Have you ever encountered this brand of "anti-smoker"?

[Marvin & Sennie]

I am very curious, was there only 1 bench or was there a smoking/non smoking bench? Personally if it was me I would have just got up and stood off from her if I felt the need to vape. But I was raised VERY old school, respecting my elders and if my Mom would even suspect I had disrespected my elders even at my age she'd have my hide. Maybe that's why it would never even occur to me to fight back. HOWEVER if the person was around my age or bit**ier I might have reacted the same way. As a smoker and growing up poor, I've gotten the same reaction from people who came into a smoking area OUTSIDE as I was treated by the wealthier kids at school and yeah I fight back from those types. UGH!!

 

[vsummer1]

I started to read all these, but this thread is long winded so will skip to the end and post, sorry if it has been said:

The fact that she can't smell cigarette smoke yet still "acted" as if she could is enough for me. I HATE that crap. Those fake coughs drive me batty! I can tell a real cough from a fake one even if the fake cougher can't tell a cigarette from a fake one. I would have let her know that what I was doing wasn't smoking, and continued to vape knowing she CHOSE to attack me for lack of anything better to do in her miserable lonely life. That said, I also would have felt sorry for her and been as kind as I possibly could have been while being as angry as I would have that she would fake cough and demand me stop when she could have sat anywhere ELSE.

If she had actually battered me with anything, I probably would have asked her if she had completely lost her mind? I would remind her in the voice I reserve for my children that hitting people is unacceptable whether she be a frail 90 pound weakling or a drunk in a bar. I would have told her I don't let my kids get away with hitting, and at her age I would have thought she would comport herself in public with a little bit more decency and respect. And I would have given her the "mad mommy" face to boot. She is a toxic human being.

I am glad you laughed at her, that probably taught her how completely insane she was being.

 

[hrlw817]

Why would I need to ask permission to vape at a public bus stop when she clearly saw me doing it before she sat right down next to me, downwind of it no less?

That's a bit silly.

Because I misread the post. I thought you said you were ON a bus..not a bus stop.

 

[username1970]

Stupid people get old too.

As Richard Pryor once said, you don't get to be old being no fool. (I suspect he was quoting an old adage when he said that).

But even if an old person is stupid, the OP doesn't have to be a jerk about it. I've seen the fake coughers too. They annoy me, but if your smoke - or even if it's just vapor is hitting them in the face, perhaps a little courtesy would be in order.

The OP says a "tiny old lady". Presumably OP is not that old. Would it bother him that much to stand up and make sure he exhales a little bit away from the "tiny old lady"? I don't know how old the OP is, but as people age they get tired and don't have as much energy as they used to. Give her a break. Let her enjoy the bench and rest her weary bones.

So what if you were there first? You're still giving her a choice to stand on decades old legs or sit down and share your air.

This type of behavior is what might get e-cigs banned the same way analog cigarettes are banned in most places. As far as I'm aware, most public places don't even have a policy on e-cigs. If you vape in someone else's face, they just might develop a policy on e-cigs and I don't think it's going to be that we can vape wherever we want.

Be courteous people. If you're doing something that bothers someone else, be the better person. Give them some space.

I remember way back when it seemed that everyone smoked. I remember smoking in grocery stores and on airplanes. Well, enough people didn't like that that it's no longer allowed. If you must vape, be discreet about it and most of all don't let the vapor blow in other people's faces, especially if they're expressing their discontent with it.

This is why we can't have nice things.

 

[zapped]

Yeah it was legal for me to have them then, I was about a year ahead of them making it unlawful for purchase by someone under 18.I can remember going into the store to buy them for my dad and grand dad.

That quickly became my excuse when I got a funny look at the store purchasing them for myself at 14 too so I can understand why they outlawed it.

Now that I think about it, Im sure that woman felt really good about doing that for a little while until the reality that she almost assulted a minor sunk in.There arent many problems IMO that cant be solved with a little talking and a smile.

 

[zapped]

Then again you always do what I do in the situation where someone fake coughs or uses "excuse me?" in a snarky tone. (That expression has been used the wrong way for so long I dont think SOME people know how to use any other way.)

I always scoot a bit away from them while turning dramatically and raising an eyebrow ala Spock then ask with genuine confusion and concern in my voice "Did you just pass gas?". They either end up laughing along with me or I walk away with a chuckle as they are left speechless.

