Just back....some observations and opinions

[kimgg]

OK I really think we should all be nice, but after reading this thread, I want to make a public service announcement - after reading debates about how people should approach a smoker smoking in a group . . .

For those of you who smoke - NO ONE else wants to be around your smoke!!! It is not personal - it is not YOU, it's your smoke! Whether they fake cough and grimace, give you dirty looks, smile, grin and bear it, SMOKE IS NOT PLEASANT to the non-smoker, which the majority of people are - non-smokers. So please do us all the favor and don't make US tell YOU we don't like it. TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, we do NOT like it. So if you smoke right next to a random group of people, (outside of a designated smoking area) you are ticking (nice word substituted for a not so nice word) a good percentage of them off. I am SURE of it.

OK, I'm sure there will be disagreements, and the person who just has to go against this and say, "I have never smoked and I don't mind it a bit, I even like the smokey smell" but I guarantee they are in actuality almost non-existent. Smoke is not a healthy thing, people are naturally hard-wired to dislike smoke, because it is dangerous to your health and well being.

I am a person who is way too shy to probably ever say anything to a smoker, but it is offensive, unpleasant, and unhealthy. And when I cough, it is not fake, it is a natural reflex to breathing smoke I am not used to breathing. Don't assume it is fake.

So, just in case there was any confusion.

I love you all though! I really do, even if some of you don't like what I say. I love several smokers, but I hate their smoke. Sorry.

I'm also sorry if this has already been stated. I admit I did not read every single page, but read most of them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Better that you were to buy and use the patches for your little buzz than continue sucking toxic gasses into your lungs just to get some nicotine.

And as for rude foreigners, well, what's rude in one culture is normal in another.

And for "rude" CMs... well, they're paid in dollars, not Tink's fairy dust, and the dollars just aren't going far enough these days

Interesting how you have empathy for foreigners and CMs, but only - apparently - loathing and false pity for smokers.

 

[kaytieeldr]

exactly, and the posters who say they have no problem lighting up in the bus, boat or other lines and will make faces back etc, well that is just plain rude.

You owe me thirty minutes. I went back and read the entire thread to find 'the posters who say they have no problem lighting up in the bus, boat or other lines and will make faces back'. Nobody said they would, will, or do smoke in lines. Please reread the posts. What several of us said was that because there are no posted or printed restrictions, it's understandable that people would presume it's acceptable to smoke. As for the 'making faces' part? That was said by somebody who would be smoking ONLY in designated smoking areas but who knows from experience that this won't stop nonsmokers from - I think she said - giving the 'stinkeye'.

Even the poster you think said they'd smoke in lines, didn't actually say that.

 

[kaytieeldr]

OK I really think we should all be nice, but after reading this thread, I want to make a public service announcement - after reading debates about how people should approach a smoker smoking in a group . . .

For those of you who smoke - NO ONE else wants to be around your smoke!!! It is not personal - it is not YOU, it's your smoke! Whether they fake cough and grimace, give you dirty looks, smile, grin and bear it,

No. IF I'm smoking in a group, it's a pretty dam sure thing we're smoking EXACTLY where it's permitted - either legally or by the business/property owner.

Don't fake-cough. Don't grimace. Don't risk having your face freeze in one of those dirty looks. We're not going to smile, grin, or bear it. YOU use an alternate path or entrance.

My office has three entrances (possibly four; I haven't been by the other one, it could just be an emergency exit, but I digress). One is WELL-KNOWN to be immediately adjacent to the smoking area; smoking is prohibited at or near the other two entrances.

If smoke bothers you, simply DON'T USE THAT DOOR.


Oh, and we're pretty smart (dead brain cells notwithstanding). We can read and comprehend normal-size font.

 

[disney4us2002]

This seems to have sort of veered off topic, but since we're on smoking.....

I've never been a smoker. My father smoked when I was a kid and I would literally get sick in the car from the smoke. He finally quit cold turkey one day and to the rest of us it was the greatest day ever.

So my question is, given how expensive smoking is, how obviously toxic it is, how difficult (in the US at least) to find allowable smoking areas, why not quit? Do you actually find it enjoyable, tasty, what?

 

[lillygator]

You owe me thirty minutes. I went back and read the entire thread to find 'the posters who say they have no problem lighting up in the bus, boat or other lines and will make faces back'. Nobody said they would, will, or do smoke in lines. Please reread the posts. What several of us said was that because there are no posted or printed restrictions, it's understandable that people would presume it's acceptable to smoke. As for the 'making faces' part? That was said by somebody who would be smoking ONLY in designated smoking areas but who knows from experience that this won't stop nonsmokers from - I think she said - giving the 'stinkeye'.

Even the poster you think said they'd smoke in lines, didn't actually say that.

but "technically" a line is not non smoking so by them saying that, it would imply they would do it.

