It has begun...

[Crestus]

I had a real bad experience at Applebee's last night.

For the last 2 months, I never had problems breaking out the trusty RN4081 and vaping while enjoying my frosty cold beverage after work at this restaurant next to my office. Went last night though after work, and had the embarassing pleasure of the manager not quite politely tell me in front of my supervisor and my teammates that I can no longer "smoke" that in here and I would need to take it outside, new company policy.

Smoke that???? Ever since the stupid FDA report came out, all of the sudden I am a smoker again with my PV? I now have to be chastised and shunned again just like when I was smoking cigarettes? Even one of my teammates (who is a smoker none the less) said that it was BS. Man I am ......!

Just out of curiousity, has anyone had this experience yet?

 

[kristin]

I had a real bad experience at Applebee's last night.

For the last 2 months, I never had problems breaking out the trusty RN4081 and vaping while enjoying my frosty cold beverage after work at this restaurant next to my office. Went last night though after work, and had the embarassing pleasure of the manager not quite politely tell me in front of my supervisor and my teammates that I can no longer "smoke" that in here and I would need to take it outside, new company policy.

Smoke that???? Ever since the stupid FDA report came out, all of the sudden I am a smoker again with my PV? I now have to be chastised and shunned again just like when I was smoking cigarettes? Even one of my teammates (who is a smoker none the less) said that it was BS. Man I am ......!

Just out of curiousity, has anyone had this experience yet?

I was a manager at Applebee's for 7 years. Call and get the area supervisor's name. If he/she can't help, keep going up the chain. Don't give in!! If it helps, use the form letter posted in the Campaigns forum!

 

[SLDS181]

When things like this come up, reply politely, and state the truth - it is not smoking, and it is allowed.

If they continue, put it away, ask for their name for the letter you'll be writing. They will give it to you, or they'll be all annoyed and just say "Manager!" (I've gotten that reply lol).

Write a letter to corporate, that night/the next day, asap. Make it polite, accurate, and review the incident. State clearly that such actions will cause you to bring your business elsewhere.

NOONE wants to hear that right now. The most important thing is.... until you get a reply..... bring your business elsewhere. If its the place next door, even better.

If you don't get a prompt reply (a few days), write another, and go higher in the chain, and cc the one you tried to go through already. Keep going until you get a prompt, positive response.

Always be polite.

 

[Superstargoddess]

i got kicked out of best buy the other week...i vaped in the managers face and told him to choke on my nicostick..

Hopefully that was AFTER he told you go get out and you couldn't control yourself. Even if people are rude to us, we still shouldn't be disrespectful to them anyway. That leaves a bad impression.

Everyone remember that a private store owner has the right to tell you to get out for any reason. Like I was just telling someone, I don't think that it is technically against the law to go into a store without a shirt or shoes, but they can make you leave if you aren't wearing any.

 

[california_girl]

Our reaction to situations like this can either hurt us or help us. If we get mad and react like I am Nico did we do not help ourselves. We should do as some have suggested and just leave and write our letters. The letters help to educate others about our cause. We have to understand that non-smokers just might not really understand how PV's work, and if we do not educate them all they have to go on is the warped view of the FDA etc...

Just my 2 cents worth....

 

[Superstargoddess]

Our reaction to situations like this can either hurt us or help us. If we get mad and react like I am Nico did we do not help ourselves. We should do as some have suggested and just leave and write our letters. The letters help to educate others about our cause. We have to understand that non-smokers just might not really understand how PV's work, and if we do not educate them all they have to go on is the warped view of the FDA etc...

Just my 2 cents worth....

Exactly. I do not mean to offend Nico at all, but really we just have to control ourselves a bit better and remember that each of us are the voice of this community.

 

[Angela]

i got kicked out of best buy the other week...i vaped in the managers face and told him to choke on my nicostick..

What a fantastic way to make friends and influence people. Isn't it a shame that we all don't behave like that?

[...and just in case anyone was left in any doubt, the previous statement was made with 'sarcastic mode' firmly in overdrive]

 

[Applejackson]

i got kicked out of best buy the other week...i vaped in the managers face and told him to choke on my nicostick..

That oughta help the cause.

