Courtesy Smoking Area?

Question

So I was in the airport in Charlotte, North Carolina last night waiting for my connecting flight home this morning when I stepped outside to have a cigarette, only to be greeted by one of the airport security workers, who promptly told me that standing 10 feet from the airport entrance was not a sufficient distance and that I needed to smoke in the "Courtesy Smoking Area" all the way at the end of the sidewalk.

I was too tired and generally pissed off to argue with him, but the situation got me thinking: how is this any different from racial segregation in the '60s? "Courtesy Smoking Area," "Colored Peoples Restroom," anyone see the resemblance? It's ridiculous to me that a group of idiots somewhere got together and using their combined brainpower (or lack thereof), still managed to go through with such an absurd idea. In fact, my smoking is not nearly as detrimental as the sight of North Carolinian fat people. Let me explain:

I smoke for about three minutes. Upon exhaling cigarette smoke, it combines with the air as well as numerous other pollutants in our environment that the airport has yet to designate a segregated area for ("Courtesy Chlorofluorocarbon Area," perhaps?) before spreading out and becoming almost no threat at all. Now, in order for my smoking to actually be of any legitimate detriment to anyone, they would have to: a) be unable to move from in front of my face for the three minutes I'm smoking or b) be handicapped to the point where they for some reason choose the cold, North Carolina breeze over the warm indoors of the airport AND choose to stand right next to me, despite my inconveniencing them.

Fat people, on the other hand, are ALWAYS standing right next to me, even while 10 feet away from me. They are fat indoors and outdoors, on planes and in bars. Even a sliding glass door does not shield me from the horrors of fatness, as these creatures peer sloppily through the glare with hot dog crumbs in the corners of their mouths and mustard stains on their Dale Earnhardt Jr. t-shirts. So basically, these people are causing me recurring psychological harm, yet they can't be put in a designated area because that's "messed up." Meanwhile these same whales who can't slip out of the fish net that is my 3-foot smoking radius are somehow justified in isolating me? I hereby declare North Carolina one of America's "Courtesy Fatty Areas" and am staying out of their zone so as to not intrude on their blubbery redneck rights. Ugh.

Any thoughts?

Answer 1

Thoughts?  Mine were similar to yours, until I had a heart attack in 2006.  I shouldn't have survived, but I did.  I not only survived, but I had no damage!  They did open heart surgery.  They replaced the 90% blocked artery (Affectionately referred to by Cardiologists as "the Widowmaker") with another one.  They did not have to stop my heart, which they almost always do, and it almost always causes problems later.  Following the surgery I found I have regained some abilities that had been gone for years.  I also found I no longer had some problems that have troubled me since I was a child.

I had thought I was "safe" to smoke, because all my numbers, such as cholesterol, were great, fantastic in fact.  What I hadn't known is that even with my low cholesterol level, the tobacco causes whatever was in my blood to convert to plaque much more readily than a nonsmoker.  My cholesterol was 103, but it might as well have been 400.

When I got the news that the blood tests showed I had had a heart attack and needed surgery I threw my cigarettes away.  Nothing in the world could make me go back.  You can go on talking about your rights, calling the people who make it harder for you to smoke "idiots", and targeting fat people with your anger.  Remember this while you do.  I was a rare, fortunate case.   In half men over 50, the first sign of heart problem is a FATAL heart attack.

Answer 2

I think they should have a "no fatty" section on aircraft and buses.  I've fed up with being crushed by slobs who spill over into the seat that I paid for.  We need protection from the dangers of secondhand paunch!

Answer 3

I am from NC. I won't miss your ashtray smelling, skinny ***.

Answer 4

lol, what do I care if you choose to pay big tobacco to kill you slowly and painfully (not to mention expensively)...That is your perogative.  Although smokers have been getting a bad rap lately.  It's not really your fault that you were duped into paying for your own demise.  Traveling also sucks especially air travel, as if it wasn't incovenient enough to have to wait in line, take off your shoes, empty your carry on bags, so forth & so on to be accosted by security to move another... I dunno,,, 15 steps from where you are standing so that the fat asthmatics don't have to "breathe your poision"

I understand your bias torward fat people...some things cannot be unseen, like the 300lb girl in belly shirt lowrider jeans & thong that bends over in front of you...all I can think of is "got flour?" I know I am a sick puppy...but smoking is bad m-kay...all these inconveniences are to help encorage you into a healthy lifestyle.  But perhaps fat people should also be encouraged, like by a 2 burger max at McD's, making chocolate illegal or forced biking... or something...

I am not skinny or anything, in fact I am a little overweight( I could stand to loose 20-30 lbs), I am also an ex-smoker...good luck in your plight, and I hope you find the want & will to quit smoking. Perhaps someday the scientists can invent "beer gogggles" or something to make fat people look normal...but until then "eyes, bleach, NOW"

Answer 5

I'm a smoker and yes for all of you who want to ridicule me, I know it is dangerous to my health.  I've tried to quit several times and have every intention of doing so someday soon.  But...that's beside the point here.  It is somewhat irritating that there are less and less places for us smokers to have a smoke in public.  Someone told me that they were going to try and make it illegal to smoke in my own car...absolutely ludicrous and impossible to enforce...Anyway, I can understand the smoking rules inside an establishment and even outdoors in some places because people should have a choice as to whether or not they want to be around it, smell it, inhale it, etc.  However, it has been taken to extremes especially around airports or hospitals.  Designated smoking areas should at least be somewhat convenient.  As far as the fat people comment...that's probably not really a good comparison.  Just looking at someone who is obese is not going to give you cancer.  You might not enjoy it and it might be disgusting at times but it isn't a crime...yet.  If the government wants us to stop smoking to better our health then they may attack the obese next.

Answer 6

Black people don't cause lung cancer, therefore it is different, a$$hole.

Answer 7

Yes, your nuts!  Smoke is dangerous to others, unlike the blacks who were poorly treated.  

On the matter of Fat people, if u dont like them live outside

Fat Nation