Bel-Air - a non-smoking campaign

This is clearly a very emmotive issue here... look at all the posts!

It appears that we are missing a very vital point here... If you don't ask, you don't get.

How many people have ever been into a restaurant and when given the choice between waiting 30mins for a smoke free table or 5mins for a smoking one, have chosen to wait.

For restaurants to offer non-smoking areas, you have to insist on using them, and when they don't you have to ask for them to put you in a non-smoking area. There is no point coming on a site and moaning about it. WE HAVE TO BECOME THE MARKET FORCE!

If you walk out of a place or refuse to make a reservation because they won't accomodate your wishes THEN they'll listen.

I think the non-smoking Germans are in general, VERY tolerant of their fellow smokers. In fact, it really surprises me how little it seems to bother them. My mother in law (German) is slowly becoming affected by second hand smoke but still has issues with laying down a no smoking law in her own house. It is just not yet "kosher" to do so.

I agree that it is time to tell restaurants what you want. Can’t hurt to try and at least makes you feel like you are attempting to make a difference.

The problem is, as stated above, is that the Germans are just not ready to do this. Even the super bio, esoteric ones either smoke, or tolerate the smokers, because, after all, that is just “what you do”.