Smoking in restaurants
- Thread starter rivonia
- Start date
BrianH
Well-Known Member
Whilst no doubt an influence, I am sceptical about any significant correlation, my contacts tell me that the trend has been for some time to buy from supermarkets with their thin (or negative) margins on alcohol and drink at home or at friends' houses in order to lower costs, which the current economic climate would accelerate....and lovely and empty as well since they bought in the new smoking rules...
I didn't see much change in pub patronage in Dublin where I was often on business over the transition. Also, touring the southwest of Ireland this Autumn the pubs were brimming - not much evidence of the pending disaster there we hear so much about. And very civilised how fresh water is supplied without asking to one's restaurant table - it's all my wife wants to drink with a meal and a bonus not to have to pay for it as elsewhere where it is often only available by the bottle.
But, of course, the most civilised part is the clean air, no tobacco smoke to sully the food taste and permeate hair and clothes. Whoever would have thought the Irish would be the European pioneers of cleaning up the very air that we all have to breathe?
White Horse
Well-Known Member
We've just come back from Rhodes. There were people smoking everywhere, including restaurants. We're not smokers and don't really like smokey atmospheres, but we just put up with it. After all, what else can you do, realistically? 
saxonpirate
Well-Known Member
JamesFrance
Well-Known Member
No just keep them out of pubs.
Mind you children of other nationalities don't seem to scream and shout and run about in Cafés like British kids seem to be encouraged to do now.
You would be amazed how nice the French kids where we live are, they even look you in the eye and speak to you, rather than shuffling about pretending you don't exist.
Mind you children of other nationalities don't seem to scream and shout and run about in Cafés like British kids seem to be encouraged to do now.
You would be amazed how nice the French kids where we live are, they even look you in the eye and speak to you, rather than shuffling about pretending you don't exist.
sailorman
Well-Known Member
It Killed the Non Smoking Roy Castle
saxonpirate
Well-Known Member
Yes... and so are exhaust fumes but I don't hear many cries for the public flogging of drivers by the powers that be. Could that have anything to do with the amount of cash raised by taxes perhaps.
Just a thought : Imagine if all exhaust fumes being emitted from vehicles were 'BRIGHT ORANGE'.... I wonder if the small minded sniping at smokers would slide down the whinge-ometer a little......
RUSSH
Well-Known Member
I do wish people wouldn't eat whilst I'm smoking it puts me right off! So much so I had to give it up 3 months ago.
Cariadco
Well-Known Member
I used to be all for an intercourse Cigarette when dining out.
Shouldn't the Cigarette be AFTER the intercourse??????
macd
Well-Known Member
The Irish led the way on that, too. After 9PM (or thereabouts) children aren't allowed in pubs. So they're sent outside...to sit with the smokers.
PLEIAS
Well-Known Member
First of all smoking may harm your health but so may mobile phones and surely so many kids around have them.
A goverment has a given right to ban cerain liberties under extraordinary sircumstances but since when smoking became an extraorinary sircumstance?
What about the given right of any owner to do what he wishes with his property?
If non smokers were banned from let's say pubs would they go to court to force pub owners to give them the services they were denied?
Restaurants and bars are not an essential amusement so a grown thinking adult could very well choose another recreational activity such as a walk in the park or a museum visit or a non smoking restaurant or pub that is if he can find one.
Since there is talk about unions protecting the health of the employed personnel in such places why don't they protect their member's rights for social security and so on as most of these places are not paying social security for their personnel?
And when it comes to how much damage are smokers doing to the public health system since they have to be treated sometime in their life haven't they allready payed for their golden hospital bed with the immediate taxes that are payed on the cig pack?
And since in Greece we can spare so many controllers to check restaurants and pubs for enforcing the prohibition why don't they send them to control tax evasion?
Since when does a goverment has the right to tell a grown adult wether he can smoke or not.
A goverment has a given right to ban cerain liberties under extraordinary sircumstances but since when smoking became an extraorinary sircumstance?
What about the given right of any owner to do what he wishes with his property?
If non smokers were banned from let's say pubs would they go to court to force pub owners to give them the services they were denied?
Restaurants and bars are not an essential amusement so a grown thinking adult could very well choose another recreational activity such as a walk in the park or a museum visit or a non smoking restaurant or pub that is if he can find one.
Since there is talk about unions protecting the health of the employed personnel in such places why don't they protect their member's rights for social security and so on as most of these places are not paying social security for their personnel?
And when it comes to how much damage are smokers doing to the public health system since they have to be treated sometime in their life haven't they allready payed for their golden hospital bed with the immediate taxes that are payed on the cig pack?
And since in Greece we can spare so many controllers to check restaurants and pubs for enforcing the prohibition why don't they send them to control tax evasion?
Since when does a goverment has the right to tell a grown adult wether he can smoke or not.
BrianH
Well-Known Member
Never, so long as MY public airspace is not polluted and I have to breath in what is burning off from toxic tobacco in a confined environment.
Absolutely and I did exactly that until a smoking ban came into Italian and Swiss restaurants recently. I have begun to eat again in restaurants now that I no longer have irritated eyes and stinking clothes when I get home and I know others too that do the same. Our quality of life has increased since we now have opportunities to spend our money where we wish to.
PLEIAS
Well-Known Member
''Our quality of life has increased since we now have opportunities to spend our money where we wish to.''
Exactly so go to non smokers restaurant and let me find my amusement in a smokers one.Your freedom stops where mine begins oh and by the way find one without a fireplace or your clothes and hair might stink afterwards and when you go walk outside don't do so on days with pollution or you may get lung diseases or cancer.Yes i smoke it is healthier than breathing.
