Ban On Smoking And Walking Potentially Coming To NYC Streets

[Johnboy60]

If a city lawmaker has his way, smoking and walking will soon be outlawed on city streets.

That’s the bill Councilman Peter Koo proposed on Thursday. If it passes, offenders would have to pay a $50 fine.
Ban On Smoking And Walking Potentially Coming To NYC Streets

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

I don't smoke. So I have no problem with it. But I wouldn't turn some in for doing it. Also I live in Ca. So it doesn't apply to me. Very few people walk. So there would be no reason to complain.

 

[Hank77]

If a city lawmaker has his way, smoking and walking will soon be outlawed on city streets.

That’s the bill Councilman Peter Koo proposed on Thursday. If it passes, offenders would have to pay a $50 fine.
Ban On Smoking And Walking Potentially Coming To NYC Streets

Another way to make revenue, isn't he clever.

 

[TuxAme]

“You can smoke. You can walk. But don’t do both together,” Koo told CBS2’s Ali Bauman. “Because when you smoke, pedestrians following you inhale a lot of secondhand smoke. New York City is a busy city. We have 8 million people. The sidewalk belongs to everyone.”

Don't walk and smoke at the same time- you'll pass by people who become exposed to your second-hand smoke. Instead, let them come to you to inhale your second hand smoke.

That'll fix it!

 

[anna ~ grace]

So this would effectively ban smoking in public, unless you were seated?

 

[TuxAme]

So this would effectively ban smoking in public, unless you were seated?

I wonder how far one could push the law.

"Excuse me, officer, but I'm clearly rolling down the sidewalk in my wheelchair- the law says nothing about that!"

 

[timewerx]

I wonder how far one could push the law.

"Excuse me, officer, but I'm clearly rolling down the sidewalk in my wheelchair- the law says nothing about that!"

What about smoking while running or while on pogo stick?

 

[anna ~ grace]

.

 

[anna ~ grace]

I don't see how this isn't silly. Kind of reminds me of those quirky, old laws that are still technically enforceable like "it is illegal in the state of Missouri to carry a mongoose in your purse between midnight and eight a.m. on Tuesdays, except when snowing".

 

[Sunshine21]

I don't like too much government overreach. Where I live they fast-tracked a law for a tax. It was supposed to be in one area and quickly spread into others for monetary gain. It wasn't popular when it was first unrolled but then they started taxing other areas. We all hated it and got it repealed. They slowly have worked it back in over the last five years. I don't like cigarette smoke; it makes me sick but I don't like the slippery slope.

 

[MyOwnSockPuppet]

I did read an interesting suggestion, dating back to 1999 - if the tobacco companies worked together and announced about a week in advance that they were going to conduct an experiment and were simply going to stop supplying a particular jurisdiction from a week after the announcement (in this case California, although NYC would work just as well) and would not ship to any wholesaler who would sell on in California. Tobacco company executives should spend the week making public statements along the lines of "public health", "corporate concern" and "for the children".
Inside a week everything even vaguely tobacco related would've gone from the shops, along with all the future tax revenue. Shops just outside the jurisdiction wouldn't be able to keep stock on the shelves. Reservations, which aren't legally part of the state or necessarily bound by the tax laws will have a massive growth industry.
The other growth industry would be in smuggling (which already cost NYC an estimated $740,000,000 in 2015). It would very quickly grow to be a bigger industry than that of the prohibition, it would dwarf the illegal drugs trade, at the same time that their revenue takes an enormous hit.

It would, of course, be a massive violation of anti-trust laws, but it would be highly embarrasing to prosecute the tobacco companies for not selling tobacco, having also decades prosecuting them for selling it.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

I don't like too much government overreach.

My guess, is to many businesses and people complain about other people smoking on the side walks and streets. So they are trying to find ways of getting rid of this. New York is very populated . A lot of walkers. And business close to the streets.

 

[Aldebaran]

My guess, is to many businesses and people complain about other people smoking on the side walks and streets. So they are trying to find ways of getting rid of this. New York is very populated . A lot of walkers. And business close to the streets.

I've noticed that when anti-smoking laws and ordinances are passed, they are ignored. Outside a building where I frequent every day, there are 2 signs that say that smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property. Yet I routinely see groups of people smoking not far from the door. Sometimes people will even stand right next to the sign and smoke. Nobody from the building does anything about it, even though there are cameras outside the building that would allow staff members to see it happening.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

I've noticed that when anti-smoking laws and ordinances are passed, they are ignored. Outside a building where I frequent every day, there are 2 signs that say that smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property. Yet I routinely see groups of people smoking not far from the door. Sometimes people will even stand right next to the sign and smoke. Nobody from the building does anything about it, even though there are cameras outside the building that would allow staff members to see it happening.

Sadly were you live people ignore laws , that protect peoples lungs.

 

[Aldebaran]

Sadly were you live people ignore laws , that protect peoples lungs.

Very true. Makes me sick every time I see someone with one of those blasted things sticking out of their mouth. Those are the people who seem to care the least about anything or anyone. They light up where other people are, tip their ashes wherever they want, and throw their cigarette butt on the ground or floor wherever they happen to be standing. No regard for anyone else's breathing, or for the environment. At home, I can't even have windows open because of the neighbors smoke. If I have one open, it comes right into my house. They've heard me shut my windows whenever that happens, but they just keep on puffing away in the same spot as if they couldn't care less how they affect people.

 

[Hieronymus]

So how about cars?
and BBQ with kids?
Incense in churches?
Your fireplace?
Farts?

 

[W2L]

So how about cars?
and BBQ with kids?
Incense in churches?
Your fireplace?
Farts?

We gotta outlaw those farts.

 

[Sunshine21]

My guess, is to many businesses and people complain about other people smoking on the side walks and streets. So they are trying to find ways of getting rid of this. New York is very populated . A lot of walkers. And business close to the streets.

That does make sense. I personally can't stand smoke. I just don't see the logistics of citing people for this. And the slippery slope aspect.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

So how about cars?
and BBQ with kids?
Incense in churches?
Your fireplace?
Farts?

I think if plenty of people complain . Getting rid of certain things happen. I think the car is a huge issue. In CA they been trying to get cleaner gas. And stuff like that. Personally, I think walking or bikes is better idea. I know in certain areas fire works aren't allowed. Because of fire hazard.

 

[Aldebaran]

That does make sense. I personally can't stand smoke. I just don't see the logistics of citing people for this. And the slippery slope aspect.

I can't stand it either. It's one of my pet peeves, truth be told. However, where I live, I think they went a bit too far in banning smoking in bars and taverns. I don't go to those places anyway, but it still doesn't seem to make sense. Now every time I bike past a bar, I have to smell the cigarette smoke from the group of people standing outside the (open) door.

One thing I really applauded when they came out is electronic cigarettes. When they arrived, I had the impression that people were going to flock to them because they were said to be safer, cleaner, and even a way to break the habit, and doesn't make people around them suffer. I hardly see anyone using them though. So the cigarette butts laying all over the ground everywhere you look continues.