Vapers in the wild

[CanadianCow]

I would love to encounter another vaper in RL. If they have a different setup I would love to ask them what they think of it and if they have the same setup I would ask what juices they like to vape. I intentionally make my setup known even if I am not vaping by wearing it on a lanyard outside my coat (even though I loathe wearing a lanyard). I figure that is the best way to have people come up and ask about it or for other vapers to recognize me as a vaper.

 

[steb77]

The only vapers I see out are my friends I put on...but I live in a small town.

 

[Karen N Daytona]

Ok, so I had never seen a vapor before I started to vape. I knew about cig a likes at the gas station and the drug store, but I never saw anybody get one. I live in a smoking area so to speak. Of course, we have all the same no smoking indoors and restrictions for outdoors as other states and local venues are enacting, but a good number of people still smoke in Central Florida. Especially, the Daytona Beach area.

I have been vaping for about 2 months, I purchased my equipment mostly online after I bought a few different cig a likes. I found the closest B&M was at the flea market only open 3 days a week, and after that the next closest was 25 miles away, not bad, but not great. So, all of a sudden I'm driving home from the Doctor and I see a sign Vapor something or other. You should of heard the squeal of my tires as I pulled into the parking lot and practically jumped from my vehicle. I was so excited, people to talk to about my new favorite subject. I go inside, not much merchandise, I was a little disappointed, but I figured they just opened, maybe they didn't get everything in yet. I start chatting with the people in the store and it didn't take long for me to realize, they knew very little about vaping. I was so let down. If I know more than they do, how can they sell it? Well, long story short, they knew so little, and they do not know much about this forum or much of anything else. I won't say the name of the shop as maybe things will change. Not enough passion for the product will equal no sales, store will close. I did buy something over priced to give them some business.

Next day, I go to the hospital to pick up medical records, the woman sees my lanyard and pouch and tells me she vapes! YEAH! So we chat a while, I made a friend and gave her this forum info for more information. Hope to see you on here Susan. After I leave the store I went to have my tires changed for new and the lady running the place was smoking inside. I am proud of myself I was able to sit there for at least 1 hour while they changed my tires and I vaped like a steam engine. The woman who was chain smoking (now, I know how disgusting that looks to a non-smoker, that was me just a few weeks ago) asked me about my ego twists and I explained them to her. She had tried cig a like, failed and went back to smoking. I gave her this site info too. Hope she shows up here eventually.

SO, in my area there are many other vapors out in the wild. I wear my pv (twist) proudly as someone above me mentioned. I use it often, and I guess there are more of us than I thought.

 

[Envithyx]

I recently found out that there were 4 vapers that worked at the local Best Buy.

I talk tech a lot with the guys there and for some reason just decided to start talking vaping shop (was a reasonable interjection) and the guy who I was talking to took me over to one of them and we continued our conversation. He even had himself a high end pv. First time I've seen another with a pv that we commonly see on the forums.

Kinda a nice change of pace.

 

[xsphat]

The first time you are stopped, be nice. Explain to the cop what it is. Then file a formal complaint with his agency, and include in your complaint an info flyer from CASAA or something educational about e-cigs.

If you get stopped again, file another official complaint and let them know that if this continues, it will be a matter for the courts to decide, and you will be pursuing legal action.

this is all well and good in civilization but I live in the Northwoods, and my city PD's moto is "A true friend will help you bury a body" lol.

 

[StereoDreamer]

The only vapers I see out are my friends I put on...but I live in a small town.

I live halfway between DC and Baltimore--in the massive metropolis of the DC suburbs. There are 5 B&M shops within an hour of my home. There are kiosks in every mall. Almost every gas station and convenience store sells NJoys and BLUs.

And yet, I almost NEVER see vapers "in the wild".

They've GOT to be here--or else there wouldn't be enough customers to keep all these business going that sell e-cigs, juice, PVs and accessories. But I rarely see them, except at vape meets or when I visit the shops.

I think there are a LOT of people in the DC area that are "stealth vapers", sneaking around in bathrooms and stairwells, and in their cars, but they are, for some reason afraid to do it in public.

These are the same people that, 10 years ago would light up a cig ANYWHERE--in bars, in restaurants, on the street, wherever. But now that they have become vapers, they seem to think they need to sneak around for their vaping. I just don't get it.

Are people so brow-beaten by thuggish LEOs that they aren't willing to exercise their rights these days? Are we so afraid of being accosted by some bully with a badge that we think we have to exercise our rights in private, in secret, or on the sly?

If this is what is going on, then I have little faith in my fellow citizens, and little hope for the future of the Republic.

But then again, I live in the People's Republic of Maryland, where police misconduct and abuse is so bad that the City of Baltimore actually has a line-item in their budget to cover settlement payouts for Federal Civil Rights lawsuits, because they happen so frequently. (they have averaged $10 MILLION a year EVERY YEAR for the last decade in Baltimore alone...)

