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?

I would pay real money for photo evidence of you sitting in a chair on your porch, in a velvet smoking jacket and with bejewelled cigarette holder, next to your boot ashtray, talking to passers-by.

Not a lot of money, mind. But still. Please do this.

There are people on my road that smoke out the front of their houses. I don't find the smoking bit common, but they do so in their pyjamas or dressing gown, all hours of the day.

Like cake I would also think good on you for not smoking indoors, but I would think you looked a little desperate if you had to have a fag before getting dressed.

The drug dealerspeople who rent the front room opposite have a wheelchair they liberated from Morrisons and an old leather recliner in the front garden that they like to sit it to smoke.
Next door to them is a family who must strip and put on dressing gowns as soon as they get in or never get dressed. They stand outside and smoke in them, the Dad/Grandad (it's hard to tell) likes to spend time hocking up a nice bit of phlegm while he's at it.
Next door to me has his Mum visit every day. For some reason I cannot fathom she goes outside from 5:00 pm but doesn't get picked up until 6:00pm. She sits on the very low wall between our houses smoking. It makes my porch stink and the front room if I forget to shut the window. She just drops the tab ends on the floor and they get blown into my garden.
I long for a neighbour with a decorative boot.

I am what is considered common and have the odd cig but usually late at night outside in the dark.

I used to clean for very well off people. People who use Chanel handsoap as standard everyday. Big cars, houses etc.

The amount of posh people who had ashtrays in their houses (particually bedrooms) was insane. They were old posh people though, the young ones never had ashtrays, so I wouldn't say smoking is really common! But maybe common to smoke outside where people can see you is!

Well yes, it's frightfully common but do you care?

It's pretty hard to make smoking look classy, no matter where you do it

Bah whi cares if it is common. I've sat on my front door step with a cup of coffee every day over the last 4 days. We don't get sun at the back this time of year & my daffs, crocus & hyacinth's are looking lovely

Wouldn't think anything of it.

My smoking visitors tend to smoke on whatever step they're nearest well out the way of asthmatic me.

In the living room = front.

In the kitchen = back garden.

So guess we're as common as muck too OP.

I would never have normally said this, (although I do think it!) But as this is what the thread is about........

I think smoking used to be thought of as a bit sassy and classy, and ladies looked swanky with a smoko , but now they just look like chavs.

Along with trampolines, barbecues, and designer clothing, smoking has been adopted by chavs.

Yes, couple of tattered plastic garden chairs and accessorise with a can of Stella. Add a few unruly kids to shout at and a stained bathrobe and your mother will need a defibrillator when she visits next.

Many years ago, when ladies smoked, they looked like THIS.........

Knew it would all kick off ... it's your front porch/step/whatever, do what you want. If people look down their noses at you, look down yours at them - your doorstep, your life, your choice - hardly think you'll pollute the whole street as someone has intimated geez. I also smoke out of the back of the house, but out the front when it's raining ... shame you don't live next door, we could have a chat

NOW when women smoke, they look like this.

I'd think it's good you're not smoking indoors

Meh. My mum always did growing up. Mainly because we lived in a terraced house and nobody used the front door, so our back door was the way in. So all the women in the row used to be out there with a fag putting the washing out and having a good old chinwag.

I don't see the issue really, it's your house - who cares what other people think?

My mother always claimed you "didn't walk and smoke" and to always flick with the "finger... never the thumb"

I think it's more classy if you accompany the fag with a can of stella, sit on a deckchair out front in a dressing gown and occasionally swear at passersby.

I love a fag on my front step btw.

Paxillan you read my mind!

I mean the way to class it up is to do it whilst arranged on a chaise lounge, wearing an evening gown and using a cigarette holder à la Alexis from Dynasty. Of course, I'm not sure if it makes you common to have a chaise lounge in your front garden or not.

I think it is common. A lot of my neighbours do it where we live now, but I never saw anyone smoking outside in the naice area where I grew up. Wearing pyjamas outside is also common, in my opinion.

The real question is whether it matters to you if you're seen as common.

Knew it would all kick off

Has it?

Different opinions, but all still quite jolly I thought.

I think smoking used to be thought of as a bit sassy and classy,

Really? We were taught that it was seen as... quite suggestive and I guess "trashy" when women smoked. Something for prostitutes etc.

Maybe it was different in the UK. Huh. Fascinating :)!!

My neighbour commented on my mum smoking out the front of my house so I made her go out the back.

Really? We were taught that it was seen as... quite suggestive and I guess "trashy" when women smoked. Something for prostitutes etc.

LOL

Nah never heard that before.

I always direct my friends out the back and that's where they go. How strange. I've never really thought of it before.