Answers to some gripes

[miemsed]

Would be nice to breath air without cigarette smoke at Airventure. Someone else's habit should not be forced on others.

[AlexC]

I agree with you about that, however I have to say that I personally did not notice any smoking at Airventure, and being a lifelong non-smoker I usually pick up on it quite quickly!

[FlyingRon]

Actually, my wife, a reformed smoker is much more sensitive than I am (never smoked, but grew up in a smoking household). However, I only saw a few smokers and most of it was pretty innocent. They were standing well away from the planes in outside areas. Frankly, there's not much I was going to do (even it the volunteer capacity) not knowing where I could send them to smoke. Despite EAA protestations here, the smoking areas were NOT very prominent. In past years, the corals around some of the food outlets were the designated areas but this appears to have changed silently.

The only time I was bothered by smoke was waiting for my wife outside the flush toilets on the exhibit buildings. This appears to have been one of the designated areas.

[1600vw]

Knowing what we do I am amazed anyone still smokes. But whom am I to say what they can do, its their body. In my home I will tell them to go outside and smoke. I control my house but I control no one outside of my home, just as you control no one outside of your home. But some believe they know best and try to tell everyone what to do and how to do it...Does anyone remember...Jones Town...Same thing, a controlling person trying to tell others what to do, and they listened...would you?

[Hal Bryan]

However, I only saw a few smokers and most of it was pretty innocent. They were standing well away from the planes in outside areas.

Same here. I didn't see any smoking in any inappropriate areas. I can't say I was hunting for it, but my job has me covering a lot of the grounds multiple times a day, and nothing stood out.

Despite EAA protestations here, the smoking areas were NOT very prominent.

Where? Where have any of us protested? I just did a(n admittedly) quick search and couldn't find any comments from staff on the topic.

Regardless, while there are designated smoking areas on the grounds an, like you, I didn't notice any issues, clearly, some people did. Maybe we need to do a better job of designating those areas, making them more prominent or easier to find, what have you. That's extremely important feedback for us.

[Tom Steber]

I witnessed several people smoking in vintage watching the airshow. Up front, maybe 5 rows back. In line with the Pink Dot. This was over a few days. Each time they were told that there was no smoking in that area. They would protest but eventually put in out. I usually sit in that same area every year for the airshow and every year for the past several years there are people who want to smoke. Maybe more announcements over the PA before and during the show. Maybe we could have people watching for that like they do for toes sticking over the burn line. Or the way they used to look for unattended chairs. Remember that??? I love Oshkosh but there are certain things that I really miss. There...rant over.

[vaflier]

Well I have sat quietly watching this thread and finally have to speak up. I am a smoker ( There I confessed my sins for all to see ). I am however a very considerate smoker. I do not smoke around others , or Avgas, or in my airplane. I did observe however several rabid antismokers at Oshkosh walk up to the designated smoking areas and then proceed to complain about those damn smokers. If you do not wish to be around a smoker then walk away. I will always honor a polite request to refrain from anyone, however when someone decides to rant and rave about my bad habits and demand I quit smoking, Well to be polite they may kiss my !. If I am smoking and you are near and it bothers you then might I suggest that you simply say, Excuse me but that is really bothering me or my loved ones would you mind putting it out ??. You will find me and most others to be very agreeable. There are two sides to this story and my side is equally as valid as the other. No more and no less. What ever happended to treating each other as we would all like to be treated. I would also ask smokers to be considerate of others, since we do not have the right to cause discomfort, but if we are away from nonsmokers please do not make it your mission to convince me that I must quit just because you disaprove. You will likely also disaprove of my response. I will continue to be considerate of others and ask you to extend me the same respect. And just as a footnote I do believe that I have as much right to be at Airventure as anyone else. I suspect my money spends just as well even though it may have been carried by a smoker. Lets all be considerate and respectful of each other and most issues can be solved easily. I wonder how many millions of dollars are spent at Oshkosh by those darned smokers. May you all fly safe.

Randy

[Tom Steber]

Randy,

I would never walk up to anyone who was smoking in a designated smoking area and ask them to put out their cigarette. That would be just rude. But I have no problem telling someone who is smoking next to a $100,000 airplane in a grass field to put out their cigarette. Especially since that's what the rules are. BTW: former smoker here. Smoked for 24 years. Quit in 2002.

[WWhunter]

Well, I guess I have to say my bit about the smoking. I 'bumped' into more smokers this year than I have ever seen while at Oshkosh, the bad part was I saw them in almost every area of the grounds! Even in large groups of people which made it even worse since I person had a hard time trying to avoid the smoke. I also saw more 'stinky-butts' (my terminology for them) on the grounds almost all ove this year compared to other years. I thought it was strange though due to the number of smokers is actually decreasing.
My wife used to be a heavy smoker, I 'tried' it in my younger years but never cared for it. Fast forward many years, I was in an auto accident that collapsed my lungs requiring several weeks of being on a ventilator, got busted up bad along with a basket full of other issues. Not sure what the heck this caused but I get seriously bad respiratory issues now if I get even a small whiff of smoke. I respect peoples right to smoke but when that smoke gets into the air that everyone breaths than you are having an effect on everyone so to me the argument saying you have a right to smoke is valid only when it doesn't harm anyone but yourself. I am not the only person that has this issue and I always try to exit the area as soon as I can. I feel there is no arguing with a rude smoker. This doesn't apply to those like you vaflier since that is how people should act. Some smokers can be polite about it and that is great, unfortunately I seem to meet more that are not though. Yes, it sucks to be me sometimes!!
Smoking areas are a good idea as long as they don't affect others. Maybe they should have those rooms like I have seen at some airports....a glass enclosure for the smokers that everyone else can watch them all standing around in a room filled to capacity with people and smoke.

[vaflier]

Tom, In the situation you describe I would ask them to put it out. Congratulations on quitting I hope it was easy for you, but I would bet that you can understand just how hard it can be for others.
WWHunter, the health problems you and many others have are the reason I try very hard to be considerate. I have a friend that has severe reactions to smoke. She made me aware long ago that for some people it is not a matter of they do not like it, it is a real and serious problem. I truly do get it. As far as the glass room ???, well I guess you and I are going to have to disagree on that one. I would agree that all smokers should be considerate of others. Perhaps one of these day I will find a way to quit that works for me, but until then I will continue to be considerate of others.