Smoking In public

[ralphie48]

I am vacationing on the beach this weekend, and while I've limited most of my smoking to my balcony I packed a cigar to take with me today in town as its a smoking friendly area. Where I am there's a mile long pedestrian only walking village of various shops so I figured I would smoke a petit corona and walk with the family. Even though there is people smoking cigarettes all over the place it seems that everywhere I stopped people would put there shirts over their nose, hold their nose or give dirty looks as if what I was doing was totally unacceptable. It became very uncomfortable. After a while I just tossed the cigar and gave up. But this is a smoking friendly area . What would you do? Should I have just said screw them and kept smoking? I've never seen such a reaction . Where I live, I've never gotten this reaction

[airtrade]

Screw Em.

[DoubleDD]

Enjoy your life, don't sweat the rest of them. I'm sure the 99% that think cigar smoke is disgusting have had something even dirtier in their mouths.

[Anth87]

I get the same thing here - I live in a complex on the Gold Coast, which backs up on the beach. If i smoke on my balcony (as I am now) I hear all the windows start shutting lol.

If I go down to the bbq / lounge chair area - I get looks - One lady even came up to me and said do you mind not smoking here - I politely replied - Maam, I'm sitting around 50 metres away from you - No disrespect, but this is a smoking an area and I'm enjoying my smoke - they cooked their meat then took it to eat on their balcony - oh well!

[CigSid]

Yes, I try to be polite and smoke only cubans

Seriously though... if you are in a "smoking" area, then smoke away, let them go to the non smoking areas...

[MrGTO]

I just can't get over the fact that people think cigarette smoke is tolerable but cigar smoke is not.

[phlee]

I generally try not to smoke if there are little kids nearby. Otherwise, it's fair play!

[TomF]

I just can't get over the fact that people think cigarette smoke is tolerable but cigar smoke is not.

I still remember the days when we could smoke on airplanes, but it was, "Cigarettes only please".

[JohnS]

Smoking in public...it's not exactly like indecently exposing yourself in public is it? But you're made to feel like it is these days!

[LGC]

F*** em!

[leftimatic]

I just can't get over the fact that people think cigarette smoke is tolerable but cigar smoke is not.

I can't believe how ridiculous they look when showing their disapproval. Instead of saying 'Oh my kind sir I fear your cigar is a little offensive to my nasal palette' They would rather grimace and shove their heads into sweaters and coats. Some even go so far as to make weird groaning or fake coughing noises. People like that can pretty much take a flying f@%k at a rolling donut. Especially anyone who is wearing a bottle of perfume or cologne and bitching. Now that shite will kill yah!

[oliverdst]

I get the same thing here - I live in a complex on the Gold Coast, which backs up on the beach. If i smoke on my balcony (as I am now) I hear all the windows start shutting lol.

If I go down to the bbq / lounge chair area - I get looks - One lady even came up to me and said do you mind not smoking here - I politely replied - Maam, I'm sitting around 50 metres away from you - No disrespect, but this is a smoking an area and I'm enjoying my smoke - they cooked their meat then took it to eat on their balcony - oh well!

tell them you are a vegetarian and ask if they dont mind not burning flesh close to you.

[cigarbreak]

I say light two up and fill that air with smoke. I was recently in Cuba smoking in the hotel lobby when a whole family decided to occupy the seats around my 2 cousins and I (sort of a square seating area where all face each other and we were on one side of the square). Five mins later this huge dude came to see them and walked past my cigar on the table in front of me and started waving the smoke away making odd faces. Ten mins later the guy goes up to me and towers over me with his bully stance and motions to me saying can you please move your cigar over there? Granted this guy could have kicked my arse, i said 'hey, we're both on vacation and im here enjoying my cigar in a 'smoking' lobby, and too add to it we were here first. Would you mind your own business or just move elsewhere? I dont see a problem...' Long story short the guy got all flustered and angry and started yelling and threatening me that there WILL be a problem if i dont move...so i puffed some more and blew the smoke between us and said 'relax bro' im not going anywhere...then someone from his family said something in French and he retreated.... The lady sitting right beside me then says to me, "oh we are just saying to move your cigar bc the wind is blowing it to us". I said 'maam, i dont control the wind, so either you all wait for me to finish, or you can move to the many other spots to sit with your family as we were here long before you guys came.' Needless to say shortly after they moved. What nerve this guy had lol.

Another stupid experience was on the way home in the non vip smoking lounge in Santa Clara airport...all the cig smokers were fake coughing and saying things about me and my cigar in french while we were in a tiny room filled with cigarette smoke...i purposely amped up the puffing because i think its so stupid for cigarette smokers to complain about smoke...like you gotta be kidding me right?? Sorry for long post lol this topic just reminded me of some the events that happened a fee weeks ago.

[Stogieninja]

There's a balance to be struck.

On one hand, I feel as if freedoms must be defended, and ground not given as if you give the anti-tobacco people an inch, they will take a city.

On the other, I want folks to understand that cigar smokers are generally speaking a very reasonable, polite bunch.

My own personal rule of thumb has generally been to avoid smoking in public where there are children or families present, even if the rules say it's ok.

However, in designated smoking areas, I see no reason not to smoke. If it bothers cigarette smokers, I don't really care, they're the reason we have so many anti-tobacco rules to begin with.

