Health & Fitness
The Smoky Streets of Boston
The city has a new problem with placing public smokers. Unfortunately, it is right out on sidewalks and doorways, much to the dismay of 'cough-cough-choke' non-smokers like myself.
Have you taken a refreshing stroll in the city lately only to approach a place of business, bar or restaurant with a single or small group of people smoking either discreetly off to the side or smack in the middle of the sidewalk? I now fear approaching these people in my frequent walks and almost wonder if I should have an oxygen tank strapped to my back so I don't have to inhale the second hand smoke!
While I am certainly for the rights of people to smoke if they so choose (but why?!!), I also wish there was a way to contain them from our streets. The businesses clearly are faced with the dilemma of limited space for their customers who smoke, thus causing the sidewalk to be the only solution.
The biggest annoyance of this situation is the smoker, often along with their friends in a buffalo stance, who seem to feel the need to stand smack in the middle of the sidewalk with no clue about the passers by (much like texting pedestrians who annoy us all). Smoke blowing, I have to take a whiff of this as I ask to be excused so I can get to my destination. Really, I want to exclaim "Move Over Chimney", but I choose to refrain.
Find out what's happening in South Endwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
I have no solution to this 'problem' and I know that cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc are not going anywhere. But if you do choose to smoke and need to be outside near a sidewalk to get your fix, please be cognisant of those around you who may not want a second hand dose of your smoke!