4 ms·

Clickbait, because the law only applies "inside apartments, condos and other shared buildings where multiple families live." This law already exists in many ci

by rafram 2y ago

Clickbait, because the law only applies "inside apartments, condos and other shared buildings where multiple families live." This law already exists in many cities and should exist everywhere. It's one thing to smoke in your own detached house, but when you share walls with others, smoking becomes harmful to others' health, too, not just your own. My downstairs neighbor smokes heavily and burns incense all day and night, and it's bad enough that I'm seriously considering moving. Sometimes I can see smoke visibly rising from the floor. This would not be a problem if the city I lived in had common-sense laws against smoking inside multi-unit buildings.

kstrauser 2y ago
Thanks for that context. That makes a huge difference to me. I'd march in the streets for your right to do something I detest inside your own house, and protesting the extreme lengths someone would have to go to in order to enforce a ban. No smoking in a building shared with a bunch of other people? Bummer for the smokers, but yeah, my asthma agrees with you.
dguest 2y ago
Yeah this title is pretty terrible. The HN guidelines [1] state please use the original title, unless it is misleading or linkbait; don't editorialize. This title smells pretty linkbait to me. Especially since "no smoking in your apartment" would have been more accurate (it also applies to homes you don't own, e.g. if you are renting). [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
themaninthedark 2y ago
How is it clickbait? Individuals can own a unit in a condo or apartment building. >My downstairs neighbor smokes heavily and burns incense all day and night, and it's bad enough that I'm seriously considering moving. Sometimes I can see smoke visibly rising from the floor. This would not be a problem if the city I lived in had common-sense laws against smoking inside multi-unit buildings. That sucks, I wonder if your building is up to code? As someone who dislikes the smell of smokers, I like the idea of the law but I worry about allowing the reach.
- timeon 2y ago
  > if your building is up to code? Aren't you worried about the reach of code as well?
  - kstrauser 2y ago
    No? I'm sure some code is unnecessary, but I like living in a house not prone to killing me.
- rafram 2y ago
  > How is it clickbait? Because you can still smoke "in your own home." You can't subject your neighbors to smoke in a multi-unit building. > I wonder if your building is up to code? Certainly, as of the 1920s, when it was built. I don't think that new buildings (at least those built with fire-resistant wood frames, which is the current trend) are really better at preventing smells from moving between units anyway.
  - themaninthedark 2y ago
    Please move! It only takes one mistake by your neighbor to start a fire and you will have very little time to react. My concern about code is because there should be a minimum fire resistance rating between floors. The fact that you can see the smoke through your floorboards when your neighbor burning incense makes me think that there is no such barrier. Home means more than single family dwelling.... Edited to put my more important thoughts up top and my mundane reply to the thread at the bottom.
rajnathani 2y ago
I really wish that in India these smoking bans in multi-apartment units existed (and made highly enforceable). My family and I have had a big struggle for years with a chain-smoking neighbor whose smoking from their balcony causes our entire living room to smell of cigarette smoke even if we keep 1 small window open on one entire side of the living room. Thus, it's an unfortunate tradeoff between adequate fresh air ventilation and chronic secondhand smoking exposure (and thirdhand (via likely deposits on furniture fabrics)). Fortunately, very recently we implemented a "blocker shade" protruding from our balcony perimeter (and we keep 2 other small windows on one side our living room almost always closed), which seems to have helped reduce the smoke in our apartment.

by rafram 2y ago

kstrauser 2y ago

Thanks for that context. That makes a huge difference to me. I'd march in the streets for your right to do something I detest inside your own house, and protesting the extreme lengths someone would have to go to in order to enforce a ban. No smoking in a building shared with a bunch of other people? Bummer for the smokers, but yeah, my asthma agrees with you.

dguest 2y ago

Yeah this title is pretty terrible. The HN guidelines [1] state please use the original title, unless it is misleading or linkbait; don't editorialize. This title smells pretty linkbait to me. Especially since "no smoking in your apartment" would have been more accurate (it also applies to homes you don't own, e.g. if you are renting). [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

themaninthedark 2y ago

How is it clickbait? Individuals can own a unit in a condo or apartment building. >My downstairs neighbor smokes heavily and burns incense all day and night, and it's bad enough that I'm seriously considering moving. Sometimes I can see smoke visibly rising from the floor. This would not be a problem if the city I lived in had common-sense laws against smoking inside multi-unit buildings. That sucks, I wonder if your building is up to code? As someone who dislikes the smell of smokers, I like the idea of the law but I worry about allowing the reach.

timeon 2y ago
> if your building is up to code? Aren't you worried about the reach of code as well?
- kstrauser 2y ago
  No? I'm sure some code is unnecessary, but I like living in a house not prone to killing me.
rafram 2y ago
> How is it clickbait? Because you can still smoke "in your own home." You can't subject your neighbors to smoke in a multi-unit building. > I wonder if your building is up to code? Certainly, as of the 1920s, when it was built. I don't think that new buildings (at least those built with fire-resistant wood frames, which is the current trend) are really better at preventing smells from moving between units anyway.
- themaninthedark 2y ago
  Please move! It only takes one mistake by your neighbor to start a fire and you will have very little time to react. My concern about code is because there should be a minimum fire resistance rating between floors. The fact that you can see the smoke through your floorboards when your neighbor burning incense makes me think that there is no such barrier. Home means more than single family dwelling.... Edited to put my more important thoughts up top and my mundane reply to the thread at the bottom.

rajnathani 2y ago

I really wish that in India these smoking bans in multi-apartment units existed (and made highly enforceable). My family and I have had a big struggle for years with a chain-smoking neighbor whose smoking from their balcony causes our entire living room to smell of cigarette smoke even if we keep 1 small window open on one entire side of the living room. Thus, it's an unfortunate tradeoff between adequate fresh air ventilation and chronic secondhand smoking exposure (and thirdhand (via likely deposits on furniture fabrics)). Fortunately, very recently we implemented a "blocker shade" protruding from our balcony perimeter (and we keep 2 other small windows on one side our living room almost always closed), which seems to have helped reduce the smoke in our apartment.