Constantly Being Asked for a Smoke in Dublin

danom8 · 09-10-2013 1:47pm #1

Does anybody else feel they can't light a smoke in Dublin City Centre without being hounded left right and centre for a smoke from some scumbag/junkie.

My answer every time is obviously no but most of them don't get the message. I had a junkie one time ask me for a smoke. I told him I have none. He then asked me for a drag of the one I was smoking. Not wanting to start trouble I gave it to him (clearly didn't take it back).

Another time a junkie asked me for a drag of the one I was smoking and I said no. She then stalked me roaring at me to give her my smoke. I pretended to ignore her until she literally wrestled it out of my hand.

It's at the stage where I don't bother lighting up when I'm in town for fear of getting stabbed for a cigarette.

Anyone else experience this or is it just me?

gimli2112 · 09-10-2013 1:53pm

When I smoked my stock response was "OK here"

Was walking down from Heuston one day just outside James Gate and refused, without thinking. Got serious abuse. Not really worth getting killed over a smoke but there you go....Dublin, eh?

danom8 · 09-10-2013 1:56pm

Haha that's my automatic response these days. It's a killer when it's your last one though as they're always the best.

nocoverart · 09-10-2013 2:03pm

Every single time I've been in Dublin this happens. Nearly got away with it a few weeks back, but was asked just before getting on the bus which wasn't that bad because It's usually 4 or 5 times. Next time I'm in the city I'll bring two boxes, one for me and for the city.

danom8 · 09-10-2013 2:06pm

Happens to be every time without fail too. The worst places are when you're waiting at any bus stop. It kills me not being able to enjoy a smoke in town without constantly looking over my shoulder. Glad it's not just me. Thought I might have some kind of "I Give Away Free Smokes" sign on my head.

If I gave one away every time I was asked I'd end up buying more for Dublin than myself.

ferrigan101 · 09-10-2013 2:11pm

I work in Temple Bar and get this at least 5 times a day.

I used to give them out no problem, now I just say no sorry. I've been lucky enough to not have any hassle, but I generally turn up the thick Scottish accent a notch and it seems to confuse them enough while I make my escape!

gimli2112 · 09-10-2013 2:16pm

You can always say "I don't have any/this is my last one."

They'll know it's not true but it's very difficult to prove otherwise.

It does work.

danom8 · 09-10-2013 2:19pm

gimli2112 wrote: »

You can always say "I don't have any/this is my last one."

They'll know it's not true but it's very difficult to prove otherwise. It does work.

I've tried this but that's when they've taken the one I'm smoking in the past. It's such a hassle. Why do people just expect you to dole out smokes and never buy a packet of their own?

Some of these folks must smoke more everyday for free than I can afford.

It's a joke

Koptain Liverpool · 09-10-2013 3:05pm

I used to give one to most people who asked me for one but over the years I realized that in this case what goes around doesn't come around. None of those moochers were ever going to be giving me smokes because I myself don't ask people for a smoke on the street no matter how desperate I might be for one.

I still give the odd person one if they seem genuinely stuck and don't seem like they're bumming smokes all day every day.

Boskowski · 09-10-2013 3:09pm

danom8 wrote: »

Why do people just expect you to dole out smokes and never buy a packet of their own?

Because people who want 'no hassle' keep giving cigarettes to them. Including the ones they're currently smoking :eek: So it works. So they continue asking.

Man up tell em to eff off.

Bummer1234 · 09-10-2013 3:25pm

100% with ya OP.

I don't smoke myself but on the way home from the shops last night with just a single shopping bag,Junkie asks me if i have a smoke,I said "No i don't man" and walked on, Don't know why i used to always so sorry at the end of it cause i wasn't sorry at all...Could have been his attire.

danom8 · 09-10-2013 4:22pm

Boskowski wrote: »

Man up tell em to eff off.

I've never told a junkie to eff off when they're wrestling me to the ground for a cigarette and don't intend to start now. Don't think much good can come from that do you?

danom8 · 09-10-2013 4:24pm

Bummer1234 wrote: »

100% with ya OP.

I don't smoke myself but on the way home from the shops last night with just a single shopping bag,Junkie asks me if i have a smoke,I said "No i don't man" and walked on, Don't know why i used to always so sorry at the end of it cause i wasn't sorry at all...Could have been his attire.

I find myself apologizing too when I say I don't have one. Again I don't know why. I can hold my own and defend myself when I need too but when there's a group of them waiting across the road it just seems easier to say "sorry I don't" and walk on.

SpaceTime · 09-10-2013 4:26pm

I don't smoke and I got serious abuse from a guy outside Heuston station for not giving him a smoke!

P_1 · 09-10-2013 4:28pm

Back when I smoked I was always on my last one of the pack whenever someone asked. Right pain in the hole it was too.

Ironically I was asked for one the other day (I vape now instead of smoking), it confused the living daylights off them when I pointed out that I don't smoke

snollup · 09-10-2013 8:07pm

Since I switched to rollups this isn't a problem anymore for some reason. When it was I just said no and luckily was never given any hassle.

cute_cow · 09-10-2013 8:15pm

Know what you mean OP. Dublin has gotten so bad for it. Was waiting at Fleet Street/Westmorland Street, and in the space of 3 minutes I had 2 lovely people approach me.

Said no to the first old jock, stinking of wee, and a beard as dirty as the ground and he said "sure you're ugly anyway" and moved away.

