Smoking on Trains

[43066]

Ha . The inter city or the other routes we do.

The glamorous “other route”, with the destination we all enjoy visiting so much… There’s nothing like realising both toilets are locked out and it’s an hour and a bit back to London .

 

[Jurg]

... "I'm not smoking, guv, I'm vaping - it doesn't make any difference, put it out or you'll be put out!"

I'm no vaper, but the pedant in me would be arguing with the steward about how exactly he expects me to put my vape out

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I'm no vaper, but the pedant in me would be arguing with the steward about how exactly he expects me to put my vape out

Not being a vaper (or a smoker), that's a "technical" question which I can't really answer. What we used to do is to tell them to stop using it and put it away, and for the most part this seemed to work.

 

[D6130]

Is it actually announced in such detail every time?

Yes....after every stop - in Italian and English.

 

[507020]

Yes....after every stop - in Italian and English.

Even the part that you will soak everyone in the carriage in cold water?

 

[D6130]

Even the part that you will soak everyone in the carriage in cold water?

It says something along the lines of "Vaporising, like the smoking of normal cigarettes, will activate the fire sprinkler system not only in the toilet, but also in the passenger saloon".

 

[507020]

It says something along the lines of "Vaporising, like the smoking of normal cigarettes, will activate the fire sprinkler system not only in the toilet, but also in the passenger saloon".

Do British trains have sprinkler systems and big tanks of water to feed them as well?

 

[Trackman]

According to the recorded announcements in the Italo high-speed trains in Italy, anyone smoking OR vaping in a toilet will set off the automatic fire sprinkler system not only in the toilet, but also in the saloon of the carriage concerned....therefore soaking everybody in the carriage with cold water. I've never actually seen it happen in practice, so can't confirm whether it's true or just a psychological deterrent.

I’ve just looked it up and it’s true about the sprinklers!
it’s law apparently.

Law requirements for train protection in Italy
• In comparison with many European Union states, Italian railways have an extensive network of tunnels through which their rolling stock must travel. This exposes both trains and passengers to increased safety risks, and particular to increase fire risk.

 

[Annetts key]

Not being a vaper (or a smoker), that's a "technical" question which I can't really answer. What we used to do is to tell them to stop using it and put it away, and for the most part this seemed to work.

Battery powered/rechargeable vapers use electricity to heat up a small heating element. So the most appropriate phrase would be “turn it off and stop using it”.

Although a lot of them only activate the heating element if air is being drawn through it. Hence the instruction can be simplified to just “stop using it”.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Battery powered/rechargeable vapers use electricity to heat up a small heating element. So the most appropriate phrase would be “turn it off and stop using it”.

Although a lot of them only activate the heating element if air is being drawn through it. Hence the instruction can be simplified to just “stop using it”.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated!

 

[londonbridge]

However, having ran hospitality establishments for most of my life though it doesn’t surprise me. Once had to ask a gent to put his cigar out in the middle of a restaurant and he kicked off at me wanting to know why. I told him smoking indoors was illegal, he replied ‘since when?’ I replied 2007……this was 2011…and the worst part was he was serious!

Doesn’t surprise me, I still get customers asking for menthols and the occasional one for a pack of ten. You can usually tell whether the latter is a slip of the tongue or whether they’re genuinely unaware you can’t buy 10’s anymore.

 

[Scotrail84]

I used to steward at Rodney Parade, Newport, and we often had problems with people smoking in the early days. The whole ground was (and is) completely smoke free, and one of the main problems was caused by people vaping ... "I'm not smoking, guv, I'm vaping - it doesn't make any difference, put it out or you'll be put out!"


Yes, that's the case, I'm sure.

Even on the open terraces? Thats why you get problems, you're not in doors and folk (quit rightly) won't see an issue.

 

[bussnapperwm]

What utter nonsense - how many train fires were caused by smoking in the 150 + years it was allowed ?

Intrigued to to see the post about a few "Rogue Drivers" who are still partial to the Benson in their Cab !!

Is anyone going to defend the "supposed" Smoking Ban on open platforms ?

I can think of a tube station fire that was caused by smoking (and wooden escalators)

 

[The Albion]

Never seen any ante vape notices on Avanti West Coast, or Virgin before them. That includes their managed stations and rolling stock.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Never seen any ante vape notices on Avanti West Coast, or Virgin before them. That includes their managed stations and rolling stock.

It doesn't effect me or bother me much, but since the reason given for the smoking ban was the health effect of passive smoking on railway staff and other passengers, what exactly is the objection to vaping?

I get that people don't like it much, but people eating smelly egg sandwiches or having very loud ear-buds annoy me on trains.

Is there any evidence that 'passive vaping' is a health risk to others as distinct from an annoyance?

