Hey Jim, try dining on your own patio instead of infringing on the rights of others. Who do you think you are, Mayor Doomberg.

"Rights"? You don't have any right to surround yourself in a cloud of toxic gas and particles if that cloud permeates a public space used by others. You should be glad someone is helping you to stop killing yourself.

What's more important than the health of others is an individual's personal freedoms. I'm an ex-smoker, I hate the smell of cigarette smoke probably way more than the folks who never smoked, but I still think people have a right to exercise their personal freedoms, which include smoking. Lately there's been a bunch of laws / ordinances passed in other cities banning people from smoking on their own patios, balconies or just outside, particularly at beaches. I agree with the beach ordinances, only because most people litter their cig butts instead of finding a trash can, but I think there is no way those other laws would hold up to a court challenge, especially on their own private property. People have an absolute right to do what they please for the most part on their own property, at their own home. Out in public, I still think personal freedom trumps others dislike of what you are doing, smoking, cursing, talking loudly on your cell, making out, etc.

I am an ex-smoker as well. I hate cigarette smoke. I hate it when I can smell it coming from a neighbor’s house! But I would never presume to take their right away to kill themselves with those god awful cigarettes if they wish to. Even in public. You could complain to the restaurant though. If enough customers complain then they may make the patio smoke free, throw out the kids swearing in loud voices, or using cell phones.. That is the way to do it and there are restaurants who will do this. I always ask to be seated away from ANY children and the kitchen. It ruins it for me to hear kids when I am out. Everyone has their own issues. Only give your dollars to restaurants who cater to your needs. That is your right and no one can take that away. Otherwise, hold your breath as you walk through the cloud. Place your order to go and eat it on your own patio at home, or pick another restaurant that has smoke free patios.

If you don't like it, don't eat there! Do you need really need a LAW, because YOU can't control yourself from not eating there? Tell the management you don't like it, then go to Don Cuco's in Canyon Country. It's much better anyway.
Problem solved.

There would be no personal freedom without health ??

"There would be no personal freedom without health ??"

Is that a question? What exactly does it mean? If I have a cold does it mean I have no personal freedom? Shouldn't you have said "There would be no personal freedom without conservatives and libertarians stopping the the onslaught of the theft of our personal freedom by liberals?"

I too don't want to smell cigs. However I think that not should a place of business allow smokers if they want outside, I think they should allow it inside too if they want. That way, as an adult Ladi, if I don't want to smell it, then I don't have to give that place my business. Jim, rather than being a big whiney butt, why not vote with your feet and wallet and leave the business and smokers alone?

There would be no personal freedom without toast in the morning??!?!?!?!?!?

No one is trying to take someone's right to smoke away from them, just asking for a little consideration when there's other people around. People have the right to fart but we would hope they would show a little constraint and consideration when others are around, especially trying to eat at a restaurant. Not at all complicated.

Dumb, again what a DUMB post !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Silliness, Silliness, Silliness !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !

TRS, what kind of post is yours trying to explain a person expelling gas ?????????? Truly silliness !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"""TRS, what kind of post is yours trying to explain a person expelling gas."""

How else can one explain your posts, Ladi?

I'm with Chefgirl! I too am a reformed smoker, dont like the smell of smoke BUT would never tell someone that they Can't smoke! I think people SHOULD be allowed to smoke in outdoor spaces (even the beach, just encourage and enforce liter laws) come on... if someone is smoking and you dont like it, move 20' away, it wont infringe upon your rights! I hated the notion when I smoked and I hate it just as much now. MOST restaurants didnt even BOTHER with having outdoor patio's until the law against smoking in their establishments went into effect; the patio's were created in most cases FOR smokers... get over it. As many have said, get your order "to go" and dine alfresco at your own home, where no one can bother you.

Have to agree with the majority here. I am not a smoker either, but this is outside on a patio. If it bothers you, do not visit that establishment anymore or ask to be moved somewhere else. WE ALL HAVE CHOICES.... exercise them and stop trying to legislate policy for everyone.

