should the lollipop man be smoking?

[biddysmama]

i live across from the school and the lollipop man stands in front of my window.

he usually has 2 cigarretes while he's there

aibu to think he should wait and its not showing the children a good example?

onagar good answer!

The lollipop guy is smoking two cigarettes during a shift lasting how long? Half an hour? 40 minutes? The children are hardly walking throuh a cloud of smoke. Some of the kids may have to stand by him for a few seconds.

I agree it is now illegal to smoke in the workplace. Not sure how that applies when you work on a pavement. But to be honest I wouldn't make a fuss over this. It really isn't that much of a big deal.

I am an ex-smoker if that is relevant.

oh, and that pittance he earns - are you willing to have it taken away from him over a couple of fags? Really? That's not very nice.

If by smoking he is breaking the rules, then the decision to report him (and the subsequent consequences) only depends on the strength of your principles.

If it is a question of him setting a bad example, I will repeat this again, it is totally a silly idea.

It is professional to smoke on duty, whether the job is done inside or outside. I'd imagine that the LA would view it this way too.

It's got nothing to do with what he does when he's not on duty. He can chain smoke all day long for all his employer would care, so long as he doesn't do so on duty. What is so difficult to understand about that?

'professional' - assuming you mean unprofessional?? He is a fucking lollipman, not a children's health expert. He is helping children not get run over - if he fails to do that, he might reasonably lose his job.

Yes, unprofessional.

Im crap at typing,especially with autocorrect to contend with.

Professionalism matters in all jobs and is more than just the bare minimum requirements to keep a child alive. It's about being on time, dressed and equipped properly and conducting oneself in a manner befitting the role.

Would you be happy for the playground supervisors to smoke?

Apparently there is a shortage of people to do this job so if you insist on stopping him then the kids will just have to manage on their own.

Given that it's not illegal - not even against the spirit of the law - hands up who would rather see no lollipop man at all?

Because if he smokes that much that he wont be able to stop.

Being drunk is not the same as smoking and OP is not being asked to pay, but okay that's one vote for "better no crossing supervisor at all then one who smokes"

Any more?

OP tell him to move away for your window if the smoke bothers you.

but fgs you could lose him his job!!! could you live with that?

Plus councils are making ridiculous cuts at the moment and lollipop men and women are very easy targets.

Sorry OP, but I have an irrational and school girl urge to giggle at the image of a smoking lollipop man. I imagine him: lollipop in one hand, head hidden while puffing on a sneaky fag under his luminous jacket, tutting parents quickly ushering their DC's across the road.

well at least give the guy a warning if your going to stick your nose in and report him to his employer. give him a chance to refrain from smoking as i'm sure his job is worth more to him than you think it is.

MrsBunty i am presuming he is having a fag while leaning up against wall of OP's house not while he is on the road stopping traffic for kids to cross.

If this were about concern that council regulations were being contravened you'd feel just as outraged by the news that some bin men don't wear the regulation gloves.

Did you feel a surge of civic duty then and want to report them? no. Of course not because this is about something else:

"I don't want people to smoke"
"I can't do anything about most people cos the bloody law won't let me and they tell me to mind my own bloody business"
"oh but I can use this regulation about council employees!!! weee I can really get the bastards!!"

we have 2 crossings and no lollipopmen/women. I wouldn't begrudge him a fag either.

agree. i think its more about prosecuting smokers than anything else. wonders if a street sweeper standing outside the window having a smoke would be under the same scrutiny!

oh i just had a brain wave .... CLOSE the window!

I've reported council roadworkers for smoking, although it was more the littering of fag ends rather than the smoking alone.

So the consensus is that the poor guy should be allowed to smoke because he's not harming the children? And the setting a bad example thing is just a silly idea?

Well, fair enough, I certainly agree that it does no physical harm to the children, it will be such a tiny amount of smoke. But I do believe that the more often children see people smoking, the more likely they are to believe that smoking is a reasonable life choice to make. That it's normal, that everybody does it, so it must be ok. And I think that view has to change.

I would still like to know what everyone thinks about other jobs, is it ok for anyone to smoke while working as long as they're in the open air? A policeman? A teacher?