 

[D6130]

Is there any evidence that 'passive vaping' is a health risk to others as distinct from an annoyance?

There are still poisonous substances in many vaping fluids.

 

[JonathanH]

It doesn't effect me or bother me much, but since the reason given for the smoking ban was the health effect of passive smoking on railway staff and other passengers, what exactly is the objection to vaping?

I'd like to think that there was more to the banning of smoking on trains than simply the health effects of passive smoking - eg the mess and the general off-putting effect of smoke. Allowing people to blow out huge clouds of Vape that fill the carriage might just be a bit offputting to other passengers.

 

[XAM2175]

Do British trains have sprinkler systems and big tanks of water to feed them as well?

Mk 5s do, but the actual sprinkler heads are only in the bathrooms attached to Club and Double rooms and the customer activates them by pushing a button rather than tripping a smoke detector.

 

[dingdinger]

According to the recorded announcements in the Italo high-speed trains in Italy, anyone smoking OR vaping in a toilet will set off the automatic fire sprinkler system not only in the toilet, but also in the saloon of the carriage concerned....therefore soaking everybody in the carriage with cold water. I've never actually seen it happen in practice, so can't confirm whether it's true or just a psychological deterrent.

This reminds me of a station announcement I once heard .. "if the customer on platform X doesn't stop smoking then I will come and put it out with the fire extinguisher"

 

[norbitonflyer]

I'd like to think that there was more to the banning of smoking on trains than simply the health effects of passive smoking - eg the mess and the general off-putting effect of smoke. Allowing people to blow out huge clouds of Vape that fill the carriage might just be a bit offputting to other passengers.

Everyone recognises the ease and speed with which the smell of cigarette (or vape) smoke can permeate a carriage. Why do so many people not recognise that other things they breathe out will travel just as far and as fast, unless they are wearing a mask?

 

[yorkie]

Everyone recognises the ease and speed with which the smell of cigarette (or vape) smoke can permeate a carriage. Why do so many people not recognise that other things they breathe out will travel just as far and as fast, unless they are wearing a mask?

A loose fitting flimsy mask wouldn't make any difference; the wearing of a tight fitting FFP3 mask would be effective, but hardly anyone wears those.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Even on the open terraces? Thats why you get problems, you're not in doors and folk (quit rightly) won't see an issue.

The club declared that the whole ground, including the terraces, was to be smoke free. It was, I think, something that was allowed under the legislation, and has been followed by other clubs, for example Cardiff RFC at the Arms Park.

 

[Mogz]

Not everywhere in the world has the same laws as us so it could have been someone from abroad who hasn’t noticed the signs.

It doesn’t seem that long ago that people smoked anywhere and everywhere in this country.

 

[farleigh]

Everyone recognises the ease and speed with which the smell of cigarette (or vape) smoke can permeate a carriage. Why do so many people not recognise that other things they breathe out will travel just as far and as fast, unless they are wearing a mask?

But you can't smoke with a mask on surely??

 

[Gloster]

But you can't smoke with a mask on surely??

About a year ago I saw somebody with a cotton mask that had a little hole in it with a cigarette sticking out. At first I thought it was a novelty Christmas mask, but then the chap took the cigarette out and some smoke appeared.

 

[GodAtum]

With lockdown ended there are more people smoking cannabis on trains after a night out.

 

[jh64]

The truly determined will always find a way. I was in hospital after surgery sharing a ward with a guy who yanked a drain tube out of his side to sneak off to the bog for a tab in the middle of the night, and had to be taken away for an x-ray there and then to get it replaced. From the unimpressed noises the nurses were making this was a repeat performance.

 

[Prunes]

Brings me back to 2010! I was on my usual commute. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then some young fellow who looked rather like a skinny Piers Morgan came on, tooting his tab, filling my nasal passages with putrid smoke. Naturally it didn't take long for the train conductor to tell him to bugger off, though it does make you wonder... the sheer cheek of some people these days

 

[baz962]

What utter nonsense - how many train fires were caused by smoking in the 150 + years it was allowed ?

Intrigued to to see the post about a few "Rogue Drivers" who are still partial to the Benson in their Cab !!

Is anyone going to defend the "supposed" Smoking Ban on open platforms ?

Doesn't matter. I didn't say it would happen , but I'm not letting it on my watch. My train , my choice.

 

[Sheridan]

Is anyone going to defend the "supposed" Smoking Ban on open platforms ?

It’s not just about whether it’s open or not - if the platform is busy then other passengers, who quite rightly expect a smoke free environment, are forced to put up with it. Most people who desperately want to smoke on a railway station have the wit to move away to a quiet end of the platform. Unfortunately some don’t.