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

[Bullette the Cowdog]

Here in Florida we have an icecream shop with an outdoor patio. I was sitting there with my friend when an older man came to sit down with his young granddaughter to enjoy their icecream. I held up my Kgo to him & said, "I'm gonna use my vaporizer here. It's not smoke. It's just vapor. " & I proceeded to vape. I didn't want him to think I would be blowing smoke at the young-un. He thought it was pretty cool & asked a few questions & everything turned out fine. I may try that tactic again sometime since it worked so well.
Bullette says woof!

 

[jazzbo]

Have any of you encountered this ridiculous species of anti-smoker?

Most anti-smokers are ridiculous. Anyone Nanny enough to want to force their will on others about anything is ridiculous.... Love how you kept on keepin' on!

I was lectured about second hand smoke/vaping by some young d00d a few weeks back. He admitted he didn't know the first thinhg about vaping but anything "second-hand" is apparently automatically bad. Wonder what they think about second-hand carbon dioxide?

 

[DC2]

Before I reply to what I've been reading in here, I want to know if there was a spot for this lady to sit upwind.
Because if the only seat available was downwind, I have a bit of a problem with some of these replies.

On the other hand if there was a spot for this lady to sit upwind, then game on.
I don't care how many years she has lived on this planet.

 

[CommaHolly]

While I do try to be discreet, I don't HIDE vaping. I don't blame OP at all. There are seriously a lot of people who say they can't stand your cigarette smoke, and that the "smoke" is killing them, when they actually don't smell a thing!

Gahh, I read an ingenious punchline this morning, but I forget from who. It went something along the lines of, "Lady, this is a FAKE cigarette! Even the SMOKE is FAKE!!"

the.best.line.ever.

I am so going to remember that,,,,a little more politely,,,,,,but still,,,,,,it's great

 

[CommaHolly]

I guess I can see both sides,,,,,,

but,,,,,

were there other seats available and she chose YOURS??

or was that the only choice she had?

and,,,,,,,,,,whether it's all in our heads or not, sometimes we all have specific reactions to stimuli,,,,,,not intended,,,not faked,,,,just a reaction.

I'm all for educating her,,,,but the point remains,,,,,she's still an OLD LADY,,,,,,,a certain amount of respect and decency is called for.,

 

[jazzbo]

I'm all for educating her,,,,but the point remains,,,,,she's still an OLD LADY,,,,,,,a certain amount of respect and decency is called for.,

I agree...and from both sides. She was, after all, falsely reacting to the situation and ceased her "reaction" when informed of the reality. To get respect one must have/give respect....

 

[Dudeonline]

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.

I'm all for giving respect where respect is due, but I think it's a bit backwards to give unconditional respect to someone just because they have lived a good part of a century. All in all I think I handled myself well, considering she assaulted me with a pair of leather gloves.

 

[CommaHolly]

I agree...and from both sides. She was, after all, falsely reacting to the situation and ceased her "reaction" when informed of the reality. To get respect one must have/give respect....

hm,,,,,,my grandmother always told me that respect is given,,,,,,not earned. There are some people who just deserve respect simply because,,,,,old ladies amongst them. MOST of the time anyway,,,,,,However, slapping him with her gloves was over and beyond though,,,,,she was wrong there. So much depends on tone though,,,,,and I wasn't there.

 

[DC2]

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?

 

[Dudeonline]

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.

 

[DC2]

That would be correct, sir.

Wow, that's just amazing. I can't even imagine what I would have done.

 

[CommaHolly]

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.

 

[Rachy_B]

Her behaviour was hilarious! She didn't NEED to sit right next to you, especially if she could see that you were already 'producing clouds of something'. That being said, I probably wouldn't have laughed at her, purely because she was on a old lady. I would probably have advised her that I was using a nicotine replacement therapy and similar models are available in pharmacists. While I would be sorry that she was offended by the cloud coming her way, it would be little more than that- no smoke at all. If anything, because of the heat of the water vapour in comparison to the air, this would probably be the only reason she could see it, just like breathing on a frosty morning. I would have used it as an opportunity to tell her about e-cigs, tell her about how successful I was finding it in coming off the analogues and show off my gadgetry. It would have been a great way to start up a conversation as old people can get terribly lonely and waiting at a bus stop can be really boring!

I've known some people to be VERY negative about the use of e-cigs. Some classmates didn't like me using it during our breaks and some housemates couldn't understand that I was cutting down rather than giving up straight away. This was coupled with a very, very bad ex boyfriend.

