poll: Smoky Venues or Aromatic Punters, what's your take on it nowadays?

I quit three years ago and have managed to live in heavily regulated areas of the country. I'm glad for the health benefits. I don't care about whiny smokers, because well, fuck 'em.

But I do miss the atmosphere. When I was a kid, the whole world smelled like tobacco smoke. A brief list of things that don't smell quite as good anymore:

a.) airports
b.) fast-food restaurants
c.) clubs (with the caveat that now that I'm drinking age, tobacco smoke tends to make my hangovers worse)
d.) public schools (remember the cloud of smoke that would roll out every time someone would open the door to the teacher's lounge, or the janitor's closet? ahhhh...)

You're nuts. Cigarettes are one of the worst smells.

I really noticed it last night. Like, how much more pleasant it was, working all night, and not coming home reeking of cigarettes.

It has doubled the work of yr average door person (having to check people in and out, handstamps and all that malarchy, not to mention running a coatcheck style drinks table coz they bouncer wouldn't let them take glasses outside) but my god was it worth it.

The only unfortunate side effect is noticing that, uh, actually... some DDBs actually smell. And I mean STINK. You don't notice when it's all covered up with cigarette smoke and spliffs.

Cigarettes can be a really nasty smell. But there are times when they smell really good. It probably has to do with what other odors are in the vicinity. For instance, when McDonald's made all their restaurants smoke-free in the '90s, I immediately noticed how terrible the food was and how badly it smelled. McDonalds grease and cigarette smoke had some kind of synergy.

Like Masonic's drone rock boys, I too used to use cigarette smoke as part of my "bouquet." I had to change my whole style up after I quit.

Leather, spliffsmoke, jack daniels, patchouli... aaah, the stink of a DDB. Nothing like it.

I too used to use cigarette smoke as part of my "bouquet."

Yeah I'd rather my partner not to have a "bouquet" other than soap and the occasional subtle cologne/aftershave.

oh my god, you know what i had never even considered before? the effect on the university of dub!!

The only downside to this is you've noticed how much clubs/bars stink in general. Stale beer and various other grossness. blearugh.

http://www.universityofdub.com

9pm – 6am

Visuals ~ Bar ~ Hot food ~ Chill out zone ~ Stalls ~ Disabled access ~ Good facilities ~ No smoking

!!!!!!!!

for those who have never been, it used to be in the brixton rec center, attended by approx. 400-500 people per night, at least half of whom were smoking enormous spliffs for the entire evening

Tracer, there was similar here called the F1r3house Sk4nk. It still has some smoking I believe...

Actually, most DDB clubs seem to be handling this by setting aside an outside area (often the parking lot, hah) for spliffing up. It's bizarre, between the bands, to see the club deserted, and the parking lot RAMMED with people.

Brings new meaning to the old "dude, there's nothing behind the billboard but a parking lot!" routine.

this poll's options aren't exactly all encompassing are they.

i kinda like the no smoking actually. i like how everyone just gravitates outside anyhow, i like how if they dont it sort of breaks things up a bit, and people move positions more, i like how when you go outside you get talking to cute girls you dont know*

*this is admittedly rather more in theory than in practice so far

harrison the other week was funny...not a single person in the bar, and..i guess 20 or 30 of us outside

remains to be seen how this plays out in winter. though i guess winter will be dryer than summer so mightnt make quite the difference you would think

xpost*2 well, no but surely there's one you gravitate to more than others?

If not, state it here! (as they say)

Primarily I am interested in having my cigarette WITH my drink. They go together. The wine, it needs the cigarette, and vice versa. I understand about employees' rights, I understand about the priorities of non-smokers, and I'm not saying we ought to be able to cloud the world with our 2nd hand death chemicals, I am just saying that beer I just opened was meant to ACCOMPANY my smokes, not be sucked down in isolation on a freezing sidewalk in January.

I like how it's really easy to get a chair inside now.

that's the nice thing about london, where loads of places let you take your drink out to the sidewalk

Wow Laurel, you're drinking at 10am? NYC ILx0rs don't play.

TS: smoking outside alone vs drinking inside alone

What about going out into the fresh air and chatting with your smoking friends? Just don't stand downwind of them.

