Vaping in public

[Will o Wisp]

vaping is NOT smoking -just like perception is different than reality. So do what you can to make it acceptable. Watch that your actions do not have the opposite effect. Educating folks, asking permission, courtesy go a long way. Even stealth vaping- make sure it is stealthy.
People fear the unknown. If people feel as though your actions are exclusive or arrogant you may have a negative impact on vaping. People complaining or .....ing about open vaping will have a negative effect and most probably will result in more banning. I would always suggest to err on the side of caution.
Vapers already have a lot of powerful entities deciding what to do with us. If we continue to have people question/complain about what they perceive what we're doing-it will only snowball and empower those entities.
Be cool.

 

[renstyle]

I spent 6 hours at Lowe's over last weekend with my wife. We're remodeling our kitchen. If you think I was there that much and wasn't vaping my face off the entire time in the store you're crazy. Nobody said anything. Plenty of employees saw me doing it. My mom kept telling me to knock it off but she's a different story entirely...

Did you have a stick PV with you or your ePipe?

 

[dzlady]

I went to the hospital Sunday to visit a friend who had surgery. I vaped in her room and the doctor and nurse came in...didnt say a thing to me. My e-cig is pink, so it doesnt look a thing like an analog. I am nervous about smoking in some places, like restaurants. Even though my 510 doesnt look like an analog, when they see the plume of vapor...I just dont do well with confrontation.

 

[renstyle]

Vaping is NOT smoking -just like perception is different than reality. So do what you can to make it acceptable. Watch that your actions do not have the opposite effect. Educating folks, asking permission, courtesy go a long way. Even stealth vaping- make sure it is stealthy.
People fear the unknown. If people feel as though your actions are exclusive or arrogant you may have a negative impact on vaping. People complaining or .....ing about open vaping will have a negative effect and most probably will result in more banning. I would always suggest to err on the side of caution.
Vapers already have a lot of powerful entities deciding what to do with us. If we continue to have people question/complain about what they perceive what we're doing-it will only snowball and empower those entities.
Be cool.

I felt much the same way when I started vaping: stay out of the limelight, had that "guilty look" when ppl looked at me.

Not so anymore!

My wife gets migraines when she gets hit with "bad smells": perfume and 'baccy did her in every time. The kids notice when they smell somebody else smoking, burning leaves, etc, that mommy is gonna feel bad if we don't get her inside (or otherwise AWAY from the smoke). They know that I used to smoke, and now I "puff" my "puffer stick" so "daddy doesn't get lung cancer and die, and mommy's head won't hurt from smoke". This from a 3yo and 5yo.

Periodically I vape while walking down the aisle in a store, but I feel at ease and don't make a spectacle of myself, and nobody has bothered me, even in my small town of 5,000 ppl.

 

[JumpSteady]

Just got back from Las Vegas. I enjoyed vaping in public. I would notice people watching me sometimes and found it amusing. A few people asked me about it. I was mainly using a standard black 510 with blue led, boge cartomizers and a pcc. Every once in a while I whipped out my stainless steel ego. It seemed that people generally recognize a standard 510 as an electronic cigarette, but I got more "what is that" reaction from the silver ego.

I am aware of the "more it looks like a cigarette, the more it sucks, or if I'm not smoking I don't want to look like I'm smoking, or after a while you won't care if it looks like a cigarette any more" mentality here. But personally I feel a lot more comfortable with a standard 510 + pcc in public over my stainless ego and I tried both.

 

[darthwader]

I am really new to vaping, more or less since yesterday (not counting trying trying my friends on several occasions). I was wondering if anyone when confronted used some sort of line like "Its a chemical administration device used to treat stress" or something else to that effect.

