Mark’s Solution to the Violence in Billings Bars

I've spent more time in bars than most of you reading this, so I have some thoughts on today's topic.

The story on KTVQ's website entitled "Magnet For Crime: Police Form Plan To Patrol Popular Bar." America's Wild West is getting some bad press, but it looks to be deserved.

The police department has responded to 213 incidents over the last 14 months.

Facebook got a hold of it and the comments varied from charging the bar for each visit from law enforcement, to just making the bar shut down entirely. I'm not a fan of anything government related having the power to shut down a business...

I understand that this isn't a 21 and older club. Apparently, if you're 18, you can get in here. I don't agree with that. This leads to people buying drinks for under age kids. Not good.

I would hope that the bar would hire additional security. And they should.

They're lucky that nobody's pursued legal action on some of the things that have gone down in their parking lot. There's always a bar that is the "bad place to go" bar. Some of the most vicious fist fights that I ever saw, happened at Grandma's, Dudley's and The Wild West when it was on fourth avenue north.

And most of the time you can just walk away from a volatile situation. In forty years of going to bars, I've never been in a fight. It's not hard to do. And if you already know that a bar has a reputation for trouble, just go some place else. It's pretty simple.

Or you can do like I do now. If I go to a bar, it's also a restaurant. So I get a bite to eat, and I'm home before it's dark.

Be safe out there.