *bing*.
“Interesting who’s that” you’re thinking but in the back of your head you already know the answer, don’t you? Of course, your friends.
“What do they want?” you ask yourself as if didn’t know the answer to that either.
You pick up or open the message and either hear or read:
- “Hey, wanna hang out a bit later on?”
- “Sure, why not! Are we up to anything particular though?”
- “Let’s figure something out as we meet”
And it’s all set, you’re going out and it’s going to be fun. But is really everything set? What’s there to do, if you have already visited most of the locals during colder days and now you’d probably prefer to stay outside and enjoy the weather?
See, there are not that many places you can hang out at during summer in Warsaw. I mean of course there are lots of parks and squares but let’s be honest here. Who does not want to grab a drink or ‘a few cold ones with the boys’? That, as cool as it is, is illegal in most public areas in Poland. Luckily for us and many other Warsaw inhabitants, since March this year, it is now legal to do so by the side of Vistula river, commonly called “Schodki nad wisla”.
The idea was initially considered as a test to the Varsovians. The exception from the law has been settled in order to determine whether a list of public areas, where consumption of alcohol is not to be prohibited, should be widen. What was the reasoning behind this? I guess we can only speculate. Personally few things come to my mind:
- moderation of behavior - giving people a bit more freedom to determine how would that affect them
- moving clusters of people consuming alcohol from the streets to one, perhaps less interfering with the sober ones, place
- western culture influence
I, personally, am really happy with how it is playing out so far (perhaps, except for the misuse of trash cans) and so would like to ask you:
- Do you and your friends go to the the Vistula side during (perhaps not only) summer?
- Do you agree / disagree with widening the list of public areas where the consumption of alcohol is not prohibited?
- Are there any additional reasons, behind the decision to allow the consumption of alcohol in the public ares, that come to your mind?
Comments
Cheers
In my opinion, there should be some public places just like those stairs or a beach when it's legal to drink alcohol. But I wouldn't widen the list of such places too much. After drinking some people start to be aggressive or loud and that could bother or frighten others.
Nothing really comes to my mind apart from the reasons you've already mentioned.
I do not agree. I am satisfied with the fact that I can drink beer with friends at home (at a party, or inviting guests) or in a place where it is allowed (bars, restaurants). Around the Vistula there is a lot of territories where you can drink, I think it is a great place to meet friends on a hot summer day and drink beer.
I'm against a decision of allowing drinking alcohol in public areas. I don't like to meet drunk and inadequate people in public areas plus in public areas, you always could meet children and I also this that children shouldn't see like people drinking alcohol.
I guess few spots in the city is enough. There still should be a places where you know that the probability that you meet some drunk weirdo would be lower.
If you know, as government, that the most of citizens are adequate, so there are no many reasons to prohibit drinking in public ares.
Of course! We have some of our favourite spots and we often go there in summer but also in spring or fall when the weather is not that bad.
2. Do you agree / disagree with widening the list of public areas where the consumption of alcohol is not prohibited?
I think that consumption of alcohol should be allowed on both sides of the Vistula near poniatowski bridge. I don't think that drinking alcohol should be allowed everywhere.
3. Are there any additional reasons, behind the decision to allow the consumption of alcohol in the public ares, that come to your mind?
I think that a lot of people were drinking alcohol there even when that was illeagal so maybe they just decided to give people more joy out of it by doing it in legal way.
I walked several times along the riverbank. Saw young people drinking alcohol, but in most cases they behaved adequately.
Do you agree / disagree with widening the list of public areas where the consumption of alcohol is not prohibited?Are there any additional reasons, behind the decision to allow the consumption of alcohol in the public ares, that come to your mind?
I am certainly for the fact that people do not drink alcohol in public places. But since there are places where it can be consumed, I think it is necessary to increase the fines and toughen measures against those who commit indecent actions under the influence of alcohol.
I have mixed feelings about extending drinking in public zones. On one hand it would be nice to drink a beer in other nice places in Warsaw, but on the other hand we can see at Vistula banks that some people can’t control alcohol consumption and their behaviour after drinking too much of it, which in turn is often really uncomfortable for other people in such places.
I'm behind it, then maybe I would solve the problem of drinking alcohol in the bushes.
I think there are a lot of them, there are really few places where you can legally drink, for example, beer. there would be no mess even for the vista because everyone is walking there.
If they created such places, people would not have to commute just to the nearest place.
I agree that there should be places where drinking is prohibited as well as places where it’s allowed. I think that the list of such places should be based on real-life circumstances — the local government should observe where people are often gathering (like Schodki nad Wisłą) and take these places into consideration.
I think allowing the consumption of alcohol in certain places actually helps those who want to avoid them, e.g. parents taking their little kids for a walk. Since they know what to expect, they just don’t go there instead of doing so and being frightened.