 

[username1970]

I started to read all these, but this thread is long winded so will skip to the end and post, sorry if it has been said:

The fact that she can't smell cigarette smoke yet still "acted" as if she could is enough for me. I HATE that crap. Those fake coughs drive me batty! I can tell a real cough from a fake one even if the fake cougher can't tell a cigarette from a fake one. I would have let her know that what I was doing wasn't smoking, and continued to vape knowing she CHOSE to attack me for lack of anything better to do in her miserable lonely life. That said, I also would have felt sorry for her and been as kind as I possibly could have been while being as angry as I would have that she would fake cough and demand me stop when she could have sat anywhere ELSE.

If she had actually battered me with anything, I probably would have asked her if she had completely lost her mind? I would remind her in the voice I reserve for my children that hitting people is unacceptable whether she be a frail 90 pound weakling or a drunk in a bar. I would have told her I don't let my kids get away with hitting, and at her age I would have thought she would comport herself in public with a little bit more decency and respect. And I would have given her the "mad mommy" face to boot. She is a toxic human being.

I am glad you laughed at her, that probably taught her how completely insane she was being.

So you would have continued blowing vapor in her face and then you get all ITG on us. That's just sad. Like I said before, this is why we can't have nice things.

I hope you welcome a ban on vaping everywhere we're not allowed to smoke now because you're just begging for it.

 

[zapped]

He wasnt blowing vapor in her face, at least not intentionally. She CHOSE to sit beside him when there were other alternatives available. Maybe she was OCD and was just upset that he was in her normal spot, you never know with people.

 

[djtonyb]

So you would have continued blowing vapor in her face and then you get all ITG on us. That's just sad. Like I said before, this is why we can't have nice things.

I hope you welcome a ban on vaping everywhere we're not allowed to smoke now because you're just begging for it.

The OP clearly stated that this miserable old lady purposely sat next to him in a public space, where he legally could have been smoking a real cigarette, and caused a scene when she had the option to sit elsewhere. She then proceeded to hit him with her gloves... I think the attitude problem was with her. Can't have nice things, my ...... if I'm in a public place and someone approaches me, gets in my space, complains about what I'm doing, and hits me then my first reaction would be to get up, walk away, and dial the police.

 

[username1970]

The OP clearly stated that this miserable old lady purposely sat next to him in a public space, where he legally could have been smoking a real cigarette, and caused a scene when she had the option to sit elsewhere. She then proceeded to hit him with her gloves... I think the attitude problem was with her. Can't have nice things, my ...... if I'm in a public place and someone approaches me, gets in my space, complains about what I'm doing, and hits me then my first reaction would be to get up, walk away, and dial the police.

Meh - he wasn't intentionally blowing vapor into her face, but he clearly knew it was going there. She purposely sat next to him? Let's just see how you feel when you're 80 years old and have to wait for a bus, Are you going to stand or are you going to sit?

Mark my words, if people don't have any courtesy there is going to be a backlash and most of the population doesn't smoke (or vape) and that's going to result in restrictions. Would the OP really have been bothered if he stood up and stood a few feet away from her?

You know, some people are a-holes and in this case maybe it was the little old lady, but does that mean the OP has to respond in kind?


The smart thing to do in that situation is move away from them and not get all confrontational. I was assaulted by an old lady once. Yes, what she did qualified as assault. I could have responded in kind, but that would have been fairly ugly. Instead I just removed myself from the situation. It wasn't worth fighting over and she was willing to put up a fight. She was nuts. Even though she was assaulting me I wasn't going to hit back. I could have but I'm glad I didn't. Even though a full police investigation would have shown I was simply defending myself, there is a time when you just have to separate yourself from the situation. It's not worth it.

The "tiny old lady" in the OPs post is probably going to tell all her children and her grandchildren about this "vapor" and they're all going to hate people who vape. And eventually those signs that say "No Smoking" are going to say "No Smoking and that means NO VAPING either!!!!"

Be the better person. Don't vape everywhere even if there's no law or policy telling you not to. Be like Fonzi. You know how Fonzi is, right? Yeah, he's cool. B-b-b-but this little old lady was fake-coughing in my face, boo-hoo-hoo....Get over it. Get away from that little old lady with the fake cough. It's quite simply not worth it.

 

[Baditude]

My initial reactions to the OP story were somewhat influenced by the fact that smoking is now banned in most downtown public places in my city. This includes some sections of city parks, downtown fountain square, and yes public bus stops. To my knowledge there are no laws governing e-cigs, but I tend to follow most "No Smoking" signs or areas just to avoid any scrutiny or confusion.

