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Q: Did you ever ask a Chinese to snuff out a cigarette in a restaurant?
Since restaurant management hardly ever enforces the "no smoking" rule I sometimes do it myself if I have my young kids with me. I was shocked that if you ask nicely, about 80% of smokers will comply with your request, or at least move far away to another table. If however, you make a "demand" and fight, or at least a very loud argument will follow.
Yep, I did once.
He, in his 50, sat on the other table front of us, just under the non-smoking sign. So I have asked him to stop smoking. not very nicely, but not rudely. he play "do not understand laoway language". I repeated twice again, with following a bit angry voice " don't you understand chinese? we have kid here"
Than his wife told him something, so he stood up, inflate his chests, stood beside of our table and took another 2 puffs and slowly continued to outside of the restaurant. I send him message of thanks. Later came to other table some 3 guys and 2 galls with food, and start conversation with the old woman. I realized they may be a family and guys looked bit sporty. I has a bit worries, but ready to stand my beliefs. nothing happen and all was ok than.
But he pissed me with this pose beside of table and puff
I did it yesterday in elevator. Box came from upper floors to my 4th. Guy was smoking inside. I asked him to exit the box, and he complied and extinguished cig., and reenter it for the ride to the bottom floor. No comments or complains.
In restaurants in China, I try to sit away from the smoking table.
If I sit already, I will ask staff to tell customers at nearby table to stop smoking.
They always comply without arguments. Once, we had to 'gambei' with smoking table, after my complaint. I took it as 'apology'.
Yes, all the time. The other week I did it 3 times just while my wife was looking at the menu. These 3 people were all sitting right under non smoking signs, it is a mystery why they put out ashtrays.
RiriRiri:
Theory: non smoking signs are on the checklist to get a better "hygiene" grade from the local government*. Ashtrays? Not the problem of the inspection officers, they're here to check a list, not think.
*2 extra points if the signs are purchased from supplier X, which boss is a good friend of the local Food Safety Bureau.
Scandinavian:
You don't think the inspectors stay home and restaurant owner comes by with a red envelope. That would seem like the easiest for the inspectors.
Some dude at the gym decided he needed a pre-workout smoke in the locker room, at the same time I was in there getting ready to take a shower. Not sure if he was shocked that someone would actually complain about it, or shocked it was a laowai asking in passable Chinese for him to take it outside....but he stuttered out a bu hao yi si before scurrying off to continue smoking elsewhere. The no smoking signs are actually more prominent in the locker room than they are elsewhere in the facility, yet the locker room is the preferred location for smoking. Something about smoking and wang watching at the same time? Dunno.
....'OUT!'
