My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

Other parents smoking in a kids play park

97 replies

brunettebunny · 14/07/2015 11:55

Was at the local kids play park the other day with my DS who is 3, and we were just playing in the sandpit when I started to smell cigarette smoke wafting over, I stood up to see where it was coming from and there was a dad and a grandma (I guess) sitting on the bench nearby (within the play park) puffing away (they had a couple of kids playing in the park).
I looked around to see if there was any no smoking signs but couldn't see any inside the park, but when we left I saw pinned to the fence on the outside of the park was a 'Young lungs at play' bored with a message about not smoking in the park. But this sign didn't look like an official 'no smoking' sign. So I guess my question is really more around what people are legally allowed to do regarding smoking in a kids play park. Is it just advice not to smoke, but not enforceable?
I was really annoyed about this as we left the park sooner than planned (I am also 28 weeks pregnant so didn't want to be passive smoking), and I feel annoyed with myself for not going up and saying something, but then as I say I am not sure if I would actually have a leg to stand on! It was only us and them in the park at the time too, so I kind of felt a bit wary of approaching them. Maybe i'm just a wimp! What would you have done in this situation, do you think I ABU for thinking they could have waited half an hour before lighting up when they left and being considerate about other people and children (and their own) or is just how the world works these days?

OP posts:
Report
midnightvelvetPart2 · 14/07/2015 11:59

As an ex smoker I have to say I have never smoked in a young childrens' play park, very bad form. But I suppose that they are allowed to smoke there & that the sign is neither legal nor enforceable. I would wonder how damaging passive smoking would be though, as you were all outside & not next to each other so it should be minimal.

You have the right to enjoy your time at the park without being smoked on & they have the right to smoke in there, I would have just carried on regardless tbh

Report
RiverTam · 14/07/2015 12:02

It's a bit grim but legally fine I think. I'm in inner London and I shoukd think DD breaths worse on a busy road. And in our local park (not in the playground itself but nearby) it's often weed smokers, which just reeks.

Report
Goshthatsspicy · 14/07/2015 12:26

I wouldn't have paid any attention.
I would have stated as long as l had or wanted to. I am a 70's child.

On the other hand, you aren't wrong to dislike it.
There isn't a 'right' answer really.

Report
Mintyy · 14/07/2015 12:29

Incredible flurry of anti smoking threads on here atm Hmm.

Anyway, op, it is grim to see adults smoking in a children's play park but neither you, your pfb or your unborn baby are going to be harmed by the amount of smoke you were exposed to.

Report
WorraLiberty · 14/07/2015 12:29

It's certainly not polite to smoke in a kid's play park.

But you left the play park sooner than planned due to a small amount of smoke in the wide open air?

How do you manage to walk down the road/do some shopping?

Report
ApocalypseNowt · 14/07/2015 12:30

I think smoking anywhere near children is not on really. And the sort of person who smokes in a play park is probably not the sort who'd take kindly to you asking them not to iykwim.

They are outside though so i think they were legally in the right. And because they were outside you won't have been affected by passive smoke any more than you would walking along a road with cars on. Probably less so in fact.

Report
Alisvolatpropiis · 14/07/2015 12:37

Legally fine but unusual to actually see people doing.

I don't remember smoking in children's parks being the done thing when I was little, in the 1990's so very surprised to hear of people doing it now!

Definitely grim.

Report
ineedausername · 14/07/2015 12:38

Agree with Worra....

Report
DadfromUncle · 14/07/2015 12:39

or is just how the world works these days?
I've never smoked a single fag in my life, but this is definitely not a "these days" thing.

I spent about the first 45 years of my life surrounded by people sparking up at any given opportunity, anywhere. Smoking around kids was 100% normal until relatively recently, so this isn't a symptom of decline, it's a few folk left over from how we used to do things.

Report
midnightvelvetPart2 · 14/07/2015 12:54

Also, remember that there are parents (in DS's class at school for example) who smoke in the home with the kids and visiting kids in the same room, so to them smoking whenever they like is something normal for them to do.

Report
Fleecyleesy · 14/07/2015 12:55

Just one of the dirty disgusting things people do in play parks. I no longer visit them.

Report
gamerchick · 14/07/2015 12:56

Christ, roll on winter and whingy Christmas threads!

Report
MNpostingbot · 14/07/2015 13:09

It's bad form and as a smoker i wouldn't do it myself. But YABU if you think you're health is at higher risk.

Unless the park happens to be under a giant air filtered dome with no traffic for miles. As Worra said above, how do you deal with walking past pubs in town centres with people smoking outside? Biohazard suit?

You mention it was a grandparent as well. Not an excuse, but you can appreciate why someone who was raised in an era where you smoked inside with children wouldnt think twice about lighting up in a park in the open air.

Report
LittleLionMansMummy · 14/07/2015 13:09

Morally, it's objectionable. Legally i don't think there's an issue. I wouldn't have said anything and probably wouldn't have cut short the visit to the park as they're just as likely to breathe smoke in while walking down a high street, but I may have looked down my nose a bit! And i say this as an ex smoker who never smoked near children in my past life.

Report
Atenco · 14/07/2015 13:29

I imagine the smell was annoying, but surely car fumes are much more harmful.

Report
Nurserywindow · 14/07/2015 13:33

I just wish they'd ban smoking in all public areas, indoors and outdoors. Some smokers just refuse to get the message and will smoke anywhere it's legally allowed, regardless of whether it's considerate or not.

Report
QuestioningStuff · 14/07/2015 14:14

Nursery so you would prefer people to smoke in their houses with their children there?!

I'm a smoker and wouldn't dream of lighting up in a playground. Just wouldn't sit right with me at all. But not everybody feels like that, and they were probably legally entitled to do it. Doesn't mean they should but some people just don't think.

YABU and very precious to have left early though.

Report
SylvanianCaliphate · 14/07/2015 14:17

For God's sake don't go to Holland or Germany OP.

Report
Nurserywindow · 14/07/2015 14:19

They don't have to smoke in their houses in front of their children. They can go out into their garden, or only smoke when the children aren't around, or smoke in a separate room.

But banning smoking in parks, at bus stops and at outside tables in restaurants isn't going to stop people from smoking in front of their children at home. It will just mean that other members of the public aren't forced to breathe in their smoke as well.

Report
DadfromUncle · 14/07/2015 14:20

Or Spain, Turkey, France etc :)

Report
HamishBamish · 14/07/2015 14:23

YANBU. It's completely unnecessary. They should have waited until they were somewhere more appropriate.

Report
LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 14/07/2015 14:25

I like DadfromUncle's post. I think there are some ridiculous overreactions on this thread (and the myriad other ones). Outside is outside. Twee notices in a park are not going to change the world, they won't make a whit of difference. It's legal to smoke outside, it's legal to take your kids to the park, it's legal for people to smoke there. Make your choice.

I'm an ex-smoker, gave up 10 years ago, I don't like the smell of it but I wouldn't dream of telling somebody outside to stop or make a cats-bum face about it, that's just rude.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

QuestioningStuff · 14/07/2015 14:27

Nursery not everyone has a garden. And waiting til the children aren't around isn't possible for everyone. I also think you're missing the point of what a smoking addiction entails.

Report
Dontloookbackinanger · 14/07/2015 14:33

Our local park has official no smoking and no dog signs.

Parents often ignore both of these so the kids are playing in dog sht and inhaling smoke. WTF is wrong with some people?



Hasn't worked, I'm still f
**g furious!

Report
ihave2naughtydogs · 14/07/2015 14:35

At least us dog owners are getting a break from the anti dog posters Grin

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.