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.

The pubs mainly out priced themselves. Boozers can get a far cheaper hit at supermarkets now, why go to the overpriced pub? Lots of pubs are very successful - those that have, you know, evolved, as the world has, and have an emphasis on food and a healthier vibe than old dots sitting st a bar escaping their wives. Smoking was just a hefty push in the right direction for the local of that ilk. Doesn't hurt bars in places in America where smoking was banned indoors yeeears ago. It's just another little flag for smokers to wave to try to say 'but smoking has good points! Look! Go for a drink, and don't smoke! There's an idea!

Fair enough. I just thought that if you're going around farting like a trooper to the point where other people in the open air were being endangered that maybe there was some kind of problem.

Oh it's not a problem. It's my right... it is legal and it's my "personal choice".

So entitled. Your "personal choice" affects other people's health. How fucking selfish of you.

Oh I do apologise, Lime19! I misunderstood

Don't call her selfish! It's not her fault that she's got an arse like a rotten turnip!

GetInTheFuckingSea

Lime19 I am sorry that you are getting online abuse merely because you are unable to control your flatulent behind. Hopefully some more understanding people will be along soon. [Hugs] hun.

GetInTheFuckingSea Yes, the online abuse should be saved for the selfish twats who think their addiction trumps everyone else's health.

'Yes, the online abuse should be saved for the selfish twats who think their addiction trumps everyone else's health.'

Even MN has Talk Guidelines . All that outrage and anger, Spread over a few fags . . . it can't be good for your blood pressure

Aw it's reaching the dregs early this one. The new year one lasted much longer 😍

My blood pressure is fine, thanks. My asthma and general health won't be if some idiot decides to light up next to me.

'My asthma and general health won't be if some idiot decides to light up next to me.'

You could always budge along then.

I could, yes, but I shouldn't have to move when I'm not the one doing anything wrong.

Of course, smokers see it the other way, but we've already established that they're selfish and entitled.

No we haven't established that at all. I thought we had established that dogs are slobbery.

'I could, yes, but I shouldn't have to move when I'm not the one doing anything wrong.'

Provided they are in an outdoor area where is is permitted, they aren't doing anything wrong, either

Who's 'we', plenty of posters see outdoor smoking as reasonable behaviour provided the smoker is an area where it's permitted.

I vape. But I see, people take umbrage to that, too. Sigh.

I have no issue with vaping. It doesn't affect my health (as far as I'm aware) so it doesn't bother me. Each to their own in that regard.

It's when other people's choices have an affect on my health that I have the problem, and yes, I do feel it's very selfish.

That's nice, Spread. Unfortunately, you don't rule the world and smoking is legal in many outdoor areas. You may find it selfish, some do, some don't, most people just don't give a fuck enough to get their knickers in a twist about it.

You could go somewhere smoke free if you are really sensitive to it. Like if you had an allergy or similar

No I don't, but as there has been in other parts of the world, there will be restrictions on smoking within X feet of an establishment.

It'll take time, but it'll get there, and it'll be a joyous day when it finally happens.

Not RTFT but I know places that say you're not allowed to smoke within 5 feet of the building entrance. Does anyone know if this applies everywhere?

Interesting to learn about what "joyous" really means.

GetInTheFuckingSea Sorry, should I have used an easier word for you?

An alfresco smoking thread. It must be spring! It is massively inconsiderate to sit near a family who are eating and smoke. I would never subject others to my second hand smoke. I speak as a former hardened but now just occasional smoker. The fact that it is now seen as such an antisocial habit has actually helped me to virtually quit but how I miss the days when it was perfectly acceptable to smoke in pubs, cafes etc. I wouldn't want to turn the clock back but they were happy days. Strangely generations of children were brought up in a permanent cig smoke fog and yet almost all of them survived. Today's children are much more delicate flowers it would seem!

Yanbu

You were there first. With young kids. Eating.

They were selfish twats.

Op you chose to take your dog into an area where others may not like dogs, may be allergic or frightened or may just find them unhygienic. That is allowed. Others chose to come into an area to smoke where they are allowed to do so but others may not like it. People smoke in outside seating areas. It's up to you whether you chose to avoid outside seating areas or not however you cannot ban them from yet another place out of what comes across as a sense of entitlement that you are right and they are wrong. I say this as someone who has never smoked (and who likes dogs)