 

[MasonD]

@ darthwader: I'm pretty new, myself. I've just told people what it is, usually, in that sort of circumstance, using the term personal vaporizer. I've found, so far, that when people learn what it is, and what my intention is (to not smoke annys after some 20 years!) that they're all for it. Something else I did too, to convince my office roommate, was found a couple of short you-boob vids on pg and e-cigs (leggomyears has a good one...), and sent them to her, to review. Find some that you like, and keep em' bookmarked to send to folks as the need arises. I haven't pushed it real far, as in I won't vape like a chimney with her in the room, just small puffs, if at all-- usually I'll just go out of the room if I want to vape and she's around-- but she's cool with me doing it, which is quite a boon (especially with Virginia thunderstorms!!)

But I think the biggest thing that we're dealing with, as a community, is ignorance. I figure that the best approach is not necessarily braggadiccio unabashed gregariousness, but pushing forward, firmly, with courtesy. I figure I will not back down from my rights, but, at this point in the struggle, I'd rather leave a decent taste in the mouth for people, and give 'em something to chew on-- it does seem true that, wherever you are, you are representing the community as a whole, and it's much better to make strides for the community, rather than set us all back some.

After all, we can always go to the bathroom to vape, stealth-mode, if really necessary-- but, at the same time, we should try to push forward as much as possible, and educate, educate, educate, when we run into opposition. When you're vaping in public, always be ready to educate! All and all, this alternative to cigarettes needs to be widely and easily available for any smoker to dump the --deadly-- habit, and have a longer, better life. Could probably dig up some MLK quotes, and no, I wouldn't say that would be overdoing it, here-- tobacco kills, and the tobacco 'industry' is evil, to put it in a single word.

 

[mimmerfy]

yeah I pretty much vape everywhere.

 

[581775017]

Im pretty new to the vaping world too...Been smoking atleast a pack a day for 18 years! Untill one day a friend throws his Ego at me and told me to try it! Since that moment I have been smoke free! And now i pretty much vape everywhere... But so far everytime I go outside to vape I still havn't bump into a fellow vaper! (Tons of smokers though) I think we all need to vape freely, so more and more peeps know about this and make the switch for the best! Can't wait for the day to go outside and see more vapers then smokers

 

[JumpSteady]

Yeah I have not yet seen another person vaping other than someone using one of mine.

 

[Will o Wisp]

Renstyle,
I'm quite confident and comfortable vaping. My statement was made as a general note to all vapers. I worry mostly about the folks that will vape in i.e. a bar-restaurant-public places and the like and possibly-cause complaints. These could be caused by-ignorance,jealousy or other reasons mentioned in this thread. The result could affect all of us. Once something is perceived as negative-and it "snowballs" it's almost impossible to stop it.
I'll use-probably the worst analogy -one could use on ECF. Look at smoking. It went from -you could smoke anywhere (airplane,Dr's office etc) to practically nowhere. The snowball effect made crusaders wallowing in the hype. Is smoking bad-should it be resricted?-hell yes! But c'mon now- some young thing (with some sort of badge) walking 400 yards down a beach-when I'm fishing -WAY away from anybody -preaching town policy/law is just -over doing it.
I'm glad I don't smoke anymore (THANKS ECF!)
I don't want to see this happen with vaping.
It CAN start with just a collection of owners (any kind of place) simply stating-"I don't really care what it is OR it isn't-I'm getting some complaints-don't do it here".
I already have some converts. I like the general theme here of educating. asking permission-being respectful.
On the other hand-I worry every time I read about someone just vaping in some public establishment.
Perception and reality.

 

[bart007]

its ok to vape inside. completely different to smoking no harmful effects.

 

[Religion]

Will o Wisp is right. We all really want EVERYONE to like vapers and not lump us in with the kill smokers shenanigans. They should be so happy that there is one less smoker in their world, but ... Perception... Do what you can to help them like vapers

 

[scinsc]

Vaping is NOT smoking -just like perception is different than reality. So do what you can to make it acceptable. Watch that your actions do not have the opposite effect. Educating folks, asking permission, courtesy go a long way. Even stealth vaping- make sure it is stealthy.
People fear the unknown. If people feel as though your actions are exclusive or arrogant you may have a negative impact on vaping. People complaining or .....ing about open vaping will have a negative effect and most probably will result in more banning. I would always suggest to err on the side of caution.
Vapers already have a lot of powerful entities deciding what to do with us. If we continue to have people question/complain about what they perceive what we're doing-it will only snowball and empower those entities.
Be cool.

