still ashamed to vape in public

[patkin]

I'm kinda like that. In small smoking areas with only a few people there I use my Eroll. In huge smoking areas with lots of people, I use both those and my ego C. I would never feel comfortable either place with a bazooka or detonator.

Edit: I did some more thinking about this and actually I'm not sure the bazooka and detonator comfort-level is a public thing. I don't think I would be comfortable with either even in my home. They're just not me.

 

[VapieDan]

That is why after 3 years of vaping I still keep ego batts and cartos around. They are my go to when I leave the house. I have never had a problem with that combination. The first time I rocked a protank I got a summons to the deans office to explain to me that they were notified that I was smoking ......... on school property. MJ is not illegal where I live but the land sharing agreement with the the Federal government my school has made it a big deal. I explained and showed them my ecig and everything has been fine since, but its been ego batts and boge since then.

I have found the "Appearance" is just as important to the ANTZ as the reality of the device. Too much money has been spent by Anti-Smoking, Anti-Tobacco, Anti-Nicotine to be undermined by a true solution to the cigarette health problem. I was vaping in a designated smoking area with cigarette smokers present and because of my device the discussion began about vaping in non smoking areas. One person stated "If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it must be a duck". My retort was "If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it could indeed be a very good duck impostor".

 

[GeorgeWachsmuth]

Well.....honestly it doesn't bother me at all..I use an MVP in public and get looks occasionally. I also get some very positive inquiries about vaping. Either way...I do not do it in No Smoking areas (which abound on Long Island).

 

[3mg Meniere]

I think one problem might be the advertising of cigalikes. Some such ads say that with a cigalike you can smoke when and where smoking is not allowed. For those of us who no longer smoke, and have abandoned the cigalike, that attitude is misleading, harmful, and unhealthy.

 

[wv2win]

Well.....honestly it doesn't bother me at all..I use an MVP in public and get looks occasionally. I also get some very positive inquiries about vaping. Either way...I do not do it in No Smoking areas (which abound on Long Island).

+1 - good points!

The more it doesn't look like the real thing, the better, IMO. That is unless someone wants everyone to believe they still smoke, for whatever fearful reason.

 

[CabinetGuyScott]

I don't feel bad about it at all, in fact sometimes i enjoy the attention because those who stare usually come to me and ask questions. And it gives me a chance to educate someone from the first hand perspective, not just what the news allows o filter out into the airwaves.

And as for kids, i don't like thinking that them seeing me vaping is going to contribute to them picking up the habit, but the reverse side of that, is how much exposure does smoking get? It is better for them to pick up vaping rather than make the mistake most of us made and pick up the analog in the first place.

Totally & 100% agree!

 

[Jman8]

Vaped again today in a restaurant. Chose this time to go away from crowded area, but still inside restaurant. Vaped like I belonged there. Was fairly comfortable with doing so.

Then 5 minutes later, learned from waitstaff that it is perfectly okay to vape in the restaurant, especially in spot that I chose to vape in.

Always nice when it works out like that.

 

[Fatninja1]

I vape in public all the time, people look and give weird looks but only when I have my huge vamo, but when I have my ego or itaste vv its more discrete and people don't really notice.

 

[MartyZ]

I have been vaping for years now and I still get that feeling every once in awhile. It has never stopped me from vaping. I just do it in a more discreet manner. That is what I love about the telescopic mech mod I use. I'll use an 18650 battery all day unless I'm going into a place I would feel uncomfortable vaping in, in which case, I make it smaller and use different holding technique. (eg. both hands covering it, but it looks like I'm just holding my head up in a lost in thought moment. lmao) Then of course I just hold the vape in longer so little to no smoke comes out.

 

[jjordan]

so, i'm vaping for like an year now, not a single stinky, but i'm still feeling uncomfortable to vape in front of other people (especially kids) since i imagine that in the eyes of others my pt2 looks like a {OTHER STUFF} or smthng similar. it was kinda easier with the egos since they were more discreet, but no one can take my 2.6ml bccs away from me - they're so handy. anyway, do you still feel ashamed of vaping in public? i ocassionally get some bad looks from elderly people and i don't like it, i also don't like seeing young people observing me with interest and i get the feeling i'm promoting an illegal activity or smthng.. cops look at me in a weird manner too, also other drivers at traffic lights.. i don't know, perhaps i'm just being paranoid..

