To think smokers should not smoke next to a no smoking sign?

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(My first aibu - am bracing myself)

Today, I was parked outside a hospital waiting for my parents to come out. Right outside the entrance of the hospital and for about 50 metres, there are numerous signs (I counted eight from where I could see) signs saying "please do not smoke here" and "no smoking". I was waiting for about ten minutes, and I saw lots of people (15) smoking around the whole no smoking zone inc. several people (6) actually smoking next to a no smoking sign. I was partly amused by the irony of it but I also thought there must be a reason why it's a no smoking area, so why are they smoking there? Why could they not walk a little way and smoke where there were no signs? Just to let you know, the whole entrance area inc. way beyond the signs is sheltered and it was not even snowing nor raining.

Or going in for Chemo that makes you feel as sick as a dog Sirzy.

Katy was the one to use the word 'torture' Kitty, so I repeated it. Both uses ate OTT.

Our hospital did the "no smoking on the grounds" thing until they realised that by getting rid of the shelters, people were standing next to the entrance and the smoke was going up and through the windows of the wards.

They have now reintroduced the shelters, thank goodness.

I think it all boils down to people not sticking to the rules as usual. Thinking the No Smoking sign doesn't refer to them. 'Please do not smoke here' is fairly self explanatory.

Yanbu!

I too feel resentment when I'm subjected to smoke. Smokers might choose to smoke but I choose not to...however I am still subjected to their fumes!

I hate the stench at hospital foora but not quite as much as seeing people in their.gowns, attached to drips, with baby bumps subjecting their unborn child to their addiction!

Floora = doors

If you can go all the way downstairs in your wheelchair and/or IV drip, can you not walk/wheel yourself a bit further on? Also, if the nhs are that bothered about it, then fines should also be enforced, or is that going too far?

Plus there are people who have got out of their hospital bed to have a little walk and get some fresh air for a minute outside/a signal on their mobile only to walk into a load of fumes.

It's going too far.

No one chooses to be in hospital, I'm sure pretty much every person that is smoking outside a hospital would prefer to be somewhere else. Why would you want to add to their stress by fining them for such a small comfort when they are dealing with something difficult?

That's just mean.

Because they aren't obeying the rules Clouds. they may as well light up on the ward where you aren't allowed to smoke either.

Just smoke where it doesn't say not too, surely?

Sirzy that sounds like our hospital too! RSCH by any chance? You could be on the road and on a bus to a crack house quicker than you could transport a drip and light up a No6

Some rules are too harsh and are pointless.

Clearly no one should be smoking right outside the door to a hospital, but there is no reason why any hospital needs to ban smoking on their grounds completely. In large hospitals, it could mean you have to be 15 minutes away from the ward you need to be on just to have a quick cigarette. Just smoke where it says not to is too much to expect if you are told you can't smoke anywhere.

It would be great if people didn't feel the need to smoke, but often they do, especially if they are dealing with hospital stuff, either as a patient or are a loved one of a patient.

I would bet all the people saying oh, I need to smoke by the door instead of 10 gigantic meters away due to my rights/upset/illness are all smokers. It's the ultimate selfish habit - and I used to do it, so I'm no martyr, but smokers will actually defend their need to smoke over the needs of sick people not to breathe their smoke.

I came out of hospital a year ago after massive multiple blood clots in both lungs, pneumonia, pleurisy and a collapsed lung. I have asthma anyway but it was particularly bad as a result of all that. I am extremely sensitive to cigarette smoke and was very weak and frail. My DH took me to the entrance while dfil got the car - and I leant on the massive no smoking sign. I physically couldn't walk any further. There were two blokes, not ill, not visibly stressed or upset, who lit up on the other side of the sign about three feet away. I coughed so hard I vomited, almost instantly, and was dragging like mad on my inhaler. They looked at me and carried on. When DH asked them to move, pointing out half dead me and they were leaning on a giant sign saying no smoking, they actually argued that they didn't have to move as it wasn't illegal to smoke as they were outdoors. I couldn't believe the selfishness - even if it isn't illegal (and imo it should be outside hospitals) some human compassion might have been nice. DH wasn't bolshy and had only recently quit due to my illness, so he's not a militant non smoker, but these guys were something else.

