Anyone Else Get Embarrassed

[tnt56]

I don't mind explaining my e-cig to people when they ask about it but I can't help but feel a little akward with the people that just stare at me.

I work in law enforcement and the first time I brought the thing to work people were asking me if I had some kind of drug device. They even pulled out the drug sniffing K9 joking with me.

Anyway I just wondering if anyone else got a little self conscious when they are out in public with their apv?

I can relate to that one. Last time I went to the main office to turn in time sheets, I tucked my twist with the nova on top of it, inside my underarmor t-shirt. Walked into the office and first words from the Major's mouth were "What is that" I didn't realize it made that kind of bulge inside that t-shirt. Looked down and it looked like I had a strange growth on me. If I may ask, how do you carry yours when your on duty?

 

[Trolly]

The plumes get a lot of attention and they stare more because of curiosity. The bright LCD of the zmax gives my face a blue earie color at night. hehe

 

[vap3r3r]

Brand new vaper here and I have to admit that my first day with my Riva, which actually is not that big, I was like ; feeling quite self-conscious because of all the looks from passers-by. But then I was like when I quickly realized that I felt much better about myself vaping than I did about myself smoking like everyone else. So let those googly-eyed derpers stare all they want...you might end up helping to saving someone's life in the long run if they do decide to ask you about it.

 

[vsummer1]

The plumes get a lot of attention and they stare more because of curiosity. The bright LCD of the zmax gives my face a blue earie color at night. hehe

I am adding that while I vape pretty much everywhere I go, I don't generally blow plumes of vapor unless I am in a smoking area/outside or where no one will be in my line of vapor. I can keep the majority of the vapor to myself, because that DOES invade other people's space and I don't want to be rude. And, more importantly, I don't want to be asked NOT to vape due to my plumes annoying others.

 

[bols2DaWall]

I would imagine to those not-in-the-know , a lot of the larger PV's must look like some sort of (OTHER) smoking devices .

 

[Aoi~]

You gotta put yourself in their shoes for a min. You see this guy, with a tube/box/whatever looking thing in his hand. Puts his mouth on it, seems to take a drag/inhale, and releases what looks like a cloud of smoke. Smoke? ew I don't want to smell cigarette smoke. But wait, it doesn't smell like cigarettes... what's going on? *Staring ensues* Just what in the world is he doing then? Is that legal? Why's he doing it so brazenly out in the middle of the day?

Point was, most of the stares are just plain curiosity. It's not illegal (yet), so you're not doing anything wrong. Nothing to get embarassed/self conscious about.

 

[peraspera]

Different strokes for different folks, but I totally disagree. It is not my responsibility to decide what vaping device is "more appropriate" to use in public because of ignorant people's inaccurate first impressions. I switched to advanced personal vaporizers from the cigarette look-alike batteries because the latter are by far inferior in performance to my more advanced devices. As an anology, why should I need to drive a Yugo instead of a Cadilac because a few ignorant people may believe the Caddy is too big or flashy to drive on city streets?

Why are vapors so paranoid that an advanced personal vaporizer or mod will be construed to be an illegal device associated with the use of illegal substances? Ask yourself this one question: How often have I or anyone else seen one of those illegal devices used out in public? Would you even know what these so-called illegal devices would actually look like? I sure don't.

The notion is totally ridiculous. No one in their right mind would use an illicit device in full view of everyone else. Anyone who assumes that because something looks different than to anything that he or she is accustomed to seeing before and that it has to be drug related is just plain ignorant and needs to be pistol whipped.

Well, forget about the pistol whipped part. I was just joking...maybe...


I use my big battery mods out in public everywhere I go. I don't use them to draw attention to myself. I go about my business as everyone else should. There is no way that anyone is going to mistake my APV for an analog. If they mistake it for something illegal, that's their issue, not mine. I have not once gotten a stare or negative comment of any kind using my mods in public. If I ever do, I will either just ignore them or take the time to educate them of their incorrect assumption.