 

[Mom2darlingboys]

What if my desire was to juggle fire batons. I mean it's not specifically prohibited. Yet, being around me could result in others' harm. So it would be perfectly okay for me to stand in line for the boat, tossing my fire? And if folks had concern for their safety, they should move. And if another member of my fire baton tossing family shows up for the next boat line, they should stand aside and wait for another boat to avoid harm. Wouldn't it just be easier for me to say, "You know, we're pretty crowded here. Maybe i'll put my fire batons away as to not post potential harm to all of those around me"?

Man, that cracked me right up!

I have this conversation with DH every time we go to the parks.

So here's the deal. You smoke. Maybe you have for years. You love it. You crave it. You have to have it. I get that, I really do. I feel that way about our annual Disney trip!

What you don't know is that... truthfully and honestly... your smoke is incredibly offensive (and I'm not trying to be insulting) and almost painful to those around you who are not accustomed to it.

I'm not allergic. I don't have asthma. I have no medical condition that makes cigarette smoke physically untolerable to me. That said, however, it smells bad (you know how you feel when you travel through an area recently sprayed by a skunk? Truthfully, it is that bad to those non-smokers around you).

My lungs burn, and I find it hard to breathe. Have you ever had a really bad cough that burns your lungs and makes you gasp for breath. That's how it feels to me.

If you knew you were actually hurting those around you, would it be critical to smoke in a lineup of people, including small children? Could you step away, have your cigarette and then join others in line?

I recognize that smokers are limited in terms of where they can or cannot smoke, and I suspect that is because when we relied on common sense and courtesy, people smoked wherever they wanted, with little regard for others. So it had to be prescribed.

Waiting in lineups, walking through the parks, or in general just sharing space with others requires some social graces. I would not let my children belch, pick their noses or pass gas loudly in line with you because it is just plain rude. I don't clip my toenails or floss my teeth while waiting in lineups under the same principal.

We are all adults. I don't need signs telling me not to do these things. I'm sure you don't either. But when it comes to smoking, there seems to be different rules, and strangely enough, they have been created by smokers. That is just plain unneighbourly, unthoughtful and quite frankly, unnecessary.

 

[kimgg]

No. IF I'm smoking in a group, it's a pretty dam sure thing we're smoking EXACTLY where it's permitted - either legally or by the business/property owner.

I said I have NO problem with that.

The large font was not for those who have posted on this thread, it is for those reading who for some reason don't get it. I am not talking just about Disney,(about to go on my first trip so I can not say anthing about it yet) and hopefully it is as most of you describe, and smokers go to the designated areas. But in public, I encounter smoking outside public buildings where it is NOT a designated smoking area, it is just convenient for the smokers. INCONVENIENT for me and the rest of the non-smokers especially children who have to walk through it. If your building designates entrances as smoking areas, that is unhealthy for others. Most buildings I frequent happen to have done away with that practice. They even have signs at entrances saying NO SMOKING. But if you say your building does it that way, go for it. The last time it happened was at the ONE entrance to my favorite restaurant. NOT designated as smoking (feel I have to say that repeatedly). So I'm supposed to parachute through the roof, or what?

And I said I don't say anything to those who go against this practice. But if I cough, as I said, it is NOT fake.

Maybe the big font, and those who are venting here, are all of us nice repressed non-smokers who have to endure smoke in our face in a NON-DESIGNATED area. I am sure you have dealt with non-smokers who are rude to you when you are in your "area." I assure you, I am NOT one of them. I am just stating my opinion, as nicely as I can, since I have boys who have asthma and I as well react physically to smoke. We all can agree to disagree about how bad each of us are about going "against the rules." It happens on both sides (just not by me, lol).

OK, before I start being less nice or further offend, I will try to stop responding, I don't want to prolong this I just could not help myself. Sorry!

 

[larryz]

Interesting how you have empathy for foreigners and CMs, but only - apparently - loathing and false pity for smokers.

Only as long as the foreigners and CM's don't smoke...

 

[DisGirl23]

Wow! So how many smoke breaks did all the smokers take during this thread?
OP- I'm happy to hear you still had a nice trip.

I am another smoker. I follow the rules and only smoke in designated areas. My favorite area is the one right by Sci-Fi at DHS. Shady, out of the way... nice.
As for DTD. I guess I never have seen an actual Designated Smoking Area sign however, I usually stop when I see a trash can with the ashtray on the top. Last fall I found one over by that little stadium seating area. Off away from the crowded sidewalks. I think I found a couple others throughout DTD. I only lit up by those and only if there wasn't anyone in the immediate area.
I will also move on at my resort if children are sitting on the benches in the smoking area when I get there. I've just always been like that. Even before there was designated areas I would head to a quiet area out of the way. I know that it is my right and my habit. And it is a non smoker's right to not breath my smoke. It's only fair.
As for the poster who said he'll give me dirty looks and embarrass me... really? Seriously? That is truly childish. Get on with your life and never mind me. If I am following the rules and smoking in my little coral, I'm not doing anything to deserve that treatment from you.

