Getting Harassed for Vaping...

[ronnbert]

If someone told me "there's no smoking" while I was vaping I would kindly reply,"I'll make sure I tell that to the first person I see smoking."

I am so using this line! But since I am pretty patient, I will usually use an instance like that to inform the ignorant party. Unless they get rude, then I just politely tell them it isn't smoking and I have every right to vape (never vape anywhere unless I know it is kosher anyways).

 

[beckdg]

LOL, my NEW boss just made a rule that there is no vaping around other employees who dislike it and no vaping at the break table while others are eating. I politely asked if the same rules applied to farting.

I couldn't have asked the same question








Without letting one rip while looking him straight in the face.

Sent from my device.

 

[Rizzyking]

There's an old woman at the local bus stop that coughs every time she See's me vaping I've tried to explain it to her in the past but she just says "your just trying to be clever I know a smoker when I see one" so I just ignore her now and life goes on. As a couple of others have said hospitals are a bit different as people get quite .... about things when at hospital so I'd likely just smile and say thank you.

 

[Spencer87]

haha, Good thing, I am white, so people here dont talk to me!

 

[MrStik]

Where abouts in cali are you at right now? Where I am located, it is pretty much accepted to a certain degree. There are enough vapers, from Blu's to Egos, to APV's and mechs to go around. I can look out my window and count more vapers than smokers.

 

[WattWick]

There's an old woman at the local bus stop that coughs every time she See's me vaping I've tried to explain it to her in the past but she just says "your just trying to be clever I know a smoker when I see one" so I just ignore her now and life goes on. As a couple of others have said hospitals are a bit different as people get quite .... about things when at hospital so I'd likely just smile and say thank you.

Gotta love them little ol' ladies. And I really mean it.

I'll just leave this slightly off topic tidbit here...

A well-known scientist (some say it was Bertrand Russell) once gave a public lecture on astronomy. He described how the earth orbits around the sun and how the sun, in turn, orbits around the center of a vast collection of stars called our galaxy. At the end of the lecture, a little old lady at the back of the room got up and said: "What you have told us is rubbish. The world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoise." The scientist gave a superior smile before replying, "What is the tortoise standing on?" "You're very clever, young man, very clever," said the old lady. "But it's turtles all the way down!"
—Hawking, 1988

 

[jwag1973]

The only harassment I've received is from my employer's wife. She's retired from the medical field, so she obviously knows everything related to health concerns. She's constantly telling me how bad vaping is, when I ask her to elaborate, she just replies...it's worse than cigarettes. I've only wasted my breath once trying to explain my experience, what a complete waste of time.

 

[drunkenbatman]

Anyways Im a very polite vaper or I try to be. I go where no one else is and o done blow it at people. Im not trying to force anything on anyone but people give me dirty looks and say "theres no smoking" say that in ur most annoying voice btw lol.

1. Sorry about the health issues. :/

2. It's great that you're polite about it honestly, as the more people encounter nice, non-confrontational and polite vapers willing to educate them the harder it is to demonize us.

It's just part of being the first few waves that we'll have to deal with this stuff, but it sounds like you're dealing with it in a constructive way (being polite, venting to us, not committing arson).

 

[Maiar]

I've never had it happen. I never had anyone hassle me when I smoked either.

However, my wife tells me that I look "unapproachable" so that may have something to do with it.

I get that too from friends and family. Apparently I'm also someone that doesn't get mugged lol.

 

[jonnychadootz]

When I have been hit with the type of comments people have stated my usual reply is some thing like "I'm not smoking, it's vapor and you my want to get your facts straight" Especially since I tend not to vape in enclosed public areas, my tolerance for these type of comments is dwindling.

 

[chomper33]

I had someone say something to me about vaping one time. I just told hm to shut the ____ up and he went on about his business.

 

[jpargana]

I was standing outside of a bar/restaurant on Sunday after eating brunch from that place and I was vaping and chatting with my friends. The hostess came out and told me I couldn't smoke there. My response what "but I'm outside... and this isn't a cigarette." She replied with "I know, but you can't smoke in front of the window. You have to stand by the curb." That got me HEATED!!

That's because a new "study" has shown that people staying INSIDE may get SMOKE-induced lung cancer just by seeing someone OUTSIDE, using a smoke-LESS alternative to tobacco cigarettes. We must be considerate of other people's health, right...? Right...

Really... it started as "health concerns" while smoking inside. Then, we were kicked outside to "protect the health of others". Then, we had to move x feet from the door. Then, we cannot even smoke in several OPEN outdoor spaces. And now, we can't even "not-smoke" in the visual field of others... yep... ANTZ's are definitely winning.

 

[Bunnykiller]

I was waiting for the wife to exit the "non hospital" side of the building ( huge building... hospital one side, offices, phys therapy other side) and was in the car enjoying my vape... a Security Gaurd walks up and tells me smoking isnt allowed on the grounds... I smiled and said that is a good thing, I agree with you... the look of confusion on his face was priceless.....

 

[realsis]

I had the same thing happen to me at a restaurant while I was vaping OUTSIDE IN THE SMOKING SECTION!! A lady walked by me and did the famous FAKE cough really loud as IF she inhaled my vapor. Which she did NOT. It is RIDICULOUS! ! In my own family while vaping outside my mother will do the FAKE cough at me as well. What's silly is her boyfriend smokes cigarettes and she does not cough at him. Plus the vapor is disapated before it even gets near her. To me it's ridiculous. Nothing is worse then F "FAKE cough". I suppose even though we don't smoke any more, vaping still carries the Stigma of smoking. Which is really sad because it is entirely different. Here in California vapors still have to go to the smoking section to vape. I just wish people were more educated about vaping. Maybe then we would loose the stigma people put on us.

