In Trouble

Did you ask him nicely first? OK, he's got no manners but that's no excuse for you to be a trouble causing ****!

I think you were in the wrong. I mean, if you can't have a fag in the Red Lion in Salford then what is the world coming to? You can have it all your own way from July 1st.

Non smoker myself and the ban in Scotland has been great. You can have a pint on the way home and your clothes don't smell of smoke so the Mrs doesn't suss you...

In general terms I'd agree with whoever said the Nazi-police are taking over, I don't think it is acceptable to try to turn smokers into social outcasts as they, quite rightly, did to drink drivers. Chalk another one up to the eradication of personal freedom lobby

Restricted to certain areas is sensible enough...not in restaurants, no smoking sections, cinemas etc. etc. Basically all the places they already can't smoke in. I'd possibly also extend it to the generic chain pubs who have a wide variety of customers, e.g. Wetherspoons. As for your pub on the corner, fair game for people to smoke there I think.

As far as your incident goes, then whatever you're personal views on smoking I'd say yes it's not at all surprising your wife and daughter reacted in that way. Obviously he should've asked, been more polite and so on, but then again so should you. Reaching into someone's personal space like that, particularly going somewhere near their mouth, is bound to be a provocative move. Do it to the wrong person and I wouldn't be surprised if they hit you. So no winner in this situation then

Originally Posted by Dicky Ticker

I accept your point about the non-smoking but if the guy was in the only free seat in a busy smoking permitted pub he still had his rights[Be it only for another few weeks] and to be honest if I as a smoker had been asked politely to refrain it would be no problem. On the other hand if somebody is stroppy they should expect trouble and threatening to extinguish his ciggy in his beer isn't all that condusive to a peaceful existance. If it had been me who sat in a strange company I would ask if they minded if I had a ciggy but thats me,others still feel that it is their right

yeah i'm with you on this one, it doesn't hurt to ask him politely first

[timwilky]

OK I was in a bad mood. The reason we were there was to talk with my brother in law about his chemo failing, prognosis etc. So I was in no mood for pleasantries. You could tell that this was the sort of person who would have lit up regardless. I simply nipped the problem in the bud. In a manner that shocked him into doing as said.

I am growing more intolerant of smokers. Yes I agree you have the right to smoke. I also have the right not to have your carcinogenic waste polluting my air and clothing. We had earlier in the evening commented about how nice it was that nobody was smoking. Why should I be forced into cold and wet beer gardens or dingy rooms simply because smokers have no consideration for the health and comfort of those who choose not to.

I have left several restaurants refusing to eat or pay for smoke tainted food/wine because other diners have lit up. Yes I have told them and the management what I thought and once been threatened with an "Outside now". Oh that was fun when I did walk out and the guy attempted to swing a punch for insulting his wife. Big man, no big bully he thought he and his group had the right to ruin my evening.

I additionally sent the restaurant the bill for cleaning my suit as it had been polluted with smoke. (They refused, but wrote back to say they had reviewed their smoking policy and decided to enforce a ban throughout)

I can't wait for the smoking ban to come into effect. I can't believe how many people can be so selfish and inflict their smelly, harmful habit on me and other non-smokers. So Tim, well done, although I would have asked first to be polite.

Respect Mr Wilky!

Sorry, but I think what timwilky did was wrong.

So you're sitting in the smoking section of a pub and someone lights up - tough, deal with it or go sit in the non-smoking section. I'm not a hard man, or a bully, but I'd sure as hell raise an objection if you took a ciggie from my mouth and stubbed it out and I'd most likely roll another and make damn sure it wasn't taken from me again. In my local you'd be lucky not to exit though the window if you'd done that to a few of the regulars.

If you don't like smokers and the smell of ciggie smoke then don't go where they gather, and that includes pubs and clubs. You'll have it all your way when the smoking ban is introduced, until then put up and shut up.

Sending a restaurant the bill for dry cleaning a suit and refusing to pay for food you've eaten because there's been a smoker on the premises is taking the pi$$, you chose to go there knowing smokers would be inside so you chose to be exposed to their smoke, next time choose a non-smoking restaurant or deal with it.

I'm not grumpy, just sick of political correctness and the consequent reduction in civil liberties being taken too far.

Originally Posted by Lozzo

Sorry, but I think what timwilky did was wrong.

I'm not grumpy, just sick of political correctness and the consequent reduction in civil liberties being taken too far.

My go!!

Hear Hear!!! Until the ban comes in the Nanny State followers should do as you say, Put Up And Shut Up.

I know smoking makes me a social pariah but living in a free country as we are supposed too, I choose to smoke. I don't smoke in restaurants even if there is a smoking area and I don't smoke where it says I can't. However if there are no signs I will smoke and no-one has the right to invade my personal space or touch my property when I am not doing anything illegal!
Invasion of my personal space may result in the little known Common Law of 'First Strike' being used!
I am taking a guess here, but I guess Mr Wilky has never smoked! It's all well and good for him to say "Give up" but it isn't that easy after smoking for 23 years!
If the PC people think we should all give up they should be prepared for an increase in income tax as the millions of pounds smokers pay to line the pockets of our "fine" government will disappear!

Just a suggestion here Mr Wilky, next time you go and get pi$$ed just think of the possible results of invading someones personal space and touching their property as well as the damage you are doing to yourself (liver, brain etc) with the other dangerous but legal drug, alcohol! Hospitals have to deal with more injuries caused by alcohol than they do smoking related injuries.

Rant over!!

I'm a smoker but I support the smoking ban as it'll stop me smoking.

However you were totally in the wrong. If he's allowed to smoke in that section of the pub than tough titties. I'm always very respectful of non-smokers and don't mind moving or even going outside if I'm with a group who don't like smoke. If you'd done that to me you would have got a slap or two, I'm a gentle giant normally but doing that would have made me furious to your detriment. Bet you wouldn't have done it to a 6'2" 18 stone bloke with a skinhead would you??

Well, gotta admit, ya kinda went about it all to co ck! 2 wrongs don't make a right. You really should have asked him not to light up, and perhaps explained your reasons why you didn't want him to smoke first. Then, by all means drown him in beer if he is a nasty sod!!!

Like others have said, there has been a smoking ban up here for a year, and I can genuinely say that it has been the best thing thats happened. Even smokers I know who were initially dreading the ban have ccome round to it. Loads of foilk saying that it has helped them to cut down / give up smoking.

Gotta say, I think that any human being's right to clean, unpolluted air far outweighs anyone's right to smoke! I wonder if folk who think otherwise shouyld have a filthy habbit thrust upon them...We could start picking our noses and flicking it at them! Eqally filthy (although, probably not as dangerous to their health as their smoke is to ours!!!)