Smokers at Paddington Station

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

.........in all honesty, if you work in London and are exposed to all the filth & pollution caused by traffic and on the Underground etc, the dreadful trauma of being subjected to some second hand smoke for a nanosecond as you walk past probably isn't going to be much of an issue in the great scheme of things.......I'm sure (I hope) the British Transport Police have better things to do than agonising over whether someone is contravening sub sub paragraph 14 (3) (ii) or whatever it is by taking part in a legal activity on the pavement 

[BerkshireBugsy]

.........in all honesty, if you work in London and are exposed to all the filth & pollution caused by traffic and on the Underground etc, the dreadful trauma of being subjected to some second hand smoke for a nanosecond as you walk past probably isn't going to be much of an issue in the great scheme of things.......I'm sure (I hope) the British Transport Police have better things to do than agonising over whether someone is contravening sub sub paragraph 14 (3) (ii) or whatever it is by taking part in a legal activity on the pavement 

I accept (obviously) that the original post was about Paddington

However on one of my frequent journeys, which terminates at Reigate, it is not possible to enter or leave the platform (2 i think) without passing through what I call smokers corner.

Because smokers use the area outside of the barriers (which I believe is still station property) it is difficult to pass through that area without enjoying second hand smoke.

Although I object to this I am more concerned about any impact on young children whose parents may be delayed due to sorting out ticket issues.

Am I against smoking ? Not really. But I do believe that those who don't smoke should also have the choice not inhale the smoke from those that do smoke

[broadgage]

The byelaws say:


Quote
3. Smoking
No person shall smoke or carry a lighted pipe, cigar, cigarette, match, lighter or other lighted item on any part of the railway on or near which there is a notice indicating that smoking is not allowed.


These rules presumably apply to staff as well as passengers.
Is it permitted to use a match or lighter to light the fire in a steamer 
Or the gas fire or cooker in the staff mess room ?

[grahame]

or other lighted item

These rules presumably apply to staff as well as passengers.
Is it permitted to use a match or lighter to light the fire in a steamer 
Or the gas fire or cooker in the staff mess room ?

Read pedantically, it goes wider still ...

[ChrisB]

Obstruction on the access road at PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) is unlikely nearly 99% of the time. You can always walk around / between the smokers, the vast majority of whom to congregate now o9n the 'smoking' side of that road. It might be hard fgor the cyclists to cycle through them, but considering they should be dismounting at the bollards anyway, they become pedestrians, referred to above.

I seriously think that a police officer would NOT get an obstruction offence to stick.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I seriously think that a police officer would NOT get an obstruction offence to stick.

Posting in a personal capacity, rather than as an administrator: I agree with ChrisB's assessment of that particular scenario. 

[basset44]

hi All,

Came back through Paddington on Sunday and thought it was a lot better since they put in the ash trays, what more can they do there are signs on the wall and floor.

It is not yet illegal to smoke in a public place, it was the way the law been interpreted at stations dont help, just issue a blanket ban all you do is move people to the entrances.

I smoke I try to obey the rules, I find I have to change my travel patterns. Catching a 15min earlier train and changing at Swindon it helps theres a good split choice but out of the 5 times in the last 3 months the 20.00 has been late arriving at Swindon with the Cardiff train on time behind having to rush out have a quick smoke and back up.

Now fly moslty from Birmingham since i fond the smoking balcony split at Cheltenham just a step outside, splitting flights in Germany or Swiss because they have smoking lounges in Airports and at train stations they have marked areas usually at the end of platforms.

Bignosemac do them electronic devices work and have you had any problem using them?

Basset

[JayMac]

I've now been on the electronic devices for three months (bar the odd occasion when I've forgotten to take it with me and have bummed a smoke from travelling companions) and I'm not regretting the decision.

I started with the disposable ones and have moved on to the rechargeable ones with replaceable cartomizers. Currently using the E-lites brand.

I've discovered there's quite a 'vaping' (it's not smoking!) scene out there and the vast majority roundly scorn the disposables and the kits found on the High Street. So I soon may have a device that looks nothing like a traditional cigarette. One I can fill with a vast array of different liquids containing nicotine. Peanut Butter flavour anyone?

[Red Squirrel]

It is not yet illegal to smoke in a public place, it was the way the law been interpreted at stations dont help, just issue a blanket ban all you do is move people to the entrances.

As a long-time lapsed smoker myself, I don't want to breath smoke and I'm all for helping people give up (surely all smokers want to give up, in their heart of hearts?)

But I don't see it as the rail industry's job to be anything other than neutral on this - yes it should protect the non-smoking majority from their addicted fellow travellers, but there is no reason why addicts should not be humanely accommodated. There is room in most major stations to provide a smoking area, and at minor stations it would be easy to paint a zone at the downwind end of the platform. Why not?

[ChrisB]

Cost.

The railway saw an easy way to save money in cleaning costs. Not having to permanently send someone round with a dustpan clearing up the dog-ends everywhere. And its easier to police if its a complete ban.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Except that it's not policed - you only have to count the number of dog-ends in any of the shelters (particularly the one on the down platform) at Nailsea & Backwell to see that, for example.  They've obviously still saved on the cost of staff with a dustpan and brush, though. 

[ChrisB]

And on policing it too, I guess! :-)

[TaplowGreen]

....like I said before, I suspect the Police have better things to do, and more important things to worry about, than supervising those taking part in a legal activity 

[IndustryInsider]

Sadly, some of the staff take a more Stalinist approach and I've seen unsuspecting smokers having a cheeky one at the end of a desolate platform get pursued with vigour and given a right verbal lecture!  I've said before that allowing smokers to smoke at station entrances, but not on the end of a quiet platform makes a mockery of the reason the ban was introduced.

[Red Squirrel]

Entering Paddington yesterday via the old Cab Road, I noticed that there are 'No smoking' signs painted on the pavement before you get to the red line saying 'No smoking beyond this line'. I saw someone stood smoking outside the line being told to move (rather brusquely), and empathised with their bewilderment...