I don't get it about 'foreign-branded establishment'.
I respect anyone's reluctance of having to inhale 2nd-hand smoke in public places, though I can't see why there can't be sections of cafes and bars, or separate cafes and bars, in which people can smoke. As a bartender friend of mine said once: "People don't come here for their health."
I do get tired of moral outrage over smoking, though - look, you're right, smoking is bad for you, you shouldn't have to inhale smoke alla time, but what are your priorities in terms of moral outrage? Or do you just get outraged over everything that you think is wrong, or maybe just that you don't like? Why not get outraged at people who pay taxes to warmongering governments first? Like I said, as a smoker I respect your rights, but please, a little perspective.
Hey Nansen, know what I did? Last year my gf came to China to visit me .
We went to this fancy restaurant in Chenggong to celebrate her b-day and asked to use a private room because I didn't want people smoking near us. They put me on a hall with several people.
Ok, suddenly this guy starts chain smoking next to us and I ask the waitress to tell him to stop, after all smoking in an indoor public place is against the "law" in this country.
Son of a gun puts it out and then after 5 minutes lights another. I ask the waiter to ask him to stop it again and this time he just ignores it and looks back at us with his friends.
Well what I did was, and this was after my 200 kuai fish had arrived was stand up, give the wanna come outside look to the idiot and scold the shit out of the waitress.
When I got downstairs to pay for the lemon juice, they wanted me to pay for the fish also. I said, no way Jose and left.
Now, either the staff was going to have a nice dinner or would get in trouble with the owner, hopefully they will learn how to treat their customers next time.
Dunno about other people, but when I spend a good deal of money I want to be treated with a decent amount of respect.
If you, Alien, respects non-smokers is one thing. However realize that most people in China don't. I had to personally remove the cigarette out of the assistant driver's hand from a closed window 11 hour bus ride to Tengchong from Kunming, after having politely and repeatedly asked him to stop smoking. I mean the bus was foggier than Scotland. Also, some people here just smoke in elevators to be Putzes.
be passive agressive, it works. if someone is smoking in an elevator ill murmer wa tu hao de ren chou zai dian lou ti. theyll put the cig out so fast. this is china you cant be direct. if i go binge drinking of course i expect to smell like an ash tray, same as if i go to a casino in america. lets take china out of this and go with person by person basis. im a smoker, i never smoke inside and never smoke if a kid is around because i know its rude. smoking in china is a status thing, in most western countries its an addiction or habit. just make a passive agressive attempt, if youre direct they will lose face.
The problem is I go to places like Starbucks to relax, and I just end up getting angry and frustrated! I think next time I'll complain to the manager and say I'm never coming back here in front of a load of customers, but then again it just takes away the pleasure of why I went there in the first place and spent 30rmb on a coffee! I'm an ex smoker myself (I know, the worst complainers), but I never smoked inside, and always respected others. The simple fact is these people were told by the staff to stop smoking and continued. To me, that sums up the manners of some people in this country 随心所欲- do as one pleases. I was half tempted to interrupt their conversation and say- "excuse me, are you the emperor of china? No? So why don't you obey the rules?" But in the end I just couldn't be bothered. I think the key is if it's really a big deal then make these people lose face. In the elevator for example I told a guy smoking next to a kid that a.) it's dangerous to smoke in lifts, and b.) it's really bad for the kid's health. He looked at me like I was mental, but at least I said something.
Yeah ex-smokers feel it bad! Keep the faith anyway!
Did anyone ever see those ancient adverts for smoking from say the 20s? U would see these guys all decked out in white playing tennis and stopping for a break and having a fag. Hilarious :):) The US and Europe has come a long way in the fight against smoking. Or what about those candy cigarettes they used sell to kids hmm? Nasty. Man I hate cigarettes so fkn much. The single most useless drug ever invented.
Rant over.
Have a nice day!
just the other day i saw a very young boy (maybe 6 years old?) being initiated into smoking by what appeared to be his grandfather. the old man was puffing away and gave an unlit cigarette to the boy and the boy was fondling the cigarette and looking at it with wide-eyed amazement, eagerly anticipating the day when he could light it up.
sad stuff.
