Begging Cigarettes ?

ciaradx · 16-11-2010 11:35pm

I live in a bottom floor apartment in cork city and last week I was smokin out the sitting-room window and a fella walking up the street stopped and asked me did I have a spare fag?! Can't even enjoy a smoke in my own house without being bothered

charlemont · 16-11-2010 11:48pm

ciaradx wrote: »

I live in a bottom floor apartment in cork city and last week I was smokin out the sitting-room window and a fella walking up the street stopped and asked me did I have a spare fag?! Can't even enjoy a smoke in my own house without being bothered

ha ha that sounds like where i live, i know the feeling i used to live on a ground floor too but i was at back of house then so id go out front door for a smoke, not too many people would ask me though but what i hated was random junkies and alcos would try to start up a conversation and hang around..

every now and again this neighbour of mine would be at his front door looking up and down the street like an eagle searching for "victims". he is unbelievable, i know his whistle so i always ignore it.. he dont even smoke weed/hash or drink just loves cigarettes

ilovejames · 18-11-2010 11:57pm

:mad:

A friend in college constantly asks me to leave her "twos" on my smoke. Everyday just as i am about halfway and enjoying it, she asks. Really gets on my nerves. Worst thing is one day she whipped out a full pack of smokes after scabbing off us all day. Im too soft. Shes drives an audi..i drive a corsa pffft may start scabbing :rolleyes:

Redsquigy · 24-12-2010 8:31am

My boyfriend who is an unemployed lorry driver was asked by a foreign national in Swords last week (who he knew is working with his last employer) for two cigarettes (never mind one) he said to him "f*** off you got me job now you want my cigarettes" - Glad I wasn't with him I would have been mortified but I had to laugh.

minty16 · 04-01-2011 4:56pm

Lots of ****ing scabby ****ers on here! I'd never give a ciggarette to a junkie or a child but apart from that I'd always say yes. Jesus Christ if someone wants a smoke bad enough to ask a stranger then give it ffs. 40 cent is **** all, and I'm broke. And yes I have asked for a smoke a few times, but only if i was very desperate.

The Hill Billy · 04-01-2011 8:41pm

Tone down the lingo please.

HB

Cpt Tremendous · 05-01-2011 5:58pm

I smoke rollies and I have to say it makes it far easier to avoid giving away smokes. People still ask for them, but once I say I only have rollies then they don't seem arsed.

They either can't roll or aren't willing to wait. If someone asks me for a skin then chances are I will help them out.

The only time I've ever been really annoyed by it is when I was in the smoking area of a club rolling one and talking to a mate, just as I was lighting it a girl walked over and asked me if I'd roll one for her. I told her no and she seemed to think I was joking because she hung around for a minute, then got the hint.

Delancey · 06-01-2011 12:04am

minty16 wrote: »

Lots of ****ing scabby ****ers on here! I'd never give a ciggarette to a junkie or a child but apart from that I'd always say yes. Jesus Christ if someone wants a smoke bad enough to ask a stranger then give it ffs. 40 cent is **** all, and I'm broke. And yes I have asked for a smoke a few times, but only if i was very desperate.

I see your point minty - you would ask a stranger for a cigarette and therefore you feel it would be wrong to refuse a smoke to someone if the circumstances were reversed .... fair enough.
The thing with me is that I have never and would never ask for a fag from a stranger so thus I don't feel under any pressure to give them one when they ask

Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander and all that.....

whatsamsn · 08-01-2011 11:16pm

Mr.S wrote: »

....the drunk girl, flirts with you to get the cig and then ****s off....

read my mind when i was reading this thread. immediately thought of the same trick women do.

Mr.S wrote: »

I was in a club recently, went out to have a smoke and was putting the cig to my mouth, when some girl just comes up, takes it out of my hand and gives me some puppy eyes, and puts it in her mouth :eek: then has the cheek to ask me for a light?!

Wa*ker.
Utter wa*ker.

Dr. Jonathan Crane · 01-02-2011 4:14pm

I've taken to not smoking at all when I'm out around Dublin city centre. Scumbags <Mod snip>, they'll take you for all you're worth.

I'll usually give one to the poor homeless man with the beard, I'm not that hard up to not give away one cigarette, especially when I smoke rollies! Always get a thank you and a smile, sometimes even an offer of hash.

