cheeseboy

Claudius - could you actually tell me why you began smoking?? I am not having a dig, but am gradually putting together reasons for wanting to start, and continuing - despite the endless price hikes, and smell etc...

Neal

camk

Claudius,
Still looking for that hate filled post

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

I disagree!!!

German is just a terrible place.

camk

Steve,
LOL...not that bad...surely...not now that Claudius has moved to France it's a bit better anyway 24 Degrees today....and its Friday too.

cheeseboy

Hi Camk.!

Claudius

Sure: because I was led to believe that smoking is cool when I went to University. I think it's got to do with influence from others, curiosity and weakness.

Pete Croney

As a smoker, I'm all for having no smoking rooms/areas in pubs.

That said, non smoking friends almost always sit in the smoking area of my local as the non smoking area is almost always 90% empty.

In France, there is (used to be?) a law saying that every bar had to have a no smoking area. A small bar I went into in Marne Le Vallee (sp) had a single wooden stool in the corner with a sign above it that said "ne pas fumer"

cheeseboy

LOL!

And Claudius, so why do you continue?? Is it now an addiction? Or is it something which tends to be used in certain situations? For example, my girlfriend used to "need" a cigarette when she was nervous, but once she decided to give up, it was an interesting day. After the ceremonial last cigarette (the butt remains in a small jar with a date on it), she then found other ways of dealing without the cigarette...

Claudius

Yes, since January 1992, smoking is forbidden in France in "closed public places" (train stations, airports, that type of place). Theoretically, you get fined £60 if you get caught. In practice, at most, you get told to put the cigarette off. Mind you, I've seen a cop smoke in Nice Intl Airport! LOL

About the bars and restaurants: a non smoking section is required, but no minimum size has been defined. The stool is funny, but I've also seen a non smoking sign over a counter, that could be slid about with a cord, depending on where the smokers sit / stand at the bar. They used it for a few days, and it amused everybody, but then they just let it be. No one cares about that. People who get vocal about smoke are very rare and get told to shut up by smokers and non smokers, along the lines of "if you dont like it, go elsewhere, but stop bothering us". People in France dont like to get told what to do. So they do what they please
If you called the Police saying someone is smoking in a non smoking section, they would laugh at you and hang up It has happened! LOL

SideShowBob

Okay, there is one major issue here that we (the non smokers) seem to be missing.

I dont smoke, and I hate the smell etc as much as the next guy, ive also got really sensitive eyes (I know that sounds gay, but its true!!) and smoke makes them go all bloodshot so it looks like im on drugs or something (im not thou).
BUT
This is the problem....there are LOTS of really fit girls that smoke, and if they got removed to a room someplace, we'd all have to follow them into the room anyway, to keep our chances of pulling good, so ultimately we'd end up worse off!!

Perhaps if we moved off blokes and ugly girls to the smoking room, we could tolerate the very much lessened smoke created by the nice girls, and have a sort of happy union. That way, even though we would have to put up with these inconsiderate smokers, we'd be in a good position to get some, which lets face it, would make up for it.

Just a thought.

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

good point and compromise there Bob

Claudius

Yes, I would say it is now an addiction. These last weeks, my cigarette consumption has increased tremendouslmy. No idea why, really, I have no problems.

I sometimes get the impression that I just smoke a cigarette because I can, just like a dog licks his ***** , for no reason in particular. I dont feel the "need" to smoke a cigarette, except when I havent had one for several hours (flight, drive, etc). I like to smoke a cigarette more after a meal or with a drink than just like that in the afternoon.

I quit for 3 years and stupidly started again with a friend of mine who smokes. I quit quite easily, but right now I dont feel like I want to. At the time, I wanted to.

Claudius

Oh, and virtually 100% of my friends smoke, so that doesnt help, does it?

Claudius

I think I mentioned something like that

Pete Croney

That's it sorted then Bob. You and your mates can read the Gaurdian in the no smoking room with Mr Jesus Creepers and Mrs Made My Own Dress, whilst Claudius and I have a smoke and a drink with the fit birds

unclebuck

Just a thought, but how can a girl be 'fit' if she smokes like a chimney?

SideShowBob

Girls that smoke can DEFINETELY be fit, depending how they smoke.
Its all in the execution, like you see a fit girl that smokes with style, and you wanna **** it, but I agree, even a fit girl with a cigarete just hanging out her mouth all uncouth is not an attractive thing, she'd be better off not smoking.

They dont taste all that nice, but you dont worry about that after a couple pints, and you're only thought is how are you going to make sex around the back of the pub sound romantic.

druddle

I only smoke when im on fire.

I'll get me coat......

Dave

Diesel

I think the mindset should be in HAVING a separate smoking area rather than having a no-smoking area. Most people dont smoke after all...

In LA there are little patios and areas outside that you leave the pub/club for and go outside for a ***. I found it a MUCH better pulling area than stumbling and shouting inside the venue Really quite sociable!

It is after all only a matter of time before smoking is banned in all public places in UK - I never thought it would happen in NY but they followed 'poncy' LA after all.

There is no justification in spreading smelly irritating carcinogens in public any more, but I'd still kill for a Marlboro light with a pint!

D

robski

Do you smoke after sex?

















Only if I dont use enough lubricant

RichardPON

I'm a smoker, and have been for a while. University was a killer, cos you can't even contemplate giving up, with that much spare time on your hands, and that much alchohol

It's a weird one, this smoking thing.

For us smokers, there's sort of an unwritten code of conduct by which you ought to stick, and most smokers will know what I mean. If I'm in a restaurant, in a smoking section, and close to another table, I wont smoke if their food is being eaten.

The same goes if I'm out with all non-smokers - then I'll try not to smoke. If there's a few of us in a group, then stick us down the end of the table...... epsecially if all these fit birds are there

I can totally understand the views of the non-smoker - I've been in clubs where it's so smokey, I've felt really uncomfortable.

Hmmmmm - dangerous post this.... I wonder if smoking invalidates your Subaru warranty

Sith

Robski you b@stard. I was just going to put that.....

Luke

Should "scoobynet " have a Non smokers forum????? Then we wouldnt have to mix with these smelly folk.

scunnered

iTrader: (1)

It also seems that the "smoking in the workplace" regulations intoduced a while back don't affect pubs. (I wonder why, backhanders to government ministers maybe).
Can you imagine what it's like for the non smoking barstaff having smoke blown in their face while they're working. Whitherspoons have the right idea having a "no smoking at the bar" policy. Maybe other pubs ought to take this example.
Oh, and as to the so called "fit burds", no matter how good looking a girl is, I for one would not be interested in a smoker. Dirty stinking filthy disgusting habit.
On another note I would bet that nearly all smokers started when they were kids or teenagers, due to pressure from their mates, and thinking it was a grown up thing to smoke. I was beaten up when I was a teenager because I refused to even try it. They said I was weak. It's quite obvious to me now that I was the strong one.