People Smoking Outside Of Designated Areas

[Speedy_no1]

Right all you people who don't smoke have got your way with people having to smoke outside! Alton towers is an outdoor place, and although they have designated smoking areas, they have no actual law if people do not smoke in these areas as it is yes you guest it out doors so stop whining about people smoking, there is bigger issues going on in the world!

[Morgan]

I do think they need to make more people aware about the designated areas. At Thorpe, you can't walk a few hundred yards without people smoking...

[nicky.borrill]

AT Seriously need to look at their smoking policy, their attitude towards vaping and policing of said polices. First, what’s the point in a policy if not enforced? Might as well do away with it altogether and just ask poeple not to smoke in queues, or better yet, enforce it.

Secondly, they need to educate themselves and stop bundling vapers with smokers. Even the government now supports vaping as a healthier altertnative, with little to no risk to 3rd parties. https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2018/02/20/clearing-up-some-myths-around-e-cigarettes/
People are now actively being encouraged to take up vaping as an alternative by health authorities. So no risk to bystanders, not covered under smoking laws... I can legally vape in bars, airports and shopping centres, with some airports and shopping centres even having e-liquid bars where I can go and try new flavours. Why should I, as somebody who has followed this GOVERNMENT ADVICE, and switched to a healthier alternative, be force to risk my health by standing in an area designed to concentrate all harmful tobacco smokers into one place, and thus increase the risk to passive smokers in that area?

This policy in itself should be illegal, Alton Towers are essentially giving me a choice between either damaging my own health, or not vaping at all. 

I know some of you are going to say that people will abuse it, smoke in queues, breath out tonnes of offensive, sweet, vapour... But these people will do that wherever and whenever they like regardless of any policy, the only people a policy like this punishes are considerate people. 

Please stop bundling us vapers with smokers, we’re doing you no harm at all and we’re doing ourselves much, much less harm. We’re simply following advice and trying to make healthier choices in order to continue doing something we enjoy (some people even aim to quit eventually.) 

/Rant

[Dom]

I'm an ex smoker. I don't smoke anymore, not even vape. The problem with vaping is that it is so new that the effects of long term usage aren't known. Yes, Vaping is technically healthier to the public as opposed to smoking in the short term, but its always better to air on the safe side when the effects aren't fully known. AT can't stop anyone vaping anywhere in the park as there is no legal standing for it, but its just manners to keep it away from crowded areas. I genuinely can't stand the smell of vapour and it literally makes me want to gag both now and when I was a smoker so I would prefer not having to smell that horrible stuff, but thats personal preference :lol

[ROYJESS]

PHE’s latest evidence review found that to date, there have been no identified health risks of passive vaping to bystanders. People with asthma and other respiratory conditions can be sensitive to a range of environmental irritants, which could include e-cigarette vapour, and PHE advises organisations to take this into account and to make adjustments where appropriate.

The above quote taken from the link above regarding "Myth 4 - Exposure to e-cigarette vapour is harmful to bystanders."
How do you know if the bystanders don't have asthma or any other respiratory conditions?

As @Dom say's I too don't like the smell of vapour and they also make me want to gag.  When you are in a queue line, there is no escape from the vapours or cigarettes smoke, especially if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction  :sick:

[jayson2125]

Hi

Im an ex smoker and now vaper and attend Alton and other Merlin parks...

I have an e-cig and always make sure I dont blow the Vape out at other people..

Even as a vaper I dont get the versions of e-cig that look like a bomb has gone off....Who needs that much vape...

I think if you are carefull to think of other people and consider they may not like it then vaping should not be an issue.

I did stay at Splash Landings a year or two ago and stood outside the front door to the right vaping and was asked to stop and go to the smoking area.
At the time I did point out that it is not illegal to vape and I didn't want to stand in a smoking area as that was the whole point in moving to a vape and givng up smoking...!

I was told that its Alton Towers policy to not allow smoking in public areas (again I pointed out I was not smoking) but was again chanted the mantra "It's our policy "

I think if you do vape and you are being considerate and nobody else is around then asking somebody to go into a smoking area is not really fair.

[nicky.borrill]

Those ‘cloud chasers’ have a lot to answer for. Before sub ohming, and cloud chasers, most indoor places allowed vaping, it was inoffensive and didn’t cause anybody any bother. Then some folk started going too far, blowing out giant plumes of thick, sweet smelling, vapour and all hell broke loose. 

Honestly when I vape, you wouldn’t know I was doing it sometimes, unless you’re really watching me closely. 

