It feels like...

[venta]

OK, yes, that was just a facetious entry because I suddenly found the phrase "straw poll" funny this morning. However, it has just reminded me of something I did want to ask about.

How many of you have ever heard of a "spikey" ? As in a small plastic thingy which might be given out free in pubs ?

This website explains what a spikey is. Have you seen these anywhere ?

I was shown one at the weekend by someone who'd picked it up in a bar in Preston - a huge bucket of them apparently stood on the bar, inviting people to help themselves. He questioned the bar staff as to what on earth they were (a small, plastic plug you put into the top of a bottle, with a hole for a straw, which prevents anyone dropping anything into your drink). When he later handed it to me to invite me to guess what it was, I failed utterly.

Stuart asked, in surprise, if this was really necessary, was drink-spiking so prevalent that it needed this kind of precaution ? Yes, apparently. "Everyone" in Preston knows someone to whom it's happened.

Now, I'm a bit sceptical - I'm prepared to believe there's a perceived threat, but is it really so widespread ? Richard, who lives in Wakefield, confirmed to me that it is apparently rife there, too, with many cases reported.

Are you aware of it being a particular threat in your area ? I mean yes, it's a risk, and it pays to keep an eye on your drink and make sure that someone will notice if you're acting funny or disappear. But the idea that a plastic stopper is necessary to stop someone dropping Rohypnol into your beer is a new one on me.

I'm also told that the reason bottled drinks are so popular these days is that they're harder to spike. Have I been living with my head in a bucket and missing all this ?

Should Pintwatch start campaigning for pint-glass-sized coloured stoppers ? Preferably with a hot-coffee-style sipping mechanism. Not a straw. Blech.

Comments

[stegzy.livejournal.com]

I'm not familiar with any such happenings in the liverpool area. Though that doesnt mean that there arent any instances of it happening. My immediate local has some fairly shady characters frequenting it and I havent heard of anything like that happening there ( Though some are like extras from Prisoner Cell Block H which might explain it)

I have heard tell of a local woman (ie in the North West) that was sent to prison for spiking mens drinks and then robbing them blind, shaving them and writing the word "Twat" on their forehead. But I may be mistaken...

[zotz]

Sounds like it may be a garbled version of a recent case in London. A woman was convicted of getting off with well-off city blokes, spiking their drinks once back at their places and making off with cash and valuables.

Ummm . . . here.

Unless you heard your story some time ago, of course.

[stegzy.livejournal.com]

yeah i think thats more likely to be the thing. My source is as reliable as the 89 bus