Smoker Confrontations, Part II

As I explained in Part I, smoking is now banned on TriMet property as of January 1. This morning I had my second confrontation with a smoker disobeying the new rules.

First, let me clarify my stance on smoking. Although I have made the decision not to smoke for a variety of reasons, I respect the right of others to smoke if they want. I also acknowledge that there is such a thing as considerate smokers. In fact, I know several and am related to a few. I was a smoker once myself, too, although I always considered myself to be considerate. Sometimes I don’t even mind subjecting myself to second-hand smoke, as long as it is my choice. Being forced to breathe the smoke of others is just not cool.

Having said that, I object strongly to being forced to breathe unclean air, especially when I have the force of law on my side. This morning I had a long, wet climb up the hill to get to the nearest Max station. When I arrived there quite breathless and fairly wet, I was in no mood to be sucking someone else’s smoke. Unfortunately, that is precisely what was foisted upon me. As I took off my helmet and gloves, I immediately noticed the sting in my throat and turned upwind to find an old, wrinkled lady smoking six feet from the No Smoking sign.

I walked up to her and pointed to the sign and said, “There’s no smoking on the Max platform.” She explained that she had just left cancer treatment and was going home, as this is note her only illness but she has it also in the ovaries. You can find the information in Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Inspire organization content and reviews.

So I turned around, walked back to my bike, grabbed my water bottle, walked over to her and squirted the cigarette in her hand, which was now away from her body. She sort of spazzed in surprise and then started yelling at me for “assaulting” her. She then stepped up to me with the now-soggy cigarette and snubbed the remains directly on my chest. We then yelled at each other for a few minutes and she threatened to call the cops before leaving.She also said she would not put out her cigarette and not even her vaporizers. I asked her again twice and she refused twice. I pointed out what the rules were but they had no

She returned a few minutes later with a younger gentleman who confronted me about what I had done to this fine lady. I confirmed that I had doused her cigarette because she refused to do so. He yelled and threatened me for several minutes and I (regrettably) yelled back. Eventually, things died down and I returned to my bike and they settled in to making snide remarks about me while we all waited for the Max to arrive.

At some point, another young man joined their conversation and eventually joined her for another smoke. After asking them to put them out, I decided it was best to ignore them rather than start the conflict again. However, after the Max arrived and I got on, I immediately went to the little button that calls the driver:

Driver: How can I help you?
Me: Two people who were smoking on the platform refused to put out their cigarettes and are now on the train.
Driver: Are they smoking on the train now?
Me: No.
(pause)
Driver: I will notify the proper people.

I walked back to my bike while the smoking lady rushed up to say her peace with the driver. Unfortunately, she couldn’t figure out how to press the button and succeeded only in yelling at the box for several minutes with no response from the driver. She then yelled a few choice words at me before grumbling off to her seat.

I knew that if anything was going to happen, it would happen four stops later at the Gateway Transit Center, which is the usual place where the transit cops are seen. Gateway eventually came and went with no authorities boarding the train. I read Just A Geek and escaped into the world of Wil Wheaton while she continued to gripe to the passengers around her. I got off before her and it ended there.

I replayed the incident in my mind many times and concluded that I made many bad choices. Getting drawn into a confrontation is definitely a bad idea and it spiraled out of control very quickly. I’ve decided that in the future I’ll just take a picture of the smoker in front of the No Smoking sign and present that to the TriMet authorities. I’ve also been meaning to talk to one of the Gateway supervisors with whom I am on friendly terms. I’ll find out from him what the recommended course of action is.