Smoking outside cafés?

[PuntCuffin]

Took my boys out to a local country park this morning. Decided we would have lunch while we were there so got ourselves settled at an outside table at the park café. We had our dog with us (as did many other families) so could not have gone inside.

Halfway through our meal, another family sat at the neighbouring table and both adults proceeded to light up cigarettes. So, we ended up with smoke wafting across us. Both boys stopped eating pretty much immediately, and started saying they felt sick. (Yes, they are probably hypersensitive but, it was pretty grim.) I gave up on trying to convince them to finish their lunch and we left the area, as did another family who hadn't finished their meals either.

There were no ashtrays on the tables, so the café clearly don't endorse smoking there.

AIBU to think this is a) Fucking inconsiderate behaviour and b) to be amazed that it is legal to smoke round an area where people are eating, even if it is outside.

Would be interesting to know whether a cafe could choose to ban smoking on their terrace - after all, it is their property.

Of course they can. They can ban whatever they like.

And I wish they would.

Would be interesting to know whether a cafe could choose to ban smoking on their terrace - after all, it is their property.

Yes they can. Our village pub has the beer garden, on which the Children's play area is. There's also a heated patio area just before you go up the steps to the play area. Kids play on the area/beer garden. Smokers smoke in the heated patio area. The pub also lets dogs inside too so added bonus

Yet somehow this has become about dogs being as/more unpleasant to sit next to than clouds of cigarette smoke. confused

Because you're being hypocritical. People get offended by different things. Plenty of people have said they don't like dogs more than cigarette smoke. But apparently they can choose to go somewhere else. What if they arrived before you did?

Most cafes are either dog friendly or the staff choose not to tell people if they aren't. But hey ho we can't just ban everything we find unpleasant can we?

Meh, dogs don't bother me, not so keen on children though

Fennella lovey I did some jewoogling and apparently 7227 children in 2012 from the uk ,were admitted to hospital due to dog attacks.
How many for smoking passively from a strangers fag...0.
Sorry you lost.

jewoogling

What if they arrived before you did?

I wouldn't have sat there had there been people smoking when we arrived. The point was, we had the smoking forced on us.
You can see dogs, you can make an easy choice not to sit next to them.
Whereas with smoking, you can't tell that someone is going to light up until they get the cigarettes out.

Therefore YABU for taking your dog to an eating area near those poor smokers who, as well as getting roundworms, may well be allergic to dogs

Hoping you are taking the piss here, because unless I started adding dog shit to their food (which they weren't eating, just using the seating, which is pretty cheeky in itself on a busy Sunday lunch time), they are not going to suddenly contract roundworm. And we were there first, so those 'poor smokers' had the choice to avoid us.

Dog hair travels

Oh so now the filthy smokers weren't eating or drinking there either? Just having a sit down and a fag? Something you didn't mention until now

I don't honestly know if you are wilfully missing the point. The reason I brought up the dog in the first place was to try and show you that you have to compromise when we all live and socialise in close proximity with one another. But you're pretending you don't understand, sooo...

It all sounds so pitiful

Cloud the OP has mentioned the fact that they weren't eating/drinking before

I must have missed it, apologies.

Cloudchasing

I refer you to the OPs post of 19:45 yesterday, where she states the family did not appear to be eating.

I'm now taking the dog out as he needs another fag. He might go for a pint as well at lunchtime, before rewriting the UKIP manifesto. I tell you, such an unpleasant dog I have.

It's disgusting. Smoking around kids and smoking around people eating. Yuck! I'm surprised in this day and age that people still smoke. So much is known about the dangers. The NHS is an excellent FREE source for people wanting to give up. Why on earth do people still smoke and "because it's my choice" is not really a valid answer. If I ruled the world I would stop all smoking in public places. If you want to smoke in your own house fine but don't make others breathe in your filthy fumes.

I don't know renaissance he sounds kinda fun, I'm imagining a furrier Nigel farage

I'm now taking the dog out as he needs another fag. He might go for a pint as well at lunchtime, before rewriting the UKIP manifesto.

Lime19 the NHS is not an excellent way of giving up smoking. I don't know anyone personally that was successful in their quitting due to the NHS.

It's an addiction and some people enjoy it. it's a habitual thing that Is there during times of sadness or boredom.
You wouldn't understand because you're not a smoker.
Most smokers would love for there to be a tablet (not champix with its horrendous side effects) that could make you just forget that you were ever a smoker, and be free of the addiction forever.

Most smokers would love for there to be a tablet (not champix with its horrendous side effects) that could make you just forget that you were ever a smoker, and be free of the addiction forever.

You have to work for what you want in this life, nothing is that easy. If people aren't quitting even when they want to it's because they aren't putting enough effort in.

It's just something you have to expect at a pub and weigh up if it's too typesetting for you go elsewhere. At my old local all the regulars swore like sailors but I wouldn't have ever said anything. It's a pub a I chose to bring my dd there. An adult environment where tubby s like smoking and swearing are to be expected.

did someone say how can car fumes affct u that much?

are u serious they kill thousands of people a year! thats why some cities are bringing in emission charges to try and cut it down

Spreadyourhappiness agree but we're talking about nicotine-the most powerful drug known tot man, it's not like giving up chocolate or fizzy drinks.

Both kids instantly 'felt sick'?!?
I'm fine with cigarette smoke but the smell from a pipe-smoker outside leaves me instantly nauseous. Always has. So I can believe that cigarette smoke would have the same effect.

ilovechoc1987 Always not excuse.

• Always an excuse.

Ugh. I hate sitting next to outdoor smokers in summer.

Surely the solution is to have cafes make their own determination about whether they will allow smoke outside or not. Win/win.