Dealing With 'haters'

[Nanna]

I'm with Jeff. You catch more flies with honest, sincere, and mutually respectful sugar than with vinegar. Kids running and playing are also not illegal but I curb mine in places where theory high energy may be a distraction and annoyance to others.

[SmokeSkins]

I think since smoke from a cigarette generally has a negative connotation, so even when we're trying to be healthy by vaping, there will always be those ignorant people in the world who will hassle you. Personally, I would just put it away and wait a few minutes to vape only because the hassling gets annoying. STAY STRONG!

[AARONH]

I went to go see a concert Fri. night. It was standing room only, no seating..dope filled the air and the show went on. About the time I was taking a big draw on my Ego, a 6ft 3 security guard snatches my Ego out of my hand and said "LETS GO"!....knowing already what they thought I was doing, all I could do was smile as this guy is repeatedly poking me in the back ,and pushing me towards the front entrance. As he was examining my Ego with his flashlight, I pulled out my E-liquid and said "Its an Electronic Cigarette!"........he just looked at me kinda funny, looked back at my stuff, and the poor guy really didn't know what to say ,lol...but he was cool about it.....alls he was trying to do is catch someone blazing w**d........10 min later, another security officer walked past me as I was drawing another vapor cloud, and he said " those things are cool arn't they?"......My guess? he was a vaper. Whats my point?......I really didn't have one, it was just a funny story.

[AimeeG]

Good story, AARONH. Love that he couldn't find anything on you. You kept your cool. Way to go!

[ElectronicCigarettesRUs]

Don't worry about it. In the end the business is the one that makes the decision.

[mwsmith1778]

The guy from the gas station stopped me today as I was paying for my gas and asked if I needed cigarettes too. He even had my brand in his hand because he saw me coming. I can't pass up opportunities like that. I am so excited about this darn thing that I just want to show and tell everyone! I can't believe it when smokers hear that I have quit and aren't interested in the thing. I just wanna shake em.

Having said that, I openly vape everywhere, but if anyone complained I would explain that it's not a cigarette, show them what it is, and then put it away. I don't wanna cause problems or give vaping a bad reputation.

[ripple]

First let me say I am glad this is my 100th post - I like a good meaty thread!

I am with the folks who say we do have the responsibility to take advantage of the learning moment. Let's be honest, if you are outside the world of vaping you will no doubt think someone in the corner vaping is smoking. So its an opportunity to educate someone about the difference and what a difference they can make in someones life.

I also would also speak to the the manager in charge first. I am in the fortunate position in Florida of preferring to sit outside on the patio anyway - at least at this time of year, come August who know? I do frequent my local starbucks and they know me well so I will at some point speak to them and get explicit permission first. I also think it's a good idea to choose your juice carefully - as noted some juices do have a very strong smell, as I type this I am vaping a very strong smelling black cherry. If I were to vape in a starbucks I think I would bring a coffee flavor so it blends with the smells that loft around the starbucks as part of the everyday starbucks experience, who could claim they smell my coffee vape over the smell of the business itself!

I go to a local pub quite often - go figure - and have had a long conversation with the owners about this. They are happy to allow me and others to vape on the outside patio and at the inside bar, but would prefer not in the dining area. His argument is he wants to accommodate all and provide a comfortable experience for all. Their thinking around the dining room is since there is such a knowledge gap right now it's likely to bother some - admittedly due to lack of knowledge, but he does not want to lose business over it - I think his solution is a fair happy middle ground and I applaud his openness to a mutual solution.

Lets be honest, this is our thing, and for years now the anti-smoking crowd has pushed the line - if you can smell it its killing you. So if we want vaping to be socially acceptable we need to honest that to the uninformed person it looks like we are smoking, take a few moments and try to educate a person about the very real difference, and most people will be open to it - its also likely that you might just give some information to someone who knows someone who smokes and they might pass long the information they gain about vaping to that smoker, perhaps changing their life! That did happen to me this past weekend and I just heard last night that person passed along the information and the person ordered and eGO.

Happy vaping all!

