i had an altercation at work regarding vaping....

[TamiP]

It's sad, but all this FDA hoopla, government condemnation of both smoking and now vaping too, gives people like that a perceived "safety" of conviction in feeling they have a right to berate anyone they think is even remotely "bad." These laws vilify certain groups of people. It's just terrible, all in the name of money and power.

 

[wv2win]

Ok guys I'm at work and I walk outside to have a quick vape. A fellow co worker was out there smoking and we were just talking and stuff. So I go back in and a customer asked to speak to me. I went up to talk to this lady and she began yelling at me about when she was walking in she could smell the smoke and it was very offensive. She automatically assumed I was smoking which really made me angry. I tried to explain to her that I was not smoking and she was smelling a fellow co-worker that was and that I would let him know to smoke further from the building. She then proceeded to call me a liar and yell at me some more. I finally decided to stop trying to explain what vaping was because she was obviously gonna keep being ignorant about the situation.

So there is my story of the only problem I have ever had with vaping in public. It just made me so angry that she was yelling at me for something I quit over three months ago. Have any of you guys had a problem/altercation with Vaping in public? I wish people weren't so ignorant about this wonderful thing.

This is one more example of why vaping in designated smoking areas is a bad idea. If vapers want the general public to believe that vaping and smoking are the same thing, then act like it is by only vaping in smoking sections. I doubt we will see any of the "act like vaping & smoking are the same thing" crowd on ECF show up.

To the OP, sorry this happened to you.

 

[FatherTime]

everyone who sees me vaping in public who says something asks what drug i am using...

 

[GinnyTx]

Isn't the public fun?! *lol*

maybe you did smell of smoke, as you were with a smoker.

either way, she had an axe to grind and you were the stone.

in those cases, kill 'em with kindness, and some appropriate Southern saying always works.

there's a lot of learning the public has to do about vaping. I've not had that problem, but then again my kiddos say I can kill with a look and an arched eyebrow too *lol*

vape on!!

 

[B2L]

Not only that, but you could be fined thousands by a "Human Rights Tribunal" for offending someone's "sensibilities."



You should try owning firearms. Then the irrational antis really come out of the woodwork, and no amount of logic or rational thought will prevail I sometimes find it difficult to just let people go on about things they don't know about without trying to enlighten them of an opposing point of view or correct them when they're spreading blatant lies or misinformation to other people and I am witness to it. Coincidentally, I don't like working in retail, sales, customer service, etc, where I could conceivably have to deal with this kind of BS. I work in a large machine shop where I only have to deal with maybe 20 people with any kind of regularity, and in general they're pretty laid back, "good ol' boys" type of people.



Unfortunately, the manager or boss will be MOST concerned about the bottom line $$$, good will, word of mouth and reputation, and repeat business. You get paid to do what you're told to do, and if that includes putting up with stupid people and their BS, then that's what it includes. Don't like it? Go find another job, there's a whole stack of resumes from people who would love to have yours current one :S This fosters the "customer is always right and has a license to treat employees like garbage and always get what they want" attitude and environment. It doesn't help that the entitlement generation is REALLY coming into their own now, and more and more people act this way by default.

Advice? As I see it, you have a couple of options.
1) Grow a thicker skin, and pick your battles. You can't fix stupid. Laugh about it later.
2) Stand up for yourself, and maybe get fired. Rent and car payments be damned, I have somethign to prove!
3) Whine to the boss that nobody stood up for you, which makes YOU look weak, with weak problems solving skills, confidence, leadership ability, etc.
4) Make an effort to get a different job where the issue is a non issue, knowing full well that there are going to be jerks regardless, see option 1

Great post, couldn't agree more and I do understand about the firearms situation

As a manager in a retail setting, my first concern has to be the reputation and bottom line of the business. That being said, that reputation and bottom line is mostly going to be protected and served by the people working for me. My people are only going to treat my customers with the same consideration and respect that I treat them with. I always tell my new hires that our business is built on the cornerstone of respect, I expect it from them and I expect that they receive it from each other, management and our customers. I have, in over 25 years of management, asked 2 people to leave and never come back for berating an employee. There were other times it got close but reason prevailed. Never a dull moment when dealing with the public.

 

[Equilibrium]

When I run into people thik that I just put my concerned face on and tell them "I'm sorry you're having such a bad day."

You can't "fix" people like that, it's terminal. They are typically the most miserable people you'll ever meet.

 

[Amraann]

The issue here is not really about vaping or smoking.. It is about someone so messed up in the head that they feel it is ok to yell at another adult and call them a liar without having any valid reason.

It amazes me how some supposed adults have absolutely no manners.

 

[zapped]

This is one more example of why vaping in designated smoking areas is a bad idea. If vapers want the general public to believe that vaping and smoking are the same thing, then act like it is by only vaping in smoking sections. I doubt we will see any of the "act like vaping & smoking are the same thing" crowd on ECF show up.

To the OP, sorry this happened to you.

My Mom and Dad still smoke and while we love seeing them, my wife and I both HATE coming back from there and smelling like smoke.

Thankfully were both about to have 2 years without any cigarettes under our belt but I can remember when we first quit how visits to my parents made it that much more tempting to go back to smoking. ...not because it smelled good by any means...its funny how our senses can trigger an urge even if those senses are registering it as unpleasant.

