RE: Courtesy solution

[barclayp@LEE.ARMY.MIL]

Poster: barclayp@LEE.ARMY.MIL

Greetings from Master Terafan,

	The smoking issue is certainly very difficult, but not
insurmountable.

At Emerald Joust this past year, I was very pleased with the way we worked
out the smoking issue.  Because Fort Lee is a training base, there are some
very strict policies about where you can and cannot smoke.  These strict
policies are part of the Army's program to not glamorize and not encourage
smoking.  One of the places we could not smoke was the large field on which
we were holding the activities.  

On the map in the flyer we distributed at the gate (troll), we designated
the smoking area.  It was across the street and at the end of the building.
During dinner Friday evening, I was having a discussion about the smoking
issue, and explained (to those at the table) that I was very serious, and
that I would have the military police escort anyone, who could not comply,
off the base.  

HRM Anton, then prince, asked me some questions and we briefly talked about
the method I intended to use to inform folks they were violating and when
the MPs would escort them off the installation.  I thought a lot about his
useful comments and the insight he provided to me.  Basically, he was simply
reminding me to courteously inform folks of the first violation.  

It worked out very well.  We did not have a problem.  I never had to even
think about requesting MP assistance.  Everyone who smoked was very willing
to walk 50 yards or so across the street to the smoking area.  One of them
asked me whether or not the smoking area could be enlarged to something a
little more realistic and simply be the area across the street.  I did some
quick checking and thought the request was reasonable.  Folks took to
gathering under a street light, across the street.  

Everyone seemed reasonably happy.  Smokers were very courteous and willing
to go, once they knew the rules.  Non-smokers seemed unbothered by any of
it.  It worked out very well.


The bottom line is this:

- I think autocrats can smooth the process by CLEARLY MARKING and make known
where the smoking area is. This includes maps/sketches in the flyer.  
- Autocrats also need to think "Is this truly reasonable and a good solution
for everyone concerned, smokers and non-smokers?"  

			Terafan


-----Original Message-----
From: Joyce A. Baldwin [mailto:jocetta@ibm.net]
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 11:07 AM
To: The Merry Rose
Subject: Re: Courtesy




Wouldn't it make more sense for autocrats to designate "smoking areas"
where people _can_  smoke (as is done at hospitals and airports) rather
than try to define loosely where they can't?  (i.e. " the central area of
the event")  Perhaps also providing some kind of sand bucket for butts?
(It amazes me how many smokers do not seem to consider cigarette butts
litter.)  This would cut down on both  litter and fire hazard.

This wouldn't need to become a formal law if it became a well-known
customary way to comply with the existing law.   

Jocetta

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