 

[stonfiesta]

On our trip this month we came across a few "grumpy" CM's. 2 of them worked at the port orleans riverside food court. 1 girl who as i was paying for my breakfast decided she would shout to one of the over women on the tils "this has to be the worst and longest first day of my life" lol. and one of the women serving food was strutting about with a lot of "tude" and rolling her eyes when being corrected about giving me the wrong order. She has black hair btw......only one i saw with black hair, have a look out if your going and see what you think.

there were some other occasions.........just cant think of them atm.

oh the cm's doing the questionaires(sp?) god knows how many times we got asked if we could spare some time for a few q's!!!!!!!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

But in public, I encounter smoking outside public buildings where it is NOT a designated smoking area, it is just convenient for the smokers.

Actually, if you investigate, in many locations, there aren't designated smoking areas - you just can't smoke inside public buildings (granted, to the point that at my previous job where the building consisted of stores, businesses, and residential units, smoking wasn't allowed ANYWHERE in the building - including the apartments). Even there, though, there were no regulations regarding 'distance from doors - likely specifically BECAUSE of the proliferation of retail businesses, it would've been pretty much impossible to smoke further than X feet from a door without being in the middle of the street or an entirely different town.

Yes, I know there are some places that prohibit smoking on property - example, one local hospital makes you walk across the street, another (less walkable) allows no smoking outside one's vehicle) and that there are locales that restrice smoking within X feet of business (but not residential) doorways.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Wow! So how many smoke breaks did all the smokers take during this thread?

Define smoke break If you mean "walk away from the computer (or stop typing) specifically to have a cigarette", I don't qualify. If you mean, "in the course of normal life, including driving to and from work, going for lab tests, having work done on my car - and smoking in the car and while waiting at the car repair facility even though I was already away from the computer anyway" - then, yes, several times since the thread started

 

[desert_starr_57]

I can't agree with the idea that smoking outside the parks can be done where one sees fit.

I just quit smoking 1.5 months ago on a bet and if I hadn't I would have been a smoker in Disney. Me personally, I've never thought of it as 'not in the park, I can smoke where I want.' I actually thought until reading this that designated areas were enforced on all Disney property - which I would consider waiting in line for a boat.

If not, I still wouldn't be smoking in a group of people. I would stand in a corner, away from others. I completely understand that it's my choice to smoke - and I don't think it's difficult to understand that it's a nasty habit, it smells and it's harmful. I wouldn't want to harm anyone that made a better decision then I did not to put poison into their bodies. Even when I did smoke, I refused to walk around outside and smoke at the same time even though that's legal. I just found it rude. At least if I stay in the same spot people don't have to get stuck walking behind me inhaling toxins.

A little courtesy goes a long way... and really isn't that difficult.

That was what I was thinking. If you are going to smoke fine...but there is no reason to stand in a crowd to do it. You can go off...smoke...and then get into line. I saw the post about the woman blowing smoke in that poster's face...if that woman had blown smoke in my face there would have been a big problem as I have asthma and I can NOT breathe around smoke.

I have NO problem with people smoking..if they want to do that go ahead. I do have a problem with people smoking in a group of people and NOT caring if they are hurting others with it. This is why I don't wear a LOT of perfume...someone might be allergic and won't be able to breathe. I think about that before I go out doused in it.

 

[lustergirl]

Really? The poster not wanting their child to have a debilitating asthma attack because of exposure to someone smoking in a non-designated area is "self righteous"? Are you serious?

No the self righteousness comes into play because there are other children that at disney world and hers are not the only ones that matter. If I wanted to make sure that my children werent subjected to cigarette smoke then I will stay clear of smoking areas. There are other toxins that they are breathing in coming from the air besides cigarette smoke.

 

[eliza61]

Pretty much all my friends wear heels of some sort. I'm probably the only one who will do sneakers all day.

 

[lustergirl]

No the self righteousness comes into play because there are other children that at disney world and hers are not the only ones that matter. If I wanted to make sure that my children werent subjected to cigarette smoke then I will stay clear of smoking areas. There are other toxins that they are breathing in coming from the air besides cigarette smoke.

Maybe I read the post wrong, was the poster talking about people smoking in non-designated areas or not. If the smokers were in their own area then bypass it by all means.

 

[lustergirl]

Pretty much all my friends wear heels of some sort. I'm probably the only one who will do sneakers all day.

Hi eliza- long time no Obama defending Stay on course please- this thread has turned into a smoking thread

 

[lustergirl]

Pretty much all my friends wear heels of some sort. I'm probably the only one who will do sneakers all day.

I like reebok walking shoes or I wear my ugly crocs

 

[mariepapa]

Gee has anyone used the words self righteous in these threads?

I am not being self-righteous. I said smokers have the right to smoke in their designated areas. But I do not want my kids to breathe smoke from those who are smoking while waiting in line or at other times. My kids have asthma. They can get seriously ill from smoke. I used to smoke years ago so I know how it is from the other side of the coin.