Believe me, I vape nearly wherever I please when out by myself in public. If alone in a grocery store isle, I'll pull my lanyarded or pocketed mod out for a drag or two. I'll discreetly stealth vape in a movie theatre, but I make certain that I am either in the last row of far edge and be quite aware of how much vapor I exhale.

 

[djtonyb]

She purposely sat next to him? Let's just see how you feel when you're 80 years old and have to wait for a bus, Are you going to stand or are you going to sit?

As has been stated:
"To clear things up, at the stop I sit at, there is one small bench inside the small shelter, and a small half-wall behind the stop itself. I'm claustrophobic, so I try to avoid sitting on the enclosed area that holds the bench. I was sitting on the half-wall. To give a sense of scale, the half-wall extends a total of 20ft."

"So you're saying there was a whole lot of other places she could have sat?
And that she PURPOSELY came and sat right next to you?"

"That would be correct, sir."

......................................................................

"she's old,,,I suppose she could haven not noticed it before she sat down,,,,,but even if we grant her that, unless she was incapable of moving on her own steam, SHE should have gotten up and moved rather than be rude to you. JMHO."

"From when I saw her coming, she walked a few blocks t the stop without so much as a cane, so I would say she was capable enough."

Be the better person. Don't vape everywhere even if there's no law or policy telling you not to.

Sorry, EVEN if he was smoking a cigarette, the old lady had other options than to sit next him, confront him, and assault him. I don't care how old you are, it is not acceptable to confront and hit strangers because your sensibilities are offended. You will be the one responsible for "No Vaping" signs being put up if you just roll over and say "OK" when accosted and assaulted for doing absolutely nothing wrong in public.

 

[username1970]

As has been stated:
You will be the one responsible for "No Vaping" signs being put up if you just roll over and say "OK" when accosted and assaulted for doing absolutely nothing wrong in public.

Nope - I will not be responsible for "No Vaping" signs being put up, but trust me they are coming. When I say be the better person that includes defusing a situation even when you are right. That means backing down from a fight even when you know you could win both physically and in a court of law. That may even mean taking a few steps away from a person before you vape.



Oh the horror - some old lady didn't like me vaping next to her and I was too much of an ...... to take 2 steps away from her - that's how subby sounds to me. Was the old lady being unreasonable? Perhaps, but so was subby.

Benches at bus stops usually aren't that big. It's not like the little old lady was demanding that subby stand 50 feet away from her. Just as a matter of common courtesy would it have killed subby to either stand up and take his e-cig a few feet away or failing that just to abstain from using it until the bus came by and blew a huge cloud of exhaust in both of their faces?

 

[Big Mac]

Howdy folks,

I agree with ya username1970.

Big Mac

 

[RosaJ]

Well, after 12 pages of posts, I'll put my 2 cents worth. NO ONE, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE has the right to assault another human being in the street no matter how old the perpetrator is. So as far as I'm concerned, the old biddy had an agenda from the start. I've been around manipulators throughout my life and the woman's behavior is typical.

Kudos to you for standing your ground and respecting yourself! I think he was very nice the way he handled it, I would have called the cops on her for aggravated assault! Or, even better, called 911 for her coughing. I'm pretty sure she would have moved away in a surprising rush of physical prowess for someone of "her age."

 

[RANGERmsr]

Sounds to me like this lady chose HIS space to be in. So its likely that he would of had to walk to another bus stop just to get away from her. I don't think this is fair. Maybe he should have called the law to confront her since he wasn't breaking it, but she was? I don't know, but I always vape outside places that ban smoking. I always go to smoking areas to vape out of respect for others, even though I don't HAVE to. But, if I was at this bus stop, off to "myself" (like he obviously was), I feel I have every right to do this. I do understand we vapers need to be respectful, but I think we should defend this right. It's not illegal........yet, and until there is hard proof that it hurts anyone, It will stay legal. If we let people "badger" us like this, it could be the start of banning it in itself. I wouldn't recommend anyone that doesn't smoke to start vaping either, (as I'm not totally convinced it's "harmless") but for those people like me that kicked a 30 year + habit that HAS been proven harmful.......maybe a pat on the back, and a "thank you for not smoking"? JMO

 

[kristin]

That means backing down from a fight even when you know you could win both physically and in a court of law. That may even mean taking a few steps away from a person before you vape.

