Safe Speed Forums

Call me a happy smoker. No plans to quit. And ESPECIALLY no plans to quit under government pressure.

I think the ban is highly objectionable, a) because the science does not support it, b) because the market can (and has been) accomodating the desires of all, c) because the state has no business interfering (what next? dangeous sports?), d) because the ban is extremely expensive to taxpayers everywhere, e) because it further divides society, and f) because it encourages petty hitlers, nimbys and the 'ban it' culture.

And finally because I used to enjoy a cigarette in a cinema (yeah, long ago) or after a meal.

edited to add: g) - I almost forgot - because of the inevitable damage to pubs, clubs and restaurants.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Not that difficult to spot, TBH. Liveried vehicle? Anyone smoking? If the answer to both is yes then an offence is being committed, most likely.

Chances are it's one council department catching another in the council car park!

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Less Kodak, more Kojak.
In times of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

Paul, you are living in cloud cuckoo land if you think the 'desires of all' were accommodated before the ban came in.

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Less Kodak, more Kojak.
In times of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

Yes, that's what I suspected, particularly as you can't fine anyone unless you know who they are.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

There was a growing number of pubs that were either entirely or mainly non-smoking.

One pub I regularly visit decided last year to confine smoking just to the tap-room, leaving the rest of the pub non-smoking. This was in accordance with the wishes of the customers was generally regarded as fair. But the best craic was always in the tap-room.

In reality, the number of people who were so opposed to smoking that they were disinclined to visit pubs altogether was always pretty small and therefore operators saw little benefit in catering for them.

There have been examples of pubs banning smoking and then having to back-track, as trade fell off a cliff, for example this one in Swansea.

Also Wetherspoon's said they would make all their pubs non-smoking before the ban, and then rapidly had second thoughts:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4769474.stm


By the way, for the avoidance of doubt, I am a non-smoker of many years' standing and have never smoked more than occasionally.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

Really? So the market couldn't make no smoking pubs, clubs and so on, if the demand was there?

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Our firm has banned people from smoking in their own cars while on company premises - including the car park.

I have visions now of cars queueing up the road, causing chaos, while the one in the front of the makeshit queue finishes their smoke before turning off the road into the car park. No doubt hooting will ensue and encourage this renegade behaviour.

A Freudian slip?

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

oops

I saw one on another forum the other day when someone (who admittedly has severe dyslexia and struggles to spell words correctly) described a dispenser as a depeniser

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

I found that going out with a group of friends was always a problem if one was a smoker. "I won't go if I can't smoke" was always the refrain, which to me seems pretty selfish if everyone else would prefer not to spend the evening in a smoke filled environment and end up with stinking clothes; but I suppose going without a substance you are addicted to isn't anyone's idea of a fun night out either.

So we went from one extreme - let's go where the smokers want or we can't go at all - to the other extreme - don't let anyone smoke and to hell with what the smokers want. Did all the smoking friends lock themselves at home and refuse to go to work or out for a drink a la jp? Of course not. They adapted and we still go out for the evening. If they want to smoke they pop outside and it's not a huge imposition. Many of them gave up instead and are happy that they took the opportunity to do so. If we go out with smokers in the group we try to go somewhere with decent outdoor facilities, but it's never been a huge issue since the ban came in up here and most smokers I know wonder why it took so long to ban it.

I'm really torn about the ban, TBH. Like you Pete I'm not happy about the ever increasing regulation of our lives but, on the other hand, I'm happy that I can go to the pub and enjoy a drink without all that smoke/smell etc On balance I think the ban was the right thing.

Does being a member here but agreeing with the smoking ban make me a hypocrite? Maybe...

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Less Kodak, more Kojak.
In times of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

It isn't true to say life just goes on as before, it doesn't.

There's plenty of evidence that the ban has had a significant effect on the licensed trade in Scotland, for example:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 555585.ece


I suppose at the end of the day it's a question of what is more important to you, the company of smokers or avoiding the smell of smoke.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

I'm absolutely vicious about that - no smoking means no custom. And I'm most certainly not going to change my behaviour for a government ban. So now I'm banned from pubs, clubs and restaurants. Tough. I hope they all go broke for failing to stand up for their customers' rights. Of course if everyone stood by such principles we wouldn't have these bans...



I can't see why. This campaign is about the best way to make the roads safer. If 'ban it' looked like the answer we'd have to support it.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

OR

It's up to the smokers really. What's more important to them? Their cigarettes or a night out with their friends?

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Less Kodak, more Kojak.
In times of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

Same here, even after such a short time off the fags I can smell a cigarette on the go at 500 paces (not literally of course, but I'm sure you get my drift).
I have also noticed that I can smell a smoker from a reasonable distance before they get to me as well.

Fitness wise I doubt things will improve.
My last check up 2 months ago showed a heart rate of 63 with a BP of 110/65 which (according to my GP) is pretty good. On the spirometry test, I blew it off the scale.

All the above figures certainly surprised me, because I do all the things that are bad for you to excess and I have to be one of the laziest ba****ds on the planet when it comes to actually exerting myself.

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

I am waiting for a report back from my bingo hall correspondent on tonight's arrangements. The point is that a much greater proportion of bingo attendees smoke than in the general population and I will be interested to see what the effect is on this more extreme situation.

... and no I don't smoke and never have.

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

Blood pressure seems to be a "moveable feast" as a few years ago I was considered to have OK pressure. Now, with the same numbers, I am over the safe limit as the guidance has changed.

You are right though, your numbers look good.

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

Or a compromise - i was used to the old fashioned work bench - we all had ashtrays on our bench, and probably let more fags burn out than actually smoked. Before i gave up , it became custom to ask any non smokers in the vehicle if hey minded, if we opened windows. I am still accustomed to smokers - half the blokes at work do , but they respect our rights, so no one is offended. Likewise at home Mrs B smokes - has tried to pack in ,but can't ,so it's something i've got to live with. On reflection , possibly i was one of the worst offenders ,smoking in open company -so why can i critisise something i was guilty of .I've seen too many hardened ex smokers preach.

Something the ex smokers should think on, prehaps .

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

And I'm allowed to go to pubs, clubs and restaurants.

I am old enough to remember the days when country pubs were going to disappear because the breath test had been brought in.
I shall be interested to see what difference it actually makes.

Vast numbers of country pubs have disappeared - hadn't you noticed?

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed