NEWS: The Science of Bar Fights

CULTURE: The Science of Bar Fights

Bar fights are gnarly. Broken glasses and beer bottles are often the weapon of choice, usually resulting in serious facial injuries. Testosterone and alcohol can be a lethal mix, but men aren't the only ones guilty of pub brawls. In a study from a few years back, researchers found that significantly more women attacked other women than expected.

Dr. Jonathan Shepherd has spent years developing and testing "effective strategies for reducing facial injuries in bar fights using broken glass." His work has been so effective, that he was recently awarded the Stockholm Prize in Criminology.

Tougher glassware. Makes sense. I mean--it doesn't strike me as rocket science, or groundbreaking, but good for him. For his success in showing how serious injury in barfights can be prevented, Dr. Shepherd will share a prize of about $150,000 with one other winner. Unfortunately, there's nothing the good doctor can do about the stupidity that arises from drinking outside of bars. For example, it would take a think tank to deal with
this guy.

Not a think tank so much as an award.

Quote from the Stockholm Award website:

My bold. "Common sense" isn't always right.

Double. Could we please have a sensible quote parser on SG? kthxbye

Nice job...

Hopefully the next step is candy glass. And breakaway chairs!

don't forget swinging doors for someone to be thrown through and a law that says all bartenders can...no, MUST...have a double barreled shotgun on hand.

That guy who was sucking on that snake...I'm relieved he wasn't a Southerner.

I think it would be interesting to study the culture of fighting with glassware, because frankly it seems much more popular in Britain. I've seen quite a few bar fights here in the states. I've even seen a monkey fight a chihuahua but I've only ever seen someone get hit by a bottle once. Pool cues, pool balls, chairs, canes, sure. The British seem to have a predilection for carving each other up with shattered barware that seems like it it has a cultural basis, though.

WOuldn't sexual jealousy and SOccer tournaments contest their role in the instigation?

They all think they're this guy:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Hey dont forget the irish. im a doorman. i see it all the time guys. the job entails stopping this shit before it happens. either before they enter the bar, or, when they are getting to shitfaced. the old adage 'prevention is better than cure' comes to mind. hospitals over here are over-run on a weekend with very stupid drunks with cuts and broken bones. and their drunken friends making a mess in the waiting room. i like being a responsible drunk. i go to a mental hospital get put in the padded room with a bottle of jack daniels and have a great time. lol.

Non US basically. Most countries miss out on escalating fights to the same degree that occur in the weapon oriented US. Traditional Brit police response was to stand outside and then just arrest everybody after it was over. Broken glasses and the like are very rarely seen, and just calling someone a faggot for trying to use one can make them drop it That said though, I have a friend with a V carved in his skull were he was hit with the leg off a pool table.....

britain has a higher percentage of glassware being used in fights than u.s...but lets look at firearms in fights...um,...look at that, the u.s out does every other country put together....the reason the brits use bottles is because they don't own firearms.

They should just serve all the drinks in sippy cups.

Maybe all drinks after the fourth should be served in Tupperware pints.
At that point, nobody's going to miss the subtle difference in taste and texture.

Shit. A pub doorman in Ireland. Props to you.