Anyway, back on point, I just think it is insanely unfair to group vapers with smokers. It’s like grouping coffee drinkers with alcohol drinkers... Both are consumed the same way, and both contain psychoactive substances. Despite causing very different levels of harm, to the user, bystanders, and society in general. 

And I suppose if some folk with ashma “CAN be sensitive to environmental irritants, which COULD include vapour.” (Let’s hope they don’t shower.) Then I presume we’ll be banning other environmental irritants, such as deodorants, any source of smoke, and combustion engines (cars.) Not to mention the use of smoke machines in public places, which is the same technology, the same ingrediants, on a much larger scale. We should probably consider banning the consumption of peanuts in public places too, incase there is somebody close by who is highly allergic.

Part of me wishes I hadn’t said anything, as I don’t want to cause offense, but the other half of me thinks ‘sod it, you are the one that should be offended being grouped with smokers.’   :-k

[ThemeCrafter264]

It's ridiculous when people queue for rides or wait for the fireworks but smoke. There's smoking places for a reason.

[Mikw]

Those ‘cloud chasers’ have a lot to answer for. Before sub ohming, and cloud chasers, most indoor places allowed vaping, it was inoffensive and didn’t cause anybody any bother. Then some folk started going too far, blowing out giant plumes of thick, sweet smelling, vapour and all hell broke loose. 

Honestly when I vape, you wouldn’t know I was doing it sometimes, unless you’re really watching me closely. 

Anyway, back on point, I just think it is insanely unfair to group vapers with smokers. It’s like grouping coffee drinkers with alcohol drinkers... Both are consumed the same way, and both contain psychoactive substances. Despite causing very different levels of harm, to the user, bystanders, and society in general. 

And I suppose if some folk with ashma “CAN be sensitive to environmental irritants, which COULD include vapour.” (Let’s hope they don’t shower.) Then I presume we’ll be banning other environmental irritants, such as deodorants, any source of smoke, and combustion engines (cars.) Not to mention the use of smoke machines in public places, which is the same technology, the same ingrediants, on a much larger scale. We should probably consider banning the consumption of peanuts in public places too, incase there is somebody close by who is highly allergic.

Part of me wishes I hadn’t said anything, as I don’t want to cause offense, but the other half of me thinks ‘sod it, you are the one that should be offended being grouped with smokers.’   :-k

I agree with what you say, Vaping was allowed in many indoor areas until people started showing off the size of their clouds.

[AltonOperator]

Hi

Im an ex smoker and now vaper and attend Alton and other Merlin parks...

I have an e-cig and always make sure I dont blow the Vape out at other people..

Even as a vaper I dont get the versions of e-cig that look like a bomb has gone off....Who needs that much vape...

I think if you are carefull to think of other people and consider they may not like it then vaping should not be an issue.

I did stay at Splash Landings a year or two ago and stood outside the front door to the right vaping and was asked to stop and go to the smoking area.
At the time I did point out that it is not illegal to vape and I didn't want to stand in a smoking area as that was the whole point in moving to a vape and givng up smoking...!

I was told that its Alton Towers policy to not allow smoking in public areas (again I pointed out I was not smoking) but was again chanted the mantra "It's our policy "

I think if you do vape and you are being considerate and nobody else is around then asking somebody to go into a smoking area is not really fair.

as their terms and conditions clearly include e-cigarettes in the smoking policy, they were correct to ask you to move.

[PhNx Survivor]

Those ‘cloud chasers’ have a lot to answer for. Before sub ohming, and cloud chasers, most indoor places allowed vaping, it was inoffensive and didn’t cause anybody any bother. Then some folk started going too far, blowing out giant plumes of thick, sweet smelling, vapour and all hell broke loose. 

Honestly when I vape, you wouldn’t know I was doing it sometimes, unless you’re really watching me closely. 

Anyway, back on point, I just think it is insanely unfair to group vapers with smokers. It’s like grouping coffee drinkers with alcohol drinkers... Both are consumed the same way, and both contain psychoactive substances. Despite causing very different levels of harm, to the user, bystanders, and society in general. 

And I suppose if some folk with ashma “CAN be sensitive to environmental irritants, which COULD include vapour.” (Let’s hope they don’t shower.) Then I presume we’ll be banning other environmental irritants, such as deodorants, any source of smoke, and combustion engines (cars.) Not to mention the use of smoke machines in public places, which is the same technology, the same ingrediants, on a much larger scale. We should probably consider banning the consumption of peanuts in public places too, incase there is somebody close by who is highly allergic.

