What is your reaction to non smokers?

[Yellowfever]

Being here in CA I have run into a few anti smoking people who make sure that I am aware how much they disdain my cigar smoking. It can be the hand wave over the face to show it smells to the actual comment "go someplace else with that thing" to just dirty looks. Anybody else experience that? What was your reaction?

I try my best not to blow smoke in people's faces. I try to stand back in a crowd if I am smoking but sometimes that just isn't enough. I was at a park and a lady 20 yards away approached me telling me to put it out. I was at a small Christmas parade in my area smoking down at the end of my street when a lady told me to go away and started shoving me. That was the best one. I was standing as far back from the crowd as possible but still within view of the parade. That time I was with a cop friend who was also smoking a cigar. We just laughed. My wife at the time almost decked the girl but we calmed her down. Another time I had an unlit cigar in my mouth when I walked into a little pharmacy and a guy told me to go outside with that thing..

[danmcmartin]

There are always those few that are zealots. Heck I don't like cigarette smoke, but unless someone is either in my personal space or doing it in my house or car, I figure that's part of life. I golf with guys all the time that smoke cigarettes and that's fine. If I go to a bar or casino, I expect to smell smoke.

Some people just can't stop meddling in other peoples business. Live your life how you want, but let me do the same. Just part of the process of controlling your behavior, first demonize the behavior, then the people that engage in it. Its so much easier to condemn you if they assume you are evil.

[d_day]

My reaction depends a lot on where I am, how they act, and how nice they are.

Examples:
In a public setting with large crowds I'll stand as far away from everyone else as possible. If I get a comment such as "excuse me sir. my husband is alergic to tobacco smoke. Would you mind moving or putting it out?" then I'll usually move to another spot.

In a place that has banned smoking except in a few small locations (like Disneyland), No matter how nice the person is I'll simply explain that I'm in a designated smoking area and they are free to move to another location that is not so near the designated smoking area. Their manner will determine whether it's a nice explaination, or a simple "f*** off."

In many public parks and beaches in California, it is against the law to smoke, so I do not smoke in parks or at beaches unless I know for a fact it has not been outlawed.

I too have had a reaction from holding an unlit cigar in my mouth. I was in a pool hall in Phoenix about 15 years ago. There was no pipe or cigar smoking allowed. Another customer came up to me and said "There's no cigar smoking in here." He acted like had a chip on his shoulder. I said, "does it look lit to you a**hole? Well, when I light it, you can come back and bitch at me, but until then, you can f*** right off."

Gosh! Sometimes I'm a jerk!

[Sigarz]

Originally Posted by d_day

I too have had a reaction from holding an unlit cigar in my mouth. I was in a pool hall in Phoenix about 15 years ago. There was no pipe or cigar smoking allowed. Another customer came up to me and said "There's no cigar smoking in here." He acted like had a chip on his shoulder. I said, "does it look lit to you a**hole? Well, when I light it, you can come back and bitch at me, but until then, you can f*** right off."

Gosh! Sometimes I'm a jerk!

NICE JOB!!!

[slyder]

When my wife encounters antis that say her smoking disgusts them and ask if she would leave she usually responds with "your face disgusts me........why dont you leave".

[Cigary]

Originally Posted by d_day

My reaction depends a lot on where I am, how they act, and how nice they are.

Examples:
In a public setting with large crowds I'll stand as far away from everyone else as possible. If I get a comment such as "excuse me sir. my husband is alergic to tobacco smoke. Would you mind moving or putting it out?" then I'll usually move to another spot.

In a place that has banned smoking except in a few small locations (like Disneyland), No matter how nice the person is I'll simply explain that I'm in a designated smoking area and they are free to move to another location that is not so near the designated smoking area. Their manner will determine whether it's a nice explaination, or a simple "f*** off."

In many public parks and beaches in California, it is against the law to smoke, so I do not smoke in parks or at beaches unless I know for a fact it has not been outlawed.

I too have had a reaction from holding an unlit cigar in my mouth. I was in a pool hall in Phoenix about 15 years ago. There was no pipe or cigar smoking allowed. Another customer came up to me and said "There's no cigar smoking in here." He acted like had a chip on his shoulder. I said, "does it look lit to you a**hole? Well, when I light it, you can come back and bitch at me, but until then, you can f*** right off."

Gosh! Sometimes I'm a jerk!