Exactly so go to non smokers restaurant and let me find my amusement in a smokers one.Your freedom stops where mine begins oh and by the way find one without a fireplace or your clothes and hair might stink afterwards and when you go walk outside don't do so on days with pollution or you may get lung diseases or cancer.Yes i smoke it is healthier than breathing.
nimbusgb
Well-Known Member
Let me guess. You're a smoker?
I had just this conversation a couple of weeks ago with a very interesting Greek couple at Panos's in Preveza. A really good evening!
Most amusing was watching Panos preparing our food ........... with a fag hanging out of his mouth
Since when does a goverment has the right to tell a grown adult wether he can smoke or not?
- Since it costs the state a fortune in medical support - not nearly met by the additional taxes on the pack of cigs.
- Since it imposes on non-smokers, disgusting smell, lung nose and eye irritation, potential long term health risks.
I suppose you wouldn't mind if I came and $hat on your dinner table?
Why do you need 'controllers' ? Foster a population that would rather obey the law than flout it.
I suppose it's a bit like rubbish. The locals feel nothing about fly tipping and tossing rubbish out of car windows. Must be OK if there's no one around to 'control' it.
Ducks and runs for cover.
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BrianH
Well-Known Member
I DO go to non-smokers' restaurants because nearly all my time is spent in civilised countries where ALL restaurants are non-smoking ones - by law. Even Italy, a country that has a tradition of ignoring the excess of bureaucracy prevalent everywhere, is able to live with the law and most intelligent people see the reason for it. But then, most restaurants there have terraces where, in a Mediterranean climate, it is possible to eat and smoke, so everyone is happy.
Your posts are normally so interesting and informative that it is hard to believe you wrote such silliness.
rivonia
Well-Known Member
I used to think that you were an INTELLECT, now I know different. I like the Greeks VERY much but I would not want to sit in your company as you are an Ignorant person.
Grehan
Well-Known Member
Persecute a minority
Everyone gets weighed, with their baggage, before boarding the plane. Anything over xx kilos gets charged for.
Gingers are o.k with me, especially ginger biscuits.
But not people who use the word 'peeps', except when describing what one does from the safe vantage point of behind the net curtain . .
Governments do have responsibilities for the health of the population and smoking kills and costs every country a lot of money. So steps to discourage smoking, to reinforce the feeling that it is a sad and undesirable habit, to ban it in some situations, are sensible and inevitable.
But personally I don't mind smokers; I can avoid or leave. Mostly, I'm happy if people are enjoying themselves and I'm not about to come over all sanctimonious and intolerant just because I managed - sensibly, in my view - to gave up. I'm not that fussed and I think seeing unfortunate little knots of bedraggled cigarette refugees outside every building entrance (strewn with fag ends) is a shame. And they make the place look untidy.
And there's a lot less smoking nowadays than there used to be. When I smoked. Mea culpa.
Everyone gets weighed, with their baggage, before boarding the plane. Anything over xx kilos gets charged for.
Gingers are o.k with me, especially ginger biscuits.
But not people who use the word 'peeps', except when describing what one does from the safe vantage point of behind the net curtain . .
Governments do have responsibilities for the health of the population and smoking kills and costs every country a lot of money. So steps to discourage smoking, to reinforce the feeling that it is a sad and undesirable habit, to ban it in some situations, are sensible and inevitable.
But personally I don't mind smokers; I can avoid or leave. Mostly, I'm happy if people are enjoying themselves and I'm not about to come over all sanctimonious and intolerant just because I managed - sensibly, in my view - to gave up. I'm not that fussed and I think seeing unfortunate little knots of bedraggled cigarette refugees outside every building entrance (strewn with fag ends) is a shame. And they make the place look untidy.
And there's a lot less smoking nowadays than there used to be. When I smoked. Mea culpa.
Oliveoyl
Well-Known Member
From a nicotine addict
Have to admit to a 20 a day habit, I know, it's disgusting etc etc. However, I find it hard to believe that just a few years ago, one could light up in a resto without a thought for fellow diners. Even worse, one could smoke in an office, even an office shared with non-smokers. And in trains, busses, cinemas!
Am very much in favour of the smoking ban in all public places. Even on a Greek terrace, I will always move away from diners to indulge in my nasty habit
Have to admit to a 20 a day habit, I know, it's disgusting etc etc. However, I find it hard to believe that just a few years ago, one could light up in a resto without a thought for fellow diners. Even worse, one could smoke in an office, even an office shared with non-smokers. And in trains, busses, cinemas!
Am very much in favour of the smoking ban in all public places. Even on a Greek terrace, I will always move away from diners to indulge in my nasty habit
saxonpirate
Well-Known Member
Things appear to be getting a bit personal.....
Speaking as an ex-smoker and a sailor I despair at whining such as this. You have the good fortune to be able to cruise in a yacht when others in the world are under threat of their very existence. Even in UK there are people in dire circumstances and fighting to keep a roof over their heads and maintain a little dignity. But on this forum we have people getting upset about smoking in restaurants.
Just goes to show how blinkered and divided our so called sophisticated Western Societies have become. Get a grip, look at the bigger picture and think how lucky you are to be able to partake in such a wonderful lifestyle. Don't sweat the small stuff....cos that's what this is.......drivel.
Speaking as an ex-smoker and a sailor I despair at whining such as this. You have the good fortune to be able to cruise in a yacht when others in the world are under threat of their very existence. Even in UK there are people in dire circumstances and fighting to keep a roof over their heads and maintain a little dignity. But on this forum we have people getting upset about smoking in restaurants.
Just goes to show how blinkered and divided our so called sophisticated Western Societies have become. Get a grip, look at the bigger picture and think how lucky you are to be able to partake in such a wonderful lifestyle. Don't sweat the small stuff....cos that's what this is.......drivel.
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JamesFrance
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the lecture.
