New Yorkers still smoke in bars

I went to a birthday gathering last night at Bowery Bar (aka B-Bar), which hosts a weekly "gay night" called "Beige." I was actually looking forward to it, as I knew a bunch of people I like were going to be there. And they were, and that was great. But, what sucked was the number of people (my friends included) who decided it was their right to smoke inside the bar. New York State decided almost two years ago that it was, in fact, my right to socialize in a smokefree bar, and it was the right of the bartenders to work in a smokefree environment. The smokers, of course, didn't care about that.

I complained to a manager and her first reaction was, "well, it happens." When I asked her if they were allowed to smoke in the bar, she said she'd do something if it bothered me. I told her it did. She did nothing.

The worst was that I felt nautious for about a half hour after leaving (we were there, breathing in the cigarettes, for over an hour). So, I decided to call 311 and report the bar. Hopefully, they'll stop people from smoking in the future. God knows I'll be calling 311 from now on when people decide to infringe on my right to socialize without breathing their smoke.

Comments

[Richard Monreal]

It has been two or three years since no smoking in NYC bars. It was tens of decades that people have been smoking in bars. Whats the big deal. That is the whole thing about NYC, all goes, live and let be. Went to the W in Union Square (Olives), there was smoking. Big deal. It's just one night for these people to act on their vice. Thank God i can be openly gay everyday, a vice to everyone.

[Cyd]

"Wah wah wah. You didn't post all my comments." I posted your lovely comments before I got your second email.

BTW, Kansas ALLOWS smoking in bars; New York DOES NOT. So, I'll stay right here, thank you very much.

[Dominick]

Cyd,
You only printed half of what I said to you.
You conveniently left out the part about how
whining on your website should also be a crime..worth calling 311 for
I would have gladly left my name but due to the fact that you edit what people really say to you before you post their comments "says it all". Glad your not running for office.
BYW - I'll be at the the Toys for Tots party on Sunday - and just so you have yor facts straight it is not sponsored by the US MArines which the image in your post alludes to. It is sponsored by a GAY organziation called S.A.G.E - Senior Action committee in a Gay environment.

Dominick
A nAtiVe NEw yOrker

P.S. The state of Mass. has it's bad apples too..
Let's see if you post this on your main page

[Cyd]

By that train of logic, Rod, business owners should be able to not allow Black people and charge women more than they charge men, and then we all decide whether to go there. Of course, the government has a role in commerce; the health of its citizens is #1 on the list.

[rod townsend]

But wouldn't your free market side say that it should be a choice here? 1. It should be a choice of bar owners whether to allow smoking in the establishment. 2. It should be the choice of bar-goers to frequent a place that allows smoking in the establishment. 3. It should be a choice of employees to work in an establishment that does/does not allow smoking.
Just playing Cruella DeVille's advocate here, but ...

[plastic peeps]

I was listening to some right-wing radio douche today, and he was trying to say that anti-smoking activists are more dangerous than smokers because some theater in Italy won't allow actors to light up as part of the play (probably a lie). Apparently he had to dig for something else to talk about besides Iraq, Plamegate, Bill Frist's SEC investigation, Delay's indictment, etc.