Part of me wishes I hadn’t said anything, as I don’t want to cause offense, but the other half of me thinks ‘sod it, you are the one that should be offended being grouped with smokers.’   :-k

I agree with absolutely everything you have stated here.
As a vaper myself and being as considerate as I can, it is never enough for non-smokers.

Don’t worry about offending, it’s your opinion and your right to express it. I had a confrontation at AT during the end of Scarefest, I was outside Wicker Man, next to the fence onlooking towards the ride, of course there is bundles of mist/smoke effects. So I decided to have a vape whilst I waited around with my partner. My vape is one of the cheapest you can buy that produces little to no smoke what so ever, and the flavour is a dulled 6mg, which doesn’t produce much smell at all unless you are really close.

For some reason unbeknown to me, a women decided to call me out and insult me with how disrespectful and inconsiderate I was for other people. Even though nobody else was around me for a good 8-10ft away. I politely told her that I’m not causing any problem as the smoke from the effects will cause more harm than my vape, and she then has the audacity to insult me further, on a personal level about how I look, i’ve ruined her day, and that I’m the reason cancer exists.. I think, in anyone’s experience in that sort of confrontation, you can predict my reaction to this as I was clearly, outraged to say the least..

Never had a problem like that before, but to be attacked in a manner like that.. snowflake is the best way I can put it without using perverbials :lol

If people can’t be considerate towards me after I am considerate enough to do it away from crowds and out of queues, and little to no smoke, then what’s the point in being considerate? When at the end of the day, i’ll always be in this “group of smokers”. Even though technically, I’m not.

[piefunkle]

I hate being in queues and smelling the sickly sweet vape clouds. When you are near people who are vaping you are very aware of breathing in their discarded air and the smell of whatever it is. I love garlic bread but you don't see me going around wafting it about in people's faces in queues.

[Dom]

No ones opinions are incorrect or correct as they are opinions and never ever be worried about sharing it @nicky.borrill. Smoking and Vaping is a high 'trigger' for many people and it gets conversation happening. Whilst I don't think vapers should be made to use the smoking areas, I do feel that they need to respect the no smoking in the queue lines even if they are an hour or so long. I know all about the hatred smokers and vapers get. Its not a nice feeling and does feel like you're being victimised or attacked. It really is a grey area and they really need to look into it in more detail and not just blanket cover.

[PhNx Survivor]

No ones opinions are incorrect or correct as they are opinions and never ever be worried about sharing it @nicky.borrill. Smoking and Vaping is a high 'trigger' for many people and it gets conversation happening. Whilst I don't think vapers should be made to use the smoking areas, I do feel that they need to respect the no smoking in the queue lines even if they are an hour or so long. I know all about the hatred smokers and vapers get. Its not a nice feeling and does feel like you're being victimised or attacked. It really is a grey area and they really need to look into it in more detail and not just blanket cover.

Thank you! :lol

I agree that vapers should not be made to use the smoking areas, but rules should be enforced about vapes and cigarettes in queues definitely.

Think now is a better time than any to start working on new rules for vapers, whilst enforcing them more along with smoking.

[nicky.borrill]

I agree 110% with both of the above. Embrace ecigs, enforce bans for both in queue lines, and enforce the smoking ban everywhere other than designated areas, do it properly.

And for heavens sake, come down heavy on the weed smokers. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t totally innocent when I was younger, but I can’t believe people today will do it in a public place full of small children. 

[ROYJESS]

This is how Colchester zoo tackles vaping and smoking zones

[nicky.borrill]

That’s brilliant!!! Well done Colchester Zoo for recognising that Vapers are trying to make a healthier choice and don’t want to inhale smoke, especially not somebody else’s. 

[PhNx Survivor]

As good as that is, I’d personally want the vaping area a good 15-30 feet away from the smoking area, as you’d still be able to smell the smoke from there on a not so breezy day.

But it’s still better than what AT and other Merlin parks offer.

[nicky.borrill]

As good as that is, I’d personally want the vaping area a good 15-30 feet away from the smoking area, as you’d still be able to smell the smoke from there on a not so breezy day.

But it’s still better than what AT and other Merlin parks offer.

I assumed the arrow was showing smokers the way to the smoking area, some distance away, was I incorrect?

[ROYJESS]

That’s brilliant!!! Well done Colchester Zoo for recognising that Vapers are trying to make a healthier choice and don’t want to inhale smoke, especially not somebody else’s.

As good as that is, I’d personally want the vaping area a good 15-30 feet away from the smoking area, as you’d still be able to smell the smoke from there on a not so breezy day.

A bit ironic? 

I assumed the arrow was showing smokers the way to the smoking area, some distance away, was I incorrect?

The smoking zone is behind that 8ft fence