Next was a rather large (larger than me anyway) "lady" ask if she could have a smoke, and again I said no, and she told me "you're nothing but a fat bitch" and walked away.

Tremendously wonderful interactions

danom8 · 09-10-2013 9:02pm

cute_cow wrote: »

Know what you mean OP. Dublin has gotten so bad for it. Was waiting at Fleet Street/Westmorland Street, and in the space of 3 minutes I had 2 lovely people approach me.

Said no to the first old jock, stinking of wee, and a beard as dirty as the ground and he said "sure you're ugly anyway" and moved away.

Next was a rather large (larger than me anyway) "lady" ask if she could have a smoke, and again I said no, and she told me "you're nothing but a fat bitch" and walked away.

Tremendously wonderful interactions

Wonderful members of society we have walking our city streets :rolleyes:

OldGoat · 10-10-2013 9:12am

danom8 wrote: »

I've never told a junkie to eff off when they're wrestling me to the ground for a cigarette and don't intend to start now. Don't think much good can come from that do you?

I've always said No to beggers. Never had any trouble apart from a few stupid throwaway remarks. Feeding the begging habit causes the numbers of beggers to grow. As was said earlier in the thread just say No. Don't stop, don't engage in conversation, don't react to verbal provocation. Say No and walk on. Works well on chuggers too.

If you look back through the responses in this thread and count up the number of people who kowtow to handing over a ciggy (at whatever cost they are now) to strangers then it's obvious that beggers will keep on begging.

DamagedTrax · 11-10-2013 11:56am

i usually say 'sorry, i dont smoke'. if i have one in my hand this tends to confuse them for a minute, just enough time to sidestep them and be on my way.

madel · 11-10-2013 12:42pm

OldGoat wrote: »

I've always said No to beggers. Never had any trouble apart from a few stupid throwaway remarks. Feeding the begging habit causes the numbers of beggers to grow. As was said earlier in the thread just say No. Don't stop, don't engage in conversation, don't react to verbal provocation. Say No and walk on. Works well on chuggers too.

If you look back through the responses in this thread and count up the number of people who kowtow to handing over a ciggy (at whatever cost they are now) to strangers then it's obvious that beggers will keep on begging.

Maybe it a stupid question, whats a chugger?

KungPao · 11-10-2013 12:43pm

Smoking rollies reduces these requests by about 95% in my experience! When I smoked ciggies I didn't enjoy smoking while out and about...now I smoke away without a bother.

If I am asked for a cig while smoking a rolled up one, I just say "ah it's a rolly" they look a little confused and I just walk on.

OldNotWIse · 11-10-2013 12:46pm

Yes. Maddening. Sitting outside pubs is the worst.

Can I have a smoke?
No.
But you have a box of smokes there.
Yeah they are my cigarettes.

Also getting tired of people asking me for "a euro for the bus" - what bus is a euro?

OldNotWIse · 11-10-2013 12:47pm

madel wrote: »

Maybe it a stupid question, whats a chugger?

Charity mugger. Spawn of satan.

OldGoat · 11-10-2013 3:35pm

OldNotWIse wrote: »

Charity mugger. Spawn of satan.

Yep. It's those sickeningly happy people usually wearing "Concern" tabbards that try to get money from you as you walk through the town.

madel · 11-10-2013 3:41pm

OldGoat wrote: »

Yep. It's those sickeningly happy people usually wearing "Concern" tabbards that try to get money from you as you walk through the town.

OldNotWIse wrote: »

Charity mugger. Spawn of satan.

Like those guys that used to stand outside HMV Galway ' help disabled kids there please' and he wearing a hanley centre hi vis! Two completely differnet organisations

Not a penny of it going to anyone disabled unless he was talking about himself the c*&t ! Guards constantly down after him

OldGoat · 11-10-2013 3:48pm

No, these guys are legitimate. They do have a code of conduct to follow and carry ID. They are trained (or so I'm led to believe) that if you clearly say No twice they have to back off. Shame the same can't be said about the ciggy beggers.

danom8 · 16-10-2013 4:21pm

Why should they need to be asked twice. I'm inclined to say No once and f*** off the second time. Don't have the patience for someone trying to guilt me into setting up a direct debit for an organized charity that also runs as a business :mad:

briany · 16-10-2013 6:24pm

OldNotWIse wrote: »

Charity mugger. Spawn of satan.

That's a pretty harsh association. Poor Satan.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 18-10-2013 3:05am

I commuted to Dublin for a period of time and outside Heuston every morning and evening I'd be guaranteed to be asked at least once. It happened a good bit elsewhere around town too, it's not always junkies either, I have had professional looking types in suits asking, plenty of students also.

Pain in the arse, sometimes I give one sometimes I don't, I've never experienced trouble for refusing though. I usually use the 'it's my last one line'.

ardle1 · 18-10-2013 3:50am

gimli2112 wrote: »

When I smoked my stock response was "OK here"

Was walking down from Heuston one day just outside James Gate and refused, without thinking. Got serious abuse. Not really worth getting killed over a smoke but there you go....Dublin, eh?

I use to smoke and I've been to a few cities around the World mainly in Europe, and I've never come across this behaviour.... I'm actually in shock and I feel sick that Dublin has come to this, obviously and without a second to spare Gardaí need to get a hold on this situation and take Dublin City back before it escalates!!!

Constantly Being Asked for a Smoke in Dublin

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