Cigar Etiquette

This is not about how to smoke a cigar or respect for the cigar, but rather about smoking a cigar in public. As we all know, that can be dicey in our current anti-tobacco culture.
Last night, I went to watch the 4th fireworks with the wife and a couple of friends at our villa association area on the intercoastal. Been doing this for upwards of 8-10 years and put the beach chairs out around noon to get a front row seating on the water. Got there around 7:30 and fired up a cigar to go with the usual adult beverages. An old fart had put his chair out and was sat next to me with his wife. I looked to make small talk, but the fart was Rather abrupt, so I figured he was put off by the cigar, which was rarely drifting smoke his way. Remember that this is outside. The wife moved. A few women were talking and his wife said she was allergic to cigars. I offered to move and did so.
Now, what would all of you do, given that this was outside with no no-smoking signs?

[AdamJoshua]

If smoking is allowed I'll smoke, but I always try to be considerate of others, if they are polite about it I have no problem stopping, if they are the passive aggressive types (the extra loud fake coughers) I'll smoke until they man up and mention it. On the other hand if I'm there first and they sit next to me there's a good chance they'll have to deal with it, at least for a bit until I have had my fill.

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by AdamJoshua

If smoking is allowed I'll smoke, but I always try to be considerate of others, if they are polite about it I have no problem stopping, if they are the passive aggressive types (the extra loud fake coughers) I'll smoke until they man up and mention it. On the other hand if I'm there first and they sit next to me there's a good chance they'll have to deal with it, at least for a bit until I have had my fill.

This

[markem]

I think that you did the right thing. Also, if they would have moved then they would have done the right thing.

Life's too short - if it's a pain to be where you are and you have the ability to move, then do so. It doesn't really matter if they could also just as well move; someone has to move to improve the situation. If you move, you do have to worry about if the people affected where you move to will be annoyed. After all, they may have sat there specifically because they wanted to avoid the cigar smoke.

[MarkinAZ]

When I quit smoking cigarettes (Camel non-filters) in 1978, you could smoke in restaurants (speaking of here in California).

When I would go out to eat with the girlfriend, I would not smoke in the restaurant out of respect to the non-smokers who had gathered to eat. Just what it was to me.

Whether then or now, you get in to potential dicey situations when folks convene for a public events (fireworks, car racing, farmers markets, swap meets, etc). I think you simply need to take it on an event by event basis prior to firing-up to assess the crowd and so forth.

Its a tough call. As Mark said, you most likely took the proper route. On the other hand, I suppose it might be said how long you had "established your stake" with a lit cigar prior to the wife and husband arriving on the scene. In that case, one would think they would've just "pulled up" and moved further down upwind Just sayin...

[The Poet]

Me, I've become a cussed old fart. F*ck 'em if they cannot fake a choke . . . uh, take a joke.

[Weelok]

Originally Posted by badbriar

This is not about how to smoke a cigar or respect for the cigar, but rather about smoking a cigar in public. As we all know, that can be dicey in our current anti-tobacco culture.
Last night, I went to watch the 4th fireworks with the wife and a couple of friends at our villa association area on the intercoastal. Been doing this for upwards of 8-10 years and put the beach chairs out around noon to get a front row seating on the water. Got there around 7:30 and fired up a cigar to go with the usual adult beverages. An old fart had put his chair out and was sat next to me with his wife. I looked to make small talk, but the fart was Rather abrupt, so I figured he was put off by the cigar, which was rarely drifting smoke his way. Remember that this is outside. The wife moved. A few women were talking and his wife said she was allergic to cigars. I offered to move and did so.
Now, what would all of you do, given that this was outside with no no-smoking signs?

I'd probably have done what you did. It's not enjoyable for me to sit near people that are irritated by my smoking a cigar.

[icehog3]

If I lit my cigar after they arrived, I'd be willing to move to a spot where no one was offended, assuming I could find one.

If my cigar was already lit when they arrived, they had every opportunity to pick a spot elsewhere. Might not be the politically correct andwer, but at that point, they are making the choice of where to sit.

[Brlesq]

Originally Posted by icehog3

If I lit my cigar after they arrived, I'd be willing to move to a spot where no one was offended, assuming I could find one.

If my cigar was already lit when they arrived, they had every opportunity to pick a spot elsewhere. Might not be the politically correct andwer, but at that point, they are making the choice of where to sit.

^^This is my opinion as well.

I was on the golf course the other day and got paired up with a couple of guys that were not smoking. I did ask first if it would bother them if I enjoyed a cigar, and they said no (thank goodness!) However, if it did, I wouldn't have lit one up.

[Weelok]

Originally Posted by Brlesq

^^This is my opinion as well.

I was on the golf course the other day and got paired up with a couple of guys that were not smoking. I did ask first if it would bother them if I enjoyed a cigar, and they said no (thank goodness!) However, if it did, I wouldn't have lit one up.

Get rid of the women and most guys could care less or might even join you! hah

[Pat1075]

say ok put down the cigar and light a pipe

[RWhisenand]

She sounds like a high maintenance *****. I feel sorry for the guy, his life must suck.

[icehog3]

Full of weed!

[nutcracker]

It's just getting harder to find places where we are not "offensive" to someone. Patios are now banning smoking. Just crazy....

[icehog3]

Public beaches in California too.... I can't sit on my towel on an empty beach and have a cigar? What a gyp.

[hudd]

Had a similar incident last year. Only I was sitting in my truck in the grocery store parking lot waiting on my wife. Lady walks up to the car next to me and says "that nasty cigar stinks! You need to put that thing out" I told her to get in her car and drive away and everything will be fine. She started to say something else so I rolled up the window. Can't figure why she wanted to make an issue of it.

[dijit]

In today's society everyone has a right to enforce their particular butthurt issue on you. I don't like smoking so you should stop instead of me moving away from you. I am an animal lover and throw paint on you $10000 fur. You cut me off in traffic so I smash your headlights and ruin your paint job. All of these seem to have no legal ramifications for the perpetrators only for those of us who have to worry about hurting someone else s feelings.

Personally I don't light up in public places that are enclosed and if it is posted in advance it is a no smoking venue or event I of course wont do it then either. I will light up on the beach in the parking lot or any number of places where I am allowed and on the rare occasion I am confronted I politely blow the next puff away and ask if that is better. Should they still choose to pursue forcing me to curb my enjoyment I then become the true instigator and make every effort to irritate them

Originally Posted by dijit

In today's society everyone has a right to enforce their particular butthurt issue on you. I don't like smoking so you should stop instead of me moving away from you. I am an animal lover and throw paint on you $10000 fur. You cut me off in traffic so I smash your headlights and ruin your paint job. All of these seem to have no legal ramifications for the perpetrators only for those of us who have to worry about hurting someone else s feelings.

Personally I don't light up in public places that are enclosed and if it is posted in advance it is a no smoking venue or event I of course wont do it then either. I will light up on the beach in the parking lot or any number of places where I am allowed and on the rare occasion I am confronted I politely blow the next puff away and ask if that is better. Should they still choose to pursue forcing me to curb my enjoyment I then become the true instigator and make every effort to irritate them

This is a great post! Particularly like the last part!