Smokers

[liltaz]

Why is it that you can not wait 25 minutes to have your cigarrette? Is that such a tough thing? It's not like you just hope up and run downstairs. You're inconveniencing me and halting anything I'm trying to work on here. You are leaving and going home in 25 minutes. Is that such a terrible wait? ugh. Then when I want to take a walk outside I must go through a horrible cloud of smoke because all of you are standing barely outside the door smoking. I don't smoke because I don't want that crap in my body and I'M ALLERGIC TO IT. There is no way to avoid your horrible cloud.

ugh. I'm just pissy today and no one is helping.

[moonsee]

i know exactly how you feel
to add to it, it's like
smokers tend to take 3-4 more breaks than i do
they don't get in a bit of trouble
but if i go like 2 minutes over my break i get bitched at?


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http://www.moonsee.com

[Diesel]

You know what a cancer cluster is?
It's those 5 or 6 people who wait right outside the front door of every office building in Manhattan during their smoke break, puffing away on their burning sticks of stink.


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From another BBS:
"hmm... Cyrix III, huh? You can put syrup on sh*t, but that don't make it pancakes."

[Alyth]

Oh man, I hate people that just stand in front of the doorway or the area between doorways, like at a mall, and smoke. It's almost like they think you won't notice when you pass by and breathe it in.

I don't allow any smokers in my car. I don't care if the window is open or not, the smoke still comes into the car and the ashes still fall inside the car and are a fire hazzard. I don't get it. There was a law that was under concideration that people caught smoking inside a car with a baby inside are supposed to get a large ticket. That's great but when the radio dj's were discussing it, people would call up bitching and moaning about how it's their bodies and their kids and they pay their own taxes (as if taxes has anything to do with this) so they can do whatever they want to and no one can tell them what to do. WELL DUHH, their babies can't say anything, and it's not fair to them to have to suffer through all that. And the law should be extended to pets. They suffer from it too and can't say anything in their defense either.

Sorry, smokers are a big thing with me. The smoke makes me cough and sneeze. I find that smokers tend to be very selfish about smoking too. Not all so no smokers, please take any offense, but the ones I've known tend to be very selfish about it. They'll try to smoke when eating with me. ICK, I can't stand eating with smoke around. I wanna taste the food as it was meant to taste, not the smoke along with it. And why is it that in most restaurants, the smokers get the nicer area? (I know why really, but I think it's a stupid reason. Restaurant owners should be kissing up to the non-smokers instead).

Also, what is it about the smoke-breaks at work? If smokers get 5 minute breaks periodically then why can't us non-smokers get a snack break or some kind of break too? What is that, biased? http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/tongue.gif well It's unfair eitherway

Well I've griped enough for now.



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"I've been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding..."

[Diesel]

Lysithea> Just now, as I was coming back into my office building, two women were standing INSIDE the revolving door smoking, figuring that if they were in the doorway, they were outside enough. Problem was that they were completely blocking the door by standing where they were. Yes, there are two other revolving doors right next to that one, but I just found that extremely inconsiderate, a trait I've found common to just about all smokers.

Maybe this is a good place to bring this up...

My girlfriend's parents smoke like crazy. It's so bad that I can't stand going over to their house anymore because I leave smelling like an ashtray.
Here's where things get sticky... my girlfriend is now living with me, and her dad will step outside on the back deck to smoke, but her mother will not leave. I've already yelled at my girlfriend that I don't want anyone smoking inside the house, and I'm sure she's subtly mentioned this to her mother. As a result, her mother now comes over much less frequently than before.

How can I make her mother feel welcome in my home (which she is), yet not have my place stink to high hell?

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From another BBS:
"hmm... Cyrix III, huh? You can put syrup on sh*t, but that don't make it pancakes."

[liltaz]

If she can't respect you enough to leave to smoke or is upset that you don't want to smell like an ashtray then I wouldn't want her over more. If she has a problem respecting you for asking her to not do something that bothers you then I wouldn't want her around.

[boredadmin]

I am an ex-smoker (3 years this July!!!), but I can't stand the smell either. My ex-husband would smoke in the house, the car, wherever he happened to be. Even when I was a smoker, I NEVER smoked in the house or the car because I didn't want the walls yellow and the upholstery in the car reeking of smoke.