Screw them all. I'm vaping ANYWHERE I want to. I'll be polite about it, but I'm not going to sneak around like some guilty teenager sneaking puffs on some of daddy's stolen Marlboros.

If some business owner tells me to stop, I will--and I will gladly take my money elsewhere, and send them copies of my receipts and an explanation as to why I am now patronizing their competitors.

And if some bully with a badge wants to harass me, he better have a good lawyer, because I WILL record our encounter, and I WILL post it to YouTube--right before I contact a lawyer and the local and national media...

 

[Tankman77]

The 2 times I was approached by a vaper in the wild it was at dinner and both were out of juice! Totally reminded me of the days of "bumming a smoke" so now I follow a modified code. If I have over 5 ml's, or am about to go home to my juice box, my juice is a needy vapers juice!

HA HA HA....so funny!!
"Excuse me, Sorry to bother you; but, Can I bum some juice from you?".........awkward!!!

 

[Tankman77]

When I head out in to the wild, I am always hunting for other vapors! I am yet to spot another, they are very elusive.
It seems that most of us here are VERY passionate about vaping and I would love to share that with somebody in my home town. I do miss the comaraderie I had with the analog crew around the ashtray. YUK. I hope to find a few fellow vapors to talk shop and show off new mods and accessories!!! I wish there were a "Vapor Lounge" where us fellow vapors could meet up!! That would be great.
But in the mean time, Ill just sit on my computer, with my favorite mod and juice and vape with my friends on ECF!!!
Keep Vaping and spread the word to your local community. If you see me out and I got my APV in hand, you BETTER say HI!!!

 

[Envithyx]

... I do miss the comaraderie I had with the analog crew around the ashtray. YUK. ...

That so reminded me of a guy who I interviewed for a job back in 96. When he came to do the interview, the job had already been filled. We still interviewed him for a position that was going to open up a bit down the road. Some time later, he got the job and came to work. He approached me later and asked if I wanted to go out with him for a smoke. I had just started to try and quit about 2 days earlier. When I told him, he was so bumbed. He told me that when he got the call he was excited not only for the new job, but also because he already had a smoking buddy there. Well, he didn't have to wait long, I couldn't do the patch and only made it like a week.

Anyhow, sidetracked a bit, but would love to find vapers to hang out with like that again. I've gotten the local guitar shop to welcome vapers but so far none have shown up.

 

[Xamicon]

I too am guilty of hunting for other vapers in the wild. I'm sure I look like a dweeb with my PV on my lanyard, but I don't care! I vape EVERYWHERE, hoping that someone will comment, or ask about it so that I may educate them. lol

 

[Ikeprof]

Had a meeting last week with a couple of reps from a major wireless telecom company regarding whether a technology they offer would be useful to our application.

The meeting was at our office, so during the course of the meeting, I was not outright puffing away, but not quite ninja vaping. There was only 4 of us total.

Anyhow, about 1/2 way through the meeting, one of our visitors turns to me and says "it's ok, go ahead and vape, I've got a Provari out in the car"

THAT was cool

 

[jtpjc]

When I came back from the shops a few weeks ago, I saw a police van parked in my street, with two officers in it, facing toward me. I thought, this might become interesting, so I took a big puff of my eVic while I was walking towards the van, making sure they could clearly see what I was doing. When I was close to them, one officer rolled down his window and asked "What is that?" I showed him the eVic and said "Take a wild guess." He already knew it was an electronic cigarette, so we talked a bit about how it worked, what's in the liquid, where you can get them, what the costs are and that kind of stuff. All the while he was smoking a RYO in the van, the other officer just sitting there and listening and grinning. I told him my address and if the police department ever needed more information, I would be happy to give a lecture and a demonstration.

I guess over here the relation between citizens and police officers is a bit different than in the US.

 

[akatina]

I met my first in the wild this Saturday at roller derby. He's a ref, I'm a skater, and we both relished how much better we feel on the vape. Ironically we were both in the smokers area; it was nice having another vaper around to help field the questions!

 

[Coldpunk]

I only ever see people who I've converted, or the friends who first introduced me to it. I'd definitely say something, some form of approval and encouragement. If they had a cool mod or something I hadn't seen I'd definitely ask about it if it wasn't intrusive or rude to do so.

 

[cactus71]

I've never seen a vaper in the wild... if I did I think I'd approach him/her. It's strange and maybe a leftover from smoking but I still remain inconspicuous when I vape so I'm probably another vaper you don't see in the wild. Might have to change that.

 

[ktelectronic]

I have never seen another vaper. I live in NC. I wish there were more people out there who would vape publicly so those of us who aren't as confident would feel more comfortable doing it in public too. It's really a great thing as it saves people's lives, so I think it would be a good thing to do.

 

[Zetaphor]

I sadly haven't met any other vapers in the wild, but I'd have no hesitation to walk up and start talking products.