Smoking Policy Suggestion

The undeniably bigger problem with public health is the CocaCola sold in the park, I do not see them moving the vending machines just outside the gates ever.

My drinking Coca Cola is not a hazard to your health.

XS, I'd thought of that too and Bluestreaker had the right response. But, the main difference between smoking in the park and Coke in the park is $.

We went to the park yesterday around 1:30. Walking past the Midway Market we encountered a few smokers, but it was light enough traffic that we were able to get by. That was when a young man coming the other direction cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled out: "This is not a smoking area!" I did not bother to turn around to observe their reaction (if any).

Two hours later, we bought some ice cream from Tofts and picked a table outside the Starbucks for a shady place to eat. Not two minutes later an old woman took a seat two tables away (upwind) and promptly lit up and blew out puffs of smoke every few seconds. After several minutes of that, we got up and moved to a different area.

We were able to move, and we DID move. But the point is we should not have HAD to. But for all of the rule-breaking smoker apologists out there, we moved rather than causing a scene. That said, noggin's point above is well taken. We DO notice the infractions far more than those who comply with the policy. I have commented earlier in this thread that there ARE a LARGE amount of smokers who know, understand and FOLLOW the park's policy. I am happy that they do and appreciate it, and I don't mean to sound harsh, but I don't think this is "commendable" act of someone going above and beyond. It is just someone following the rules. It's no different than me choosing to stay in my own place in the Valravn queue line rather than cut in front of someone else. I've simply followed the rules.

The reason we don't notice how often people do what they should versus how often they do what they shouldn't is because when people do what they are supposed to (smoking only in designated areas, not skipping in line, not parking stupid...) it doesn't cause us a problem. We hear this ideal in teaching all the time, "catch them being good" instead of just noticing when they are bad but the thing is of course we're going to notice when little Johnny pulls the fire alarm and not the 20 times this week that he walked down the hall and didn't set it off.

I feel like people here think smoking is like this:

I think part of what we are not considering is the fact that the majority of us are inconvenienced perhaps but not necessarily medically bothered by people smoking. It stands to reason that one would be more aware to something that they have an issue with. For example, the average person does not know and probably does not care if there are peanut products in our food but someone who is allergic absolutely would.

As an employee, I think I notice it more because I try to enforce it. When I go to and from breaks, there is usually at least one person whom I ask to move to the Power Tower smoking area instead of sitting outside Dragster or Matterhorn. But I am specifically looking for it, among other things when I am in the park (not necessarily even in uniform).

XS NightClub said:

The undeniably bigger problem with public health is the CocaCola sold in the park, I do not see them moving the vending machines just outside the gates ever.

I literally LOL'd and did a spit take when I saw this post...LMAO

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/sugary-drinks-fact-sheet/

Yeah it's a real LOL and LMAO issue, considering the vastly high number of soda drinkers and children addicted at very young ages.

But if I sit next to someone smoking my asthma acts up whereas if I sit next to someone drinking pop it does not raise my blood glucose levels. It does nothing to me unless I drink it myself.

I have several years of being a smoker and visiting Cedar Point at least once per season under my belt. It's rather rediculous that people can't follow simple rules they agree to by entering the park. I'm pretty sure that as a smoker it pissed me off more than a non smoker that people walk around and try to hide it or smoke in non designated spots with tons of people around. Even in designated spots where a family brings their kids over so the parents can smoke pisses me off. I feel bad smoking next to a bunch of kids when that happens.

I'd be lying if I said I've never broken that rule but at least if I do, I make sure that I'm not in the midst of a ton of people or near kids. The only time I broke that rule was a few years ago when there was a severe storm incoming and everyone in the park was advised to seek shelter. My friend and I ended up seeking shelter under some type of overhang and there was only us there. I think most of the park made it inside buildings or what not. It's just rediculous that there are those that make everyone else look bad.