Tracer, if that were possible honestly I think I'd be happy. The winter weather would still suck but I'd manage. The "leaving yr beer inside with a coaster over-top and hoping the bartender is feeling friendly about keeping an eye on it" thing isn't my favorite game to play by a long stretch.

Also I like how it's January now.

Maybe your bars will start to accommodate for this. Most places here (granted our ban happened more than a year ago) have found ways to make outside patios that allow people to smoke and drink at the same time.

In San Diego, you couldn't take your drink out on the sidewalk, but many bars had a back porch area where you could smoke outside.

If you outfitted one of those with an outdoor heater during the cold months, it'd probably work out alright.

xpost

in most groups i hang out with there's only one or two smokers out of 6 or more of us so the temporary split is rarely even/don't think it bothers either side as a result.

Oh, the NYC ban took place like three years ago or something, but outside spaces are still by and large closed in the un-summer months. There's more profit in finding out what bars will let you smoke in the wee hours.

On principle I think maybe people who smoke should have an option to go to bars where they can smoke, but personally as a result of health problems I really really fucking can't stand smoking, as in, if someone lights up downwind of me at the bus stop I get hateful thoughts about them.

I used to smoke myself but quit after my 21st birthday, 3 and a half years ago. That was pre health stuff I suppose. On reflection I don't know if I could DJ and stuff if clubs were full of smoke, it'd be horrible.

tho actually, people who smoke on the bus bug me even more, it's a public place/service and it's just completely and utterly rude, unnecessary and out of order, though I guess it's only kids trying to be rebellious who do this.

smoking in bars/clubs contributed greatly to me not going to them anymore. Post-ban I rarely go, now just out of habit, so am not sure what it's like. I know many places ignore the ban but I haven't noticed it so much on the occasions when I do go out.

I cannot even imagine someone smoking in a public place like a bus, building, restaurant etc. That's been forbidden for so long.

do people never flaunt the law on that over there? here people constantly seem to light up on my route, especially if it's a night where they're on their way out or have been drinking.

for some reason I wouldn't mind quite as much on the nightbus, as it's 4 in the morning and people are drunk etc....

People smoke ON the bus? That IS horrible and rude. But then I get angry with people who impose themselves, their noise, their preferences on public spaces period. Like the guy sitting on the subway who was rapping his knuckles against the bench seat in some rhythm known only to his inner child, apparently unaware that it was affecting four other people on that bench (IE ME).

On principle I think maybe people who smoke should have an option to go to bars where they can smoke

The problem with this is that restaurant/bar owners generally want to keep smoking in their businesses. They wouldn't want to lose business to the competition who allow it.

I've never in my life witnessed someone smoking on a bus/subway in any American city. I'm sure the bus driver would stop the bus and make them put it out or get off.

Um yeah do not fuck with NYC bus drivers.

i swear i heard two different people clipping their nails on the bus in the space of a week. what the fuck is that.

Maybe if you had a certain alotment of "smoking licences" per county or something.

multiple xpost

allotment

occasionally Irish bus drivers will stop the bus and make them put it out or get off, but on a double decker bus upstairs I guess they don't actually see them doing it a lot of the time. it's one thing where I often, OFTEN think of walking downstairs and saying to the bus driver. cos the fine is supposed to be huge, if it was ever imposed.

but then the usual thing applies, you're mildly afraid of conflict/violence, even if it's a gang of spotty teens. that also annoys me though, I don't know why but I really have a lot of respect for Dublin Bus, it is a pretty good service and as I get older I really hate people vandalising it or abusing it. it's EVERYONE'S bus service. </ armchair socialist>

i swear i heard two different people clipping their nails on the bus in the space of a week. what the fuck is that.

A lady was doing that the other day and then sweeping the clippings off onto the floor. I just glared at her. . so disgusting.

Once a female driver pulled over, nowhere near a stop, and made a group of loud, cursing teens get off the bus. They tried to argue with her, called her a bitch, etc. and she was all "Hell no, you get your asses off my damn bus!" I've seen other drivers cower to similar belligerence. They are usually white males. Sorry white guys, no dis to you.

No, it's okay. We have a fragile constitution.