College is different, friends and I have an unwritten rule, someone gives you a cigarette when you have none, you throw them one back when they have none.

Mod Edit: Lets not point fingers in a generalising way at an entire nation.

petebricquette · 03-02-2011 10:21am

I'm pretty sound when it comes to dispensing cigarettes but sometimes it gets wearing. I've recently stopped buying 20s of fags cos it's significantly cheaper to roll. But the amount of times I've been out with my friends from home (one of whom will slag me relentlessly for smoking in the first place) and they've had a drink or two and come begging for smokes is just ridiculous.

I've begged a few in my time but never from a stranger. I'd feel very awkward about it! If it's a reciprocal thing between you and a friend I reckon it's ok.

johnnyskeleton · 05-02-2011 8:28pm

No one ever asks for a spare cuban cigar.

aujopimur · 05-02-2011 9:14pm

A mate of mine used to make rollies out dried grass and dog sh1te for these bums.

petebricquette · 06-02-2011 2:34am

aujopimur wrote: »

A mate of mine used to make rollies out dried grass and dog sh1te for these bums.

That is beautiful. He didn't have any problem handling dog sh1te no?!

Warper · 22-02-2011 8:00pm

petebricquette wrote: »

I'm pretty sound when it comes to dispensing cigarettes but sometimes it gets wearing. I've recently stopped buying 20s of fags cos it's significantly cheaper to roll. But the amount of times I've been out with my friends from home (one of whom will slag me relentlessly for smoking in the first place) and they've had a drink or two and come begging for smokes is just ridiculous.I've begged a few in my time but never from a stranger. I'd feel very awkward about it! If it's a reciprocal thing between you and a friend I reckon it's ok.

It is amazing the amount of people that dont smoke but when after a few drinks, they go ya, I must try that, particulary when out for work-drinks. It can get annoying alright.

Regards beggars, it depends what mood im in or where i am. If im just walking along, i generally dont, if im standing in the one spot waiting for something i might, just to get the heroin addict (generalisation maybe)out of my face. It also depends on the person, you can sometimes tell who is genuinely stuck for a smoke or the person that just begs for everything.

davedfc · 24-02-2011 8:18pm

Im a casual smoker myself but id always have my own smokes with me scabbing smokes is just annoying.

patdshaker · 28-02-2011 5:27am

The only time I ever bummed for fags was when I was drunk and broke. I had a lighter and was asked 2/3 times for a light I got 3 fags and shared them
Regarding bums I live in a house of 4 smokers i refuse to give a fag to 1 lad (from Dublin by coincidence) because he would never pay them back whereas the others while they wouldnt pay them back straight away all got me a pack for christmas its the thought that counts

wonderfulname · 28-02-2011 6:28am

Chewabacca wrote: »

Actually I have to post this gem of a story.

Me and a few friends were walking up the street in Galway City at around midnight. This 15-16 year old scummer emerges from an alley and shouts "you, have ye any fags, rollie's, anyten?"

This girl was a proper scummer, not the kind who's mommy buys them €150 nike TN's every other week so just in case I said "sorry, don't smoke".

This knack replied in disgust "So ur tellin me that none of ye smawk?"

"Sorry", we reply and walk on. Next thing we know we hear that excuse of a human being shouting "I asked them for a fag and they called me a whore". Next thing we know lads are roaring at us and the usual do we stop and sort it out or keep walking conversation goes on. Thank god our mates brother was, for whatever fluke reason, with them and stopped them from kicking the sh*te out of us.

I have a similar story. One of my favourite things has always been a relaxing minutes with a fag and a coffee, of course outside of home the only place you can do this halfway comfortably anymore is on the side of the street outside a coffee shop. One of the most obvious junkies I've ever seen came up to me and asked me for a cigarette, lazily I said sorry, can't afford it. He then asked me for a euro, I couldn't help but smile, I replied "So I refuse to give you one fag, and you decide to effectively ask me for two?"
He stumbled off cursing. Just as I was finishing off my coffee he wandered back with a tiny young woman (in a similar state) in tow: "Dis is me sistahh!! Tell'er wat ya said ta me, go on tell her."
"What? That I wouldn't give you a fag?"
"She called me a knack so she did, dats insultin' to our her'tigh so tis."
"Trust me I never use the word knack" I really don't, I use every other word but not that one, "and for your information, you are no traveller, you're from the flats, get over it."
Well they didn't like that very much, the girl piped up after a moments silence "Look I don't want teh fight yez I'm onna warren'"
I hadn't even bothered to stand up at this stage, so I don't know where that idea came from "That's the last of your worries girl, but if it is the case, I'd advise you to f off."
They got really confused, the girl apologised, and they scarpered, they never do expect someone to give as good as they get. I noticed the guy staring at me from down the road, he stayed there for a good 20min, so I ordered another coffee and chain smoked because the look on his face was priceless and it just kept getting better!

