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Q: Smokers in non-smoking Western restaurants: how do you deal with them?

I am talking about places like McDonalds, KFC, Starbucks etc...  where non-smoking policies are supposed to be enforced, but still have Chinese people smoking without being bothered by the staff. I usually look at them and frown or if they are close enough, simply politely ask them to stop. Some would actually stop or leave the place while others act confused, then just move seats and continue to smoke.

It really irritates me, especially when I choose to go to those places precisely to escape a smoke filled Chinese restaurant to be able to enjoy my food or coffee.

10 years 37 weeks ago in  Health & Safety - China

 
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I remember visiting a friend in a hospital intensive care unit and watching a guy stand outside his door smoking away with doctors and nurses just passing him by.  When I confronted him and pointed at all the no-smoking signs, he just shrugged and moved 2 doors down.

 

Then some Chinese old woman saw him smoking and jumped all over the guy for about 20 minutes straight.  

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10 years 37 weeks ago
 
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If it bothers you that much, ask for restaurant manager and complain.  If they ignore you, then it is time to seek another restaurant.  If they talk to smoking customer, and he/she chooses to continue smoking, you should decide where to leave peacefully, or create a disturbance that may eventually backfire on you.

You must also understand that a place that post a sign "No smoking allowed" and keeps ashtrays on tables, it is not too keen on enforcing that regulation.

CARLGODWIN1983:

This is McDonalds etc where non-smoking has been the policy for as long as I can remember.  It's not a Chinese restaurant which may give some credence to your answer.

 

Complain to the manager and tell them that it's McDonalds/Starbucks etc and not some Chinese crap.

10 years 37 weeks ago
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10 years 37 weeks ago
 
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I smoked up to 6 years ago     if I do not want to be around a smoker I do not sit there    if I am there first I say something and usaly the response is sorry and they put it out or move away Some people choose to smoke I choose not to that does not give me the right to tell them how to live their life (or be it shorter than others)

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10 years 37 weeks ago
 
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First, ask them not to smoke. Qing Wu Xi Yan (iirc).

Second, if they continue ask the manager waiter to ask them to stop.

Third, if they still continue, take a video.

 

Next you have to decide if you want to follow through with it, but then tell the waiter you have the video and are going to call the police.

 

It is probably easier to leave rather than call the police though. Only exception would be if pro smoking asshats are around then you go up to Jayknox take the offending cigarette from his mouth and stub it out on his forehead!devil

 

If smokers want to smoke fine, but do it in smoking designated areas.

JayKnox:

I will take a video of me making you eat the cigarette, post it on Youku and the description of how you did this in the West as a kind of cheap way to feel 'clean' and get a cheap little self-righteous indignation. Like a neurotic white suburban woman.

 

I'll make you keep eating them until you say "mmmmm I wanted to get some cheap self-righteousness off the expense of others".

 

 

10 years 37 weeks ago
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10 years 37 weeks ago
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JayKnox:

Hey, you could just delete the video. How you sleep at nights is your problem.

10 years 37 weeks ago
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Flemingo:

JayKnox, there is nothing self righteous about not wanting to breathe your toxic second hand smoke in a non smoking restaurant. You want to smoke, that's your right, your choice, but it's my right to choose not to. You do not have the right to smoke in a non smoking area, especially somewhere like McD's or Starbucks where you are likely to be there for maybe 30 minutes to an hour, just go outside, or wait until you leave. Nobody here has said that you should not smoke, or attacked you for being a smoker yet you are so defensive. The point is, the choice of non-smokers to not smoke does not affect smokers, but smokers choosing to smoke in a non smoking area takes away the choice of the non-smokers. 

10 years 37 weeks ago
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JayKnox:

Flemingo,

   Again, it is your right to leave when you are terribly upset with some smells that bother your white suburban tastes.

Which is what you can do. Leave and come back when I'm finished smoking.

Next you will sniff about how you ordered a double-latte mocha with SKIM NOT 2% and try and get large soft-drinks banned and complain about dog poop on your yard like it mattered?

10 years 37 weeks ago
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Hugh.G.Rection:

Jayknox, Why the puck should WE leave? YOU are breaking the law,YOU  are harming OUR health!