[DAYVAPE]

And I have also found, that most of the cry babies that make a scene about me vaping (which has happened maybe once or twice), are current analog smokers... because they can't enjoy their cancer sticks inside like I can my e-cig. LMAO.

Edited March 3, 2011 by DAYVAPE

[DerStadtschutz]

I had a somewhat funny experience trying to vape in a diner this one time. I pulled out my riva and took a puff, and I saw some old guy glaring at me. Then like a minute later, he was up at the cash register bitching to the girl there about it. He wasn't loud or anything, but I was watching him and I saw the way he pointed at me and the girl looked at my table and everything. I think I heard him say something about smoking. Anyway, it was funny because by the time she looked over, there was no smoke, and nobody smelled anything, so she just ignored his complaint. When she looked at our table, she had a look of confusion on her face because there was clearly no smoke. She probably thought the old guy was nuts, and I bet he was pissed.

Edited March 3, 2011 by DerStadtschutz

[masurao]

I was at the busstation here where i live and a few uneducated analog smokers approached me asking if i was puffing on a crack pipe...I use the Black Ego with out the lil cone that covers the atty and i guess they were tryin to be funny, but i was more entertained by the way they were talking more than anything.

one even asked to "hit" it but i kindly denied lol

[steeldragon]

I have to agree we have to educate the public to what vaping is but not at the expense of a public service establishment. We are going to run into a lot of closed minded people and the problem with that is our politicians seem to be close minded as well. I have done very little vaping in the public eye due to the negativity that smoking has. I vape at my work place and a lot of people are interested in it but they know me as one who might bend the rules but doesn't break them. I have seen the laws that come out with smoking along with the taxes. I want to wait a little while before the laws start to apply vaping and I would especially like to skip the taxes. Thank everyone for your time.

[CrazyLloyd]

When I had to go to the hospital with the wife to visit a family member, I went outside to vape after a few hours. I went about 100-150 ft away from the entrance with the wife in tow and we started chain vaping. some guy noticed and since it is a "smoke free" parking lot (wtf),he decided to walk up and complain. after he started to shout " you do know you can't smoke out here", I replied "you know this isn't a cigarette". He looked at us sideways, and the wife told him about e-cigs, and what they do. Luckily she was there, because I wasn't in the mood to try to explain on that occasion.

[ryeis1]

I for one live in small town America (ex-hippie free!) so no one would complain if I were in the local diner and puffed away as long as I wasn't sending plumes of vapor across a table of Mennonites! However, when my pv arrives I intend to take and use it everywhere just so folks will ask about it. This truly is the greatest thing since sliced bread and canned beer!

[pipedreamer79]

I agree -- PV's are a fantastic invention for those of us who have tried numerous times to quit smoking in the past, but find ourselves unable to kick the nicotine addiction, and/or those of us who enjoy smoking and all of the social implications of smoking. (How many great conversations have you found yourself a part of outside at a party, with all of the smokers standing around chatting while puffing away?)

I've only been vaping for 10 days now, but have taken the opportunity to explain what PV's are to anyone that shows interest. Fortunately, I've only encountered a negative attitude with that one old grouch in Starbucks -- the rest of the people that have interacted with me about it have been interested either for themselves or someone they're close to.

The more people I can tell about these things, the better.

[slumdog]

Until there is more data readily available this will be the common response of the sheep, the FDA will see to that, it's the only way to achieve their agenda and what their getting paid to do "their job".... unless you are in an area of younger people, I live in south Florida, so, i stealth vape most places. Some places i walk around blowing big clouds as i do my shopping, i do respect others..I go to the lobby, or the very back if its too good to miss, at the movies, i go to the bathroom on a plane, this one is a must unless u wish to get arrested because the pv is not illegal but using it on the plane is but, it cant be detected by smoke detectors...........its not smoke........so bathroom time works for me......i understand your plight, just remember and learn from the skateboard revolution of the eighties, if you act like a punk you will be labeled as a punk and be treated as a punk and the word will spread and then we will all be punks, so act accordingly smile and explain then if the proprietor says please don't do that, then smile, put away your pv, and apologize for whatever inconvenience you may have caused and go about your business with confidence because, you know the world will catch up to us eventually..the bible even states that all things will come to light....