Why do we need a smoking ban in Wisconsin? After all, restaurants offer non-smoking sections, right?
My wife and I took advantage of a gift certificate we got for Christmas and went to the Southridge Applebee's. It was fairly busy, but the waitress (who semed to be a "shift manager") said she could seat us immediately in a non-smoking section. As she walked briskly away - evidently we were to follow her - another waitress commented, "Where are you taking them?"
She took us to a table next to the bar. "Here you go - nonsmoking for two," she said, even as smoke from the cigarette of a guy sitting at a barstool inches from her curled around her head. The bar, of course, is a designated smoking area.
No thanks, we said.
"But this is a non-smoking table," the waitress protested.
No problem; we'll go elsewhere.
A manager-type intervened as we turned to leave and seated us at a table farther from the bar. Crisis averted - for us, at least.
As we ate, I watched the poor couple pictured above as they waved away the smoke of the blonde woman sitting about a foot away. The gentleman spent most of his meal covering his mouth and nose.
But, you see, at Applebee's they dub certain tables "non-smoking" - - even when they are situated mere inches from a table they designate as a smoking area. So the blonde lady above - seated after the couple who thought they were in a smoke-free section - merrily puffed away while whatever force field that Applebee's imagined existed between the two tables failed to keep her exhalations away from the unfortunate couple.
No more Applebee's for us.
And isn't it time for the state of Wisconsin to join the 21st century and mandate smoke-free environments?
Unfortunately too many ho-dunk bar/restaurants and "supper clubs," in the state have "installed," the same system. Unfortunately our legislators will have to oppose the tavern league wishes to change the rules.
Fortunately some establishments have made the change to entirely non-smoking on their own, and have seen more business than their competitors, even in the down-turn economy.
Posted by: dadofone | January 07, 2009 at 08:43 AM
Please patronize restaurants that are smoke free. Plenty of restaurant owners chose to be smoke free. It really is up to the owner to decide what makes sense for their restaurant...not government.
As a former restaurant owner, it was my choice to be smoke free. Even though I am a non-smoker and really hate to be around smoke, I don't want to be told by government that I must be smoke free.
The easiest form of democracy is to spend your money at businesses that reflect your wishes and needs.
Posted by: Patrick Baker | January 07, 2009 at 12:58 PM
I, like Patrick, lean towards the libertarian view on this subject.
And, John, I denounce you in advance for suggesting it is because I'm a smoker. How dare you cast aspersions regarding my ideological integrity!
(please note facetiousness)
Posted by: Jeff | January 09, 2009 at 11:01 PM
Your state doesn't have a smoking ban? Evwrywhere I go has had a smoking ban for almost three years. First, Montgomery and Prince George's County, MD instituted a restaurant and bar smoking ban. Then, the District of Columbia. Then, Baltimore. Seeing that the sky didn't fall and restaurant and bar revenue went up because many people who didn't go out because they couldn't breathe started going out more, the whole state of Maryland went smoke free. There are similar laws in effect in Delaware, New Jersey, and New York City. I can't remember off the top of my head if Philadelphia has similar rules. Arlington and Fairfax Counties in Virginia want to do the same thing but their state's political system is set up so that Richmond can overrule them. And they do because the rest of the state just does it because they can.
Basically, my entire world is smoke-free. I go out more. It has worked well, socially, too. Non-smokers no longer resent smokers for making their experience miserable. Smokers that are polite no longer have to worry about their second-hand smoke.
This is an example where other people are doing it and it works well. Your community would benefit just as much as all the states and big east coast cities where not smoking in bars and restaurants is currently the law of the land.
Posted by: Cavan | January 11, 2009 at 11:04 PM