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.

ilove you may want to read your own posts more carefully. You said:

How many kids get killed by dogs? A lot is the answer.

An answer which you completely made up and I was letting you know the correct statistic. If you know how to google, maybe do it before you make sweeping generalisations next time.

Ilove, he has the wrinkles to be a furrier Nigel Farage. Maybe we should call him Nigel Furrage?

He's the kind of dog that barks at the postman before bursting into a coughing fit, but insists he's never felt better! However, as unpleasant as he is, he does stand to attention during the National Anthem. He has a picture of the Queens corgis in his kennel.

Spreadthehappiness always an excuse for being a pompous prick. spare me your haughty comments please

Fenella http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/smiling-faces-children-mauled-death-8664766

Tell that to the parents of these poor children. How distasteful of you to dull down the effects of dog attacks

I love these threads I am hated for so many things on MN...I smoke, I have a dog, I work full time despite having a child, I have a bog brush, I use bleach....there's other stuff that gies against the grain here but that will do for now I think...

Anyway....I couldn't get upset about someone lighting up near my family outside. My ds is 5 and has never seen me with a fag, I have always waited until he goes to bed (or school) then sit in my garden for a fag but I wouldn't try policing people lighting up around him outside, it's a bit precious imo.

My dog is another matter! Last week we took him for a lovely country walk...the little bugger took a shine to a massive pile of fox shit and rolled in it. 5 mins down the track we happened upon a family enjoying a picnic and he took a massive shine to them too....he stank. That, I feel, was more offensive than someone smoking which, lets face it, is very unlikely to directly affect you outdoors whereas my lovely pooch managed to smear fox shit all over the kuds in the 10 seconds it took me to get his lead on and drag him away whilst apologising profusely.

Oh my new i know the feeling
My dog did the same thing yesterday...rolled in fox poo and then proceeded to chase a bald yes BALD female jogger through the forest!
Wish I'd caught it on camera, it would have gone viral on YouTube!.

ilovechoc1987 Better a pompous prick than an entitled selfish git affecting other people's health.

Spreadthehappiness
Sorry you're becoming confused? How am I effecting anyone's health???

ilovechoc1987 I was referring to smokers in general, not specifically you.

Spreadyourhappiness and I'm sure you're the pinnacle of health and purity aren't you.

ilove I am not disparaging the loss of those children. I am trying to point out it is not a regular occurance. Their deaths are not in any way insignificant or lesser in some way by the mathematical fact that 13 is not a high number. It is precisely the fact it's such an unusual occurance that make it so prominent in the media and such a shock to us when it does happen - if it was common, it would still be just as sad but wouldn't feature in the news. Thousands more children are killed and injured by cars but nobody suggests banning those and it doesn't feature as heavily or with as much outrage because it is more commonplace. It doesn't make it easier for those families or make children killed by cars any less of a loss.

ilovechoc1987 Well I don't pollute my body with alcohol or tobacco, or any other illegal drugs.

I think its the law that's at fault because it permits cigarette smoke in some public areas. Smokers are just people with an addiction and they like to group together.

Even so, I have a question for smokers in public places if you could give me a moment of your time:
I am a non smoker, but should I take up smoking?

It's up to me, you say?

Well my problem is that it's not. To get away from you I still have to walk past and breath your exhaled smoke.
I'd rather not, even though you may be saving me £10 a day if it you that's buying the fags.

What shall I do, oh wise smokers?
Shut up, it's your business how you pullute your lungs, you say?
Quite right, just as long as you are paying for the consequences.
You're not, health care for smoking related disease and bereavement counselling comes out of our taxes, you say?

Smokers are getting the last cough laugh, it seems.

My dad died from a rare cancer. Saying that not many people die from that kind of cancer is not in any way diminishing to his death and I can assure you it doesn't dull the effects. But it isn't distasteful to call it a rare occurance because it IS a rare occurance.

Alcohol and tobacco are legal!
God bless personal choice

Fenella if it wasn't for emergency hospital treatment a lot more children would have died due to dog attacks, in fact the most common reason for a child in the uk to be admitted for reconstructive plastic surgery, is because of dog attacks.
Whilst children may not die everyday, children are admitted daily for dog bites and attacks and their lives are saved frequently in hospital (my life was saved when I was 3- my BILs was saved when he was 18 months)
The point I'm making is that the chances of your child dying because someone lit up near them and accidentally wafted smoke in their vicinity, is very unlikely, where as children genuinely do get hurt/die at the hands of negligent dog owners.

And by the way, ilove - I'll tell you what is distasteful. Your using photos of dead children to try and score points on an Internet forum debate. That's incredibly fucking shabby behaviour.

All I know is that since smoking in pubs was outlawed.. a hell of a lot of pubs have closed and many villages and communities no longer have a pub. Those that survive seem to rely on people who smoke anyway. And most of the bar staff are always popping out for a puff.

I don't smoke, but I would rather a smokey pub than loose the heart of the community. I am with those who argue restaurants and pubs should choose for themselves and their customers as they see fit.

Fennel sorry I disagree, you have basically said dogs aren't a problem, when we know they are! The parents allowed the stories to go public, to create public awareness and inform naive people like yourself that dogs can kill, I'm sure they would be ok with me informing someone like you of the facts.
Not trying to score points just trying to get it through to your head.

I did not in the least imply the problem does not exist, I pointed out it isn't a frequent occurance as you stated. I did not say that dogs cannot kill, or suggest it is not sad that it has happened to the families who have lost someone. I simply pointed out that it is incorrect to say that it happens 'a lot' as this simply isn't true. I really do think you might want to reread your earlier posts as you seem to have got somewhat confused as to the point you are trying to make. What 'fact' is it that you think you are informing me of? I have already explained the facts to you, backed up with actual research and statistics. That is what 'fact' means. I don't think you should presume to speak for bereaved families or drag their grief into things erroneously. If you would care to just read back you will see that not once have I denied dog attacks happen or said that dogs cannot be dangerous. Please don't try to put words into my mouth when you clearly haven't grasped what has been said in the first place.

Fennella but dog attacks DO happen a lot? Whereas children dying by passive smoke outside cafes..well I doubt that's ever happened?!.
Like I said, as a smoker I walk to a spot free of people, because I respect that people don't like smoking and don't want to force them to passively smoke.
I think you need to re read your posts tbh.

Yet again, Ilove you said How many kids get killed by dogs? A lot is the answer. you didn't say dog attack, you said killed. I said that children being killed in fact fortunately does not happen a lot. I said nothing as to the occurance of dog attack. I never suggested it isn't tragic that it happens at all. I never suggested that dogs can't kill.

I can't keep having to repeat your own post back to you, so for that reason, I'm out.

Why do people keep bringing it back to the dog? It's not the topic or the problem. I'm sure the OP has a family friendly dog given she has it around her children.

The real problem is smoking. It is not ok for smokers to smoke next to pregnant women or children. Something needs to be done about it.

To the OP - YANBU. You (and the other family who didn't finish their meals) were there first. The smokers felt entitled to light up without considering anyone else when they could have sat on the alternative seating near the café and not at the café (where they weren't even buying anything anyway). I appreciate that smokers only have the choice of indulging in their habit outside and had they been there first then fine, it would have been your choice to sit there or not. However, that choice was taken away from you and as your food had already been delivered then there wasn't much you could do without causing a palaver.

Something has been done about it Phyllis it is illegal to smoke inside! So inside is a safe place for small children and pregnant women, they can even sit at the bar, no one else is nowdays not even when its freezing and blowing a gale.