Human beings are hard-wired to put unfamiliar objects into a familiar context as quickly as possible. Most people will put cig-alikes in the context of smoking while PVs that do not resemble a cigarette will get put in an even more offensive context with logic playing absolutely no part.

Once that gut impression is made people's minds will shut down like a steel trap in a New York second. From there it will be an uphill battle to overcome the initial negative gut reaction to make the positive, logical case for vaping. Logic is nearly always the loser to the gut.

I feel so enormously grateful for what vaping has done for me that I want to make the path for others to switch from cigarettes to vaping be even easier, not harder, than it was for me. For me, that includes not making it easy for people to leap to the wrong conclusion of associating vaping with illegal behavior.

 

[Trolly]

I am adding that while I vape pretty much everywhere I go, I don't generally blow plumes of vapor unless I am in a smoking area/outside or where no one will be in my line of vapor. I can keep the majority of the vapor to myself, because that DOES invade other people's space and I don't want to be rude. And, more importantly, I don't want to be asked NOT to vape due to my plumes annoying others.

Lung vaping all the way. Cant imagine keeping the plumes inside. Good thing most of my friends are mega foggers too.

 

[Lightseeker]

The vast majority of my public vaping is done at work. I started with Safe Cigs and that caused quite a commotion. Then I switched to KGOs..that really caught their attention and I'm so thankful that 5 or 6 other people are now vaping. I switched to a c twist and they were curious..but by then even the non vapers were fairly accustomed to seeing me vape. Then came the big jump for me, I purchased a Vari Tube (which I really really like!) Even the people who are vaping made some comments "is that a weapon" things like that. I don't feel the least bit inhibited at work. I'm the trend setter (which is so NOT like me at all) and people know they can come to me with questions.

Now..I haven't had a lot of other experiences with public vaping. I'm so programmed I can sit in a restaurant and not vape. I know I know..some of you will say I should ask. I just don't think it's right vaping plumes of vapor in the air while others are eating their meals around me. Oh..I do vape in the car..not a problem with that. It's just that I run errands..go in the stores and return to my car. I just don't vape outside that much except when I'm waiting for the hubby to pay the bill at a restaurant. Usually it's breakfast and not a lot of people around. I had lunch yesterday and stood outside and vaped away. That was the first time I felt like people were actually watching me..a bit weird but it didn't stop me My SIL came out of the restaurant and she said I looked like I was playing a musical instrument..I thought ok..that's ok..I'm not going to get over self conscious. She was just kidding around with me..she's very supportive. She even let me vape in her car

All in all..I'm getting used to being seen in public. No questions yet I'm just waiting to tell how vaping has been such a huge blessing to me. We just never know who might see us..either they smoke or they have a loved one that does. Just seeing us out there makes a huge difference whether they ask us questions or not. Not that long ago I thought people walking around talking on phones was strange..we've come a long way.

 

[sgenn99]

Not really embarrassed, but definitely awkward in some situations. I stepped out for a vape at a funeral, and I got some weird looks. I had my small ego twist with a dct-which is a pretry inconspicuous setup. But I got all kinds of strange looks, and I was asked to put it away. I wish there was a decent cig clone model out that performed well for occasions like that. Usually, I love showing people my e cigs and talking about it, but there are times that you want to fly under the radar and just get your fix.

 

[RonSki]

Who cares what it looks like? IT'S PINEAPPLE DUDE!! Someone at work made a comment about my "Preppy fake cigarette" last night and I told him I was going to get the biggest one I could find in bright pink and yellow with sequins and sparkles. I don't like blending in with everyone else

 

[mapo]

I just wave with it and smile. Keeps them thinking!

 

[Todoubled05]

Well kinda, not that I'm embarrassed, I just feel weird.. I stealth vape when outside of work and home.

 

[Moueix]

A fair amount of times, it is a good looking woman that approaches me with questions. This is NEVER a bad thing.

