Seriously Baltimore, it's called a fire code for a reason!

Ok, so I've been meaning to write about this for a week and I'm not quite sure that I even should but I was so bothered by this event that I have to say something. Remember in college when we could hang in a small bar or nightclub all night and not be bothered by the fact that you can't lift both arms at the same time because there are so many people in the place. Well, let's just say I've outgrown that. Last week I was in Federal Hill. Yes, I know that I am and East Side girl not a West Side girl, but I ventured out of my comfort zone and probably won't do it again any time soon. We (about 10 friends or so) gathered at a local place around 9pm and chatted and hung out with no problems. 2 hours later, the dinner tables were gone, there was an attempt at some dancing and then the place was full. You could move, but it was still full.

So we figured we would try something else and we moved down the street "big mistake, big, huge!" The next place had many entrances and no one monitoring the number of people in or out. People, it's called a fire code for a reason. Does anyone not remember that tragedy in Rhode Island a few years back check it out at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Station_nightclub_fire.

It really isn't my idea of a good time to be in a bar that has so many people in it you can't get out! Thankfully we moved on after cowering in a corner by the kitchen for 20mn or so. When we hit the next place I said to a Baltimore City Cop (that was at the door of this bars) that the previous bar was well over capacity and his response was "yea those drunks, we really can't do anything about it! This is what the neighborhood wants" Seriously, I would think that the Baltimore City Fire Department is currently under such serious scrutiny that a little thing like 100 to 150 people over capacity on a Saturday night in a bar in Federal Hill would be something to pay attention to! Don't just think fire think gun shot (have ya paid attention to the murder rate in this town lately?)
Check this out http://essentials.baltimoresun.com/micro_sun/homicides/

So, ladies and gentlemen find a quite place to have a conversation with your friends, where you can dance a little, where you can lift both arms, and where you can get out of in case of a fire!