Cigarette radar

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Is it possible to smoke a cigarette anywhere outdoors in London without having 25 people come up and ask if you 'got a spare fag'? What the fuck is wrong with people? Could someone explain why not paying for stuff is the most popular sport in London? Whatever happened to the dignity of conspicuous consumption?

― dave q, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

There is nothing dignified about conspicuous consumption. If you have TB die of it in your own home.

― Pete, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Besides, Dave, this way you get to meet new friends.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You could always say no like I do, Dave.

― Emma, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

(Unless the asker is a famous Pop Star or a dishy chap).

― Emma, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

people are always asking me for spare fags even though i don't smoke and always give me a filthy look when i tell them that i dont smoke, as if i'm lying to them. i'm not. i don't smoke. do i look as if i smoke? hmpf.

― katie, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What do people who smoke look like? (Apart from the whole Dot Cotton yellow teeth / fingers, hacking cough, wrinkly thing everyone's always banging on about).

― Emma, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

as far as i am concerned people who smoke can be identified with the cigarette that they are holding and/or smoking. since i neither hold nor smoke them WHY DO PEOPLE ASSUME THAT I DO???? i was a light smoker for about 18 months of my life, which period ended 2 years ago. maybe it's a residual thing.

― katie, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

oops identified by not with. see, rage does make you incoherent!

― katie, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

(Apart from the whole Dot Cotton yellow teeth / fingers, hacking cough, wrinkly thing everyone's always banging on about)

It does happen, you know. Be afraid.

― Mark C, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Dude, I asked for a LIGHT the other day and the lady shot back "don't you get matches with your cigarettes"? I walked away. Sulking.

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Or you could just give them one. You'll hardly miss it, and in the great karmic circle of life you'll be gladder if someday when you need it you get one back = net gain (= Pollyanna). You could sell them one, but I'm always too embarrassed to accept money from cigarette cadgers. Last week a man asked if i'd sell him a cigarette, I offered to give him one, he turned it down; Silk Cut Ultra unacceptable (too lower middle class, p'raps?). I kept cigarette but felt snubbed = net loss.

― Ellie, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Carlos says I have spliff radar. I would always enter our shared house at night the second he would finish skinning one up, at completely random times in each case.

Fag radar (not the same as GAYDAR) is something you should use to work for you in times of need, now that you have identified it.

― suzy, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I never ask anyone but good friends for cigarettes, it's just a bit weird. A light is a different story though, I think you must've asked crazy ass ex-roomie for a light, Tracer, that's the sort of thing she'd say, as if matches are some high commodity item.

― Ally, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i started smoking after bumming 2 cigs a day for the whole summer in 99 or 98..my friends bum from me but nobody else ever asks.

― kevin enas, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

This is so fucking annoying. Worst is when nice girls do it. I have now stopped giving cigarettes to anyone because it happens so often and I wanted a fair policy.......er also I need to save them cos my friends are just as bad. Particularly those friends who DON'T smoke, lecture you about smoking, and then have a few drinks and start asking for cigarettes. At least you know you may at some point get a cigarette back off friends who smoke. I sound very tight now, which I'm not, I just don't like when people take generosity for granted, ie those people who no matter how many times you buy them a pint or whatever will never ever buy you one. And you almost feel like they are leaving the house budgeting their night out with you in mind. I'm not ranting shut up.

― Ronan, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

well, part of the joy is saying no and watching them move onto the next person. its not such a problem in dunedin. usually people who ask for cigarettes seem to have a pouch of their own anyway. I don't like this idea of favourtism on account of looks though - I mean thats just not fair. Dammit how am I going to scab cigarettes if I want one?

― Menelaus Darcy, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'll have to remember that "didn't you get matches?" line. I don't mind letting friends bum cigarettes off of me, but strangers trying to bum smokes is a major pet peeve of mine.

This thread also brings me back to law school in Newark, where I'd get panhandled for smokes constantly by Newark street people. Coupla times it got nasty, even -- not a few would-be panhandlers would try to make it into a racial incident because I wouldn't give them a cigarette ("So, it's like that, huh? You ain't giving me a cigarette 'cause I'm black!" Sorry, pal, I don't give smokes to whites either). Then there was an incident this summer, when I had to go to the law school library one weekend this summer to do some work-related research, and after I wouldn't give a smoke to yet another street panhandler he shouted at me "NO?!?! WHY, I OUGHTA BUST YO' ASS MOTHERFUCKER!" God, I hate Newark!

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I always give strange people ciggies if a)they look like they might beat me up otherwise or b) if they look like they really could not afford to buy ten snout for themselves. Otherwise I make a habit of saying, in an innocent way, "Oh look there is a newsagents just across the road there, I'm sure they sell cigarettes"...

― Andrew L, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oakland circa 1993 - Street Bum: "Gimme a cigarette." Me: "Don't have one." SB: "Try telling that lie to God one day" !?

― dave q, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.