Here at work, we have a patio out back for people to eat at or whatever. Well, that has apparently been designated a smoking area, so I, who just wants to eat outside in the fresh air, get to eat mouthfulls of smoke since people ALWAYS sit upwind. Why is that????? They know they stink, their smoke stinks, but yet they sit upwind figuring by the time it gets to me it's all gone. NOT HARDLY!!!

One good thing, here in California (maybe other places too) we passed a law making it illegal to smoke in restaurants. Bars too, for a while, but I think that one got repealed.

[liltaz]

How about when smokers go outside to smoke and when they come back in they've held that last puff of smoke in their lungs and they blow it out as they stand inside? That really gets me.

[spidergoolash]

i smoked from the time i was about fourteen til around 23. best habit i ever broke, i tell ya ...

here's a story i remember not too fondly: a friend of ours came over to watch a hockey game. i told him i didn't want him smoking in the house cuz i was pregnant at the time. so what does he do? he holds the front door open w/his back and puffs away just outside the living room. all the while smoke and cold air are just pouring right back into the house - not a lot of common sense there.

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"it's easier to stay out than get out"

[liltaz]

Me being the not-so subtle person I am, would have pushed him out the door and shut it. If he asked what my problem was, I'd have told him outside means outside. I don't want any of that poisong getting in my house.

[spidergoolash]

ha! that's what i should have done - kicked his ass out the door where he belonged!

what killed me was the fact that the guy just didn't have enuf common sense not to smoke around a pregnant person.

hey buddy, somebody has to TELL you to go outside to smoke?? you can't just THINK of that on your own?? d'oh !!!!

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"it's easier to stay out than get out"

[liltaz]

d'oh is exactly right. Guy doesn't sound like many (if any) lights are on upstairs.

[Alyth]

DDan> This is exactly what I'm talking about....about selfish smoking behavior http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/hmph.gif My mother did the same thing. She, in a way, owns the house I'm in, but she figured by standing next to the stove's exhaust fan all will be well. I got dogs here that I don't want exposed to cigarette smoke. I don't smoke and I surely don't want the house staining with residue from her. I already had repainted the house after I moved in and her mother who used to live here smoked like a chimney. I thought the house was a greyish brown when in fact it was supposed to be off-white!! Anyway, I told her since I live here now, I think it's only right of her to smoke outside only even if it's wintertime. She won't smoke in the house now after some arguing. But, she's my mother so I'm allowed to do that. http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/hmph.gif

As far as your girlfriend's mother, that's a hard one if she doesn't take full responcibility for her mother's actions. At the same time you want her to feel welcome. I guess your best bet is to talk to her mother and make sure she understands that you would like to see her come by more often. Her mother may just be feeling rejected because you won't allow her in the house to smoke. Make sure she understands that it's not her you are rejecting; you just don't allow smoking in the house. Your girlfriend should talk to her mother too about it and less subtly. After all that, if her mother doesn't understand and still doesn't come by because she can't smoke, then there is nothing you can do. At that point it's a control issue. She may want to feel like she can control the issue. If she can't smoke, then you won't be seeing her as much, that's how she might be seeing it from a controlling point of view. She's hoping you'll change your ways and let her come by smoking when she wants to so she doesn't have to make the change. It's unfair, but she'll have to learn to get over that if she wants to come by more often.

Some people just don't quite understand there are easier ways of getting through problems without trying to control the situation to their liking only when there are other people involved. Compromising is the best way, and it sounds like you are trying to do just that. http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/smile.gif

Good luck!!!

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"I've been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding..."

[Edited by Lysithea @ June 14, 2000 (edited 3 times)]<--Damn typoes!!!

[Edited by Lysithea @ June 14, 2000 (edited 4 times)]

[Diesel]

Couple things happened lately that warrant me dredging this thread up again...

First, my girlfriend's mom came over last night and tonight. Last night was Father's Day, and we had both families over for a BBQ. While my parents were here, both she and her husband went outside on the deck to smoke because they know my parents don't like the smoke. Within 5 minutes of my parents leaving, my gf's mother lit up in the dining room. Her husband continued to be courteous and stepped out to the deck every time he wanted a cigarette.
Tonight, she came over to help us finish off the leftovers, and never once stepped outside to smoke.

Is it me, or is she being courteous for my parents' sake, but not mine? After all, it is my house...