Now I normally just growl no at them before they even finish the question, that's the beggers, not the few who seem genuinely stuck, it's simple but it works.
Regarding the culture of scabbing them abroad, I spent a lot of time in Italy and yes the fags are cheap there, truly cheap enough to give away off the black market, but the people who are scabbing are taking you for a ride. It would be very unseemly for a middle class or decent working class person to do that, so its the exact same deal as it is here, a bunch of lazy chancers. The less native you look the more you get it because they know foreigners believe its just that lovely open culture. So I always politely decline abroad, and they never question it like they would here.

silverhare · 28-02-2011 3:33pm

If an obvious beggar approaches me I stare hard and say 'No!' the instant they make eye contact. On rare occasions one of them will say something along the lines of scabby 'so and so' to which I reply, 'who's the one being a scab?'.

A couple of years ago, when this scabbing lark started to get really bad I switched to a pipe.

Also, I look like a homeless guy most of the time. It really helps.

generalmiaow · 01-03-2011 5:39pm

silverhare wrote: »

A couple of years ago, when this scabbing lark started to get really bad I switched to a pipe.

That's amazing. Do you smoke a pipe in public in Dublin? I've not seen that in 10 years except for university professors and the like.

BeerNut · 01-03-2011 7:54pm

generalmiaow wrote: »

I've not seen that in 10 years except for university professors and the like.

Maybe some of the people you've seen weren't university professors or the like. Did you ask for ID?

OldGoat · 01-03-2011 8:16pm

BeerNut wrote: »

Maybe some of the people you've seen weren't university professors or the like. Did you ask for ID?

Hush up, I'm enjoying the promotion.

BeerNut · 01-03-2011 8:46pm

/buys gown

silverhare · 02-03-2011 10:36am

generalmiaow wrote: »

That's amazing. Do you smoke a pipe in public in Dublin? I've not seen that in 10 years except for university professors and the like.

Yes!

I smoke a pipe in public in Dublin's city centre. I've a really nice 'factory second' rustic briar from Peterson's. I believe it was meant to be one of the St. Patricks day 2007 pipes but the staining went a bit funny and it came out a lovely blue colour rather than dark green.

I do get the occasional funny look, but more often I have people coming over to me to compliment the aroma. It's a great conversation starter. I'm now tempted to get myself a large meerschaum octagonal (or hexagonal if I can find one) calabash. Think classic Sherlock Holmes with a twist.

I definitely don't look like a professor...

AVA_Steve · 03-03-2011 6:40pm

Tuam is a nightmare for this, I was getting ready for a gig, and I was having a fag for the nerves as you do, and this complete stranger who genuinely looked as if he'd punch me the first chance he got said, jesus give us one of those would you? No please no nothing, so I just said sorry mate, buy your own, he tried 4 more people after he moved on from me, the pub ended up closing the outer door of the smoking area because of it just so he couldn't get in that way (Closed function he wouldn't get in without an invite)

the_syco · 12-03-2011 5:43am

generalmiaow wrote: »

That's amazing. Do you smoke a pipe in public in Dublin? I've not seen that in 10 years except for university professors and the like.

Sometimes smoke a pipe in Fibbers. Depends on the mood.

If you see a tall lad with a beard and shaved head, wearing a full length black trenchcoat, smoking a black shiny pipe, nearby a place playing heavy metal, it's most likely me.

OldGoat · 12-03-2011 3:07pm

OT and aside...
Did I meet you (very briefly) going into to Amanda Palmers 'Evelyn Evelyn' gig with Thaed?

the_syco · 12-03-2011 11:21pm

OldGoat wrote: »

OT and aside...
Did I meet you (very briefly) going into to Amanda Palmers 'Evelyn Evelyn' gig with Thaed?

