Smoking on a Chairlift

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but I just had to ask. All health risks aside, and regardless of specifically what one is smoking,  I really want the general consensus on this topic. I was skiing with a good friend of mine recently, and he would bum a cig every few runs. (I may have indulged once or twice too) I was a little worried about people behind us getting pissed.

Back when I used to ski at Greek Peak a lot it seemed like a lot of people smoked on the chairlifts, Fewer at Plattekill, but occasionally people do. I know Whistler now has a strict resort-wide no smoking policy.

There seems to be a bit of a stigma about smoking at ski "resorts."

My opinion: You're outside in a well ventilated area, so no big deal. Maybe save it for when there's no one directly behind you.

Smoking on a Chairlift...

It's fine

Do whatever you want, don't worry about what other people think of you.

Is rude to other customers

Makes you look like a total douche.

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I really don't care if someone smokes on a chair as long as the wind conditions are such that the secondhand smoke doesn't blow in my face.

Smoking on a gondola is the rudest thing one can do on a lift and anyone who does it should be banned from the mountain.  Not only is it a health risk to everyone in the same cabin but now it has a permanent stench that everyone else who gets in it has to smell.  Killington and Whiteface seem to be the worst mountains in terms of number of smelly gondola cabins.  I actually avoid riding the gondola at Whiteface when I'm by myself but it's not totally empty to the point that I can get the cabin to myself after having three encounters with smokers in the same day where I said I didn't want them to light up and pointed out the no smoking sign but they did it anyways.

This is a tough one. In a way, I agree more or less with all four answers.
It’s fine- as in I don’t really care what you do and I’m not so sensitive that smelling somebody’s smoke from the chair ahead is go8ng to throw me into a panic. You’re not my kid so do what you want.

Do whatever you want- ditto the answer above. I don’t expect you to care what I think about you.

It’s rude- yeah it is. Even though it’s not the end of the world, it’s rude to make other people smell your cigarettes.

Makes you look like a total douche- yeah it does. I’m sorry but it does. After all these years and all the research, the nicotine patch, the pictures of diseased lungs, you should do whatever you have to do to quit smoking. In the grand scheme of things there are many douchier behaviors out there and I do have sympathy for people with addictive tendencies but I think we have to admit it’s on the douche spectrum.

Funny, I kind of subconsciously agree with all 4 answers myself. I think that's how I came up with them. TBH, I didn't even have cigs with me the day my friend wipped out a pack on the lift. I was slightly surprised.

This post isn't about me. There's lots of people who smoke on the chairlift. I'm just trying to understand people's perception of the act among the skiing culture. It's not like there's no smoking signs anywhere on the chairlift.

And I agree. No smoking on gondolas.

doesn't bother me as long as it not blowing in my face..
I remember when you could smoke on a plane or in a movie theater..

JasonWx wrote

 
I remember when you could smoke on a plane or in a movie theater..

hospitals and schools too

50 + years of chairlift smoking pleasure ,will probably kill me .

As a tele skier you gotta put the sex appeal into tele again, smoking on chairlifts, beers on lifts and general debauchery is what’s going to revive the sport!

Ethan,

A well-seasoned snow-sports coach can load Poma #2 @ Hickory, light up his/her nicotine/mother nature delivery system and still coach their clients sliding by to their left.  Then field dress the delivery system, placing the system in a secure location, ripping the line they just coached and depositing the delivery system in a sanitary repository and repeating until beer30.

Ski You On The Hill.

Ethan Snow wrote

And I agree. No smoking on gondolas.

Got on the gondola at kicking horse a few years ago and it was obvious that its previous occupants had been smoking the local herb (8:30-9am?). I called it the ganjala after that...

64ER wrote

Ethan,

A well-seasoned snow-sports coach can load Poma #2 @ Hickory, light up his/her nicotine/mother nature delivery system and still coach their clients sliding by to their left.  Then field dress the delivery system, placing the system in a secure location, ripping the line they just coached and depositing the delivery system in a sanitary repository and repeating until beer30.

Ski You On The Hill.

What's a "mother nature delivery system"?

MidwestTeleMan wrote

As a tele skier you gotta put the sex appeal into tele again, smoking on chairlifts, beers on lifts and general debauchery is what’s going to revive the sport!

"if you don't like my fire, then don't come around, cause I'm gonna burn one down

People can ask...  It's the polite thing to do

When getting on the gondola at Mont Sainte Anne this evening I realized the previous occupants smoked some really strong nasty stuff.  Got right back out and took the next car.  

Your a tool. If someone farted in it before you got in would you walk out to.

Faced with the choice of riding up in the smelly car or the clean one right behind, I'm sure you'd pick the clean one every time.

Farts disapate. Smoke from inconsiderate people does not.

Farts can be burned off too

tjf1967 wrote

Your a tool. If someone farted in it before you got in would you walk out to.

Well at least his douchebaggery is consistent even internationally....

You two are probably the assholes that light up in the gondola at Whiteface.