Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Feloria]

Or smoking etiquette guidelines, or whatever.
I am a non smoker, never tried smoking--never wanted to. I mean, why?
I have a few friends who smoke and I have, of course worked with many smokers throughout the years.
The thing is, most smokers I've known in the past would go outside, go to a window, or sit on the other side of a restaurant if they wanted a cigarette as not to offend non smokers. It wouldn't even be an issue.
These people would fall under the category of "Polite Smokers", those who realize and care that people who don't smoke don't want to inhale or smell like smoke as a result of their actions.
Unfortunately, most of my current co-workers are smokers.
A couple of them are cool and separate themselves from others if they want to smoke when we go out, but there is a group of about 5 who "light up" in every situation and couldn't care less about those of us who don't smoke.
Normally I'm a pretty straightforward person and would ask a person politely if they could please not smoke around me, but it's not as easy with this group. Another non-smoker asked once and this group got angry and huffy and bitched and moaned about it and her for quite a while.
So we feel like we're the assholes if we say something--how messed up is that?
They're fun people, and I do like them--but the smoking situation is BAD. I can barely breathe when we go out sometimes, and my clothes and hair reek of smoke even if I'm only out with them for an hour.
So I've kind of avoided going out with them the past few weeks.
Has anyone else been in a similar situation? How did you deal with it?
I want to socialize and not become a hermit, but I want to be able to breathe, too!

[radcon]

If your group of friends engage in any activity you can't stand, you must either endure the behavior or find new friends. Don't whine and try to change them.

[northway]

[The Floating World]

If they don't respect you not wanting to be subjected to the smoke, imo they are selfish.

You have three choices if they wont change

1. Put up with it.

2. Move away from them when the smoke gets overwhelming

3. Find new friends.

I am a smoker and if a non smoking friend said it was bothering them, I would have no problems, moving, re-directing the smoke, sitting near a window, saying 'I'll be back in 5 mins' and going outside for a smoke etc. I always ask non smoking friends if they mind when I light up, especially ex smokers.

[Feloria]

Wow!!
Amazing how it's considered "whining" by a smoker!
"If I want to smoke,I'm gonna smoke-the hell with anyone else!"
Floating World--realizes and seems to care that he isn't the only person on the planet.
Northway--let me ask you this:
If you were smoking and a non-smoker took a hand fan and started fanning the smoke back in your face, would that piss you off or would you be cool with it?

[northway]

Yeah, it would, but I don't blow smoke in my friend's faces. I go out of my way to sit on the outside of whatever table we're sitting at and blow away from the group. If the ventilation is such that the smoke is being sucked into my friends' faces, I suggest we move so as not to get bombarded. Even so, I'm not going to get up and move to the other side of an already smoky bar every time I want to have a smoke.

[pkang0202]

If I'm with a group and the number of nonsmokers outnumber the smokers, I'll go outside or move to a different table for a few minutes.

If there are more smokers than non-smokers, then majority wins.


Can't get more democratic than that.

[joelove]

I smoke but I kinda like the no smoking indoors rules common in the west at least. I don't like being in a cloud of it either. But I guess a lot of people don't care and if the rules aren't there or aren't enforced there's not much one can do.

[Steelrails]

[Carbon]

The majority rules.

If you are the only non-smoker with 5 smokers, you leave the room.

I was a very conscientious smoker around non-smokers, but if there was only one non-smoker with a group of smokers (and in a smoker-friendly environment), well, they had legs and a brain, so they could leave for 5 minutes.

If the place allowed it, it was within my rights to smoke and the non-smokers to leave.

[Feloria]

Carbon-you sound like such a considerate guy!
I do see your point though, and you're right.
Non-smokers do have a brain--which is why we don't smoke!!

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

So every smoker in your group will smoke at exactly the same time, so that non smokers can walk away for 5 minutes once every half hour or hour? That works. I'd love to see that happen. It's more like a constant smoke fest.

Fortunately, only 2 of my group of friends smoke, so it's hardly an issue. They walk away, or smoke when we're outside, and even then position themselves downwind.

[Carbon]

Are you guys serious? If you were the only non-smoker out with 5 smokers in a smoker-friendly place you expect your smoking friends to excuse themselves every time they want to smoke? I suppose you would make comments all night about the strangers around you exercising their right to smoke as well? I guess every smoker in the bar should vacate for you too, right?

Pathetic.

I would blow smoke rings around your entitled watery eyes until you left.




I don't smoke, by the way.

[Captain Corea]

It's simple - I rarely hang out with smokers.

I think that smoking often takes a certain mindset, and generally speaking, I am not close to those types of people.

[Zyzyfer]