I have the same problem that you have, the only public places that I will vape is the local B&M or the smoke shop that sells PVs and juice. I will use it in my car yes, but I still feel as if I am committing some illegal act! I usually use a box mod so it looks like I am smoking out of a cell phone lol but still what small town cop (I live in a community of only under 4,000 people) is going to know what a box mod is when there is no real B&M shop in town...which is why I wanted to try and open up my own B&M which I will be doing later this year or early next year I just have to get all my little duckies in a row! I have to successfully learn to mix and make my own juice and signature juices, I have to find the right building to buy, I have to purchase all the stock for the store, WHICH IS A LOT OF STUFF WHEN IT ALL COMES DOWN TO IT! I have to buy furniture for the testing station (where people can sample my juice) I have to find all my vendors and there was a guy who I met in one of the supplier forums who was supposed to call me and give me a list of all of his suppliers...but must be so busy he hasn't gotten around to it yet! But business is business. Maybe then I won't feel the stigma of being so paranoid of vaping in public once a B&M is actually open here in town and I know I will do a lot of business because I have sold a lot of my own PVs to people because they are better quality than what Spencer sells, the guy at the tobacco store lol because he sells generic crap that lasts for only weeks where my stuff keeps going and going and going and going! LOL Because I buy quality stuff. But I do feel ashamed to do it in public too in part due to my parents shaming me to live in the basement since I started vaping. (I live with them because my mom is dying of liver failure and I take care of her.) I guess that is my story and I am sticking to it!

 

[jjordan]

I talked to my neighbor who is a deputy sheriff and now I am not so afraid to vape in public I just wouldn't do it in any building that has a no smoking policy since some people view this as smoking even when it is not!

 

[Astron]

I vaped publicly for the first time last Saturday (been Vaping for a little over a month now). My husband wanted to smoke so we walked several feet (like, 35) away from the crowd (it was a food festival).

So he smoked his cig and I pulled out my long pink Kanger (don't know the lingo yet, sorry) and I vaped quite proudly. I figure even if one person could see that I am able to vape comfortably and content next to my smoking husband, it might encourage someone to try Vaping.

And yes, I did feel a little conspicuous, but I reckon I might as well get over it. And I too put my gear down when a cop drives by. It makes me sad that I feel that way but I don't want the hassle (and I'm a white woman, go figure).

 

[CapitalSigma]

I'm widely known around campus as "the guy with an e-cigarette." It's a dubious distinction, and explaining it gets somewhat frustrating, but it hasn't stopped me yet.

 

[Jman8]

Vaped a couple days ago in a health clinic. First in the waiting room. Kind of a large waiting area. My wait was 45 minutes, so at times there were 2 other people in the area and other times about 8 people. Could've fit 20 people in the area easily. When it was 3 or less people, I just vaped like I belonged there and fairly certain no one noticed. When anyone sat within 2 seats of me, I chose not to vape. As wait was getting obnoxiously long, I thought about getting up and moving just to have a puff, but that didn't happen. I probably had 5 puffs in all in the waiting area.

I was there to discuss healthcare options (insurance) and when in small office with person I was there to meet, I asked if okay to vape. A little back and forth about what exactly I am exhaling into the air, but after I decided to just demonstrate it, there was no issue from this person. During this appointment, with open door to the room, a medical tech person kept coming in and out to check something on a computer in the room. When I left, I noticed medical room across the hallway, not in use at the moment, but as I've been to this place before, I'm sure it could've been in use at any point during my appointment.

Bottom line: vaping in an indoor medical clinic is at times, permissible. Especially if it is done with respect and confidence.

