To think that it's rude to spark up a cigarette when you're cramped with a dozen other people under a small balcony?

[Lira]

I was in town today and the rain came on very heavily. I dashed over to a wall that had a balcony over it. There were already five other people standing there and over the space of ten minutes, 5-7 other people came over.

We were all clearly waiting on the rain to stop, and there was that horrible awkward silence going on. We were squashed uncomfortably together (imagine the size of an average bus shelter), and just kept doing that weird smile/nod thing to each other.

Anyway, one of the ladies standing in the middle decided to pull out a cigarette and start puffing away. Again, no one said anything but she was getting a few looks. After a minute, three people moved away from her so that they were half-under the balcony, and getting wet. She then proceeded to spread out a bit more, and no longer stood quite so hunched (note - she was already taking up the most room because of her pushchair and gazillion bags; she was one of the last to arrive but had no issue with sqishing past people to get nearest the back of the wall)

And after reading another thread on here about how people make up stories so they can say YABU...

I've considered the fact she might have been anxious about being in a small space and needed a cigarette to relax.

I realise she might be an addict and could have sparked up subconsciously.

I also know we were outside so she was perfectly within her rights.

And taking all of this into account, i still think it was selfish. I've now got a horrible taste of cigarette smoke in my mouth that I can't get rid of and dd said she can smell it on my clothes.

Which is a bit rich coming from someone who drives a car.

It's a necessity at the moment. Smoking is not a necessity, there's the difference. If DH can get them to install a charging station at his work then it would be viable for us to run an electric car, until then we have no other option.

Yes, you keep on telling yourself that. While you pollute the atmosphere far more than this poor woman having a wee gasper.

Sorry, did you get a bit of smoke in your lungs?

Thankfully that's getting rarer and rarer. They're a dying breed smokers, literally.

Ach well, no need to worry - it's not even nearly as serious as all of those poor kiddies hospitalised for bronchiolitis/asthma/other breathing difficulties every year as a direct result of living in cities polluted by car fumes. But you carry on clutching your pearls at smokers because that's a much bigger problem.

rolls eyes

Blimey Trix what a bloody awful thing to say, that's actually quite shocking. For your information, my mum smokes and she's 81, my DP's dad smokes and he's 85. You may never live that long honey.

Not at the rate s/he's going, anyway. So cross!