I'm a non-smoker, but was just curious as to why one city allows smoking and the other doesn't. I would have to think that this helps out many of the Bryan bars.

As a non-smoker I actually don't mind people smoking next to me in bars. I guess it is just expected and part of the atmosphere.

Two different cities with different ordinances.

Smoking in bars has been illegal since 99 in California, so when I moved herer I was actually surprised to see people still smoking inside places. I don't mind it, but I would prefer smokers went outside, or to a smoking room.

[Please post your opinions in a respectful manner on this board. Thank you -Staff]


[This message has been edited by TexAgs staff (edited 12/25/2011 9:36a).]

This ordinance went through quite a few years ago. It was quite controversial at the time because of the fact that CS was doing it and Bryan was not.

Doesn't really seem to be helping Bryan. College Station bars are still way busier. But then again, the majority of patrons here are College Students and not really the demographic that would go to Bryan that often anyway.

The reason I find it interesting is that because CS and Bryan seem like one city at times (they have basically merged - meaning no unincorporated area between them) and I would have thought they would be on the same page with regards to smoking.

I would guess that in College Station if the students want to smoke at bars they just go outside on the deck anyway.

What in the hell did chosin say?



[This message has been edited by Old Main (edited 12/25/2011 1:04p).]

There are more people that enjoy bars that don't have smokers than there are smokers that insist on smoking in bars. No wonder CS is still doing just fine. I don't care if you smoke, just don't do it around me.

"I would guess that in College Station if the students want to smoke at bars they just go outside on the deck anyway."

Not that easy. It's not only inside, but also with x feet of any public enterance or exit. So going out on a deck will cut it someplaces but not all places.

How long ago was it? IIRC, first there was the smoking ban in restaurants, but it was OK in bars. Bars that served food counted as restaurants. Then it was changed to include bars.

I think it hurts CS bars some and helps Bryan bars less than it hurts CS bars. Anecdotally, I used to go to Northgate with some faculty who like to smoke a cigar once a week. I'm a nonsmoker myself. When the rules changed, some moved to Bryan, some continued to smoke on the deck of the same bar, and I stopped going.

But that's just an anecdote. I still don't like the ban on liberty grounds, regardless of the economics. The fact that it broke up my Friday evening group biases my opinion.

nanny-state attitude vs non-

Think the majority proletariat (Bryan) and majority bourgeois (College Station).

I am very happy College Station passed their no smoking ordinance. Bryan will be dragged into the 21st Century when Texas passes a state wide ban which could come in the next legislative session. The increased government cost of health care related to smoking will be the tipping point.

http://smokefreetexas.org/about

Bryan was first with a "no smoking in restaurants" ordinance, which CS then matched.

CS slapped together their no-smoking anywhere ordinance, allegedly to "beat" State regulation for non-smoking.

Some interesting points if you read the actual ordinance.

Like, the crime is not specified (simple citation, criminal Misdemeanor C, etc.)

The enforcing agency is not specified, either--if you see a violation, who do you call--PD, Fire Marshall, Code Enforcement, who?

Since there is no defined enforcing agency, the distance rules are not really enforced.

Now, the span and coverage are well-defined, though. The CS anti-smoking ordinance bans smoking inside any place in the City Limits that is a business. To include anywhere within 20'-0" (twenty feet) of all doorways to that business. Unless that business is a "51%" alcohol-sales one, in which case, no smoking within 10'-0" (ten feet) of doorways. Signage is required at each doorway to define those limits by all affected businesses, too.

Now, how a business is to place a sign that might not be on their property, or out in ROW, is not defined.

As to whether the ordinance is a success, one could ask the people at Rockwells. Or P.O.E.T.S (then look over at Yesterday's). A person could examine how most of the custom in NG is out on those porches, and not so much indoors.

A person could wonder about these things, they could.

People are outdoors because the inside is too crowded. And POETS has been going downhill for 10 years, once the thugs took over the clientele, people stopped going there.

And Yesterdays is no picnic, you have to be over 50 or morbidly obese to go there.

[This message has been edited by DevilAg03 (edited 12/25/2011 6:48p).]

College station is a city that tends more toward govt control. Bryan has always been more freewheeling. This has advantages and disadvantages to both. Strict growth control in CS has led to better parks and a cleaner city but has inhibited growth they would have otherwise had. They make things real hard on developers. Much easier to develop in Bryan but schools are perceived better in CS.

Aggieangst, I would say just the opposite of your post. Bryan is bourgeoisie and CS is proletariat. Capitalists do not want as much govt control.. CS loves govt control.