 

Using your logic if we lock all children up in prison we can prevent paedophilia!

10 years 37 weeks ago
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sam239:

You should leave the vicinity of the smoke because this is China and there are plenty of countries where all the suburban lefty non-smokers can tell all the smokers what to do, slap excessive taxes on tobacco, etc. I'm not a smoker (well at least regularly, sometime I enjoy a good one especially with a nice healthy banquet and some fine scotch) but I think it's a breathe of fresh air the way smokers are free to smoke indoors here. It won't be this way for long as the PC anti-smoker control freaks try to impose their way through Asia.

 

Just as long as they're not smoking cheap cigarettes. The good ones actually smell fine.

10 years 37 weeks ago
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CARLGODWIN1983:

Hugh,

 

That is funny.  The topic isn't, but the way you are making your point is.

 

You put a smile on my face, thank you.

10 years 37 weeks ago
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Flemingo:

WTF is wrong with your logic. If you choose not to smoke, that affects NO-ONE other than yourself. If you choose to smoke that affects all of those around you. That's like saying if you choose to stab me in the back, it's my fault I get stabbed for standing next to you while you were holding a knife. 

 

I am all for making your own choices and having your own freedom, but why should non smokers need to be the ones to move in a NON SMOKING AREA!! I don't give a rats arse if you want to smoke. Nor do I drink 2% or skim milk, whats wrong with whole. As for softdrinks, I don't care how big the cups are, if you drink 10L next to me it has no effect on my own choices, unlike you choosing to light up in the area that is specifically smoke free.

 

 

10 years 37 weeks ago
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JayKnox:

Let's just call this what it is:

 

In your home culture there is just one 'taboo' that anyone can now destroy, shame and humiliate with:

Cigarette smoking.

It's the ONE thing that anyone is allowed to discriminate against, instantly earn 'little hero' status if they decry.

It's an easy little 'grab' to punish someone in public AND know everyone will join you in sniffy indignant mob approval.

Oh, I have seen the ugliest side of petty little bourgeoisie who's faces light up when they see a little 'righteousness indignation cherry' - a guy smoking close to the doors!

"Uhhh.. excuse me (smucking of pure Nazi-like joy) but someone is guh guhhh raping.. i mean smoking by the door and I DO NOT appreciate it....

 

Now what's happened is you want that juicy little moment to exist for you in China.

You miss it.

When you found out some stores in China had 'no-smoking policies' you got a cheap little thrill up your back because NOW you were going to go claim what's rightfully yours!

Make sure you have a petty 'lesson-teaching' attitude with you.

 

And THAT is the real reason for this.

             Even posting it on here was your way to get that precious 'white indignation' moment in a virtual world.

 

Well too bad!

             You aren't a precious little flower and you were standing in pollution 10X more deadly than the cigarette smoke.

You have phlegm on your shoes and there is a kid taking a dump outside the window.

You are a grown man. Not a coughing little princess who hates 'smellllls',

so,

I will hand out cigarettes and make YOU the dirty little inconvenience and we will all sniff sniff at your dirty taboo.

To be honest - people are sick of you doing that in the West too. But you aren't poisoning China with that for sure.

10 years 37 weeks ago
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Flemingo:

 

First off, I'm surprised that you can type such a long post with your head stuck so far up you arse. 

 

You are taking this way  to personally, and not reading anything I've said, I have not once attacked your right to smoke, or called it dirty, or said smokers are dirty, or anything against smokers. I have not tried to humiliate anyone, let alone for smoking. I enjoy a cigarette myself time to time, I believe in a persons own right to choose how they live their own life, but not to the extent where it discomforts or harms others. 

 

When you are outside, or in a bar or restaurant where it's ok to smoke, then go for it, but in an area, set aside to be smoke free, for whatever reasons, is it really such a big deal just to accept that in this little room you cannot have a cigarette? Is is so hard to go an hour, maybe less, without a puff?

 

Following your posts, we should all go down to the local kindy and light up too yeh?

