Is it 'common' to smoke on your front step?

[LookAtTheFlowersKerry]

My mother has spotted my decorative boot ashtray out the front. She is HORRIFIED.

I smoke out the front if it's raining (there's a covered bit, porchy thing). Otherwise I smoke out the back.

My mother says it's terribly low class and my neighbours will all judge me. They normally just say hello tbh, and comment on the shitty weather.

Is she right though? Am I committing a terrible faux pas?

What's worse is that I'm often in my pjs and slippers...

Aibu?

[bignamechangeroonie]

Anyone with a decorative boot ashtray doesn't have to worry about being perceived as common.

You ARE common, embrace it and get a waving windmill thingy from Poundland

[Purplebluebird]

Sorry but I find that a bit strange, wouldn't care enough to judge you though

[SummerHouse]

You have a decorative boot

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I used to do it in my last house, not this one as it's literally a main road, and my back door is better here.
I can't say I cared what anyone thought and same as you, people would just engage in a bit of small talk on the way past.

[LookAtTheFlowersKerry]

It's a decorative boot from Poundland

[Justmuddlingalong]

Does your DM pay your rent/mortgage? If so, she's entitled to her opinion. If not...

[Mrsemcgregor]

I wouldn't think anything of it if you were my neighbour. Maybe I am common too?!

[Flumpernickel]

YABU it's terribly common and I would happily join you! I love upsetting curtain twitchers, count me in.

[Crowdblundering]

My ex (was northern - I am southern ) used to do it and it used to MORTIFY me would chat out there really loudly too so all the neighbours couod "hear our business".

OH DSMUM sits out front waving and saying hi to people (we have a VERY narrow path and people just don't do that round here 😂).

[PovertyJetset]

Yeah I'd say your way past common with your Poundland ornaments and Jammies on out on your front door.

[laurzj82]

Haha my parents had a decorative boot. used as an ashtray

[booksandcoffee]

I would just think that you are respecting a no smoking rule in the house and good for you.

[MooPointCowsOpinion]

I would probably have a little internal 'Urgh' because unchecked I will tend to think smoking is poor taste in general. I think it comes from the idea that it's an addiction and therefore a weakness, as well as being anti-social to boot. If I examine that further though I note that lots of people have vices, and that perhaps the biggest issue with smoking is that it typically is associated with the working class and is therefore subject to more scorn than it may perhaps deserve.

All that would probably run through my mind as I passed you, and I'd leave feeing a healthy dose of British guilt and uncomfortableness about class distinctions.

[AYankinSpanx]

I"ve never seen anyone do this!

To be honest, my only two thoughts would be it's good that you're not smoking inside (around kids etc), and bloody hell, and having to stand outside to smoke would totally make me want to give up!!

I am imagining your hair in curlers though.

[SquidgeyMidgey]

My reaction was it's just common to smoke, sure I'll be flamed for that but meh.

[MagicMarkers]

Smoking itself is pretty common tbh. I agree with your mother about doing it in your pyjamas on your front step. It's not a good look.

My former neighbours used to smoke at the back of their house and it used to waft though into our house if the windows were open. It was pretty annoying.

[Eolian]

Exactly what MooPoint said, to the letter.

[Violetcharlotte]

I'm sure it very common, but I've done it plenty of times. Normally when it's raining so I can shelter under the porch. Otherwise I go in the garden.

[AYankinSpanx]

Moo puts it all very well.

[Huldra]

A few people do on the opposite side of our street, they have tiny shady gardens and it's warmer out front.

Yesterday I sat on my doorstep with my neighbour and had a beer.

[LookAtTheFlowersKerry]

Haha! I'm not sure if it makes it worse or better that we live in a very 'naice' little estate, all detached houses and posh cars we don't fit the demographic.

The neighbours are all lovely and don't seem to have sprayed a big red X on our door yet, so we might be ok.

[Cleebope]

Yes it's common as fuck but what the hell? Commoners have the most fun in life. I do it too but usually hide behind a bush whilst judging my really really common neighbour opposite who does it full frontal in the driveway.

[DancingPenguin1]

We used to have a flowerpot out the front of ours and occasionally the local travellers would come and see if they could get any tobacco out of the dog ends

[Flyinggeese]

Another appreciating MooPoint's eloquence on this. Spot on. Exactly my reaction.

[bignamechangeroonie]

If you live in a posh estate with fancy cars and detached houses you are less likely to smoke.

You don't fit the smoking demographic, lower income people smoke more.