first bad experience in public with my PV

[RoKeM]

So I had my first bad experience in public with my PV this week-end. I went to a crawfish boil on Saturday; this was hosted by a friend of a friend so there were a lot of people I didn’t know. I thought about bringing my white 510 with the red tip to kind of blend in, however I don’t have a PCC and knew that my two white batteries would not get me through the day, so I opted for my white Tornado with a couple of 510 cartomizers. This combo worked great for the day, but what I didn’t know was that there was a very large group of non-smokers who all had kids running around that were watching me and had convinced them selves I was smoking weed from a pipe the whole time! After two hours one of them finally came over to me and asked why I would be doing such a thing in front of all the kids! I was confused to say the least. I asked him what he was referring to and he told me he didn’t have an issue with me getting high, but that I shouldn’t be doing it in front of the kids (Keep in mind that he was not talking softly, he looked ready to hit me). Once I explained it to him and showed him how it worked he called over the rest of the lynch mob and told them all about it. When it dawned on me that for two hours I was being looked at like a junky I was super embarrassed and felt compelled to explain the whole thing to the guy hosting the boil! This was the first time since I started vaping that I was actually embarrassed by it! I couldn’t even use it after that with out feeling like I was being judged. The worst thing is that I know myself well enough to know that I will only use cig look-a-likes in public from now on, so I guess it’s onto the web to buy a PCC! J
The good of this is that afterwards, several smokers approached me and asked about getting one for them selves. I gave them all the ECF site address and told them to research it here first, then to buy from one of the ECF forum suppliers.

 

[bwood12043]

Must be the season ! We also went to crawfish boil on Saturday, but fortunately, we didn't have any of the problems you had.... we are around these people all the time, so it's pretty much accepted by now, and even some there who have been introduced to vaping by us and have joined the journey.

Please don't let one uncomfortable situation linger too long, we are the pioneers in this technology and as such, we will run into people who don't know and it can be fun to educate them, courteously of course.

Sounds like you handled it well !

 

[chrisl317]

They didn't have any problem sucking down all those suds in front of their kids did they? A classic example of "Mouth in Gear, Brain in Neutral".

 

[AiricR]

Ive been wondering about that myself....How my Tornado may look to the General public. I started with a Greensmoke kit and sold it after a few threads and youtube reviews. I thought about keeping it for just those occasions but I personally don't care and will explain it to whomever may ask. I just start out by saying its a different looking Electronic Cigarette .

If you haven't found them yet DWFvapor.com is in Lewisville and is a great guy. I was in a bind last week and he next day'd me some juice at his cost...

 

[Col. Gaunt]

It's seems to me to have just been a case of ignorant people making an assumption about something instead of asking.

I was out this weekend with my cousin and her family one of which who had brought along their 7 month old baby. Before I vaped I asked the mother if she would mind if I smoked and explained to her what my e-cig was, how it worked, and how it would be totally harmless to her baby or anyone else.

She gave me a big smile and said sure and said how happy she was that I had given up smoking. She also told me she had never seen an e-cig and that she knew people who would be interested in one.

Moral of the story, if you are going to be at a gathering with people who have children, approach one of the parents and make a small show of asking for permission and explaining what you are going to be doing and how it works etc. Stress how it will be totally harmless to the children or to anyone else. This parent will pass it on to other parents and will nip the problem in the bud before a problem exists.

KEEP ON VAPING! I know I will.

 

[JamBandPhan]

That is my main concern with using any of the pv's that don't resemble a cig in public. People are just not educated enough about what they are seeing. I know there is talk here in the forum about steering away from them looking like a cigarette, but when things like that happen, it just goes to show you how easy it is for people to get the wrong impression. I usually use my 510's out in public, for that reason. I also worry about police harassment, if I were to get stopped and have my pv in the car. If I use the larger pv's that have better battery life, I can see potential for them to not understand what they are seeing, and think it is some kind of pipe for illegal purposes, and get hassled over it. Of course, I don't let that stop me from openly vaping in my car, I am just careful about which device I choose to bring along for the ride. I know you were not happy to be treated in such a way, but in the end, at least you were able to straighten them out, and get more people to be aware of the e cigs.

 

[Katmar]

I agree with Col Gaunt,

A simple explanation where children may be present should resolve any issues. You will always have the naysayers, but if you are up front from the get go, it is on them to deal with it.

 

[jayhawk]

That really sucks , People are really hostile towards smoke and vaping looks just like it . This guy sounds like an @$$hole I bet it was hard to not to tell him off instead of be nice and educate. Sorry that happend to you

 

[jasezero]

Weird...i was at a car show this weekend, and the guy parked next to me, who i spent most of the day talking to, asked me if I was trying to quit smoking. I was using my Silver Bullet all day. Obviously it has no resemblance to a normal cigarette. I was a little shocked that he knew what it was. So I guess some people have good and bad experience with the e-cig mods.

 

[Zenfrogs]

I am so sorry that happened to you. It had to be awful to be scrutinized like that. That is exactly the why I wanted one that looks like a cigarette. I have seen many posts regarding not using a pv that looks like a cigarette so vaping is not associated with cigarettes. However, there are many people that will only see you smoking "something". It must be drugs because it doesn't look like a cigarette. I am all about some of the non-cigarette looking options in fact I can't wait to buy one but I would be afraid to take it out of the house for fear of the lynch mob. People fear what they don't know and many people resist change.

 

[martha1014]

I vape my Super 6 in my car but would never vape it in public. People would probably get the wrong idea and think I am smoking something else. Besides it is quite embarassing to me. I have vaped a 510 in public but only in the smoking area. IMO there is no need to bring attention to yourself even if we would be adverstising the ecig. You can do this in the smoking area where most of people that would benefit from this are located.

Most people will see the vapor and assume it is smoke. Many will complain even if they don't smell anything.