 

[Ripshod]

I'm a proud vaper. Time was when I shyly hid it away in public but not any more. I'll walk down the street blowing clouds (as discreet as is possible) but I do draw the line at vaping in places where smoking is prohibited to avoid confrontation and to avoid giving vaping a bad name. I get masses of question once I do reveal my kit, in kinda breaks down the barriers. I've even had non-smokers come into the smoker's area just to ask questions about my smoke machine.

Please be discreet and stop blowing clouds in areas where smoking is banned, it only invites confrontation and gives us a bad name, even if the proprietors allow vaping. Stop rubbing their noses in it too, smokers are less likely to take up vaping if we all show blatant ignorance.

 

[Jman8]

Please be discreet and stop blowing clouds in areas where smoking is banned, it only invites confrontation and gives us a bad name, even if the proprietors allow vaping.

This makes no sense, and is not helpful to future of vaping.

As my post above dispels the notion of inviting confrontation and counters the rationale of 'bad name,' I strongly disagree.

 

[DeloresRose]

One good thing about getting old, people don't simply assume I'm up to no good. I'm a nice little gray-haired granny, and I can walk down the street, taking a puff now and then. If the police roll past, they just nod and wave. I'm approachable, and people aren't shy about commenting.

I always ask first, at someone's house or in their car. And a couple times in smaller stores and restaurants, if they're not too busy, I'll ask if they mind, and they'll usually say it's fine as long as nobody complains. I've had nurses congratulate me.

I think we should be allowed to vape all over, but it's not going to happen overnight. I'm willing to concede. I'm hoping the myths are busted and the rest of the planet calms down about it, but I do understand their concerns, because I had the same worries when I first heard about e-cigs.

 

[certus11]

weak sauce

Sent From Vape Heaven

 

[Jman8]

As noted in my recent example (of vaping in medical clinic), I did ask. This lead to back and forth of me explaining what it is that is exhaled into the air, and continuous questions of "huh?" and general lack of understanding. Once demonstrated, it was smooth sailing.

So, in this situation, going in, I didn't assume the person I asked would be "totally okay with it, and I don't even need to ask." I did ask, but as is case with pretty much every non-vaper I've encountered, they really don't know what they are asking, nor prepared for an accurate response. But also like all non-vapers I've encountered to date, once they saw it in action, even if I am sitting 3 feet from them, they had zero issues with it.

Setting a positive example of vaping, while in use, is the key. Talking about it, and not demonstrating/not willing to demonstrate, is likely not helpful. Especially if there is perception of "vaping = smoking" floating around. Unhelpful = vapers who treat public vaping the same way society treats public smoking.

 

[Vosblod]

Vaping a month now and not found any problems. I sort of approach it like the way smoking used to be before all the regulations.
I won't try vaping in a shop (think the supermarkets in the UK have banned it anyway - saw a sign about no e cigarettes in Tesco's) as I don't ever remember a time you would smoke in a shop - same as a church.
I won't do it on the bus (even though I can remember being allowed to smoke on buses but it was a very long time ago) - well, unless it was an extremely long journey, but I can survive without vaping for a bit. I try to go into a different room when the kids are around - purely because I don't want them to think it's OK not because of the vape.

I do vape in pubs but do ask first out of politeness. So far, I just say "you don't mind if I use a pretend cigarette do you?" and they say fine. Not had anyone then approach me - it looks nothing like a cigarette and lot's more people seem to know about them. If the pub said NO then I would engage them nicely (I'm quite happy with confrontation if needs be). I know Weatherspoons have 'banned' it so wouldn't go near them.
In the children's playground I will move to the side/a distance from the swings etc for the same reason I go into another room when my kids are around.

Never had any 'members of the public' say a word to me (apart from asking if it works re giving up the smokes LOL). If they did I might question why they were scared of water vapour.
It is banned in my office but, since I am quite happy to vape with the smokers, it is not an issue. If it is really bad weather I can vape where no one is around as who is the wiser. The ban has been questioned and the answer was "we are erring on the side of caution as we don't know how safe it is".

Anyway my take is don't be ashamed - be proud of your achievement of giving up smoking for something far safer.