Allen County Smoking Ban

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:30 am

The patios are helping business I'm sure, but what's going to happen come winter? Even that is not the point though. It's THEIR business. If they want to allow smoking, they should be allowed to. If they decide they want a smoke-free business, more power to them as well. And the worst part of it, IMHO, is they included PRIVATE clubs, including VFW and American Legion halls. You can go fight in a war to protect our freedom, but then you don't have the freedom to smoke in your PRIVATE club, that you pay dues for?????? WTF?!?!?!?!?

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:05 am

just talked to a friend of mine (solo acoustic) who told me he's been informed by two bars that if business doesn't start picking back up, they can't hire musicians anymore.

In one fell swoop John Crawford and his cronies may have killed off several local businesses and most of the music scene in this town.

Kiss your political asses goodbye!!! Is Mike Sylvester running for an at-large Council seat? He's looking better all the time.

deek · Post by **deek** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 3:58 pm

I doubt it...while I agree it sucks, you've got a lot of cities, not to mention states, that are doing this as well. Like any change, there are obviously going to be opponents and a transitionary period, but give it some time and no one will even remember it.

Overturning the smoking ban is a losing battle, IMO. Heck, if the state fair can ban trans fat, do you think anyone has a chance to bring smoking back?

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 4:33 pm

It's always easier for them to take rights away than it is to win them back - that goes for everything!

Democrats + Republicans = Same sh*t, Different Pile.

Bjart Sod · Post by **Bjart Sod** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:39 pm

And if you think about how they can spin it, they have the "think-of-the-children" votes for sure if closed bars cut down drunk driving by a measurable amount.

Al Quandt · Post by **Al Quandt** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 5:52 pm

bassjones wrote:just talked to a friend of mine (solo acoustic) who told me he's been informed by two bars that if business doesn't start picking back up, they can't hire musicians anymore.
.

Yeah we had a bar cancel our recent show due to the same circumstance.

Columbia Street has it nice, since you can still see and hear the band while outside. Sunset built a small deck outside and are planning on expanding it. At the rail, a lot of people are just hanging out at the house across the street.

Al Quandt · Post by **Al Quandt** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 5:57 pm

(Fort Wayne - WANE) For almost a month, the City of Fort Wayne has been smoke- free, but so far there's been little enforcement of the total smoking ban. The reason is all businesses first get a warning. It's only on the second violation that a fine will be issued. The Fort Wayne Fire Department, who is in charge of enforcing the ban, said overall there have been few complaints and no repeat offenders.

You won't see fire engines racing to put out any lit cigarettes. That's because the fire department said there really is no reason for strict enforcement of the city's total smoking ban.

"We're not getting a lot of complaints on it or we'd be out more doing more spots checks," said Jim Murua of Code Enforcement.

But there are no surprise inspections.

"We're complaint driven. Once we get complaints we will come out," said Murua.

A response, though, could take several days. Bar and club owners said that's fine, because they are doing a lot of self-policing.

"We do it ourselves and hope some one who is having a good time isn't offended," said Mona Butler of Showgirls I.

Tower Bar and Grill said enforcement is not a problem because they created an alternative for their smokers, an outdoor back deck.

"What we've done is made smoking still available for them," said Manager David Manos.

But businesses also believe there are few violations because many smokers are heading out of town.

"People are going to different bars, outside the city, it's affecting business," said Manos.

"People are doing what they have to do to not to break the law, but it's killing business," said Butler.

Bars said many times when customers find out they can't light up, they'll walk back out the door.

Overall, there have been about 50 complaints in the last three weeks. For violations, businesses do face up to a 25-hundred dollar fine, individuals could have to pay up to 250 dollars.

Al Quandt · Post by **Al Quandt** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:12 am

I am noticing the effect while playing shows. We get a much better turn out at bars that have readily accessible outdoor smoking areas.

Now that I am playing regularly again, it is really pissing me off. Not just because I would like to smoke since I am the entertainment and I have to be on stage a certain amount of time but it makes the show less enjoyable to our fans, who have to be in constant turmoil over whether they should go outside at the present time or listen to another song.

When ever we can pull off calling a smoke break I notice that roughly 90% of our crowd are smokers. So when we pack a house, it is mainly composed of smokers.

That is a bar full of people that are uncomfortable to some degree the entire time that we are performing, and that really upsets me. I know this because that is how I feel at a show. I am drinking and the more I drink, the more I want to smoke and then feel like an ass when I step out for a song. Not just because I left for a song but, the moment anyone sees me get up, several other people get up to go out. That means that I just interrupted the show.

Oliver's Army · Post by **Oliver's Army** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:15 am

adapt and overcome

sevesd93 · Post by **sevesd93** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:22 am

Oliver's Army wrote:adapt and overcome

Naw, I think I will just move out of this communist City.

Al Quandt · Post by **Al Quandt** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:24 am

its not me that I am worried about. How does an entertainer adapt? It makes the bands look bad to bar owners when they don't bring as much of a crowd as they used to. When it is really not the bands fault its the setup of the bar.

The following have a decent setup that I have seen so far.

Sunset :: Built a deck out of the old karaoke stage for smoking and drinking

Columbia Street :: Smoking and drinking area plus the side exit where you can still enjoy the music through the windows.

Buckets :: Has a smoking and drinking area, its pretty damn small but if you are lucky enough to get a table it is alright.

I cant think of anymore.

tiny · Post by **tiny** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:27 am

sevesd93 wrote:
Oliver's Army wrote:adapt and overcome
Naw, I think I will just move out of this communist City.

Cool.

Lowered housing costs for those of us left.....and more gigs for non-smokers.

Win-win.

Cmon folks....it's a dead horse. The deed is done.

At least talk about supporting the bar owners amendment, and voting out the bozos that voted for the ban. You'll never overturn the basic law.

G Fresh · Post by **G Fresh** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:39 am

sevesd93 wrote:
Oliver's Army wrote:adapt and overcome
Naw, I think I will just move out of this communist City.

Whatever you do, I wouldn't move to New York.

sevesd93 · Post by **sevesd93** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:43 am

G Fresh wrote:
sevesd93 wrote:
Oliver's Army wrote:adapt and overcome
Naw, I think I will just move out of this communist City.
Whatever you do, I wouldn't move to New York.

Oh god, you couldn't pay me enough to move to New York.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 12:47 pm

Oliver's Army wrote:adapt and overcome

respond and overthrow