The other issue is this: My parents' neighbor was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. He was given a good chance for recovery since it was detected fairly early. On the way home from the diagnosis, he went through 5 cigarettes in 20 minutes. He has continued to drink and smoke, and has helped the cancer along to the point that chemotherapy isn't an option and he has to go for radiation therapy. His chances for survival (not recovery) have been reduced to 50/50. This is less than 1 month later.
My parents have told me that he looks terribly ematiated, and to try to "compensate", he has shaved his head and gotten 2 earrings.
Now, I realize that the guy has been smoking for the vast majority of his adult life, and has been a hardcore alcoholic for just as long. He hasn't exactly worked what would be considered "safe" careers, having been in the Navy, then worked as a fireman in the NYFD's HazMat unit. All that being said, how little brain function must you have to find out that you have lung cancer, then do the opposite of what every doctor tells you that you need to do in order to live. He's now virtually assured that his wife will be a widow sometime in the coming year.

Of the two people, one suffers from lack of courtesy, and the other from lack of common sense.


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From another BBS:
"hmm... Cyrix III, huh? You can put syrup on sh*t, but that don't make it pancakes."

[Ski Bum]

Of the two people, one suffers from lack of courtesy, and the other from lack of common sense.



Sadly, courtesy in many smokers is as uncommon as common sense. Fortunately, for me, the woman that I've been involved with for the last 3½ years has never smoked in my house. She always goes out to the garage, and when I'm at her house, she goes outside. I've never asked her to do either. I just wish she would quit the damn things, but I can't nag her about it either. I did tell her once that death cures smoking.

Ski Bum

[Diesel]

... death cures smoking


Sadly, a harsh lesson my parents' neighbor is going to learn.

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From another BBS:
"hmm... Cyrix III, huh? You can put syrup on sh*t, but that don't make it pancakes."

[liltaz]

Sadly, courtesy in many smokers is as uncommon as common sense.

This is very true.

Fortunately, for me, the woman that I've been involved with for the last 3½ years has never smoked in my house. She always goes out to the garage, and when I'm at her house, she goes outside. I've never asked her to do either. I just wish she would quit the damn things, but I can't nag her about it either. I did tell her once that death cures smoking.

I have to say I don't see how a non-smoker can stand to be with a smoker - I would think kissing would be like sucking on an ashtray.


Now...on to my complaint about these rude idiots from last night.

Penn Station's platforms are NO SMOKING platforms and it's posted on every pole and anywhere else they can find to put it. I am ALLERGIC to smoke. Idiots light up on the platform all the time. The bartender as he waits for the train, other passengers as they wait. The bartender goes far away from me because he thinks he's being decent. The other guy practically follows me around. Last night I'm standing off by myself because other guy is smoking and everyone's talking by him. When they find out I'm not there because he's smoking, insults and crap starts flying my way as though I'M the horrible person for not wanting to be around this *******'s smoke! Now I've decided that instead of moving away, I'll just write in complaint after complaint and next time someone stands there and smokes, I'll get the police to come down to the platform. I just don't see why they had to start crap just because I was being nice and NOT getting police or anyone else.

People are just stupid.

[Diesel]

Again, the whole courtesy issue comes into play. There's absolutely no reason that you should be exposed to their smoke, especially in a place where smoking is not allowed. These people are violating a law (NYC has a law that forbids smoking in public buildings, and Penn Station's tracks are underground, so they are considered indoors), and if anything, if they're going to smoke, they should be the ones off on the corner of the platform.

Is there something in Nicotine that physically expells common, decent courtesy with every exhale?!?


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From another BBS:
"hmm... Cyrix III, huh? You can put syrup on sh*t, but that don't make it pancakes."

[liltaz]

I think so, Dan. Maybe we should have scientists start looking into this. I think there's something in nocotine that makes people rude and trashy (meaning throwing their butts all over the place instead of putting them in the ashtray or trash)

[Ski Bum]

Thursday night at work, a woman had to go to the hospital because she was coughing up blood. I walked her to the company van, and as we went outside, the first thing she did was light up a cig. I was just tooooo astounded to say anything.

Nicotine is a nasty drug, folks, and IMHO, it's just as addictive as crack. Nicotine withdrawal puts the addict (and all around them)through hell.

