Refusal to sell me game

[Inexistence]

I, while waiting for a my school choir performance to start since I was going to watch my friend, wandered into a nearby Game store. I went and looked at the cheap aisle, as I only had £10. I looked and saw Thief 1 and 2 for the PC, for £5. I went to buy it but they refused to since they didn't believe I was 12.

I may look young, I'm 13, but I doubt anyone below 12 has a voice as deep as mine or acne as bad as mine.

She asked if I had any identification that proved I was 12 or over. What type of identification do they expect a 13 year old to carry around? The only thing that has my true date of birth on it is my birth certificate and my passport, neither of which I'm going to carry around in my pocket.

I just find it unfair about how they expect me to carry identification around when I am standing with the uniform on right outside where a Year 9 (13 or 14) choir is standing, I have a deep voice, bad spots and I didn't look nervous at all when I did it. She randomly pulled it out.

Perhaps this should be in Miscellaneous discussion due to it being more of a rant than about video games?

[Ange]

Wow, I'm sorry about that. And I thought that I had it bad when I get ID'd for being in the mall (I'm 21, they have a no-kids-under-18-on-weekends-alone- policy). At least I have some form of identification!

[Pixa]

I admit, things like this are annoying. My friend and I went to go see Snakes on a Plane, me, an enthusiastic and charming (hah) 15 year old (at the time, at least), and then, they asked us for proof of identity (us being my friend and I), being 15, I really didn't have anything, and I don't know how I was expected to have carried any proof of my age around with me. Now 16, I still have no proof, but that doesn't really have anything to do with what I'm saying.

Anyway, a couple, who had acne and were pretty tall, I'd say they defiantly looked at least 17 (to see the 15 film), yet were still rejected due to lack of proof of identity. My conclusion is that, really, it's unfair, however, moreso, it's just luck. That's the only time I've been asked for proof of identity, and from the obviously much older couple being turned away proved that the guy was obviously very mean and nasty, haha. Just think that it's their money that they're losing.

[Christopher]

Grow a beard, always works

[Kugetsu]

Haha, I'm not sure why, exactly, but I got carded buying Final Fantasy XII and I'm 20.

She was like:

"How old are you?"

"20, today in fact."

"Yeah right, got some ID?"

"Um... yes...?"

*shows her ID*

"Oh... Happy Birthday!"

FFXII isn't even rated Mature (obviously)... I've been carded for mature games plenty of times, but not for a game rated Teen. ._. I wonder what she would have done if I didn't have ID. o_0

[Uncle Xyzzy]

Haha, I'm not sure why, exactly, but I got carded buying Final Fantasy XII and I'm 20.

She was like:

"How old are you?"

"20, today in fact."

"Yeah right, got some ID?"

"Um... yes...?"

*shows her ID*

"Oh... Happy Birthday!"

FFXII isn't even rated Mature (obviously)... I've been carded for mature games plenty of times, but not for a game rated Teen. ._. I wonder what she would have done if I didn't have ID. o_0

Why would you even be carded for M? AO, obviously, but except for rare occasions like that wonderful little incident known as GTA, y'ain't gonna find much of anything illegal until you reach AO.

Unless it's Walmart. Then you'll have to confirm that you're old enough for something rated EC. (Which you're not, since Walmart panders to uptight old folkes)

[Messs17]

Haha, I'm not sure why, exactly, but I got carded buying Final Fantasy XII and I'm 20.

She was like:

"How old are you?"

"20, today in fact."

"Yeah right, got some ID?"

"Um... yes...?"

*shows her ID*

"Oh... Happy Birthday!"

FFXII isn't even rated Mature (obviously)... I've been carded for mature games plenty of times, but not for a game rated Teen. ._. I wonder what she would have done if I didn't have ID. o_0

Why would you even be carded for M? AO, obviously, but except for rare occasions like that wonderful little incident known as GTA, y'ain't gonna find much of anything illegal until you reach AO.

Unless it's Walmart. Then you'll have to confirm that you're old enough for something rated EC. (Which you're not, since Walmart panders to uptight old folkes)

You have to be 17 to purchase a Mature rated game without an adult with you.

[Kugetsu]

Well, you have to be 18 to buy Mature games (here, at least), and although the law was never really enforced, the government in my state (Illinois) is some nutso that is heavily enforcing this law (unless it is nation-wide, I'm not sure).

You know the whole "Blah blah blah, video games make killers, blah blah blah" argument? Well, our governor saw some John F. Kennedy assassination simulator and decided that every violent game was as severe as depicting the lead of a country being assassinated and decided to put a vice grip as far as the age limits go, and stores can get fined if they're caught not carding for Mature games (and AO too, obviously.)

I'm sure it's much different outside of the US, though.

[vtothec]

I don't really have that problem with buying video games but trust me at pubs/casinos etc or when a telemarketer calls up...can I speak to your mum or dad? I'm 21 for gosh sakes

[Anoohilator]

Grow a beard, always works

But then you don't get child bus fares.

[Christopher]

Grow a beard, always works

But then you don't get child bus fares.

Get on bus, grow beard, buy game, shave, take bus home =/

New Zealand has unfortunately begun mimicking Australia and banning games, I always remember that when I was younger in Australia in order to buy the M rated Yuris Revenge expansion to Red Alert 2 they wouldn't sell it too me. I had to call my mother over, hand her my money, buy the game, then hand the game to me. In NZ M games can pretty much be sold to anyone, it's like a PG rating.

[Asthaloth]

Any store (Pub, shop, whatever) May refuse to sell you anything on any grounds.
They atleast had the decency to refuse to sell you the game based upon the fact that you (Presumably) look under Twelve.

But then, I've only ever been ID once my entire life (Alcohol, Two days after my 18th Birthday, infact) and never once for a game or film.

[Rachel]

sometimes looking young is a good thing. some people once came to my student house, knocking door to door, trying to sell stuff i assume, and i answered the door and they asked if my mum or dad were home, i simply answered no and they left no arguments! Much easier than responding with "no, i'm 21 and rent this place myself", when i would have had to field them off some other way

[jcsw]

In Singapore everyone above 6 who carries a wallet has some sort of Identification with your birth date on.

And you can use it to pay bus and train fares.

Problem Solved.

[Ixist]

I, while waiting for a my school choir performance to start since I was going to watch my friend, wandered into a nearby Game store. I went and looked at the cheap aisle, as I only had £10. I looked and saw Thief 1 and 2 for the PC, for £5. I went to buy it but they refused to since they didn't believe I was 12.

I may look young, I'm 13, but I doubt anyone below 12 has a voice as deep as mine or acne as bad as mine.

She asked if I had any identification that proved I was 12 or over. What type of identification do they expect a 13 year old to carry around? The only thing that has my true date of birth on it is my birth certificate and my passport, neither of which I'm going to carry around in my pocket.

I just find it unfair about how they expect me to carry identification around when I am standing with the uniform on right outside where a Year 9 (13 or 14) choir is standing, I have a deep voice, bad spots and I didn't look nervous at all when I did it. She randomly pulled it out.

Perhaps this should be in Miscellaneous discussion due to it being more of a rant than about video games?

Well, in the UK there are many ways to get ID cards. I have my YoungScot card, which is a valid form of ID anywhere you go.

And yea, quite a few people carry their passports around with them. It can be quite usefyl. If I didn't have my YS card, I would be trazking my passport with me wherever I go, despite the fact that I look like a 13 year old pregnant girl in my photo and don't lok like that in real life.