$250 Fine for Smoking

[panthera]

Crash and Burn

At my very worst, I hope I don't even come close to some of the, er, shall we say, 'statements' made on this thread.
It is too late to bake a cake. I seldom give up on threads in our AW fora, but this one is way over the top.
I'm out of here.

 

[flair_range]

"Do you REALLY compare a person walking down a street with a cigarette to someone taking a whiz?"

For a typical urban street, I think that it is a very good comparison. It is not just about the cigarette smoke, it is also about the cigarette butt litter.

I don't believe that banning smoking in bars that do not serve food (other than nuts and chips) is necessary. Totally banning smoking in any establishment that serves food is a Good Thing. I really like going to restaurants and being able to eat without having the smell of cigarette smoke permeating everything.

I went to a bar in MA (that prohibits smoking in bars) and it took getting used to being able to smell things in the bar other than cigarette smoke.

Banning smoking in places that serves food also bans smoking in many bars. Other than private clubs, in most states, "by the drink" liquor licenses require that food also be served (at least sandwiches); and in many cases, "bars" are actually restaurants that are licensed to serve liquor.

 

[oxydolfan1]

Thanks for the cake. Sorry I missed it!

 

[sudsmaster]

I did a fair amount of business travel in the '90's (3-4 times a year) and found on numerous occasions that the "non-smoking" rooms came with a horrible application of some kind of air freshener that was almost as bad as residual smoke. Quite often I would search the nooks and crannies of the room and find the offending little bottle of air deodorizer, and chuck it into the trash. I've also been known to find the air filter for the room air system and chuck that if it's clogged with dirt/dust.

I think sometimes hotels simply slapped a "no smoking" sign up on a previously smoked room, sprayed some air freshener around, and passed it off.

So an all-non-smoking hotel would help resolve that problem, but it probably doesn't guarantee that those pesky room deodorizers won't be over-used.

 

[gansky1]

I'll have a piece of chocolate cake, please. It looks wonderful - we should have a "bake-in" sometime, Kelly - I know a couple of others would love to join in the fun!

Omaha just passed a smoking ban in establishments that serve food and after much controversial banter from both sides, two weeks after the ban went into effect, the banter is all but gone and everyone has adapted just fine. Most smokers are used to going outside by now anyway so there isn't much of a change to their routines. As far as being outside and enjoying a cigarette, I'm one of them and if you don't like it, buy a gas mask to protect you from the smoke, the black smoke spewing from the city bus passing by and the soccer mom who has drenched herself in perfume. There are lots of pollutants in the air we breathe - don't single out one as the root of all evil, that's just narrow minded and reactionary.

 

[dalangdon]

I was talking to a smoker friend last night who was very pro-smoking ban (much more so than I was). He said that they were considering amending the Washington ban so that if a bar or club has a patio (and most do these days) you can have a smoke out there. As it stands now, you can't smoke in any area that is under the supervision of an employee, which I think is dumb. I was all for the ban on indoor smoking, but I don't think street or patio smoking is bad.

The main reason I was against indoor smoking, btw, was the situations we would get into in the club that I worked at (the "leather" bar) People would regularly throw their cigs in the trash cans, and they would occassionaly catch fire. Since the clubs are not required to have sprinkler systems (but they will, starting in '08 or sometime around there) I was always afraid of what could happen - all it would take is for someone to scream "fire" and all hell would break loose.

That, and I was tired of getting accidentally burned by drunks with cigarettes, although that usually meant at least an extra five bucks in the tip jar ;-)

 

[oxydolfan1]

A rational, sensible position

"I was all for the ban on indoor smoking, but I don't think street or patio smoking is bad."

This is, at least, sensible and practical. Thank you.

 

[irishwashguy]

I am so glad!!

As you may have seen from the other thread, I go to los of hotel rooms with my job as a pizza guy.I just hate it when people walk out of their room with a lit cig in their hand, it is so nasty!!Or they have it dangling out of their mouth.Then they blow the smoke in your face. So Gross.I hate smoking.I was at one point a smoker.The Marbro man and I broke up about twelve years ago, and me with a strong will did it with lots of big red, bottled water, and ditermination. I have not picked up one since. i am glad they have banned it. Smoke is always in the room, long after people leave. In my neighbor state to the North, Washington, it is statewide. You can't smoke with in 25 feet of the door of a public building. Put that in your pipe and smoke it , if you can!!!

 

[lightedcontrols]

Sometimes, I just HAVE to laugh!

It NEVER ceases to amaze me how people will get so ''up in arms'' about smoking because it's soooooooooo bad......but offer them a joint and see what happens! LOL!!! Mark

 

[lightedcontrols]

ok, ok, ok.......

...Now I'm ducking and running!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Lightedcontrols

 

[kenwashesmonday]

A buddy of mine went to a concert last week. People were smoking joints all over. Someone lit a ciggaret and security made him put it out. I think it was the New Jersey Arts Center.

Ken

 

[oxydolfan1]

What show?

 

[user 12105]

I saw the Allman brothers there at PNC in 1999 for the first time. They wanted like $6 at the time for a dixie cup of beer.

Do not think i will ever go see a show there again. The Allman's were great though.

 

[bethann]

Umm... I probably should refrain from posting on this topic!

*puff*