 

[catlady60]

This is one more example of why vaping in designated smoking areas is a bad idea. If vapers want the general public to believe that vaping and smoking are the same thing, then act like it is by only vaping in smoking sections. I doubt we will see any of the "act like vaping & smoking are the same thing" crowd on ECF show up.

To the OP, sorry this happened to you.

One way to solve the problem of people equating vaping with smoking is to provide not only a designated smoking area, but also a separate area for vaping--indoors! When people see that vapor doesn't do them any harm, save for those few unfortunate souls suffering from chemical sensitivies and/or allergies to PG and/or VG, they'll see that vaping is not the same as smoking.
Smoke has been proven to harm the average bystander. If vapor harms anyone, it's only the few with sensitivites and/or allergies--not the average bystander.

 

[skoony]

One way to solve the problem of people equating vaping with smoking is to provide not only a designated smoking area, but also a separate area for vaping--indoors! When people see that vapor doesn't do them any harm, save for those few unfortunate souls suffering from chemical sensitivies and/or allergies to PG and/or VG, they'll see that vaping is not the same as smoking.
Smoke has been proven to harm the average bystander. If vapor harms anyone, it's only the few with sensitivites and/or allergies--not the average bystander.

some one would have to have a very acute sensitivity to have a reaction to exhaled vapor for even that to be a problem.
regards
mike

 

[Mofastermo]

<<< 6' - 200lbs, I'm never confronted... EVER

Wife says I'm the sweetest person she has ever meet, and she knows everything ask her.

 

[classwife]

I wonder if this would have happened over food smells...

Like...what if you had eaten a ton of garlic and onions at lunch...


Or - what if she was standing in a line and the person ahead of her had cut loose some pressure after his huge burrito and chili meal...would she have started in on him for stinking ?


smh...people have forgotten how to keep their mouths shut.

 

[RosaJ]

Wow!! Just... wow!! The nerve of some people!!

" It just made me so angry that she was yelling at me for something I quit over three months ago"

Well, sorry, but in my opinion, that is not even the point. Even if you had NOT quit, that... person... still would be way out of line.
Smoking is legal. Governments PROFIT from it. That... person... had NO right to yell at you, just because she THOUGHT you were doing something that is LEGAL, but which she does not APPROVE. If she doesn't, it's entirely HER problem. Not yours.

Much worse than that: she called you a LIAR, after you tried to explain it to her? I do not know how I would have handled it, really... I have past 40 years, and I do not have the same patience to suffer fools I used to have 20 years ago. So, kudos on handling that so well - it was a costumer, after all. Granted, a very biased, dumb one. (On the other hand, she was not complaining about anything related to business, but about something related to your personal life... something she has ABSOLUTELY no "right" to complain).

I give this 1,000 likes! This person was all about her "rights" and she felt empowered to walk all over yours OP. Who gave her the power to treat others like slaves or unruly children (even though the OP is an adult). I always try to look at the positive side of things, so here it is, aren't you glad you don't live with her? Phew, thank god for small blessings...

 

[crxess]

Situations like this are best handled short and sweet.

LADY!!!!!! I don't Smoke!!!!

Turn and walk away

 

[DC2]

It's sad, but all this FDA hoopla, government condemnation of both smoking and now vaping too, gives people like that a perceived "safety" of conviction in feeling they have a right to berate anyone they think is even remotely "bad." These laws vilify certain groups of people. It's just terrible, all in the name of money and power.

You might want to read this...
Rampant Antismoking Signifies Grave Danger

I think it is very important that we know exactly who and what we are up against.

 

[iClearoman]

Sheesh! Fortunately I've never experienced anything even remotely close. (I vape in stores all the time and have never been confronted about it.) But keep in mind what she was really upset about was the smoking and smelling it. Chances are if that had not come into play your vaping would have been a complete non issue.

This is exactly what made me so angry about the situation. I wasn't even the one smoking but because she saw me and not the other guy she just assumed. It amazes me how ignorant the public is especially about Vaping.

 

[Brian.Craig]

Should have took one vape there and asked her if that was what she smelt, hopefully u have a good flavor with a pleasant odor though.

 

[rzil]

some people are bunch of douches even if you smoked so what ? the earth didn't fall apart because she smelled some tobacco

I can get it when people get ...... off when some1 smoking next to them in a restaurant or next to a bus station or anywhere where they don't have a choice but to suffer from the smoking for minutes but to make a big fuss about some1 taking a break from work and having a smoke ?

Plus I really hate it when people raise their voice for no good reason , she had no right to treat you like that smoking or not ...

 

[TheProphet]

This is why I no longer work in customer service and why I decided not to go into the hospitality industry. I'm the type of person that would have just told her to bugger off in a not very nice fashion.

 

[HowlinMadMurphy]

Not sure what kind of industry you are in, but it sounds like she was just looking for someone to ....* at. I used to work customer service and I know the type very well lol. To be honest, i think it was a bit of a mistake telling her you weren't smoking, you don't need to excuse yourself because you weren't doing what she is accusing you of and shes obviously just looking for confrontation so that will just fire her up even more. In that situation I would have smiled at her, and said "I am so very sorry ma'am, is there anything else I can do for you today?" in a very polite way.

Another thing to consider is it probably didn't even matter that anyone was smoking, she was probably just upset about something and needed to find someone to fight with.