 

[bewzer]

you have to remember that these places have the right to refuse service to anyone they want...ive been a bartender for the last 10 years and if someone was vaping in the bar i was working in (if it was a non smoking invironment, i work in a smoker-friendly establishment) and other people saw this and started to smoke analogs thinking it was ok, then i would have to stop the vaping...im not patient enough to make sure people dont light up and im usually not in the mood to argue about it too...im to the point now where i dont mind going outside to vape, been doing it to smoke for years anyways

one thing is that ive been pretty lucky around my parts with vaping in bars/stores...even non smokers show alot of interest and dont mind it...some non smokers even enjoy the smell of some of the juices i use

 

[TropicalBob]

I'll offend I am Nico. That kind of extraordinarily juvenile behavior undoes all the good ECA and others have tried to do. I expect tantrums from a second grader, not a person old enough to e-smoke. Pathetic.

 

[FenDog]

I agree with you that it is BS but also put yourself in the managers shoes.

IMO

• You should confirm it is a new corporate policy.
• If they have a new policy simply find another place to take your business and let them know politely.
• It always helps to band together in numbers, ask your co-workers and friends to do the same.
• You sound upset he informed you of the new policy while drawing attention to the conversation. A good manager can have a far better result if he pulled you aside from other patrons and discussed it rationally and quietly.

I find it is better for all of us not to flaunt our Vape in public and a good number of people do it for attention (this hurts all Vape). Don't get me wrong I feel you should be able to Vape anywhere you choose but isn't it easier for everyone if you simply do it discretely.

ie:

You know someone will raise a concern or complain if you Vaped in your seat on a commercial airliner (quicker if an Analog). If you can't get through the flight w/o your Nicotine why not simply go to the bathroom and Vape 5-6 times and return to your seat (no one would know. If it were an Analog they would smell it).

You're at a sporting event and clouds of Vape are bellowing up and out of someones mouth for all to see. I'm sure someone would mistake it for smoke especially from a distance. Wouldn't it be less obvious to cup the E-Cig and blow the vape down for no one to see?

My point is if nobody knows you're doing it nobody has a problem with it. The beautiful thing about Vape is nobody really needs to know unless you flaunt it.

 

[titanflyer]

i got kicked out of best buy the other week...i vaped in the managers face and told him to choke on my nicostick..

Don't forget to tell him the "Soldiers of Vapor" (SoV) will hear about this.... lol... and no, I am not laughing "with" you.

We, the vaping community, do not need this kind of publicity. If you had just explained what it was, and that you didn't realize it was not allowed, maybe do some education of the "facts", you might have helped everyone out. As it is, you just took an entire group of people (vapers) and put them into a category we don't want to be in.... trouble.

 

[JustJulie]

I am going to weigh in here, too.

I have never been asked to leave an establishment because of my PV use. That is primarily because I use it discretely. I don't use a PV that even remotely resembles a cigarette. I take a discrete puff and hold it in my mouth/lungs for a sufficient amount of time for there to be practically no vapor on exhale. I love billows of vapor as much as the next guy, but I wouldn't dream of doing that in a non-smoking area.

Most people do NOT know about e-cigs . . . it looks like you're smoking . . . it looks like you're pushing out billows of something or another that just ain't natural . . . you look like you're polluting their space.

And for those who HAVE heard about e-cigs, well, they learned everything they know from the FDA and the media, and, by God, you're killing them with your second-hand smoke.

The way to reach these people is not to antagonize them or insult them. Instead, educate them.

And if you really want to have a chance of getting someone to listen to you long enough that you can actually share some good information, you need to learn how to get people to listen. Rude, in-your-face behavior is guaranteed to shut down the lines of communication. Instead, why not start off by throwing someone a bone? Why not respond with, "Oh, wow . . . sorry about that. I can see where the use of my personal vaporizer might be confusing because it does kind of sort of look like I'm smoking, but . . . "

And if they are not convinced, don't throw a fit and don't be insulting. All you do then is convince them that they were right . . . .

 

[Superstargoddess]

I am going to weigh in here, too.