 

If there is no place that is smoke free, then the choice not to smoke is stripped from millions/billions of people worldwide, because whether you like it or not, second hand smoke is a bit more than just a little smelly. If you are so adamant that you should be able to make some smells next to me, and its my responsibility to move, then how about next time you sit down to eat whatever it is you enjoy with your cigarette, and I come along and let go a series of massive farts, now, unlike second hand smoke, these can't harm you, so, you should leave your meal, and come back when I am finished farting. If you have a problem with that, you just need to adjust your white suburban attitude and realise that farting is a natural function. 

 

In my home culture the laws around smoking and the taxes imposed on tobacco products are ridiculous and I don't agree with them, but, that is a completely different topic. As is where I live, on a coastal city, and I monitor air quality reports daily, my city averages between 20-60 on the AQI index, going over 100 only once or twice in the last year.

 

10 years 37 weeks ago
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cooter:

Please, don't feed the trolls.

10 years 37 weeks ago
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10 years 37 weeks ago
 
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I remember visiting a friend in a hospital intensive care unit and watching a guy stand outside his door smoking away with doctors and nurses just passing him by.  When I confronted him and pointed at all the no-smoking signs, he just shrugged and moved 2 doors down.

 

Then some Chinese old woman saw him smoking and jumped all over the guy for about 20 minutes straight.  

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10 years 37 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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It's not just Western restaurants, it's Chinese ones too. Nowadays, almost all restaurants in Beijing are technically non-smoking, though of course the rules aren't enforced. I think for the bosses of these restaurants they just don't want to risk angering frequent customers and thus losing business. 

 

For me, although I detest it, I simply just ignore these days and see it as part of just living in China. If this was the UK and the law and the general public would back me up, I'd do something. However, I've learnt not to interfere in matters like these and just simply ignore them as I can.

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10 years 37 weeks ago
 
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I would say that's happened several times since I've been out. I usually try to blow the smoke back to them. I wouldn't want to get into any confrontations. I knew a guy that told a smoker not to smoke and some 100 or so people all chinese I would assume ganged up on the guy that told the guy not to smoke.  The policia had to hold the angry people back!

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10 years 37 weeks ago

There are cookies, bookies and too many rookies for me to sit here trying to be a hooky! Looky Looky don't call me a wooky. Touchy Touchy Feely Feely Spicy Spicy Nicey Nicey & that's what the doctor Ordered!!

 
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If I'm by myself, I'll just relocate or get up and leave altogether.  If I'm with friends....well, more than likely at least one of them's already a smoker and has one lit up.  It's just something you need to learn to deal with here.  I'm already used to it as I have smoker friends and family back in the US.

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10 years 37 weeks ago
 
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Cigarette Hulk doesn't take kindly to smokers in non-smoking areas. I literally go up to them, point at the "No Smoking" sign, point to THEM, their cigarettes, and the ground and I give them a face full of scowl. They're usually in such serious face-loss mode that they drop it 99.99% of the time.

 

The other 0.01% of the time it's an uptight, bastard official who thinks he's above the law.  He just walks away from me and tries to avoid me.

JayKnox:

Then 001% of the time you make a 'scowl at me' and to your surprise I slap it off your face.

Then you do this douchey 'Come AT me BRo.. Wanna GO bIatch... SLAP!

Then you cry "How can He SLAP .. HOW CAN HE SLAP!' and we all have a good laugh because you remind us of that internet meme

10 years 37 weeks ago
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Hulk:

It would be hilarious if you tried to slap a scowl off my face, JayKnox. I doubt you could even reach my face.

10 years 37 weeks ago
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GuilinRaf:

I have met Hulk in person.

He is TALL.

Kneecap slap!!!!

10 years 37 weeks ago
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JayKnox:

Tall guys are awesome to slap. When I was actively boxing the taller the better. Awkward, easier to get inside and obviously my right (or left) can reach to about 7 feet worth of slapping.

Of course the easier way (if its a sneer slap I need to remove) is simply to pull grab a collar, pull the required cheek down and slap away.

 

How CAN HE SLAP!!??