Widening a list of public places might me a good idea but really hard to execute. First of all what places should be legal and why them. What about locals? Would they approve it? There are a lot of questions.
Do you and your friends go to the the Vistula side during (perhaps not only) summer?
I have never been there yet. I want to try one day when it is warm.
Do you agree / disagree with widening the list of public areas where the consumption of alcohol is not prohibited?
I agree. Moderate drinkers will have fun and have drinkers don't care about with such things as lists of areas that they can or cannot drink.
Are there any additional reasons, behind the decision to allow the consumption of alcohol in the public ares, that come to your mind?
Money! Tourists! Parties! Culture! Alcohol is a strong part of Europeans cultures. Wine, beer. We can organise festivals, meetings, and so on, and so on.
Yes, I with my friends sometimes go to the Vistula side espiecially when it's warm.
2. Do you agree / disagree with widening the list of public areas where the consumption of alcohol is not prohibited?
I agree with the list of public areas where the consumption of alcohol is legal. I think that should be also other places where consumption of alcohol is prohibited.
3. Are there any additional reasons, behind the decision to allow the consumption of alcohol in the public ares, that come to your mind?
In my opinion the main reason is money and polish culture.
I think that punishing for alcohol is stupid. In my opinion, there should not be a ban on drinking alcohol, because we are free people and each of us decides whether we want to drink a beer, eg in a park or not.
The current bans are very often broken which sometimes results in the imposition of a ticket. In my opinion, the penalties for alcohol consumption have only one purpose: to contribute to the city or state budget. I believe that there are not enough garbage and toilet bins and services on the Vistula River that will regularly empty them. The problem is also a lot of underage youth, who gets drunk on unconsciousness...
Yes, I agree, but you can't enter it everywhere.
It depends on what public places. For example, "schodki nad Wisła" is OK, and for example in the Park, I think that there should be a ban
I would agree with widening the list of public areas, where drinking alcohol is not prohibited but it has to be well thought. Firstly it has to be not close to the living areas. If you go outside of the city, you will always spot ‘fellas’ having a drink in front of the only one local store. It is not very pleasing view and considering many shady areas and a lot of people having problems with alcohol today, it would be sometimes better if they would stay at home
I think that touristic reason would be very strong argument.
I think that the point to have that kind of places is a trying to give people little bit more freedom and see what's happened. At least I hope that it's true.
Do you and your friends go to the Vistula side during (perhaps not only) summer?
That's how it happens for me to go out with friends over the Vistula, not only for the purpose of drinking alcohol
Do you agree / disagree with the view of the public?
I do not agree with this prohibition, in my opinion it is limiting freedom. The problem here is education
Are there any other reasons, that come to your mind?
Nothing comes to my mind right now
It seems to me that regular patrols that would guard order would not lead to pollution of vents caused by throwing bottles.
Also social campaigns that would encourage people to clean up after themselves could help
I have mixed feeling about widening the list of public areas where the consumption of alcohol is not prohibited. Why? We as Poles like to extend the borders. It's easy to spot super drunk people during the summer next to the Vistula river. I think widening the list might make things worse and spread people like this to other areas of the city. You never know how drunk a person will behave. Now when it's only in this one place is relatively easy to control. I have seen many police officers walking around, keeping things organized and resolving any problems in a very efficient way just after the start or sight of possible issues.
Yes, that's a very nice way to spend some quality time with friends.
Do you agree / disagree with widening the list of public areas where the consumption of alcohol is not prohibited?
I think that we can have more places like this, but we should also watch for an extremal cases - people do often abuse alcohol, and they're being aggresive towards others, it's not okay.
Are there any additional reasons, behind the decision to allow the consumption of alcohol in the public ares, that come to your mind?
Right now nothing comes to my mind :(
2. I think that it is right decision to not ban drinking in such places. Do we have a freedom or are we a slaves in our own country? It is normal for me that in such places people want to spend time on some partying and I don't see nothing wrong with it.
3. I think that the main reason is that one which I mentioned above. We are not slaves and we shouldn't ban people doing things which are not hurt anyone.
I don't have a clear opinion, but I think such places should exist and be regulated in some way. Cities have to have safe and comfy places where you can chill and drink.
It's hard to tell, but it depends on a type of "public area". One of the main reason is obviously money.
Yes we do, but not so often. Right now, it's kinda dangerous over there. The most dangerous place is nearby the "Hocki Klocki" club. A lot of my friends had trouble over there. I prefer the new area near the CNK.
2. Do you agree / disagree with widening the list of public areas where the consumption of alcohol is not prohibited?
I think it's a good move. You know, we're in a big city and a possibility to go outside and drink some beer is great. But there should be more security or police, because as I said before - sometimes it's dangerous.
3. Are there any additional reasons, behind the decision to allow the consumption of alcohol in the public ares, that come to your mind?
For now nothing comes to my mind.