No idea. Most likely not. Saying that, I forget who Thead is IRL.

Actually, no, not me. Just checked out who "Amanda Palmers" is. Doubt I'd ever be near that sort of gig. I have glasses. There is a mod who is tall, bearded (forget his name) who also smokes (dunno if he smokes a pipe, though), who you could be thinking of, though.

kkdela6 · 24-03-2011 9:59pm

i have a good trick. i smoke rollies, but on a night out i have my rollies tucked away nicely in my back pocket and i keep an empty 20 box in my shirt pocket.
so when someone comes up and says 'sorry blud do ye have a spare smoke?' i whip out the empty box and say 'sorry bud none left!'. they always nod and say no bother. it has never but never ever failed me!

call me scabby but hey, times are hard...

OldGoat · 24-03-2011 10:01pm

So much easier just to say 'No.'

Delancey · 24-03-2011 11:16pm

OldGoat wrote: »

So much easier just to say 'No.'

+ 1 ..... I dunno why anyone should feel embarrassed at refusing cigarettes to complete strangers , I don't ask strangers for ciggies so I feel 100% justified in refusing them to other strangers .
Times are bloody hard and they are now very expensive , I reckon if you cant afford cigarettes then give up smoking.

I'm not a mean person but Jesus I'm sick of being approached constantly by people looking for smokes.

nesf · 25-03-2011 2:18am

silverhare wrote: »

Also, I look like a homeless guy most of the time. It really helps.

Yeah, I only ever get asked for cigarettes when clean shaven. When sporting a rough beard or a good week's worth of stubble no one bothers me. On a pipe now, so less of a bother.

kkdela6 · 25-03-2011 2:45pm

from past experience, saying no has gotten me a broken nose and 3 black eyes. a modern approach has seen me leave the club with my body intact. works for me

saa · 27-05-2011 3:26pm

When strangers and more predominantly 12 year olds ask me for one I always say its my last one, doesn't happen that much. One guy asked me if i had a smoke i said I was out and he saw me rolling a minute later and gave me a dirty look for lying, like hello of course I would be because I'm not working, not getting dole, and you don't need need a cigarette.. if you smoke go buy some the shop is just there.

But I can't say no to friends

I don't mind if they've just realised they ran out and not near a shop that's fine but when they let themselves run out or pretending they don't have any then using massive wads of my tobacco rolling minute cigars when they always make them thin with their own, people are so transparent.

54kroc · 27-05-2011 7:53pm

kkdela6 wrote: »

from past experience, saying no has gotten me a broken nose and 3 black eyes. a modern approach has seen me leave the club with my body intact. works for me

Jesus that's though going kkdela6, I tend to just say no, if pushed I'll follow it up with a fu*k off and if that fails a good puck always works.

kudos73 · 27-05-2011 8:06pm

Best I've seen is a bloke walking in front of me with his kid, a bloke comes over and asks the dad for a 'spare cigarette'. The dad bluntly said, No.

the guy walked off and as the Dad and his son walked on the son turns to his dad and says, 'but dad you have a box of em' and

the dad said...
'I know, but I have none to spare'

made me chuckle

But 2 main things bug me...

1. is when a youngfella passes me and taps me for a fag, with a bag of cans in his hands

2. when your out for a drink and have to go for a smoke outside... It must be like shooting fish in a barrell for the tappers!

patdshaker · 07-11-2012 7:12pm

OT slightly but the worst are the scumbags in school uniforms standing outside shops asking everyone to buy them fags (especially when the shopkeeper is looking out the window at them the whole time)

Faith+1 · 07-11-2012 7:26pm

I remember about a year ago I was having my usual king edward and Black Coffee :cool: by the corner of Dawson St. Anyway cue the dirtest looking scumbag to grace our streets approach me " Stooooory buuuuud, got a spare cig"? Sorry I said, I don't smoke cigerattes these are cigars.

To which he made the campest of poses whilst saying "Eeeeewwwwww"
That made my day! He deserved a carton of 200 for that!:D

OldGoat · 08-11-2012 12:06am

Zombie thread is zombie.

Begging Cigarettes ?

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