10 years 37 weeks ago
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GuilinRaf:

Boxers wear collars?? crying

10 years 37 weeks ago
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10 years 37 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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The anti-smoker butthurt in here is amazing

 

 

Hulk:

If you want to smoke, fine. Smoking in front of a pregnant woman (like my wife) will land you in hot water really quick if you don't put the cigarette out... especially when the sign says "NO SMOKING."

 

If you can't be bothered to follow rules which are put in place for other people's safety, then you're no better than the scumbags in China who do the same thing.

10 years 37 weeks ago
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JayKnox:

They're all butthurt because their culture has this hilarious belief somehow some cigarette smoke causes cancer or affects pregnant women. No matter how many times you try to bust their cultural myth with real logic and reason they can't grasp it. Then they act like you offended them lol

10 years 37 weeks ago
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10 years 37 weeks ago
 
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For nearly 30 years I was a smoker.

Smokers dont bother me at all.

If it says "No Smoking" then I dont smoke there.

Anywhere else is fair game.

 

Hulk:

This is pretty much how I feel as well, although I don't smoke. If someone wants to smoke, go for it... so as long as there's no "No Smoking" sign.

10 years 37 weeks ago
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10 years 37 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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How can people complain about China and CHinese people and habits etc when they themselves act like cnts?

 

There are a  few on here, and I am not talking about those who are free to do what they want whilst considering others.  Some on here seem to not have any consideration whatsoever.  I can only say, you must feel right at home in this country.  

 

On the otherhand, there are many Chinese people who would rather you fcked off and were a cnt in your own country.

 

Additionally to this, why do something illegal here when you know full well that you wouldn't get away with it back home?

 

I am trying not to be personal, but it is so hard sometimes.  Some people deserve a proper slap - what good it does.

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10 years 37 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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You can play up the "face loss" angle, if you're Chinese is good enough (or you have someone to translate with you). I prefer to first just inform them of the signs (if there's a sign, you have more ground to stand on, since it's technically the rules there, not just your "Western Sensibilities"), and if that doesn't work, take out my phone and start to take pictures. I'd explain that back home, people still think that China is a civilized country, but you wanted to point out how unmannered and assbackwards they really are, and that friends back in the US already have been getting a laugh at previous pictures. 

 

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10 years 35 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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At some restaurants they really do nothing at all to enforce the ban in fact I know of one in particular that encourages people to break the ban. The Hong Kong restaurant at the back of the newer Walmart in Nanning is typical. We were there the other day and several people were smoking in spite of no smoking signs everywhere. The staff kindly puts ashtrays on every table just in case someone wanted to in spite of the signs. Completely contradictory, still that's China.

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10 years 35 weeks ago
 
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Nothing to do on your day off and too lazy to go pump up your tyres?

Well....read this thread!

 

Oh, I just go ballistic and start messing up the offenders.  It usually finishes up with the restaurant being trashed and all of us resting up with a fag, a drink...whatever.

 

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8 years 44 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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I don't see this happening very often. Usually i just ignore it. A few days ago though some wannabe tough guys sat near me in a cafe (they didn't buy any drinks, natch) and started smoking and shouting in finest xiangbalao fashion. I caught their eyes, pointed to the floor where they'd dropped their cigarettes, and to my surprise they sheepishly picked them up and smiled nervously at me for the rest of the evening. No need to say anything, body language is universal. I expected an argument but most Chinese are naturally servile and desperate not to lose face, so if you deal with them firmly and calmly they will usually do what you tell them.

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8 years 44 weeks ago
 
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No I idea? But this is disgusting! Hate having a feed and everyone is smoking around me. An issue that needs resolving in definitely.

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8 years 44 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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call a cop its china

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8 years 44 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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In many places in China it is now illegal to smoke in restaurants etc. However they choose not to enforce this ban. The issue is how it was set up to be enforced. If caught the smoker was to be fined a small fine (50 RMB) so the smoking police have to go catch each individual in the act. When smoking was banned in the US they made it the responsibility of the business to enforce the ban. If they didn't the business was substantially fined (up to 10,000 USD). Guess what, businesses enforced the ban.

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8 years 44 weeks ago
 
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Smoking in lifts really pisses me off. But what's the point of getting into an argument with a moron? It's not like they will stop.

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8 years 44 weeks ago
 
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