I'm glad NYC banned smoking in bars and restaurants.

That said, you were outside. Your smoke wouldn't affect me. And hey, it might not affect you. I did a bit of web surfing that suggested that 10-15% of smokers develop lung cancer. It's an expensive habit, and it's not good for you, but um...most of us have addictions. Only some are demonized.

I bet there's a fairly good chance that some of the people commenting on your smoking were wearing bike shorts and jerseys. I've owned those in the past; now, I ride in normal clothes. No difference. I'm not riding the Tour de France. Maybe your commenters have a...shopping addiction???

What shows do they watch? Did you see the last episode of Grey's Anatomy? Ummm....television addiction????

Or were those people perfectly fit? Can you say...food addiction???

Or hey. Maybe some of those people thought your girlfriend was cute. Not even consciously...they just wanted to talk to her, and you stuck out in your way...so they have something to talk about.

I can see why you'd enjoy upsetting the 'stuffed shirts', but would just have to add that having watched, both my own grandfathers and my wife's grandfather die early and hard from lung-cancer, and emphysema, and then see her father die over a miserable period from throat cancer, the last laugh might not be yours - sadly.

On the subject of the etiquette of smoking in the presence of others; we should maybe recognise that smoking in the presence of others is a bit like farting - best done on ones own really. Frankly, I'd as soon be in a restaurant with someone who couldn't stop farting as have someone smoking at a neighbouring table. Thankfully, from July the first this year, no one will be legally allowed to smoke in a covered workplace or indoor public venue anywhere in the British Isles. Scotland and Ireland have already banned it.

But you might have done it in 3 hrs 5 minutes like my 45 year old brother did if you didn't smoke. Still - doing a marathon in any time at all is a triumph of the human spirit and sheer guts. Bet your feet were sore as hell. I used to do half marathons in about an hour and twenty up til I was 45. My best time was 1.18, but that nearly killed me. I never considered the full marathon - the half was more than hard enough for me.

I can't stand these smoking bans. There used to be cigar lounges in NYC and now there aren't any. Don't you think it's a little ridiculous that public smoking lounges aren't allowed to exist? I mean, what business does a nonsmoker have in a smoking lounge anyway?

I myself don't enjoy breathing second hand smoke, but that's why restaurants used to have smoking and nonsmoking sections. Sure, some of those restaurants didn't section them off well enough, but nobody is forcing you to go there.

If the majority of patrons really wanted to ban second hand smoke then there would be plenty of restaurants willing to accommodate them. Likewise, if the majority of restaurant workers really wanted to stop breathing second hand smoke then they would be wearing air filtering masks. The fact that these things aren't happening means that most people really don't care and it's only a select few who are manipulating the legislature into inconveniencing the majority.

For the record, I don't consider myself a smoker in any way. However, I still enjoy a cigar or pipe once a year or so; preferably at a bar, a lounge, or a steak house, not in the gutter like I'm some kind of menace to society for smoking a single annual cigar.

I think you might be right. I'll give it a try. Never could smoke while riding a bike though. I figured out how to smoke while taking a shower, but not while riding a bike.

LOL - I don't want to start a fight here Makeinu, but the smoke from your smoking area in practice finds its way all over the non-smoking area too. That's a fact that all non-smokers, by far the MAJORITY of the population here (it's about 70/30) have long known. In England, the ban covers any area where people work, and the law is couched in terms that describe their protection. It's no use saying they chose to work there; in fact, bar and restaurant staff have little choice. If that's their work, the only choice was to be unemployed or put up with it, until now.

In Scotland and Ireland where the bans have already gone ahead, the doomsayers warnings of riot and financial collapse in the bar and restaurant business has been spectacularly wrong. Takings are up and business is brisker than ever, now that the majority who are not tobacco fiends can feel at ease without being smoked over by a selfish minority of addicts.

Tell it to the restaurant owner as you explain that you're never coming back again, not your local politician. This is between you and the restaurant. The government should not be involved.

If the restaurant workers don't think their own protection is worth wearing a 50 cent mask from the local drug store, then it isn't worth taking away the freedom of their patrons either.

I want to see every restaurant worker wearing a mask first. Then, if they are still complaining, we can consider legislation (perhaps requiring restaurant owners to provide masks along with air tight seals around smoking sections......a complete ban is probably unecessarily extreme). Seeking a legislative solution to something that people don't even care enough about to buy a 50 cent mask is just wrong.

I think that's great, but it didn't have to come at the expense of personal freedom. If the nonsmoking patrons would simply speak to restaurant and bar owners instead of politicians and the restaurant workers would splurge 50 cents each for their own personal safety then we could all have our cake and eat it too. Getting the government involved is just a recipe for abuse, waste, and inefficiency, exemplified by the fact that there can't exist even a single smoking lounge to accommodate the 30% of the population that might be served by it....even if the workers wear freaking scuba gear to prevent them from breathing even one whiff of second hand smoke.

I bet that not even 30% of the population cycles. How would you like it if cycling was banned just because it irritated the majority of noncyclists (even if there were other ways to appease everyone)?

Actually, a new law was passed in France, no more smoking in public places. Hard to imagine but true. Also, next time you want to shake some heads, try jogging with a headband, sweatsuit, etc. while smoking a ciggy.

lol - if some of you fellows had watched relatives die of lung cancer and basically drown in their own fluids like I have, you'd maybe be a little less exercised about the freedoms of smokers to oblige the rest of us to smoke their smoke when we have the misfortune to find ourselves near them in a restaurant. I've many a time been angry enough to emoty a caraf of water over some selfish arrogant **** who wanted to blow smoke around my table. I'm delighted that I won't have to deal with it myself next time I'm out (or from July 1st anyway). other people's personal freedom does not include making me and mine breath their smoke, I'm afraid. I've seen four of my elderly male relatives die badly from smoking related diseases in the last thirty-five years. Not being able to breathe adequately over a period of several days is a bad way to go.