julia Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 It really naffs me off when people light up when I am eating too! My kids have fairly decent table manners, they use their cutlery correctly and don't blow bubbles down a straw(well not in public[:'(] ) they take care not to splat sauce or knit with spagetti, but like me they do object to eating cigar/ette smoke along with their food, and I do not object when they waft a menu, serviette or even frantic arm movements to waft the smoke away to the suprised loods of the smokers. Some will put out their fags and some try to deviate the smoke, usually without sucess and you always get the one that will continue haughtily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I was in a restaurant once with my husband and there was a party of people next to us. We were in the non-smoking part and the rest of the room was empty. There was one girl who was a smoker with them and I could hear her asking her friends if they minded if she smoked. The y all said no and then they sort of looked over at us to see what we thought. I just looked at her and smiled and she asked me "Do you mind if I smoke?" I replied "Yes I do actually, that is why I am sitting in a non smoking part of the room" I wasn't aggressive - just matter of fact. She said that she understood and went to smoke her coffin nail in the other part of the restaurant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 When the Channel tunnel had just opened, for a treat at their 1/2 term holiday, I took my 2 kids (then 12 & 9) to visit their French Grandparents. We did the whole journey from our place in Wales to Niort in 79 by train! It had to be experienced! Because the youngest is asthmatic I booked the entire journey in NO SMOKING compartments. During the English part of the journey all was fine, in fact until Paris. On the Paris-Niort bit, we got on the No Smoking compartment. It wasn't very busy.... I had noticed this one couple chainsmoking on the platform before leaving Gare d'Austerltiz. They got on in the same carriage as us and sat a few seat away from us. I was a little puzzled that these 2 chainsmoking would want to sit in a No Smoking one... I could see them darting off out of the carriage for a puff every 30 minutes or so. About 2 hours into the journey, the controller came along to verify the tickets and as soon as he had come out of the carriage, that pair of chainsmoker lit up! THERE AND THEN!! I was SO NOT amused! that I ran back to the controller and brought him back to the carriage to catch these 2 redhanded! His answer (with compulsory gallic shrug!) : 'Qu'est ce que vous voulez ma p'tite dame! les gens font ce qu'ils veulent maintenant!....' My newly acquired sense of English fairplay was truly knocked out for 6 !! I wonder what these 3 people would think/do now under this new law......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumGirl Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I think that thing about people coming and sitting right down next to you, even though there are tons of other empty tables farther away, is one of those cultural differences you often run into.We anglo-saxons tend to like to keep our distance a bit; we stand farther away from each other when waiting in queues, etc. If we go to a café or restaurant, we scope out the table farthest from other people and sit there. But, I think the French WANT to be where the action is. If they see a half-empty restaurant, they want to be near other people, rather than off by themselves. Some of my neighbors are what the Seinfeld show once labled, "close talkers." No matter how much you edge away, they come ever closer. I guess it's just on of those things one has to get used to.PG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob T Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Nice place to eat out in Thenon on the N89, for those of you in the Dordogne. Best bit is that it is non-smoking. If all hte anti smokers would like to go there then I can smoke my lungs off in the local cafes without complaint.The deal is, you go to the non smoking place and I won't come in there and smoke, I go to the smoking places and you don't bring screaming kids or dogs in. Can't be fairer than that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Don't hold back Bob, tell it like you mean it [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 [quote user="Bob T"]The deal is, you go to the non smoking place and I won't come in there and smoke, I go to the smoking places and you don't bring screaming kids or dogs in. [/quote]As long as you don't wear your Old Spice aftershave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob T Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 No thanks, essence of armpit for me! Glad that no one takes me seriously here, but there really is a non smoking restaurant in Thennon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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