But the patio is often the best place to sit at a restaurant. It allows you to sit outdoors in the sunshine, often has the best views, and it is the best part of many restaurants. So the best seats in the house are for the smokers...and if you don't like it...go somewhere else?

Trackmom Rocks!

Meanwhile, the burger joint next to the Alamo releases so much greasy smoke I've had to wash my vehicle after parking nearby.

Have you never passed by and wondered what breathing that stuff does to your lungs?

You're right JC! We need to ban the Habit and all burger joints!

Great views from the Alamo patio???...the supermarket parking lot?? I'm starting to feel a lot better about eating at home.

Sidestream smoke is secondhand smoke, what you breath in when you are near a smoker.

Sidestream smoke has higher concentrations of cancer-causing agents than mainstream smoke, what is exhaled by smokers. And, it has smaller particles than mainstream smoke, which make their way into the lungs and the body’s cells more easily.

When non-smokers are exposed to SHS it is called involuntary smoking or passive smoking. Non-smokers who breathe in SHS take in nicotine and toxic chemicals by the same route smokers do. The more SHS you breathe, the higher the level of these harmful chemicals in your body.

Secondhand smoke is classified as a “known human carcinogen” (cancer-causing agent) by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US National Toxicology Program, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization.

Everyone can be exposed to SHS in public places, such as restaurants, shopping centers, public transportation, schools, and daycare centers. The Surgeon General has suggested people choose restaurants and other businesses that are smoke-free, and let owners of businesses that are not smoke-free know that SHS is harmful to your family’s health.

Some businesses seem to be afraid to ban smoking, but there’s no proof that going smoke-free is bad for business. Public places where children go are a special area of concern. Make sure that your children’s day care center or school is smoke-free.

When people scream about their rights and freedoms as it relates to smoking, please read the above and shut up.

Bdeezine...lol, I totally agree. I really like food from Alamo once in awhile, but I always get it to go because I have NO desire to sit and eat in a dirty parking lot. Cigarette smoke is the least of your problems, how about all of the exhaust fumes and blaring boom boom car stereo's playing filthy music? Ugh!

Funny the lte author doesn't mind exposing his kids to all of that, but cigarette smoke outdoors is just too much? Ok so most of us dislike the smell of cigarette smoke, but at least to me, it's not that bad when you're outdoors, I find diesel exhaust and just the parking lot noise to be FAR more obnoxious than cigarette smoke and it's probably at least AS unhealthy if not more so, but he doesn't mention that at all.

Carry a small, battery-operated fan, and blow the smoke back in their direction. They usually don't want to smell their own smoke.

westside: You know that is true. That might work. I am sure some places have non-smokng patios. Don't try Telly's drive thru with your windows down though. Just sitting in the drive thru can kill you with smoke from the patio.

SCVPioneer, you tell'em !! "Sock it to them"

You just "SMOKED" the non-believers about smoking with your LTE !!

The non-believers theory's and their way of thinking about smoking
"just went up in smoke!!

I quote:
When people scream about their rights and freedoms as it relates to smoking, please read the above and shut up.

I'm going to bed now and light up a cigarette to see if my smoke alarms
are working !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Freedom and Healthcare are totally intertwined. You can't be free if you owe people money.

Ladi, I hope they're not.

Chefgirl, if you are referring to my smoke alarms not working
that wasn't a nice to say ??
CG you are Cruel, causing suffering to others, displaying fury and hatred
wishing another harm, likely to cause death, you are malignant in your wish,
you are wishing pain or distress to another !!!!
CG Naughty, Naughty, Naughty !! You should be ashamed of yourself ??

I am a smoker and i do not even go to the Alamo. Case closed.

Ladimas: """I'm going to bed now and light up a cigarette to see if my smoke alarms are working !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"""

chefgirl358: "Ladi, I hope they're not."

