To cross the road when I see a smoker?

[hippohippohippo]

I really dislike smoking and find I'm extremely sensitive to the smell, so have always been very aware of smokers and will notice a smoker earlier than others do if I'm walking around a town centre etc.

Now I have a 7mo I'm particularly conscious I don't want him exposed to the smoke so I make a point of crossing the road and getting as far away as possible when I see a smoker.

Well MIL was pushing the pram earlier as I was looking after my toddler nephew and when I asked her to cross the road she refused, telling me "it doesn't even occur to anyone else so you'll be fine, stop being so anxious". Said smoker then took a huge puff just as we walked past, so we walked through a cloud of fresh smoke.

AIBU to do this / ask this?

What's Covid got to do with deodorant and perfume?
Am I missing something

I think it’s OTT but up to you. I have similar habits but I know they’re OTT

I always cross the road or do whatever I can to avoid smokers, yanbu op.

@DamnShesaSexyChick

If you don’t wear deodorant they are probably pleased you cross the road, I think you’re being ridiculous.

🤣

@firstimemamma

I always cross the road or do whatever I can to avoid smokers, yanbu op.

Me too.

@Thirtytimesround

Yanbu. I have a sensitive nose too and I cross the road to get aeay from stench too. And yes to the poster who asked you, I also avoid people with BO and smelly cars. I actually still put my face mask on outside because it is brilliant at filtering out traffic fumes.

I wouldn’t ask anyone else too unless they had my child…

People who don’t have a sensitive nose won’t get it.

I'm exactly the same

I do the same where possible. Getting a lung full of cigarette smoke, even outside, sets me off coughing.

@WheelieBinPrincess

Not just from walking briefly past them. If your nose is truly that sensitive I suggest you utilise the skill and go into detective or spy work.

sommelier would be much more fun!

OP, you’re not unreasonable but I don’t think you can expect anyone else to do the same. It’s a very high standard you’ve set, over and above what’s actually necessary.

I'm very sensitive to smells. Can't even stand plug in air fresheners and I cross the road not to follow someone smoking ahead. I also did it when mine were young.
I get it. It makes me feel 🤢

Yanbu to hate the smell of smoke so much you have to cross the road.

Yabvu to think this will harm your child or be annoyed at others for not crossing. Next time nip across the road but don't ask anyone to come. "I hate smoke smell, going to cross over will catch you in a min"

I dislike the smell of smoke but you could be crossing back and forth all day to avoid it sometimes.

I do this too. When my dd was tiny I walked past a woman smoking at a bus stop. She wasn't looking and threw her fag end behind her straight into my pram. She didn't half get the sharp end of my tongue. I always cross over, can't stand it.

What if there's someone on both sides of the road smoking? What do you do then?

you can’t smell smoke on your pram () days after walking past a smoker, you just can’t. Why are you lying OP?

It's a free country but this sounds neurotic and precious tbh. I'm not crazy about the smell either but a two second outside blast of secondary cigarette smoke never killed anyone. Environmental pollutant is far more hazardous.

@betwixtlives

you can’t smell smoke on your pram () days after walking past a smoker, you just can’t. Why are you lying OP?

It sounds like it's very much in the OP's imagination. Either that or she should ask the airport police if they have any vacancies.

You push your kid in a buggy at the same height as a car exhaust. So your kid gets a face full of fumes every time you take them out. Really damaging and yet you chuck wobblers over fag smoke that's gone in a second. Can smell it for days indeed

Seems a good example of how shit we are at risk evaluation.

I can't see any possible scenario where the risk of even prolonged exposure to a whiff of smoke in open air can exceed the risk of crossing the road.

That said, it is incredible how far smoke can carry. I used to work in an office where in summer, if the window was open, you could catch
the smell of the smoke from the smokers huddling outside over 150 metres away.

dramatic

I agree I usually don't mention it to whoever I'm with...but today they were the one pushing my child!

I thought it was your toddler nephew?

I didn't know sniffer dogs used mumsnet.

@betwixtlives

you can’t smell smoke on your pram () days after walking past a smoker, you just can’t. Why are you lying OP?

Exactly. Either you're actively choosing to lie or you're deluded. Or an actual sniffer dog. And if you're not using deodorant I imagine you don't smell too special yourself.

And since COVID no I don't wear perfume or deodorant.

What now?

And yes. You’re being utterly ridiculous and there’s no way you smell it on anything for days afterwards having only passed someone in the street.

Oh right, that is indeed a lingering side effect of covid- no longer able to use deodorant.

WheelieBinPrincess
You can smell someone’s fag smoke on the high street for day’s afterwards?
On my coat / hair / pram etc.

OP stop lying. You can't smell smoke that you have walked past outdoors for days afterwards. However, cross over if you want to. No one cares.

I don't like walking behind a smoker for anything longer than a couple of minutes, so tend to cross over. I also do the same for anyone I don't fancy walking near though.