While you and I agree on many things and I think your heart is in the right place, Perhaps you are going a bit overboard. I think you are zeroing in on what a certain group of people might perceive and not giving enough credit to people that have common sense. Out in public how can we possibly know what another person might perceive or feel until they are confronted with any issue? And if their perception is wrong it should be addressed but we shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to appease them. Vaping is NOT smoking.

Perhaps I have an advantage because I am an old fart with a pot belly and white hair but in every encounter I have had with individuals while vaping the end result has been positive.

I don’t ask for permission to vape at a public place. It’s not a private home; it’s a public place. Since I am not causing harm to anyone else why would I even bring it up? Would you ask permission to chew nicotine gum, use Advair or wear an orange shirt? That list could get quite long. If someone has a problem with anything I am doing they will approach me. If someone does approach me and says that smoking isn’t allowed my response is “Hallelujah! Thank you. I’m with you 100%! I feel right at home here and let me tell you about this fabulous device that helped me quit smoking and is saving my life”. I will then give them a brief education and assure them that my output is on par with the breath of someone chewing nicotine gum. Invariably they will tell me of a friend or relative that is still smoking and that they would love to help them quit. I give them my email and then direct them to ECF. Frankly I love the encounter it’s a great experience. I think it’s incredible that we all have the opportunity to make a real difference and possibly save someone’s life. A snowballing effect can work for us too. If we sneak around and hide vaping in public a golden opportunity to educate is gone.

There are narrow-minded people against us and I doubt that will ever stop. Some people see us as a threat to their money. Some people are just plain nosey or love power or have to have something to complain about or feel the need to control others. The only legitimate concern they should have is with health issues. They might have more money and they are quick to play the “for the children card” but I’m not so sure they have the majority on their side. We have a couple of assets on our side that are very powerful. Freedom and the fact that the PV might be one of the greatest inventions of our time. It is preventing cancer.

 

[PRETTYJ6]

Yeah. I too have been self conscious at times vaping in Public...rarely ever inside places, but when I'm at a club/bar w/ my friends I usually don't mind it as much. I guess its your preference if you feel comfortable enough to do so.

 

[cookiebun]

Some of you have mentioned that you now vape inside your home. I haven't begun vaping yet seeing as I'm waiting for my first order but I too plan to begin vaping inside my house. My question is, how do you guys feel about vaping with animals/pets present? Obviously blowing the vape at them is probably a bad idea but considering the amount of nicotine that can be distributed through an ecig is greater than that of a cigarette, are you still wary about them while they're around?

My 2 pet rats are fascinated by my pv. They try to grab it when I use while sitting on the couch with them. I've never intentionally puffed vapor at them.
I doubt my 2 rabbits really notice it. If it had a strong smell it would probably make them thump.

 

[meems]

I vape everywhere, unapologetically...ball games, malls, movie theaters...wherever.

 

[LibertariaNate]

Some of you have mentioned that you now vape inside your home. I haven't begun vaping yet seeing as I'm waiting for my first order but I too plan to begin vaping inside my house. My question is, how do you guys feel about vaping with animals/pets present?...

Most of the cats don't seem to notice. One of them though has become obsessed with watching the vapor as I exhale. He seems to especially like vapor rings. He comes running anytime he sees me pick up my PV.

 

[quovadis]

Vaping in public or not has to do with how you feel about yourself.
Are you an introvert? Extrovert? Afraid of your own shadow? Narcissistic?
Do you care about what people think of you?
This dilemma of, "to vape or not in public", lead to the advent of "stealth vaping"! The art of vaping in public but covertly.
Being addicted to something goes hand in hand with doing it covertly!
What do you guys think?

 

[Religion]

Quite true, quovatis.