Said ex HATED me smoking. From the outset of our relationship, he made the fact that he didn't like it quite clear but as time went on this became more intense. He had asthma (not that he ever had an attack) so smoking around him was a no-no but I never did. I would always go outside to smoke but the smell would cling to me and my clothing and this residual smell, he claimed, aggravated his lungs. At times, he used this as a weapon. If he was feeling in a particularly foul mood, he would use this as a reason to berate me but at other times, like when he was crawling after a fight or better still a breakup, it never seemed to matter. When I started on the e-cig, from a distance he was thrilled (we were in 300m/6hr drive/£50 petrol approx long distance relationship) but when I took the ecig to his house and wanted me to use it, he wouldn't let me and insisted I went outside. As part of the reason I was trying to use the e-cig rather than analogues was for his benefit, my thoughts were to shelve the e-cig and use the analogues. If I was going to be forced outside, I was gonna use the 'real' thing and make it worth my while- at least that way I wouldn't be outside for so long! In hindsight, I realise this was terrible! As a man who claimed to be all up on his science he really was a jerk! He claimed the water vapour also aggravated him after me taking one hit on it and him being on the other side of the room! I could understand the argument of PG allergies but if he uses an asthma inhaler, that surely couldn't be the case. This, by the way, was a man who claimed that oxygen gives you cancer:
Me: I've been reading a really interesting article about oxygen bars at music festivals. Isn't oxygen toxic in high quantities? (it is by the way- they have to be very careful when they give it to you in hospitals)
Ex: Oxygen gives you cancer.
Me: (Pausing for a minute to contemplate the stupidity of this and stifling a giggle) Uh, so what happens when you breathe?!
Ex: Well, you know, everything in moderation!

Now... I've tried the whole not breathing thing, and certainly in cutting down, but I can assure you that I'd rather die a slow and painful death from breathing than the asphyxiating nightmare that is the alternative... I was holding my breath in the library earlier to stealth vape and it gave me hiccups! What's worse is that he claimed that if he did have an asthma attack (because of my smoking) this could put pains to him becoming an astronaut...when he was in his mid-30s and overweight and not clever enough! And you thought the old lady at the bus stop was bad!

Needless to say, I ended this terribly unhealthy relationship a few months ago although it wasn't soon enough!

Frankly, people like the ex who SHOULD have known better but were just trying to sound clever really take the mick!

On the other hand, if I do go to a non-smoker's house, I will explain the e-cig to them first, before using it. This is particularly the case if they have children although I would try to not be too close to the child when using it, purely because I don't want to blow clouds in their face. This was the case recently, in fact it was what got me back into using the e-cig. I knew I was going to a friend's house and I knew she and her partner had his child around that weekend so I took my e-cig. I checked with them both first before using it and they were cool with it. They even preferred it to me having to go outside and smoke as this made too much noise with a sleeping infant in the house. If they hadn't approved, this wouldn't have been a problem! They have a small child and if they don't want her to see or be around smoking/vaping that's completely fine by me!

I would deliberately blow clouds in people's faces to prove a point during conversation but never maliciously. I mean, I would do it to show the lack of nasty smell etc. In general, I would welcome the opportunity to spread the word! Even if it's to a non-smoker, they might take on board the positives and tell a smoker what they've heard- conversion by proxy at it were!

I have thought of a rather fun retort you could have used when the woman slapped you with her leather gloves though... 'OMG! I'm a vegan and I've touched the flesh of a dead animal! You monster! How could you?! 5 years of not touching the flesh of a dead animal and you've ruined it! I shall pray for you soul and that of the poor dead cow you wear on your hands like a puppet!' I could never have thought of that at the time but it's fun to picture these things in your head...lol!x

 

[Dudeonline]

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.

I agree, maybe I shouldn't have laughed like I did, but it was just the most dramatic display of passive aggressiveness I had seen in months towards my habit. I mean at that point you couldn't very well call it passive. It was hilarious. If I wasn't so amused by her theatrical reaction, I probably wouldn't have reacted as civilly to her slapping me with her purple suede leather gloves. Those tassels kind of stung.

 

[Rachy_B]

but it was just the most dramatic display of passive aggressiveness I had seen in months towards my habit.

Have you nominated her for an Oscar?!x

 

[zuzette]

in best Rhys Davies voice "madam, you may think your performance is.Oscar worthy. It is,however, simply embarrassing. "

 

[CommaHolly]

well,,,,,,,um,,,,,,,,,,

Everyone who has cancer breathes,,,

THEREFORE breathing causes cancer,,,,,,

yeah,,,,,,,,,,ahem,,,,I get it,,,,,,,

OP--I hear you,,,,,I'd probably be stifling a giggle myself

I wonder if she realizes you could have had her arrested for battery.

 

[Rachy_B]

Everyone who has cancer breathes,,,

THEREFORE breathing causes cancer,,,,,,

yeah,,,,,,,,,,ahem,,,,I get it,,,,,,,

Living=Dying...ergo...don't live! Sorted!x

 

[Butters78]

She's probably bitter that she didn't handle her finances well enough when she was younger to enjoy a "Cadillac car" to drive around in when she got older.

 

[Sunshinefl8788]

I am normally VERY respectful of the elderly, I live in Florida and have TONS of winter visitors and lets just say some are VERY nasty. A friend asked an old lady outside walmart "do you need any help" because she was putting oil in her car...she replied "Did I ask for your help?"
I explained that situation because sometimes it is very hard to be respectful to someone that doesn't respect you, or the ones that think it is a given because of age.

In that situation, I admit it would have been hard not to laugh and being that she ended up hitting you with her gloves, I can't really say SHE was the one treated unfairly. From the sounds of her temper, I doubt you could have carried a peaceful conversation with her even if you had tried. The fact that you didn't have her arrested says a lot. LOL Overall, I think you handled the situation pretty well