[oliverdst]

I say light two up and fill that air with smoke. I was recently in Cuba smoking in the hotel lobby when a whole family decided to occupy the seats around my 2 cousins and I (sort of a square seating area where all face each other and we were on one side of the square). Five mins later this huge dude came to see them and walked past my cigar on the table in front of me and started waving the smoke away making odd faces. Ten mins later the guy goes up to me and towers over me with his bully stance and motions to me saying can you please move your cigar over there? Granted this guy could have kicked my arse, i said 'hey, we're both on vacation and im here enjoying my cigar in a 'smoking' lobby, and too add to it we were here first. Would you mind your own business or just move elsewhere? I dont see a problem...' Long story short the guy got all flustered and angry and started yelling and threatening me that there WILL be a problem if i dont move...so i puffed some more and blew the smoke between us and said 'relax bro' im not going anywhere...then someone from his family said something in French and he retreated.... The lady sitting right beside me then says to me, "oh we are just saying to move your cigar bc the wind is blowing it to us". I said 'maam, i dont control the wind, so either you all wait for me to finish, or you can move to the many other spots to sit with your family as we were here long before you guys came.' Needless to say shortly after they moved. What nerve this guy had lol.

Another stupid experience was on the way home in the non vip smoking lounge in Santa Clara airport...all the cig smokers were fake coughing and saying things about me and my cigar in french while we were in a tiny room filled with cigarette smoke...i purposely amped up the puffing because i think its so stupid for cigarette smokers to complain about smoke...like you gotta be kidding me right?? Sorry for long post lol this topic just reminded me of some the events that happened a fee weeks ago.

ahaha bunch of a** holes!

[lostsoulcamero]

I love it when it's not even lit and you here the coughing and the it's smells that's when I look and say it's not lit it must be you go take a shower you dirty mf

[ralphie48]

I don't get it. The only reason I winded up putting it out is because there were some kids around. But at the same time many of these kids parents were walking with them smoking cigarettes but that seemed to be ok. I've smoked cigarettes for many years and cigars as well. And in my opinion the smell of cigarettes is quite disgusting compared to that of cigars, even though a cigar gives a higher volume of smoke. My wife who never smoked used to become nauseous when I would smoke a cigarette in her presence but she can sit in a car with me smoking a cigar and it doesn't phase her, I think cigar smoke is just much less offensive, and j know a lot of people who feel the same way. Yes it is ridiculous that people do these exaggerated coughs and cover their sweaters and are ever so dramatic about it , especially since in my case I was walking, it's not like I was sitting in one area and effecting the same people: next time I'll probably just keep it lit. Screw em

[atlharp]

I love it when they start doing the fake coughing. My favorite response was "That cough sounds bad. You might wanna quit smoking." My other response is to point to the door and remark that the non-smoking section is inside.

[joeboxer]

I don't get it. The only reason I winded up putting it out is because there were some kids around. But at the same time many of these kids parents were walking with them smoking cigarettes but that seemed to be ok. I've smoked cigarettes for many years and cigars as well. And in my opinion the smell of cigarettes is quite disgusting compared to that of cigars, even though a cigar gives a higher volume of smoke. My wife who never smoked used to become nauseous when I would smoke a cigarette in her presence but she can sit in a car with me smoking a cigar and it doesn't phase her, I think cigar smoke is just much less offensive, and j know a lot of people who feel the same way. Yes it is ridiculous that people do these exaggerated coughs and cover their sweaters and are ever so dramatic about it , especially since in my case I was walking, it's not like I was sitting in one area and effecting the same people: next time I'll probably just keep it lit. Screw em

Amen. Cigarette smoke smells considerably worse. Even when I was young, before I started smoking, I thought that cigarettes smelled worse!

I try to be respectful of others and smoke in designated or private areas. I certainly try to limit exposing children to smoke that their parents (or they) do not want to be exposed to. Having said that, I do not have much sympathy for cigarette smokers complaining about my cigars and I definitely pay no mind to anyone complaining about my smoke in a designated smoking area. Those two situations are just plain ridiculous.

[RUMSON]

Often I go into town with the dogs get coffee, grab a bench and light up. Once in awhile someone while express how pleasant the aroma is..... while most would disagree (not verbally). Many of these benches are located very close to eateries with outside tables.....If a table is occupied I pick another bench....If some one sits while I'am smoking I will move to another bench or location. When in public flexibility seems fair.

[luv2fly]

I try to be fair. I won't smoke around kids, expectant mothers, etc. I tend to go out of my way to be polite. That said, if I am in a smoking area all bets are off.

[cigaraholic]

What the hell were you smoking.........a joke!

I think lots of people in the U.S. always think a cigar is going to stink no matter what. Thanks to the embargo we've subjected many to the dog rocket class of smokes....once bitten.

Don't let this spoil you outdoor relaxing enjoyment.....then they win.

[polarbear]

I've been asked to leave a number of venues after refusing to put my cigar out while smoking it in the smoking section.

I cause a ruckus and eventually leave. Sometimes I make so much noise about it the manager will shove me out of the beer garden before I have a chance to pay my tab, I don't mind so much when that happens.

I try to be reasonable, I'll sit off in the corner of a venue and try to keep down wind of people when I first light up. If people decide to sit closer to me after I've started smoking, that's their problem

I wont smoke around kids or expectant mothers, nor will I smoke if there are people eating (this is more for when I have people over)

If i'm out with a group I will ask everyone if they mind if I light up. If they say no, my cigar goes back in the case.

If they say yes but then change their mind after I've lit it, stiff ****

[Lotusguy]

I've been kicked out of multiple smoking sections in Germany over the years. Turns out they meant cigarettes only

[davidl]

I'm the type of guy that's usually a little too self conscious. Unfortunately, the only place I really feel comfortable smoking in is my backyard, or someone else's backyard.

When in a group of friends, even if some of them ask my for cigars...I am always hesitant, as I know that it bothers some of the others. Even if they don't feel comfortable enough to object, I can tell it still bothers some.

What is supposed to be a social habit...as become the opposite for me. I fear this is turning into a general trend.