Exactly,,,,depending on where I am and what they say when they approach me is how I respond or react. If they are nice I will try and accomodate them. If they are disrespectful and get in my face then we have a throwdown right then and there and trust me, I fight like it's a matter of life and death. I do not go into places and light up where it is not ok to do so,,,,or to areas where it is not lawful. So, when I am in an area where it is ok to smoke my cigar and I get someone who tries to tell I can't smoke a cigar there,,,,pack a lunch cuz I'm not backing off the throttle on little bit.

Originally Posted by slyder

When my wife encounters antis that say her smoking disgusts them and ask if she would leave she usually responds with "your face disgusts me........why dont you leave".

Classic,,,,I am stealing this.

[PerpetualNoob]

The surface of the Earth is 500 million square kilometers. The land area is 200 million square kilometers. Right now, I am using 300 square feet. When I'm done with it, you can have it back. Have a nice day.

[Cyber]

Originally Posted by d_day

My reaction depends a lot on where I am, how they act, and how nice they are.

Examples:
In a public setting with large crowds I'll stand as far away from everyone else as possible. If I get a comment such as "excuse me sir. my husband is alergic to tobacco smoke. Would you mind moving or putting it out?" then I'll usually move to another spot.

Ok this one bothers me, I hear people tell me they are "allergic to tobacco smoke" a lot. This is a great scape goat for them to use, atleast until they tell me that line of BS.

My response to that is normally "Are you really allergic or are you making it up hoping that I will feel an obligation to move? The reason I ask is that I am allergic to the spice clove, they make clove cigarettes and I have ended up in the hospital. The reason is that when I tell some one that I am allergic they tend to not believe me because they have heard it so much. They find out I am telling the truth when my airway swells closed and they are calling 911. Now if you are lying about being allergic I would ask that you stop as you have put my life in danger"

It is 100% true that I am allergic to clove and that I have ended up in the hospital because I did not have my epipen on me and some one lit up a clove cigarette when I asked them not to. As far as I am concerned the anti-smoking zealots that say they are "allergic" are the biggest problem!

I have NEVER found a single person, EVER, that was truly allergic to tobacco smoke. Not one, out of all the times I have had people tell me they are.

As to other instances, it depends. If they are nice and polite, I may put it out or move a little. If they are pushy or rude Ill probably tell them that they are welcome to move away from me and to Piss off.

If they touch me in any way shape or form to physically attempt to move me, that includes pushing there finger into my chest, Ill let them know that they have assaulted me and if they proceed with the assault I will use deadly force to defend myself. God I love the Concealed Carrie license, it has stopped so much BS.

[PerpetualNoob]

Just tell them you bought a carbon offset from Al Gore, so you have a license to pollute wherever you want.

[d_day]

Originally Posted by Cyber

Ok this one bothers me, I hear people tell me they are "allergic to tobacco smoke" a lot. This is a great scape goat for them to use, atleast until they tell me that line of BS.

I was using that only as an example. My point wasn't so much about the allergy, but about people being polite. If someone is polite, whether it's BS or not, I will try to accomodate them.

I have NEVER found a single person, EVER, that was truly allergic to tobacco smoke. Not one, out of all the times I have had people tell me they are.

Some people are indeed very allergic to tobacco. Granted, most people that say they are are not, but it is a very real problem.

[rudeJARHEAD]

I like the majority of the posters here try to stay off to the side so as my smoke does not bother someone who may not appreciate it as much as I do. Normally I go out of my way to accommodate someone (move down wind or to another seating area) if I feel that it really is bothering them and they ask politely and are not just being a jackass. However I have had several instances where I will be sitting somewhere and a group or couple sits right next to me sees that I am enjoying a cigar and makes the typical over exaggerated choking cough. You know the type, the ones pounding down pall malls or maybe lucky strikes by the carton and once the hint of cigar smoke goes their way they go into a coughing fit and look at you like your a cereal killer (yes I meant to spell it that way). Those are the ones that I ensure that all my smoke goes their way until they move or stop over acting about the smoke. So long story short: if someone is polite about the smoke bothering them I will accommodate them, if they are rude or exaggerating I ensure that they have a reason to cough like that.

[gjcab09]

Originally Posted by PerpetualNoob

Just tell them you bought a carbon offset from Al Gore, so you have a license to pollute wherever you want.

Funny, funny stuff!

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by rudeJARHEAD

once the hint of cigar smoke goes their way they go into a coughing fit and look at you like your a cereal killer (yes I meant to spell it that way).

[rudeJARHEAD]

that there is funny I dont care who you are

[apevia]

Originally Posted by slyder

When my wife encounters antis that say her smoking disgusts them and ask if she would leave she usually responds with "your face disgusts me........why dont you leave".

Haha, thats great. If I heard that from a woman, I'd probably just back right off without even a response