What's safer, biker bars or restaurants?

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Monday Dec 08, 2003

Greetings fellow space travelers and welcome to this edition of What's Safer! Tonight, our focus revolves around the question of which is safer, a biker bar or a restaurant? For this answer, we travel back in time to the not so distant past of Saturday the 6th (at Magoo's in Cresson) with my friends and yours, Acid Reflux.

The evening started off wonderfully and just kept getting better as the night wore on. The guys were cranking out song after song of nothing but the best "holy hell, I wish I could do that" material. As the show came to an end and more drinking occurred (and after we hijacked D's guitar for a while) we decided that it was time for some breakfast. We all came to an agreement (officially and unofficially) that Eat -n- Park was the place to be.

Once we sally forthed our ways down there and attacked the buffet, we could help but notice the quality entertainment provided by the drunk people. Everything was burritos and chocolate pudding until four individuals decided that they were going to get into a yelling contest. In my professional opinion, I would have to say that the "I like paste" window licker kid won. Keley (dear God, I hope I spelled that right) unhappily decided that we didn't have to sit through this and we left our table. At the front counter we called the cops, paid our bills, received free smiley face cookies and tired to make our exit. ~Dramatic Music~ But wait! We are cut off by Yellow Shirt Man and The Mighty Window Licker! As they try to leave, they see the cops and run like hell. The caught the one kid with the quickness and stuffed him in the back of the cruiser as other officers search for the other guy in the Hooters/Sears/Mall parking lots. The person already detained is in the back seat, looking at us, mouthing something, and from what it looked like to me -- licking the window of the cop car. Hence the name. After this, the cop comes back into the lobby area and tells us to "keep an eye on my car." Um...Mr... Police Man - you have the gun! What am I supposed to do? Use my chinese throwing cookies of death? Anyway, about an hour passes and we all are really tired and wanting to get the hell home when I finally went outside and asked another officer if we could leave. After being told yes, we all said our good-bye's and fled in haste.

So my friends, which is safer? The world may never truly know, but as far as I am concerned - I was safer in Magoo's than in Eat -n- Park. Stay tuned next week when we ask that age old question of What's safer!

- A tremendous amount of thanks goes out to Acid Reflux and Keley for letting myself and Lisa (and briefly Brian) hang out with you all. You three are some of the coolest people we have ever chilled with. Can't wait to see you guys again and next time, we'll go to Kings. -

ZappasXWife · Post by **ZappasXWife** » Tuesday Dec 09, 2003

I have long held the theory that biker bars are much safer than restaurants. And, from my experience at waitressing, I will go one step further to point out that bikers are much better tippers than just about anyone (exceptions: gay men and other waitresses). That was quite a saga about the window licker, I think he might be from Altoona! Hey Acid Reflux, I also had a blast with you guys at Daniels last night. Missed you much. Everyone should check out this cool gig in Bellefonte with these guys...great bar/great beer/beautiful people...

Post by **Jim Price** » Tuesday Dec 09, 2003

Except for the very first biker bar I ever saw a show at back in '85 (the old Loop Tavern; a Black Angel show that ended in a Royal Rumble with tables, chairs, bottles and crowbars flying), I've never had any safety issues with biker-geared establishments - as long as I didn't back over any cycles in the parking lot, lol.

As for the all-night eateries, it seems the Plank Road (Altoona) all night eateries (Eat'n'Park, Kings and Denny's) seem to draw most of the rowdy, rude drunk and teenage crowds; I've seen a few similar adventures happen at these places over the years. For entertainment value, though, the 6th Avenue Kings across from Peter C's is where it's at! All shapes, sizes, and varieties of people can be seen there late on a Friday or Saturday night; it's almost like the cantina scene in the original Star Wars! And Guv'nor Jesse to boot!

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Tuesday Dec 09, 2003

Sixth Avenue King's is definitely the place to be. They have the friendliest freaks there! That place out by Beerbellies is fun, too. The Chuckwagon? They serve pancakes as big as a tire.

The most misbehaved crowds I've seen have generally been college crowds, or at least that age group. Yet those are the same people who won't go to see you at a place like Peter C's or Aldo's because those are "rough bars". You know, the kinds of places where people get stabbed and murdered on a nightly basis.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Wednesday Dec 10, 2003

I'd like to address that... I've been going to Peter C's since they opened the doors, and I have NEVER seen a real slobberknocker there. Maybe it's happened, but I've never seen it. I've witnessed a shoving match or two, but it was mostly women, and ended pretty quickly. I'm not exactly sure why some think it's a "rough" place... it just doesn't compute for me. Maybe it's because they have heavy music there... heads up, music fans... hip-hop clubs are MUUUUCCCHHH more dangerous. (That's not a racial slur... a**holes come in all stripes.)
Fact is, rock clubs seem to have gotten much mellower in the last decade or so. I hung at Hill Valley Hotel near Mt. Union as a 21 year-old, and believe you me, them fellers don't play. I can remember brawls that included more than 20 people, ambulances being summoned, attempted arson, police raids, roving rednecks with iron pipes and baseball bats, and the old timers used to talk about a shooting on the dance floor. Now, THAT'S a rough bar. I've personally seen and/or been involved in some seriously wild times there... but those stories are for that book I'm going to write someday.

------>JMS

Skate Toad · Post by **Skate Toad** » Wednesday Dec 10, 2003

My Fav late nite spot 5-10 years ago was Eatn' Park(the puke). Ah such fond memories........ Like the time the drunk fell out of the ceiling into the lobby because he was trying to crawl across from the mens room to get a peek into the women's room. or........The time some huge dude at the buffet was being harassed by some little dude on the other side of the buffet. And the big dude, plate still in hand lays the little dude out with one punch from under the sneeze gaurd and all the way acoss the spread. And then goes back to putting more eggs on his plate like it was nothing. (a site to have been seen) and then there was the ...... Riot yes riot of about 8-10 of societies finest decided to start a battle royal in the lobby. And yes there were guys getting ready to hit girls over the head with a wooden baby seat(such gentlemen). The blood was a flowin that night. And yes about 15 of altoona and township's finest showed up to hog tie them all. I kid you not 8 cop cars 15+ cops and 3 ambulances. must say it was a good show and since the wait staff was too busy the buffet seemed to be free that night (wink wink) So i have to agree the after show food can be more dangerous than the show itself.
Ahhhh war stories thats what it's all about!
See you in the trenches!

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Wednesday Dec 10, 2003

It was a riot though, a real site to behold. The story is a hell of a lot funny if you were there to see everything. Then again, most things turn out that way anyway. Oh well, perhaps I will try to make my next addition of What's Safer? more intresting. I was just trying to get a few laughs for I am an oldschool joker.