This attitude is exactly why smokers have been easily vilified and are now getting to the point where they can't smoke ANYWHERE - they backed down in the face of junk science and someone else being "offended" by them. It's backing down that gave the ANTZ power against smokers and it's backing down that will give them power against vapers. I refuse to back down for vaping and be ostracized and vilified again. There is absolutely no evidence that vaping OUTSIDE is any health risk to bystanders and some evidence that it is harmless to bystanders even indoors. Who determines that vaping in public is "rude?" They have NO RIGHT to force vapers to get up and move. In fact, they may even be infringing upon the right of the vaper's pursuit of happiness with having no scientific or legal evidence that the vaper is infringing upon anyone's rights. It's unfounded discrimination, pure and simple.

I will state again, just to be clear, that this is NOT the same as refusing to stop vaping on private property - including businesses. We need to be respectful in those situations to the owner/management and use that as an educational opportunity. But if we act like we are doing something wrong by legally vaping in outdoor, public spaces, then that is more likely to reinforce the idea that vapers SHOULD be segregated like the smokers, rather than convince them to let us go along peacefully. The idea that "rude" vapers are causing all of the indoor use bans in this country is ridiculous. They are already banning them everywhere without even having seen one in person and testimony against them has not been "I was bothered by it" but "I heard they look like smoking and I THINK I'll be bothered by it."

Use bans won't be caused by people standing up for their right to do something perfectly legal in public. They will happen because people will let bullies get away with controlling their behavior again. If I'm vaping at an outdoor bus stop, I am not doing anything wrong or hurting anyone and I refuse to act like I am by getting up an moving away just to keep the peace. Of course, I'm the type who would take time to explain what it is rather than just ignore the person - but the OP said he DID explain to her that it wasn't smoke, once she decided to act like an adult and comment rather than continue with the dramatic act. He was sitting on a half wall by the bus stop and there was a bench inside the shelter she could have sat on away from him. She obviously sat there on purpose to give him a hard time for "smoking." Otherwise, if she was so sensitive to smoke, she would have sat down as far from him as possible. It's a classic ANTZ tactic.

It's no different than if I were sitting there talking on my phone and someone sat right next to me and expected me to hang up and be quiet or move away just for their sake. How long are we going to put up with people encroaching on our space and then expecting us to accommodate their morals and personal preferences to our own detriment? Because that is all it is when it comes to objections to vaping around people. It "looks like smoking," so we are supposed to act like we are smoking, even when we are not? If we keep reinforcing that that is OK, then we will find more and more places banning vaping where smoking isn't allowed, rather than winning people over. I'm not saying to be mean or excessively rude, but it's a reasonable reaction to being treated rudely by the ANTZ to call them out on their hypocrisy and lies. The more people are exposed to vaping, the more they will learn that it ISN'T smoking and see how ridiculous public use bans on them really are. Yes, try to be calm and politely reason with them, but don't let them bully you and don't self-ban by acting like you are doing something wrong or dangerous!

(For the record - the comments I've made in this thread are my personal opinion only and do not reflect any CASAA policy.)

 

[45root]

Wow this thread has a lot of different points of views. Here is mine. LOL @ the OP. Funny story. forget the self righteous people who can only see the age. Right is right and wrong is wrong. From the comments I don't think some of these guys read the entire OP. If it were me and if she was actually brave enough to hit a guy my size, I would have probably have laughed even harder.

 

[DFDF]

You make it seem like we should have been able to smoke anywhere we wanted. Smoking in restaurants, banks, courthouses, no way. Thats ridiculous and as a heavy smoker I had no problems with not smoking where others were forced to smell and inhale MY smoke.

 

[RosaJ]

Kristin, you can speak for me on this issue anytime! YESSS!!!

As smokers we just quietly accepted whatever sin taxes and social abuses were thrust upon us. We need to respect ourselves this time and demand our rights with respect and patiently explain what THR is about and stop behaving as if we're committing some criminal act by vaping.

Yes, we don't know what are the long term effects of vaping, but from testimonies in this forum from people with COPD, and other ailments, they are certainly less damaging than smoking cigarettes. I cringe when I read posts from people saying it may be worse than smoking because I see it as a continuation of the brainwashing we've received as smokers.

After 40+ years of smoking 1 1/2 pad, I have been smoke free for the last 9 months without suffering any withdrawal symptoms, nor feeling deprived in any way.