Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

well done Bristol for banning smoking in 2 public squares, extend this please

36 replies

dhdjdbrjrkbr · 02/02/2015 06:35

Love that Bristol has banned smoking in public squares. Hope that they start to ban it in parks to and outside train stations. Its horid when you have no choice but to breathe in their crap.

OP posts:

Corsu · 02/02/2015 07:07

The same argument about 'breathing in crap' could be said about any time you, or anyone else, drives. The fumes are usually mostly invisible, but that doesn't make them any less dangerous.

(I'm a non smoker)

noitsachicken · 02/02/2015 07:15

I just read about this (I am from Bristol) I think it's a great idea, but how will it be policed/enforced?
There are lots of bars/clubs around millennium square, I can't see how it will work.

MissPenelopeLumawoo2 · 02/02/2015 08:04

If you read the article in the Bristol Evening Post (not that I would recommend it unless you have an adblocker!) it says it is down to the individual bars & restaurants if they comply with it or not. It is also a 'voluntary' ban, so it does not sound like it is being enforced.

I am a non-smoker, but feel a little bit uncomfortable about stopping smoking outside in public places.

catsandstuff · 02/02/2015 08:07

Banning smoking outside? Because that's not weird.

Sirzy · 02/02/2015 08:07

I am a non smoker, with a child who's asthma is triggered by smoking BUT at the same time I can see how this is unrealistic!

HoneyIsBeePoo · 02/02/2015 08:08

Hmm. So now people cannot pursue a legal activity either indoors or out? That's fair, then.

UncleT · 02/02/2015 08:11

No, that's too much. I don't smoke, but banning it outside is unrealistic and unfair.

Samcro · 02/02/2015 08:16

smoking is legal. so not sure banning a legal activity in a public space is right.

ScathingContempt · 02/02/2015 08:16

As a non smoker who hates the smell of it I think this is ludicrous. Smoking might be unpleasant but unless the govt has the balls to actually make it illegal then smokers should be allowed to smoke outside

Treaclepot · 02/02/2015 08:25

Sex is legal but not in a public place.
Drinking alcohol is legal but banned in many public spaces
Being naked is legal but banned in most public spaces
Driving is legal but not on public squares

Not sure if I agree with the ban (I smoke) but just because something is legal doesn't mean you get to do it everywhere.

Icimoi · 02/02/2015 08:59

The same argument about 'breathing in crap' could be said about any time you, or anyone else, drives. The fumes are usually mostly invisible, but that doesn't make them any less dangerous.

So why does that justify adding to the fumes?

cingolimama · 02/02/2015 13:42

I hate this, and I'm a non-smoker. It's punitive and mean, and in a city full of car fumes and other pollution, a bit nonsensical too.

MrsVamos · 02/02/2015 13:49

Its not banned.

They are hoping that dirty, smelly smokers give enough of a fuck to not smoke in those areas, particularly where there are children.

Not going to work.

I'd love to know where the extra taxes would be gotten from if all the smokers stopped smoking.

squoosh · 02/02/2015 13:53

I'm a non smoker and think this sounds like a ridiculous idea. Our cities are full of all kinds of pollution, banning smoking in public strikes me as being more of a moral judgement rather than an effort to clean our cities' air.

sparechange · 02/02/2015 14:13

I'm not a smoker, but that is ridiculous unless you also ban all vehicles, bbqs, woodburners and anything else that kicks out fumes which are harmful to health.
I would imagine that if you walk around Bristol, or any other town or city, for more than a couple of hours, second hand smoke would make up a minuscule percentage of the crap you breathe in, and diesel fumes would make up the vast majority

LurkingHusband · 02/02/2015 14:17

MrsVamos

I'd love to know where the extra taxes would be gotten from if all the smokers stopped smoking.

Where do you think they are already coming from ? Yup ! That's right.

You.

I wonder if the the current landscape would be different if instead of "do you want a indoor smoking ban ?" the question had been "would you pay extra tax to ban smoking indoors ?"

MrsVamos · 02/02/2015 14:21

Of course they are, Lurking. The majority of people pay taxes, smokers of not.

Silly really. Until smoking is made illegal, this is all irrelevant.

bloodygorgeous · 02/02/2015 14:28

I am also a non smoker but I think this is a step too far - for Christ's sake smokers are addicts not criminals!

Let 'em have a fag outside. They can't have one many places anymore.

This just reminded me of a thread where a pearl clutching poster was horrified that people were smoking outside at a summer barbecue as her children were in the garden!

And YY re the car fumes point.

LurkingHusband · 02/02/2015 14:36

Personally, as a smoker, I wish they would ban it. It's not easy bringing children up and having to explain that they shouldn't smoke (because it's bad for you) and they shouldn't take illegal drugs (because they're bad for you) and then try and answer the inevitable "but why ..." question.

However since it serves as a paradigm to the hypocrisy and cant in modern (if not all) politics, I guess I musn't grumble.

itsnotmeitsyou1 · 02/02/2015 14:37

Another who agrees it's blooming stupid. Smoking is legal, whether you like it or not. Any decent smoker will try and be as discrete as possible, stay out of the way when smoking outside. There are just as many disgusting fumes coming from cars and such, quite honestly I wonder how some people manage to leave their house when they're so precious about these things.

MrsVamos · 02/02/2015 15:01

Lurking

That's weak.

If you actually want to give up, find the willpower to do it !

Banning it wouldn't stop most smokers either. You're either a smoker or not. There's no in between.

And I do get that bit about the DCs. Your response should be "do as I say, not as I do".

LurkingHusband · 02/02/2015 15:14

Who said I wanted to give up ?

Banning it wouldn't stop most smokers either. You're either a smoker or not. There's no in between.

Interesting. But banning things must work. Otherwise why do we do it ?

Was never a big fan of DAISNAID . Not needed in DS case - he's like most of his mates, quite anti-smoking.

MrsVamos · 02/02/2015 15:37

That's why I put the want in my sentence in italic. I wasn't assuming you did want to.

I guess banning works depending on what you're banning.

My DCs are very anti-smoking. Thank goodness. I hope they never 'try' it.

orangefusion · 02/02/2015 15:41

Bloody red trousers, I bet he's behind it somehow.

morethanpotatoprints · 02/02/2015 15:46

Even if they try to enforce it you don't have to pay fines away.
I've been stopped twice and refused to give my details to a council worker who has no right to ask and doesn't even know the law that has been broken.
They go away when you ask for a Police officer to explain the law and take your details.

Flip

1 2