I have never been asked to leave an establishment because of my PV use. That is primarily because I use it discretely. I don't use a PV that even remotely resembles a cigarette. I take a discrete puff and hold it in my mouth/lungs for a sufficient amount of time for there to be practically no vapor on exhale. I love billows of vapor as much as the next guy, but I wouldn't dream of doing that in a non-smoking area.

Most people do NOT know about e-cigs . . . it looks like you're smoking . . . it looks like you're pushing out billows of something or another that just ain't natural . . . you look like you're polluting their space.

And for those who HAVE heard about e-cigs, well, they learned everything they know from the FDA and the media, and, by God, you're killing them with your second-hand smoke.

The way to reach these people is not to antagonize them or insult them. Instead, educate them.

And if you really want to have a chance of getting someone to listen to you long enough that you can actually share some good information, you need to learn how to get people to listen. Rude, in-your-face behavior is guaranteed to shut down the lines of communication. Instead, why not start off by throwing someone a bone? Why not respond with, "Oh, wow . . . sorry about that. I can see where the use of my personal vaporizer might be confusing because it does kind of sort of look like I'm smoking, but . . . "

And if they are not convinced, don't throw a fit and don't be insulting. All you do then is convince them that they were right . . . .

That's just like when I was out to a bar last night and smoking is not allowed in my state anymore. There was a bouncer there that hadn't seen me with my PV yet and he came up and said "I noticed that you are blowing out smoke and everything um..." and pointed at my PV.

I calmly said "It's an electronic cigarette, it's exempt from the smoking ban. The other bouncer that's usually here and the bartender that is here right now know about it." and he said "They're ok with it?" I said "Yes, they're alright with it." And he said "Ok." then he shrugged and walked away.

It would have been a totally different story if I would have got all sassy and rude with him. But after explaining CALMLY what it was and that the other staff had seen it and were alright with it, he just got a bit confused and walked away.

 

[BardicDruid]

I'll offend I am Nico. That kind of extraordinarily juvenile behavior undoes all the good ECA and others have tried to do. I expect tantrums from a second grader, not a person old enough to e-smoke. Pathetic.

Ditto, the main reason I ordered a JantyStick is because it doesn't look like an analog. If someone mistakes it for one I think they need glasses but it's not my place to get in their face about it. After all I'm just a visitor and when in Rome.....

 

[Mister]

"The victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory."
- Sun Tzu

Asserting rights which don't exist and fighting for them only antagonizes and strengthens an already strong enemy. Please don't do it.

 

[sherid]

I had a real bad experience at Applebee's last night.

For the last 2 months, I never had problems breaking out the trusty RN4081 and vaping while enjoying my frosty cold beverage after work at this restaurant next to my office. Went last night though after work, and had the embarassing pleasure of the manager not quite politely tell me in front of my supervisor and my teammates that I can no longer "smoke" that in here and I would need to take it outside, new company policy.

Smoke that???? Ever since the stupid FDA report came out, all of the sudden I am a smoker again with my PV? I now have to be chastised and shunned again just like when I was smoking cigarettes? Even one of my teammates (who is a smoker none the less) said that it was BS. Man I am ......!

Just out of curiousity, has anyone had this experience yet?

Not to be rude, but told you so. The war against smoking is the same war with the same enemy as the new war against vaping.

 

[brownbrown4]

i understand everyones opinion on nico's actions... but in his defense... "somewhat"
the bay area is the closest thing to "new yorker type mentality" on the west coast . and everyone knows what happens when they p-off a New Yorker....
jus- my 2 cents.

BB

 

[friskya]

i understand everyones opinion on nico's actions... but in his defense... "somewhat"
the bay area is the closest thing to "new yorker type mentality" on the west coast . and everyone knows what happens when they p-off a New Yorker....
jus- my 2 cents.

BB

Gotta agree with this. I'm in an industry where I'm forced to deal with New Yorkers almost every day. The common observation is that the surest way to P.O. a New Yorker, is by being polite to them.

 

[iduditz]

Right.. just because it isn't a cigarette doesn't mean that its ok to use it wherever you want (and justify its use with an 'its my right' speech). Just imagine someone shooting up with a syringe filled with saline solution. It is not an illegal drug but you can bet your ... they would throw you out no matter what.