[This message has been edited by Newbomb_Turk (edited 12/26/2011 10:57a).]

True statement.

The vast majority of college students hang out in northgate (College Station), not really in downtown Bryan.

Bryan has more of an older crowd for the most part.

Do you refute that, or are you just into making insults without basis?

[This message has been edited by australopithecus robustus (edited 12/26/2011 1:22a).]

College students don't need to be smoking anyway. Leave the smoking rules alone TYVM.

Shouldn't business owners be free to choose if they want smoking in their business and shouldn't people be free to choose whether or not they want to go to a business that has smoking? Freedom seems to be one of those words that isn't said with government these days.

quote:

---

Shouldn't business owners be free to choose if they want smoking in their business and shouldn't people be free to choose whether or not they want to go to a business that has smoking?

---

I'm a non-smoker and I believe this.

However, public buildings funded by taxpayers: smoke free.

I was pleasantly surprised when I was in NYC several years ago to find that they did not allow smoking in their bars. This was before CS passed its ordinance. Now, I don't go to bars much at all but I will avoid (if at all possible) any bar that allows smoking. I just can't stand to leave smelling like an ash tray. I've gotten a little spoiled and more picky as I've gotten older.

I think that the "no smoking" in public places anywhere in the state will happen at some point. I hate going out to eat in other cities where they still have a smoking section. That never works - the smoke seems to find me where ever I sit.

quote:

---

Shouldn't business owners be free to choose if they want smoking in their business and shouldn't people be free to choose whether or not they want to go to a business that has smoking? Freedom seems to be one of those words that isn't said with government these days.

---

Yes. But the people around here love the nanny state.

Several doctors including one local oncologist attended city council meetings to help get the ordinance put into place. They brought the results of studies done in several cities where smoking had been banned in restaurants. The health of the workers alone in those restaurants was improved after the ban took place in those cities. And that is just one of the studies.

When the medical profession is taking time to come help push for it, and they have nothing to gain financially from taking their own time to go to the meetings and wait to present their information, then it is evident that this ordinance was sought to improve the quality of health for everyone that enters those restaurants and bars.

Oh, and also.........

Shoot, it's odd enough to go to the Chilli's in Brenham and be asked for smoking preference.

One does wonder what the ferverent "anti's" will go after once they get no public smoking.

It will be interesting to see how the on-going attempts to ban smoking in private in California work out. Especially when those ordinances butt up against the medical cannabis crowd.

So if College Station is a "nanny state" I guess we are on the same level as NYC and California? Since I know that NYC passed their law before our council passed the one in CS I can safely say that this isn't a "small town" nanny state idea. I love the law. If other people could figure out how to smoke without me having to inhale and smell it then more power to them. Until then, yay, for the ordinance.

Didn't say it was. Just because they did too doesn't make it less of a nanny state idea.

The Ptarmigan club is where its at!!!(Same owner as Yesterdays)

Downtown Bryan is discovered by more and more young people every year. It's packed now. The word got out that the bars were less obnoxious, you can smoke, and cspd isn't waiting outside the door to write you three tickets. (sorry tlac, not a personal stab, it's just how I feel.)

That being said, as a working taxpayer, i go to downtown Bryan (Brauhaus /Murphys law) because the mass of students is much more diluted than across the line.

quote:

---

So if College Station is a "nanny state" I guess we are on the same level as NYC and California?

---

YES,Myself being from southern california.COCS is VERY much just like California.That's why I live out of it's city limits

Smelling like an ashtray at the end of the night sucks, so I'm glad they banned indoor smoking. As for the nanny-state talk, your happiness can't infringe on mine, thus your decision to smoke and dirty up your own lungs, clothes, hair, body, etc. shouldn't result in the rest of us smelling like a burnt turd just so you can satisfy your nic-fit.

If you smoke, you should subscribe to the following rules to prevent it from impacting others:

Smoke in your own home or in a well-ventilated outdoor area. Your smoke shouldn't linger.

Smoke in your vehicle with the windows up. I don't wanna smell your nasty crap while I'm stopped at a red light. Besides, don't you love the smoke?? Keep it in your car and enjoy it longer!

Put your cig butts in your vehicle's ashtray and deposit it in your OWN trash can, not out on the road. Littering, just like smoking indoors, is also illegal and wildfires really suck. Just ask anyone from Bastrop.

quote:

---

Littering, just like smoking indoors, is also illegal and wildfires really suck. Just ask anyone from Bastrop.

---

This. It's pretty white trash to dump your ashtray at a stop sign or traffic light because you are too much of a lazy piece of garbage to do it at your own home.