to think that smoking in a children's playground is just not on!

[macdoodle]

First sunny day, packed park, mum (with dad and toddler) puffing away without a care!
Now she wasn't stood away from the children, she was stood watching her child right next to the toddler's frame and slide, it was full of children going up and down (including my 2yr old DD2)!
I was stood a bit further away and was getting a good old whiff of smoke, so am sure the toddlers were too!

Now I know its open air, and blah blah blah, but come on, could she not wait till they left the park, or go and stand away from the children!

So AIBU????

It's a vile thing to do in a playground.

I think whether it is considered bad manners or not will vary from person to person, that's the point, it's subjective and, more importantly, and the crux of the thread here, is that where smoking is acceptable is a rapidly changing norm, no longer just based on scientific evidence of harm and I think it is perfectly reasonable for her to consider what she was doing to still be acceptable. I have to say, I have been shocked by the levels of vitriol felt towards smokers expressed on this thread, it is not something I have come across in real life.

And what about the level of vitriol that you have shown? We have talked about manners and suggested that she might have moved a few steps away, but you have used words like 'rabid intolerants' , 'hatred', 'narrow-minded'.

No one as far as I know has said that they hate all smokers. Is it REALLY so unreasonable to think that a smoker could move a short distance away from children?

Ok. I smoke socially.
Never in front of children, my own or other people's.

Smoking in playgrounds is just bad manners imo. So easy just to move away.

Aside from the smell, the fumes and the bad example it sets, playgrounds are full of children running around, so waving a burning stick in your hand is not the best idea.
What if a child ran past and brushed against said fag? Nice cig burn in coat at best, nice cig burn on hand/face at worst.

No need for it. Wait til you leave playground or find a discreet corner.

Very unreasonable in my opinion. She's outside and smoke will be very diluted. It is not in the slightest bit rude to smoke outside

Smokers pay huge amounts of voluntary tax. How, if smoking was banned (which is what you rabid anti-smoking facists seem to want)will the country pay for all the 'rights' you demand: fertility treatment on the NHS
social housing, benefits, etc etc etc.

Not read all of thread but op YANBU.

It's minging and, (snob emoticon) rough as a bag of spanners.

Don't care if this makes me sound like an uptight self-righteous snob. it's rough and horrible. end of. And if I saw someone doing it I wouldn't think much of them.

Just wait and go outside the play area (and I'm speaking as an ex smoker who still has lots of smoking friends).