Ski Bum

[Edited by Ski Bum @ June 24, 2000 (edited 1 time)]

[Foru2ctoo]

This is what I do when those *$&# smokers puff their stuff around me. I cough loudly several times and wave my hands around to move the smoke. I don't care if they see me or not, but they'll hear me and I would just have helped to give smoking in public a negative image. All those around me would agree with what I'm doing even though some of them are afraid to express their feelings to strangers. I'll do it for them. Please join me in my fight to rid smoking, and other harmful narcotics, off the face of this beautiful world.

[liltaz]

I cough because it makes me cough and then I tell them it stinks and it's gross and to not do it around me.

[Alyth]

I'm still having this problem. I tell the restaurant attendents (hosts/hostesses) that I want non-smoking and they sit me in the non-smoking section nearby the smoking section. There is no door separating them so I smell the smoke just as badly as if I was sitting in the smoking section. I just ask to be moved, but there are times I wish I could just yell at them..."this is a non-smoking section which means there shouldn't be a smoke smell. How can this be a non-smoking section if there is nothing separating the non-smoking section from teh smoking section but a big hole in a glass wall?"
http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/mad.gifhttp://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/furious.gifhttp://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/angryrazz.gifhttp://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/madder.gif

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liltaz: "I'm going to get Nookie for $50 tomorrow."

[meezercat]

Lys, I've had that happen too, and demanded another table. My bf is so allergic to smoke that his eyes will swell shut if he's around it for too long, so I won't stand for being put in a pseudo-nonsmoking section. I've also sent complaints to corporate offices of chain restaurants, and actually gotten them to fix things.

Ya know, when I used to have a website I would post rants about stuff, and I had a particularly irate one on smoking, so I think I'll add it here http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/supergrin.gif

This is from September 11, 1996:


I know this is completely, utterly unrealistic, but oh would I love it if they made smoking illegal in the United States. I'm not going to sit here and explain how such a thing would work, because I'm not entirely sure that it would. What I <FONT size="4">am</FONT s> going to do is explain why I hate smoking so much, so that even if you don't agree with me, you'll at least understand where I'm coming from.

1. It smells bad.
2. It's extremely unattractive to see someone walking down the street with a cigarette hanging out of their mouth.
3. The smoke makes my eyes sting and water, so much so that when I'm exposed to a lot of it (and the amount I get in a bar or restaurants counts as a lot), I have to go several days without wearing my contacts.
4. It smells <FONT size="4">really</FONT s> bad.
5. That horrid smell sticks in clothes, hair, and anything else nearby, and it doesn't wear off.
6. All those idiots who smoke while pregnant, and end up hurting their babies.
7. When I'm eating with people who are smoking, the food tastes like cigarette smoke, which basically means I can't eat it.
8. It smells absolutely <FONT size="5">revolting</FONT s>.
9. People who smoke are incredibly self righteous. A few examples:
"Blah, blah, blah...tell me it's bad for me all you want. I enjoy it and I'm not going to stop." (Well, gee, I sorta happen to enjoy being able to breathe...)
Oh, you're allergic to cigarette smoke? Then let me blow some in your face." (Yeah, this is generally acted out instead of spoken, but it happens with disgusting regularity, and has caused an alarming number of asthma attacks for innocent nonsmokers.)
"I have the <FONT size="4">right</FONT s> to smoke." (Well, I have the <FONT size="4">right</FONT s> to breathe clean air. Morons.)
10. As a result of all the idiots who've felt free to smoke around me in public places, I'm now a borderline asthmatic. I can no longer go to bars or other places people smoke, because my lungs can't tolerate it.
11. It really irritates me when people spend two hours out of the work day taking cigarette breaks outside (of course, I'm not allowed to take fresh air breaks), and then bad-mouth me because I "get" to leave at 5, while they usually end up staying until 7.
12. Even if I were allowed to take fresh air breaks, they'd be no good, because all the air
surrounding the office building is polluted with cigarette smoke.
13. If smoking were illegal, those who chose to smoke anyway would have to pay vastly inflated black market prices. They'd have to smoke in secret, in their own homes. And they'd have to bathe every time they wanted to leave the house, to get rid of the smell so nobody knew what they were up to. I'd love to see them inconvenienced like this, after all the effort I have to do to <FONT size="5">avoid</FONT s> smoke.
14. If smoking were illegal, Bob Dole would have nobody to contribute to his campaign fund. (Note: ROFL I said this was old)

<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by hermanm on January 10, 2001 at 11:25 AM</font>