Begging Cigarettes ?

I don't mind people asking me for fags as long as they're nice about it and don't take advantage of it. I've been asked by people a few times who basically demanded them and they're the sort of people who you're too afraid to refuse as well. One of my friends wouldn't roll for a stranger before and got slapped across the face.

There's a lot of 'homeless' people around Galway who'll ask for a fag and if you give them one they'll suddenly remember their brother/friend/cousin needs one too. I think if someone's nice enough to give you a fag then be thankful and leave them alone. Even if you can't afford them it doesn't give you the right to take as many as possible off the people who can afford them. Especially since most people can't afford them as often as before.

As for asking for fags, the majority of my friends don't mind lending me fags and I always pay them back, I feel terrible if I don't. As for asking strangers, I have on occasion when I'm really desperate but I do hate doing it and I don't mind them saying no, although some people are unnecessarily rude about it. I was once told I shouldn't smoke. Fair enough I look under eighteen but I still think it kind of hypocritical when you've got a fag hanging out of your mouth.

mrbruno wrote: »

If you think about it, smoking is an absolute luxury. Its not a neccessity at all. So to be honest i cant see any justification for denying a homeless person one. Naturally you shouldnt give one to the leaches who always look for free ones.

This makes no sense to me. I am more likely to deny someone needy a luxury than a necessity. If a homeless person asked me for a piece of bread I would feel bad about not giving it to them, but if they wanted to borrow my TV or something I would think "No, I am not obligated to share my luxuries".

If you mean that I should be more willing to share cigarettes because I can live without them, it is true that I will survive if I give some away, but I have no reason to because no homeless person benefits from my sharing them.

There's nothing more annoying than being asked for a cigarette when at a bus stop. I get my bus home from Liberty Hall and I pray that the bus is waiting there ready to go.

If I'm waiting for the bus I'll always light up a smoke but I know that as soon as I do the fcukers will be crawliing up from the Luas stop to "borrow" a fag.

Very annoying. I always say no. I don't care if it's someone I know because I know they'll get me back another time but why should I give someone a smoke I paid money for. If they were to offer me money for it I'd say ok but some of these people think it's a right that they should be handed cigarettes from people and then kick up a fuss if they don't get one.

Cheeky fcukers.

Unless I know them, I tell them I don't smoke.

The annoying thing is, I have to take the rollie that I've been smoking out of my mouth to tell them that :P

At first this is gonna sound very cheap but hear me out.

I smoke drum and I absolutely hate when people ask me for a rollie. I know they're half the price of fags but its not the price I care about. There are 2 things that annoy me about it. People seem to feel like asking for a rollie is a last resort and like they're owed one after asking for fags. They make it out like you're just going to hand them out cause they're cheaper than fags and that you're a prick if you don't. Once I went to a girl I met's house with her friends. On the way someone said they should buy fags and someone, who I'd met 2 hour's before said, "it's alright, he has drum".

Now to what really annoy's me about it. Heres the usual situation- randommer-"can I have a rollie". Me-"yeah no bother*pass them pack, filter and skins*" Randommer-"no, you roll it for me". What the hell? They're cheap and I have no bother letting somebody roll one but asking for one and then not only askin, but expecting them, to make you a rollie for them. It's ridiculous. Thats why I don't mind giving them to homeless people, they always roll them themselves.

It's the whole snobbery towards people who smoke rollie's that annoys me so much. This is the way I look at it. People go around asking for cigarettes. This is like someone looking for someone attractive to pull. They get sick of not having success and "settle" for someone who isn't hot and feel like the minger is someone who you don't even have to work for, just go over and take the prize. Except in this case the minger is a rollie.

Anyways, it's not the act but how it's done that annoys me. Rant over.

I'm 23 and worked in the GPO for about a year. I used to keep score to see just how many people would go "sorry bud, can I rob a fag off ya?" and then you'd get abused by said person once refused. That said of course I'm not 100% innocent myself as I have on occasion asked a stranger if they'd have one. That was always under exceptional circumstance though as in very bad day, no money to buy any, etc etc. If I got rtefused well then that's that persons right not to give them away. I always looked at it like karma though; if someone was good enough to give one to me, I'd give one to a randomer if they were not obviously a junkie or whatever..

delancey42 wrote: »

I have a similar yet somewhat different attitude - I never ask so I never give
As an aside - working at the GPO ? Jesus , you must have been tormented by some right gougers ?

At least there's usually a few Gards outside it.

I was asked for a smoke by a group of Dutch-Gold-swilling-yobs in the sand dunes on Bull Island. Told them I didnt have any and walked off while they shouted abuse. About half an hour later, about 7pm maybe, myself and my friend sit down for a smoke on the Bull Wall, just as the same skangers walk along and see us smoking!

Long story short, got cans thrown at us, my phone knocked out of my hand (when they realised I was calling for blackup in the form of gardai) kicked and chased the length of the bull wall. Ended up running to a strangers house for help, where we had tea and watched a programme about polar bears!

It feels like I cant smoke in public anymore without being abused/chased/assaulted.

delancey42 wrote: »

Thats a shocking story Face - is it just me or is this whole thing of strangers begging ciggies a new phenomenon ? I don't remember it always being like this - it seems to have become a big problem in the last 5 years and long before the recession hit.
Or has it always been this bad and I lived in blissful innocence ?

I've always had people looking for smokes off of me but it's escalated to unreal level over the last couple of years. There's more junkies/scumbags on the street than there's ever been before and it's seen a rise in this carry on.

ya nearly just as bad in limerick
about 2 months ago was walking along and some junkie girl asked me for a smoke i just ignorned her she shouted after me **** off so you ignorant **** . think the irony was lost on her

Yes, I've really noticed it too. I do be sneaking them out of my pocket. It actually really pisses me off. I can just afford to smoke, but my thing is if you can't afford it, you shouldn't do it.