My right to be able to breathe overrides your choice (and smoking is in fact a choice and not a right) to smoke, I'm afraid.

Why would you want to add to their stress by fining them for such a small comfort when they are dealing with something difficult?

That's just mean.

Well I think it's bloody mean forcing other people to endure your cigarette smoke outside a cancer hospital when they have just had chemo, don't you Clouds? Or doesn't that count as stressful in your world?

Agree, Tallulah. Why can't they walk a minute or two further? I had no option when going home but to leave via the doors. There are plenty of options of where to smoke.

This is a huge pet peeve of mine. I have nothing against smokers, but you must be aware that your choice to breathe in poisonous smoke doesn't mean I should have to, and be considerate.

Of course it counts as stressful

It is possible to stand away from doors where it's going to bother other people while smoking, but if there is a rule that says you can't smoke anywhere in hospital grounds, which is what I was referring to, the you are still going to be breaking a rule.

I used to see this a lot when dd had braces and we were at the hospital every month, and was always surprised there was no actual action given the signs and the rules and stuff, when hordes of pyjama'd people where smoking right outside the door.

I always just thought they probably had worse to think about, and I don't begrudge them, but I see that in some circumstances it is probably difficult to walk past.

I think there's something in cigarettes that renders 'no smoking' signs invisible . It's amazing, everyone else can see them apart from the smoker.

I understand that smokers are addicted, and that includes hospital patients. But there is absolutely no need for them to stand and smoke directly outside hospital doors, or directly beside no smoking signs (which have been put there presumably because that's a space where smoke would have a particularly adverse effect on others). Of course they might be getting stressful news - but that doesn't mean they have the right to force their smoke on everyone else who just wants to get in or out of hospital, including people who may be desperately ill themselves.

If they'd be breaking the rules to smoke in hospital grounds, then surely they can walk a bit further away from the building so that they aren't both breaking the rules and inflicting it on others?

Belle- those men are beyond belief. Their right to smoke trumping your right to not die- absolutely shocking.

they have to smoke somewhere and to be honest if no-one is policing it and it's the nearest place outside the hospital let them be

the majority of them are probably staff

Then presumably they get back to their ward reeking of cigarette smoke? Then get into bed?

Yanbu. This really annoys me. Our local hospital is a no smoking on the premises rule. Still you find groups smoking right outside minor injuries A&E.

2 years ago when I went for my 20 week scan to the woman's centre there was a pregnant woman smoking right outside the scanning department which leads to the NICU. There is a massive red sign saying "smoking is prohibited" on the wall. As my dh, dd and me walked by, we glanced at her(I was a bit shocked) and she started shouting "what?! What?" We picked up our pace walking, but I was really pissed off that she was smoking somewhere where pregnant women were passing all the time, and where it was obviously prohibited.

The majority of the smokers were patients, with visitors being the rest. I did not see anyone in uniform smoking. Actually, where I work it states that employees are not allowed to smoke within a 2 mile radius - not sure how they regulate that though. I wonder if anywhere else has a similar ban?

Actually, a legal ban on smoking within x metres of hospital entrance sounds good - I see a new mumsnet backed campaign on the way .

Sounds good to me Pop. I don't think it's staff unless the new uniform is pyjamas and a pink dressing gown.

they have to smoke somewhere yes, away from the no smoking signs

and to be honest if no-one is policing it they are adults, they shouldn't need policing or supervision

and it's the nearest place outside the hospital let them be and to the hell with the rest of you.

yes and as they are adults stuck in hospital it's sort of humane to provide smoking areas for them inside the hospital rather than outside