My new home park is six flags over Texas and I see the same **** there. For some reason management decided placing a smoking area right at a major cross through in an area that is typically crowded was a great idea. So many people walk up to cross through with their families and end up turning around.

Sorry I'm just posting random thoughts, but these things have bothered me throughout the years whenever I visit a park. At least now I'm a former smoker and don't have to worry about finding a smoking area. Unfortunately not much can be done as those people breaking the rules or being disrespectful are going to continue to do so. I'm sure there is a better solution, but I'm not 100% sure what that is right now.

Paisley, Obviously that wouldn't affect your individual health. And I respect that people should be considerate of others.

But, My post was in regards to public health that was brought up before it.

XS NightClub said:
The undeniably bigger problem with public health is the CocaCola sold in the park, I do not see them moving the vending machines just outside the gates ever.

Paisley said:
But if I sit next to someone smoking my asthma acts up whereas if I sit next to someone drinking pop it does not raise my blood glucose levels. It does nothing to me unless I drink it myself.

But if someone sits next to me drinking a delicious ice-cold Coca-Cola, I want one. Then I want another. And know what would go great with this Coke? Some fresh cut chili cheese fries. Oh and an elephant ear. Hey let's get cheese-on-a-stick! Next thing ya know, I'm diabetic. All because someone drank a Coca-Cola next to me. If you give a pig a pancake...

^^ The real question is what will happen if you give a moose a muffin? Now we're in for a true crisis.

As a smoker who follows the rules I find it very annoying when people do not follow them. It makes all smokers look bad, especially when it's in line. I cannot stand when people do it in line.

One thing that does annoy me that I have encountered in the park multiple times. People sitting in the smoking section who are not smoking. I have gotten multiple dirty looks for lighting up in the designated smoking areas. You have the choice of any bench in the entire park and you chose to sit in the smoking section and give me the stink eye.

The smoking area near where padllewheel excursion used to be is by far the best area. A cool story I had in that section, one day a few years back my wife and I sat down in that section to take a nice relaxing break from the park. When to our terror we realized we had lost our only lighter. Since that smoking area is out of the way there was not anybody else there. As we're frantically going through our pockets looking for the required flame, as if from the heavens something hits the ground next to us. I look and it is a lighter!!! Someone lost their lighter on dragster and it fell right next to me. It somehow didn't break apart and was still working. We then lit our cigarettes and enjoyed the nice views of dragster and MF.

Devs873 said:

One thing that does annoy me that I have encountered in the park multiple times. People sitting in the smoking section who are not smoking. I have gotten multiple dirty looks for lighting up in the designated smoking areas. You have the choice of any bench in the entire park and you chose to sit in the smoking section and give me the stink eye.

Anyone who is guilty of that is just as bad (or worse) than the smoker who lights up elsewhere. One time several years ago, my wife and I wandered into the smoking area behind Corkscrew to stop and watch the fireworks at the end of the Luminosity show. It was dark and we weren't yet familiar with where the designated smoking areas were. We soon realized that there was a good bit of smoke around and put 2 and 2 together, then we saw the signs. We realized our mistake and simply walked away.

It's one thing when a smoker breaks the rules, but it is 100% completely different if a smoker is puffing in the designated area where they have every right to be.

Hey! That was my lighter!
The only thing worse than being out of smokes is having plenty but nothing to light them with.

I noticed lots of smokers in Europe. And while indoor smoking may be banned in most places, anyplace outdoors is fine for lighting up. Smoking areas don't exist.
At the theme parks smoking was permitted anywhere but inside a ride or attraction. The pathways had ashtrays, frequently placed, usually an appropriately decorated bucket filled with sand. And people used them, most sitting on the nearby bench, but some as they walked.
Everyone seemed to be good citizens with their smoking, not littering the ground, and being mindful of their surroundings. The result was no huge clouds of smoke that people had to walk through, no stench, no flames shooting out of silly posts, and at no time did I see anyone suffer an asthma attack or a closed up throat on account of a smoker up ahead.