I Wasn't Born Yesterday

[TruthHurts]

So I go into the hotel's adjoining to get some linens that were dried. I see a guy sitting in the laundromat smoking not three feet from the big red No Smoking sign. He takes one look at my work shirt and practically runs outside, I follow. "Sir, you are not permitted to smoke in this building" "I wasn't smoking" said the asshat, "I was just poking my head in to check if my clothes were done." "I saw you with my own two eyes sitting and smoking in the building. Don't let me catch you doing it again." I took two or three more trips to the laundromat during the next hour and everytime he made a point to glare at me but at least he smoked outside after that.

I don't know what was more irritating him blatantly ignoring the sign or having the audacity to lie right to my face. How hard is it to walk three feet out the door before smoking.

[Zombi]

I saw someone on the travelator going out of the shopping centre with a lit cigarette once. You can smoke in the carpark, but once you hit tiles, it's no smoking. The security guard nabbed him and said "No smoking in here!", to which he replied "But I'm on my way out!" (doesn't count ). There was a young couple with a little girl in front of me, and the husband said to the guard "Good on you, I was going to say something myself".

Can you still smoke in public places in America? I know that you haven't been able to smoke inside shopping centres, restaurants or other enclosed spaces here since the early '90s (pubs and clubs were exceptions, but they've changed the laws now).

[Cvstos]

I saw someone on the travelator going out of the shopping centre with a lit cigarette once. You can smoke in the carpark, but once you hit tiles, it's no smoking. The security guard nabbed him and said "No smoking in here!", to which he replied "But I'm on my way out!" (doesn't count ). There was a young couple with a little girl in front of me, and the husband said to the guard "Good on you, I was going to say something myself".

Can you still smoke in public places in America? I know that you haven't been able to smoke inside shopping centres, restaurants or other enclosed spaces here since the early '90s (pubs and clubs were exceptions, but they've changed the laws now).

That's up to state and local laws, the feds have no say in it. It varies from place to place.

[Ryu]

in places where smoking is banned they usually have chambers of cancer, i mean glass enclosed rooms where people go in to sit around all smoking together
yuck!

[Crafty1289]

As of next year all public places will be smoke free in England!!! Hurrah!!! (can you tell i'm happy?)

[Rapscallion]

Can't wait for it. Now I can only wait for the next genre of alleged music to be bearable and I can get a social life back.

Rapscallion

[Mark Healey]

I saw someone on the travelator going out of the shopping centre with a lit cigarette once. You can smoke in the carpark, but once you hit tiles, it's no smoking. The security guard nabbed him and said "No smoking in here!", to which he replied "But I'm on my way out!" (doesn't count ). There was a young couple with a little girl in front of me, and the husband said to the guard "Good on you, I was going to say something myself".

Can you still smoke in public places in America? I know that you haven't been able to smoke inside shopping centres, restaurants or other enclosed spaces here since the early '90s (pubs and clubs were exceptions, but they've changed the laws now).

No, It's pretty much like being black in the fifties. Actually, it's worse. There were restraunts that were allowed to serve blacks in the fifties.

[Gurndigarn]

Can't wait for it. Now I can only wait for the next genre of alleged music to be bearable and I can get a social life back.

Rapscallion

If you're waiting on the music, I think your social life is doomed.

[Phone Jockey]

in places where smoking is banned they usually have chambers of cancer, i mean glass enclosed rooms where people go in to sit around all smoking together.

As an ex-smoker, those smoking "rooms" were horrible! No ventilation, smoke everywhere...no wonder I quit!

[Rapscallion]

If you're waiting on the music, I think your social life is doomed.

I figured that, but hope springs eternal.

Rapscallion

[LostMyMind]

No, It's pretty much like being black in the fifties. Actually, it's worse. There were restraunts that were allowed to serve blacks in the fifties.

No, being "black" isn't a choice. Being a smoker is a choice. Not the same at all. A very bad comparison (not to meation, insensitive).

[Ryu]

and there are restaurants that allow smoking in them as well
for that reason i never go to them as im sure many others dont either

[Jester]

There are cities (New York City, Mesa, AZ, for example) and whole states (California, Florida, for example) that do not allow smoking in certain public buildings, though the specifics vary from locale to locale. Here in Florida, for example, they amended the State Constitution (couldn't simply pass a new, law, they actually amended the freakin' Constitution!) to ban smoking in workplaces and certain restaurants/bars. I say "certain" restaurants/bars because it is not all of them. The original Amendment WAS going to make it all of them, but the restaurants and bars fought that tooth and nail, and got certain exceptions, generally being (a) if it is an open-air establishment, (b) if they don't serve food (i.e., purely a bar), or (c) if there food sales are 10% or less of their total sales.

I am a lifelong non-smoker. I voted AGAINST this Amendment, which may surprise some people. What really surprises people is that I did not vote against this because of the fact that I work in bars and restaurants (greedy self-interest) but because I disagree with the law on ideological and personal freedom principles. I figure that if a restaurant/bar owner wants his establishment to be smoke-free, that is his right. And likewise, if a restaurant/bar owner wants his establishment to allow smokers, I support that also. People, as customers, have the right to choose where they dine. Just as some people won't dine at places that allow smoking, some smokers won't dine at places that make them feel ostracized.

That being said, I really DON'T mind getting to tell smokers that they "can't smoke in here"--well, at one of my jobs I do. (The other one is an open-air bar.) I also don't mind going to places to eat and not having people smoke in my dinner. Still a bit of a bummer, though, to watch your friends leaving every so often to go outside and light up. The good news here, though, is that it is generally nice enough outside where it is not a big deal. I still laugh at the people in the colder climes who will brave a blizzard to get their nicotine fix. I just hope they never do the same thing with beer drinkers!

[friendofjimmyk]

When I was still living in Dallas all public places went non-smoking...even meeting rooms (I belong to a 12-step fellowship) because it was a public place...the neighboring communities still allowed smoking in designated areas of restuarant - mainly the bar area...

I live in Omaha now and it is going non-smoking except pool halls, bars, and Keno places...from what I understand.

I used to smoke, the laws don't bother me either way. I would rather not have anyone's right to light up infringed upon, but there are just too many health ramifications for those in the vicinity that you can't very well expect the rights of those to breath clean air be infringed upon either.

[Mark Healey]

but there are just too many health ramifications for those in the vicinity that you can't very well expect the rights of those to breath clean air be infringed upon either.

Actually there aren't. The studies always pointed to were designed to arrive at a pre-determined conclusion by people who are on a moral crusade.