 

[Penemue]

Not embarrassed. However the first time I saw someone vaping a 510 (it was Steelrat) I thought he had some sort of (OTHER ITEM). So yes, I'm a little self-conscious as I figure most people will be wondering the same thing.

 

[Shay Katzir]

Embarrassed might be to strong of a word, maybe self concious.

So I am out and about in my little town with my Provari with a Vivi Nova on it vaping away and I noticed a lot of people looking at me funny. Granted I am a funny looking guy but I never had people stare at me. My only conclusion is that they are wondering what the heck I keep sticking in my mouth.

I don't mind explaining my e-cig to people when they ask about it but I can't help but feel a little akward with the people that just stare at me.

I work in law enforcement and the first time I brought the thing to work people were asking me if I had some kind of drug device. They even pulled out the drug sniffing K9 joking with me.

Anyway I just wondering if anyone else got a little self conscious when they are out in public with their apv?

Same (provari) problem here - what is more embarcing is thinking about the remarks they are making behind my back, regarding the.. well, u know, Freudian aspects..

 

[Robino1]

I live right in the heart of Philadelphia, historic district, we walk everywhere. Store, dry cleaner, restaurants etc.... I have a 1000 twist with the 3.5 Nova on top. I vape all the time while walking. The only time I "hide" it (palm the tank) is when I am walking past families with kids. The first time I saw an officer, I was curious about how they would react. No reaction whatsoever. I haver never seen another vaper, which seems funny to me because I know there are some in the city. I have gotten one or two looks but most of the time people don't even see me, let alone my PV. I really wish the smokers I see would ask me about this

I do not vape in a restaurant, but I do ask if is ok in a bar. So far no problems. More often than not, I get the "good for you for quitting smoking". I do take into consideration that there are people in bars that may not appreciate my vapor so I don't make huge clouds of vapor. If I feel the need to do that, I have taken it outside. That's when I get the questions from smokers.

 

[Lbox88]

If I'm going to the store I'll take my provari in the car but not into the store just out of respect. If I'm going out to a restaurant/bar and plan on being a while I take one of my egos since it's not so bulky, I feel like I'm watched less, and I won't be destroyed if it breaks.

 

[Xianos]

the only time i use my apv's in public is when im at the bar, and even then i dont make a big deal out of it. though the first time i brought it the bartenders were very interested as they all smoked.

 

[Baditude]

I stepped out for a vape at a funeral, and I got some weird looks. I had my small ego twist with a dct-which is a pretry inconspicuous setup. But I got all kinds of strange looks, and I was asked to put it away.

Just curious, but who specifically asked you to put it away? And did you at least ask why you needed to put it away? You said you had "stepped out", I assume you went outside? Were there no smoking signs up where you did this?

I would have complied with the request had it been me, but not without doing some explanation and education on my part. I do respect others and abstain from vaping where I feel it may be objectionable or annoying to others. Vaping outdoors where my vape is not going to affect anyone else does not fit into that category.

Human beings are hard-wired to put unfamiliar objects into a familiar context as quickly as possible. Most people will put cig-alikes in the context of smoking while PVs that do not resemble a cigarette will get put in an even more offensive context with logic playing absolutely no part...et al

Then we agree to disagree. I can not and will not accept taking responsibility for other people's ignorance or pre-conceived notions. Just because something may look like a duck, squawks like a duck, and walks like a duck, does not always mean it's a duck. If someone has issues with me using my devices and approaches me about them, I have no problem educating them.

Heck, I might even signal someone making disapproving gestures to come over and I will educate them. A simple explanation about what an advanced vaporizer is, why I use one, and that it will not affect others around me should be sufficient.

The real issue here is a lack of knowledge and exposure for the general public. People unaware of vaping will not learn anything if we as vapors try to hide our devices or "blend in" with the rest of the crowd in fear that we will be seen as part of the illegal drug community.

Just my