What Kind of Looks/Reactions do You Get While Smoking in Public? Good or Bad!

[brewshooter]

I live in San Francisco. Which should tell you everything.

Several years ago I was walking down Battery Street on the way to work, when a woman of the wheatgerm-snarfing earthmother persuasion came up to me and screamed "thank you SO MUCH for ruining my lungs!"
What I thought was 'lady, there's three lanes of slow moving traffic, and a cloud of toxic car exhaust right here'.
What I said was "you're very welcome".

My wife did NOT appreciate your clever retort!!!! :wink:

 

[dragonslayer]

I spend most of my time reading and writing in my man cave, so not much interaction with the world face to face anymore. Now when I spent my 20 years in the corporate world running 2 companies, I smoked cigars in a suit and never got much of a look.
Now my ventures out to the doctor, no smoking on that trip lols. The occasional rock concert or bar show, I’m 52 don’t drink and have been a heavy metal man my whole life. I think the looks come from the music blaring from the car, not the pipe.

Craig

 

[seamusjft]

+1A* Scottishjohn
I'm 34 and the general consensus in the uk is pipes are for grandads! There's not even a kinda retro movement (that I know of)

That I can slot into and pretend I'm being hip lol. When I walk around town I get stares like I've sprouted another head or stupid smirks and giggles. Now you might think m on a rant here. No rant here! I couldn't give a flying, flaming f~¥k!

In fact I'm going a step further to really give 'em something to point at. I've been cultivating a moustach and fully intend to grow a funky handlebar! With curled up twists, the lot!

I they gonna point and stare it might as well be worth it lol.

I quite like the individuality smoking a pipe brings and I think pipe smokers are generally confident dudes with balls!
The best experience yet in my short pipe smoking career is making friends with a gent named Jack who, as I've shared in previous posts, is a 96 year old fighter pilot. If it wasn't for smoking 130829526207a pipe we'd have never met and were having a blast buying estates together and doing them up. And I've schooled him a bit on the Internet. Jeez he was like a kid in a sweet shop. Insant PAD & TAD lol

 

[scottishjohn]

Hey Harris & Kris, you can only be the most interesting men in the world if you wear a kilt! Period! No exceptions!

 

[seamusjft]

Now you got me thinking Scottish! Me pipe, handlebar and kilt! That'll get the wee urchins looking and laughing!

 

[prettyinpink648]

Well, I'm 40 but I tell myself I could pass for 30 lol. I think I may be a rare breed in my area. I havent seen any other 40 year old, black women smoking pipes around here.
The Indian woman who owns the tobacco shop I go to loves me to death. She says I'm her coolest customer and constantly gives me free tobacco and cigars and lighters.
I usually smoke on my front step or while driving. No one in my neighborhood has ever said a word. The ones who always wave hello still wave hello. The ones who have always ignored me still ignore me.
I get more reactions when I'm in my car. Women tend to look but try not to get caught looking while men usually flash a big smile, or a wink.
I only have two instances when people in the public mad comments both were positive. 1.I took my son to the barber shop last month. I got bored waiting so I smoked outside once and one of the patrons walked past me and said, "thats sexy." 2. I was in a Hard Times bar (you can still smoke in there) at a retirement party and I started smoking my pipe. A guy said he'd never seen a chick smoke a pipe, he thought it was sexy and asked if he could try. I told him thanks for the compliment but I'm a germaphobe. There was no way I was going to let him puff on my pipe.

 

[bschoenb]

Just tell folks it's "medicinal" if you get a look. The older folks will know it's one of the old time pleasures of life that gets you through.
The younger/PC folks will think you have some illness and are smoking the other leaf with your approved card ....

 

[bigriggers01]

Well I'm a young guy from the UK and just about the only person I know who smokes a pipe. I've never really had any negative response smoking in public but it does attract serious amounts of positive attention at parties and when out with my mates.I've now got a whole load of folks who want me to take them along to the local tobacconists and get them started!

 

[captainprophesy]

There was no way I was going to let him puff on my pipe.

Oh hell no! I wont even let a friend puff on mine! LOL

 

[bigboi]

I usually get good responses. I live in WA state who just passed the whacky weed law and well most people think I am just smoking that. Oh well, none of that garbage for me.

 

[logandow]

I feel bad for the taco bell employees up your way bigboi

 

[hunter185]

As I was leaving a pub I fired up my Bjarne freehand. My truck was parked a couple of blocks away, and on the walk over, I passed a group of late-teen/early 20's guys heading to the pub. One of the guys called out, "Nice pipe!" I turned around because my initial reaction was that they were laughing at me. The guy that had spoken up must have thought that as well, as he said, "No seriously, man, that is a NICE pipe!" So I said, "Thanks!"
I have seen a few double-takes when I'm driving though. I'm just waiting for some idiot to get in an accident because he's gawking at me LOL!

 

[pipedisciple]

I truly don't give a flying rats butt what others think or how they react to my smoking a pipe, if they don't like it then stay away from me. I usually get positive reactions for the most part. ::