 

[WattWick]

I had the same thing happen to me at a restaurant while I was vaping OUTSIDE IN THE SMOKING SECTION!! A lady walked by me and did the famous FAKE cough really loud as IF she inhaled my vapor. Which she did NOT. It is RIDICULOUS! ! In my own family while vaping outside my mother will do the FAKE cough at me as well. What's silly is her boyfriend smokes cigarettes and she does not cough at him. Plus the vapor is disapated before it even gets near her. To me it's ridiculous. Nothing is worse then F "FAKE cough". I suppose even though we don't smoke any more, vaping still carries the Stigma of smoking. Which is really sad because it is entirely different. Here in California vapors still have to go to the smoking section to vape. I just wish people were more educated about vaping. Maybe then we would loose the stigma people put on us.

I can't help but silently laugh at the fake coughs while feeling somewhat sad for them. Can't have an easy time dealing with people in general if one is expressively passive aggressive towards complete strangers that may be present in their life for roughly 7 seconds.

I usually give them a friendly, puzzled "did you try to make contact?"-look.

 

[HazyShades]

I get that look *all* the time when I vape, even when I'm driving with the windows up and the AC on.
(some times I get that look even when I'm not vaping.. But that's another story.

Many people think it's a drug or something

otoh, I've caught myself vaping next to strangers who,
you know, shouldn't have to put up with my preferences
and when I apologize they'll say, "Oh no, go right ahead it smells wonderful."

personally, I never have liked the smell of strong perfume
But after I quit smoking ciggies I can't stand it.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander so I make it a point
to do unto others as...and abstain when in the company of non vapers as much
as I can. Except of course when I'm in my cave then...too bad.

I hope your hubby gets well soon.

Hazy

 

[jambi]

Sorry...The public at large is irreversibly conditioned to react negatively to anything they perceive as "smoking". Vaping IS perceived as smoking. Doesn't matter what the realities are, or how we as vapers perceive it. They don't know, or care to be enlightened about, the difference between vaping and smoking. All they want to do is engage in a mob-rule'esque negative reaction. You have to understand, they totally, completely, righteously, humanely, condescendingly believe they're in the right. That's not gonna change, and holding out any such expectations (or god forbid demands) is simply unwise.

So, if you couldn't smoke in an isolated corner of a hospital waiting room (or wherever), you can't expect to be permitted to vape there either. Hence, don't vape where you wouldn't smoke, unless you're on an "Equal rights for vapers" campaign and looking for attention/publicity.

But hey, you can always find a bathroom stall, or anywhere else that's out of other's eyesight, and vape stealthily to your heart's content. That's something you couldn't do when you were smoking. Be thankful that at least you have the stealth vaping option now.

 

[ReigntheGamer]

I get that look *all* the time when I vape, even when I'm driving with the windows up and the AC on.
(some times I get that look even when I'm not vaping.. But that's another story.

Many people think it's a drug or something

otoh, I've caught myself vaping next to strangers who,
you know, shouldn't have to put up with my preferences
and when I apologize they'll say, "Oh no, go right ahead it smells wonderful."

personally, I never have liked the smell of strong perfume
But after I quit smoking ciggies I can't stand it.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander so I make it a point
to do unto others as...and abstain when in the company of non vapers as much
as I can. Except of course when I'm in my cave then...too bad.

I hope your hubby gets well soon.

Hazy

You and me both, I was at the grocery store the other day and got downwind from a woman that had the cheap perfume mixed with cigarette smell. I BS you not I had to make a 180 and go grab something else I needed and come back to that aisle. I had no idea I smelled like that to others when I smoked, I mean I knew it smelled but man it nearly turned my stomach.

 

[HauntedMyst]

I haven't been harassed so much as followed. Last June I was in the city and was walking around from cycle shop to cycle shop (I like bicycles) when I noticed a some cops behind me making a lot of noise. I was just vaping and listening to Hanson's greatest hits (which is just MMMBop over and over) on my ipod so I didn't think anything this of it and figured if they wanted to ask me about it, they could. I kept walking, they kept following and it was getting louder and louder. I turned left, they turned left. I turned right, they turned right. I picked up the pace, they picked up the pace. Then I noticed it wasn't just cops following me, there was indians, construction workers, military guys all dancing and singing along. Turns out they weren't following me because of my vaping. I had worn shorts that were too tight for me because my good ones were in the wash and I accidently derailed the Chicago Gay Pride Parade from its normal route because of how incredibly fabulous (Their words, not mine) my .... looked in them (which is odd, because the shorts were from Bass Pro SHops, gay kryptonite normally) and they just wanted to ask me out. I said thanks but I was spoken for and then lead the crowd in a chorus of "YMCA" as a courtesy. Gay or straight, everyone loves that song!

 

[Chickenstew702]

I've never had it happen. I never had anyone hassle me when I smoked either.

However, my wife tells me that I look "unapproachable" so that may have something to do with it.

Lmoa " my wife tells me I look un opprachable" lucky u!!