-------------------------------

Really chefgirl...really? I disagree with about 99% of what Ladimas says but I defend her right to speak her mind. But to wish her dead is way, WAY over the line.

I don't REALLY wish anyone dead, it was simply a smart aleck comeback.

ricketzz: "Freedom and Healthcare are totally intertwined. You can't be free if you owe people money."

Do you apply that logic to taxes too? If so, on that we can totally agree.

I apply it to any obligation that allows someone to bother me. I support massive public debt forgiveness and anything else that reduces the power of the Illegal Immoral Banks.

OMG.... this is crazy....there are many patios that are non smoking, the one place you want to go has a smoking patio, DEAL WITH IT! Sit inside, take it home, or eat somewhere else. Get over yourself, Im sick to death of people thinking THEY for some reason, have MORE RIGHTS than the person next to them. You are no more special than they are. Everyone is equal, smokers and non-smokers, shut up already!

Let me just make sure I'm following the majority logic on this thread. The ones stinking up the air for everyone else should be defended and allowed to stay. The ones not stinking up the air for everyone else are the inconsiderate ones and should leave!

And this makes sense to who?

Yes, rightstuff... it's called freedom of choice. There are plenty of non-smoking restaurant patios so it's up to all of us to pick and choose who we want to give our money to. Aren't you normally on here screaming about over-regulation of our lives by the government?

I don't recall "screaming" about anything BD. I'm just asking that people be more considerate of others. You should try it sometime.

Freedom of choice does not factor in when second hand smoke has been proven to be poison to non-smokers. It's NOT a matter of not liking the smell.

People that claim these freedoms don't understand the facts behind this. As I say above second hand smoke is far more deadly than should be allowed in public places, far more deadly for small children and infants.

This can't be denied by educated people however it looks like it is by people on this thread.

Really, rightstuff? You've never been on these boards complaining about over-regulation by the government??? Really? OK, If not, I apologize, I must be confusing you with someone else. I stand corrected. I'll make a mental note of this..... no need to insult. I didn't mean to offend you.

SCVPioneer: Again, I am NOT a smoker and I don't disagree with your assertions. However, smoking is no longer allowed inside of restaurants and open air spaces are the only areas that will allow for smokers. If you feel so adamant about how deadly the smoke is, shouldn't it be completely illegal? I don't like being near smokers when I am out and about either, I hate the smoke.... but I pick myself up and move somewhere else if that particular area is "designated for smokers."

I don't feel adamant, the entire scientific and medical community world wide does.

Do you live under a rock?

This is a matter of personal and public health.

SO DON'T EAT AT THE ALAMO PATIO FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!!!!

How hard is that? Go back under your own rock.

"""SO DON'T EAT AT THE ALAMO PATIO FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!!!! How hard is that?"""

oops...look who's screaming now?

How hard is it to not light up for less than an hour while you're at a restaurant with other people trying to eat?

Not hard for me, I don't smoke.

You're worried about the "atmospheric integrity" of a patio that's built into a supermarket parking lot, complete with nonstop auto exhaust and greasy smoke from the kitchen grills. If your lungs are sensitive, you probably shouldn't be eating there anyway.

"I don't feel adamant, the entire scientific and medical community world wide does.

Do you live under a rock?

This is a matter of personal and public health."

SCVP: who's health is being endangered under the current conditions, and how significant is any such danger?

Is simply walking by the patio for a few seconds enough to cause significant harm? How about sitting at the same table of a smoker for one hour per week?

Can you cite any source that claims that a human has ever been significantly harmed through situations similar to those of Alamo passers bye, or are your conclusions based on ridiculous exposures in radical experiments?

Just so I get it...you're sitting at an outdoor patio breathing vehicle exhaust fumes and smoke from nearby restaurants but the only substance in the air that's going to harm you is the second hand cigaret smoke?
If something so minor can ruin such an exquisite experience for you then stay home.
Everyone else will appreciate it.

My vehicle's exhaust is way cleaner than second hand cigarette smoke.