Bus drivers here rarely do anything about antisocial behaviour because they're scared they'll be knifed.

One time I was on a bus up in Enfield, there was this really rough looking bloke upstairs with scabs all over his hands smoking a cigarette, the ticket inspectors got on and just ignored him.

xpost

I think that is usually what the white drivers think. But the lady I
mentioned above probably had some babay kids like these of her own and didn't think anything about putting the smack down on them.

I can handle the smell of pipe tobacco and hand-rolled tobacco, and even cigars (though that's a bit rich for most), but mass-manufactured chemical-filled cigarettes really do stink to high heaven. The cheaper the brand, the worse the smell, usually. Someone smoking a Doral is an enemy combatant to the air around him.

I voted for the first choice.

xpost see that's the thing.

If a bloke did that, he'd have to be able to do it without seemingly threatening the masculinity of the 'lads' or such. Whereas the woman not only would be able to do that, she quite probably would have experience in how to, as well.

See, I was riding in a car last weekend with a notoriously cheapskate friend of mine who was smoking some bullshit brand of cigs I'd never even heard of before. It had the same nostalgic smell that I talk about upthread.

But yes, fine tobacco is usually preferrable. The exception to this being hookah bars which, fuck that. Even standing outside one of those places is too smoky for me.

xpost

I've never in my life witnessed someone smoking on a bus/subway in any American city.

I've seen it once. This homeless dude sparked up on the train, and a man immediately stood up, announced he was a police officer, and escorted the man off the train.

xxxpost

Women should clearly rule the world.

I've talked about this elsewhere, but I smoke hand-rolled cigs in my apartment. If I end up with a pack of Camel lights or something, though, I go outside with them. The difference in stink is huge.

END THIS CLIPPER CHAOS

This summer I would go to bars with people in NYC and think "you know, this really isn't that bad" and then realize that no one was smoking.

So who knows, maybe I would gotten into the bar habit if they had always been smoke-free? Well, OK, probably not.

re: the poll options, i do smoke but i'm not overly pissed off about it, in fact i like going outside and getting the hell away from scenesters (or sometimes my own friends), but i do think the atmosphere has changed and not necessarily for better in all instances, and i do think venues should have the option of being able to get a smoking license. the whole "places with an outdoor seating section" shouldn't really be an acceptable compromise because what if you just want to sit the fuck outside! i always feel bad, i mean there are ppl who just want to enjoy their drink in the sunshine who don't smoke, just as much as there are ppl who want to enjoy their indie rock show and not smoke a cigarette while doing so. i've never understood why letting some establishments allow smoking was a bad compromise.

also, yeah, like laurel said, a significant number of joints will still just let you smoke inside, better that than the noise complaints (esp if the entire staff smokes too...).

Ah, no I can't see a close enough poll option. Should have left off the "non smoker" part of the atmo opt.

Well, that's close enough. Atmosphere counts for a lot.

Funnily enough, last night we went to an 'open air' local bands night in the local shopping centre, on a 'beach'.

No alcohol, no smoke, and actually the atmosphere was pretty cool. The kids made sandcastles all night, and the bands did their thing.

i don't smoke and i still think it's a load of fascist bullshit.

The only downside to this is you've noticed how much clubs/bars stink in general. Stale beer and various other grossness. blearugh.

-- Ms Misery, Thursday, August 30, 2007 2:47 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link

yep, this is why it'll be better when they ban alcohol from pubs. it will cut liver disease, drink driving, and domestic violence. who could have a problem with that?

Sometimes you can smell the lavvy, but that's only really when a pub's empty

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Wow, well that was pretty decisive.

You know, I have a really bad habit of starting these polls and not voting in them. Clearly!

Only five smokers?

Smokers too busy smoking to vote.

Brings new meaning to the old "dude, there's nothing behind the billboard but a parking lot!" routine.

-- Masonic Boom, Thursday, 30 August 2007 13:50

wow, are you really quoting courtney t-t trying to find my birthday party in 2000? your memory is astounding!

I don't and the world is a better place

A better place? Shit, ILX is evidence to the contrary. ;-)

It became a long-running joke on the DWs mailing list is why I remember it, Chuck.