Smoking - just because it isn't for me doesn't mean it's not for you.
This morning, as those of you in the Denver-Boulder area could attest, was a little on the nippy side. Normally on mornings like this, I would prefer to wait inside the shelter at the stop where I catch the bus to Denver, but today I ended up waiting outside the shelter. Why? Someone was standing inside the shelter smoking. This is not the first time that I have seen this happen, and when I do see it, it irritates me, so my first reaction today was to contemplate either calling or e-mailing RTD (Denver's public transit company) asking them to post signage requesting that people don't smoke inside of the bus shelters.
Then I reconsidered. After all, while smoking is a choice, so is not smoking. And while many of us non-smokers have very strong aversions to cigarette smoke, up to and including smoke allergies, why should that give us preference for standing in these shelters? I am decidedly not condoning this person's decision to smoke inside the shelter. Were it me, I would hope that I would have come to the realization that others don't like cigarette smoke and stood somewhere else, but I don't think that I should impose my views on others.
Of course, all this being said, I am still wholly and heartily in favor of the smoking ban that is in effect for restaurants. Go figure.
Then I reconsidered. After all, while smoking is a choice, so is not smoking. And while many of us non-smokers have very strong aversions to cigarette smoke, up to and including smoke allergies, why should that give us preference for standing in these shelters? I am decidedly not condoning this person's decision to smoke inside the shelter. Were it me, I would hope that I would have come to the realization that others don't like cigarette smoke and stood somewhere else, but I don't think that I should impose my views on others.
Of course, all this being said, I am still wholly and heartily in favor of the smoking ban that is in effect for restaurants. Go figure.