While at West Ham this morning on the C2C platform noticed a poster saying no smoking including electronic cigarettes. This is the first time I have noticed one of these notices, my question are they common?
Actually I wish these electronic things were banned on public transport, I had the misfortune to have someone sit in front of me on a boris bus a few weeks ago and a women was using one like it out of fashion. When the chemicals were released they went straight up into the buses air condition unit and therefore most of us got a whiff of it. I would rather cigerate smoke fumes then the fumes of these sickly things.
While at West Ham this morning on the C2C platform noticed a poster saying no smoking including electronic cigarettes. This is the first time I have noticed one of these notices, my question are they common?
Our current brief is that we are unable to stop passengers from using them while travelling by train as it isn't technically smoking. However we have been told they looking into amending the railway bylaws to ban it in the near future. From a staff point of view it causes headaches as passengers will complain that someone is 'smoking' and when they hear there is little you can do about it a conflict situation can develop.
ScotRail were reportedly the first, IIRC and it was in their announcements on my last trip with them.
Are the complainants retarded ?
Can they not tell the difference between an e-cig and a b&H :roll::roll:
At least you can smoke on their platforms![]()
In England and Wales smoking is banned in any public room, building or workplace with a roof or ceiling and where the openings in the walls cover less than half the total area of the wall space. There are a limited number of exceptions.Why are the bus stations in "TfGM-land" treated to regular recorded announcements the smoking is not allowed within the confines of them, yet platforms on railway stations, being another public transport utility, appear not to be covered by that same law. Were you just referring to railway station platforms in Scotland or does this same matter also affect railway station platforms in Wales and England ?
Can someone reiterate the exact legal position on this matter.
I imagine not from a distance, but then again most of the complainants are smokers themselves who moan why e-cig users can get away with it and they cannot... So you could say the complainants are mentality handicapped. (retarded is such a strong and offensive word).
Why are the bus stations in "TfGM-land" treated to regular recorded announcements the smoking is not allowed within the confines of them, yet platforms on railway stations, being another public transport utility, appear not to be covered by that same law. Were you just referring to railway station platforms in Scotland or does this same matter also affect railway station platforms in Wales and England ?
Can someone reiterate the exact legal position on this matter.
Are the complainants retarded ?
Can they not tell the difference between an e-cig and a b&H :roll::roll:
There are some which are designed to look like a real cig, not the silver ones with blue LED![]()
The position has been given, but there are two TOCs (Scotrail and Merseyrail) who have chosen not to ban smoking on all open platforms.Can someone reiterate the exact legal position on this matter.
The position has been given, but there are two TOCs (Scotrail and Merseyrail) who have chosen not to ban smoking on all open platforms.
It does seem to be extremely bizarre that Scotrail have 'banned' electronic cigarettes on platforms, but not actual smoking.
I am not aware of any legal powers behind the 'ban' - they are going to be classed as a 'medicine'.
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/06june/pages/e-cigarettes-and-vaping.aspx
I suppose the moral question is do e-cigs help people give up cigarettes or do they make it easier to not address the issue. I saw the banning of smoking in public places as making life nicer for non-smokers - I used to avoid wearing clean clothes to the pub (NO I do not now go naked to the pub). I also saw that it could encourage smokers to give up by making smoking less convenient - not sure we should push people around like that ?.
we have decided not to allow customers or staff to smoke e-cigarettes on our trains or at stations or train depots.
Most regressive taxes are frowned upon , but strangely not excise duty on tobacco.![]()
Why are the bus stations in "TfGM-land" treated to regular recorded announcements the smoking is not allowed within the confines of them, yet platforms on railway stations, being another public transport utility, appear not to be covered by that same law. Were you just referring to railway station platforms in Scotland or does this same matter also affect railway station platforms in Wales and England ?
It's because it's a demerit good! Got nothing to do with redistribution!--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I don't know what Metrolink's policy on e-cigs, but since eating is actually banned I should think this is (or will be). However, actual smoking is definitely banned on open platforms, not that people don't do it/all staff will challenge those who do!
Apart from those that are smoking themselves no doubt.
So you are alleging that excise duty on tobacco is not a regressive tax in the true meaning of the term ?
Even a few feet away the only giveaway as to what's real and what's not is the smell. As a non-smoker, I can smell from some distance what's a real cigarette, but chances are if they all smelled real too, I'd have to get to within a few feet to tell the difference unless they're brightly coloured.Are the complainants retarded ?
Can they not tell the difference between an e-cig and a b&H :roll::roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
At least you can smoke on their platforms![]()
Even a few feet away the only giveaway as to what's real and what's not is the smell. As a non-smoker, I can smell from some distance what's a real cigarette, but chances are if they all smelled real too, I'd have to get to within a few feet to tell the difference unless they're brightly coloured.
Nope I'm saying it's irrelevant; that's not why they're taxed. The duty is to pay for the negative externalities caused by their consumption; passive smoking, strain on NHS, etc. A higher price ought to lead to lower consumption too.
Perhaps this isn't the place for it, but it's my personal view that on these grounds tobacco and tobacco products are too cheap.
I use a vaporiser (looks like this https://www.vapinapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/vapor_how_works.jpg ) and I really struggle to see how someone could mistake it for a cigarette. It looks nothing like one, there is no smell to the vapor and no flame. As someone who used to smoke 20+ a day I can honestly say I would not have been able to stop smoking without it. It provides you with a crutch to lean on whilst giving up, but I don't think it has replaced smoking for me. I can go for days without using it if I forget to charge the battery, and I have no desire to start actual smoking again.
I think so many people are using e-cigs or vaporisers nowadays that it would be hard for joe public to mistake a real cigarette for one.
The way I see it, why should people who are trying to quit a filthy habit that causes so much damage and pollution get shunned? Plus the amount of people I see/smell ACTUALLY smoking on trains/stations/toilets on the railway far outnumbers those who use e-cigs.