We just went to our usual bar that has a walled off area for smokers, it was packed, both sides but with no-one smoking at all.

There have been 311 complaints on the first day about bars and restaurants who havent kept to the new anti-smoking laws. The most complaints were in (no surprises) Andalucia

http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20110103...s/392157.shtml

I think it's actually good news that people are complaining as it means the public wont put up with it. The first denuncia has been handed out to a bar in Seville

Do you think he'll frame it?

Depends whether he can afford the fine! They start at 600 euros

It is a shame they cannot go after the law breakers for heath and safety at work, the illegal this that and everything else and non seat belt wears etc etc with the same vigour.

Ouchie.

You know, when they started trying to get people to wear seatbelts, nothing worked until they brought it in that you would be uninsured if you didn't wear it.

Me, I started wearing it everytime after I wa a hospital porter in casualty once, and looked into the face of someone who had been thru the windscreen.

Maybe a similar idea could work here?

But a lot still do not wear seatbelts here...so why no vigour to pursue these as well? I know this is Spain!
And the TV programme goes back to the consumers association website where you can fill in data. Then how do the owners of bars defend themselves if you can fill in a form on line? All the mates of one bar owner can go on line; fill in the form against another bar they do not like.

Is your insurance valid here if you don't wear a seatbelt?

Me, I just can't understand why anyone would ever not wear a seatbelt. Ever seen what you look like after a trip thru the screen?

As for the rear seat belts, -I know my human anatomy. If you sit behind me, you wear the belt or you walk.

I think the no smoking law will have no effect at all in our, and many other , small Andalucian villages. They will just ignore it and no-one ever checks. The only time the Guardia ever come here is to have a drink in the bar.

Seat belts? You must be joking. Most of the older people do not even have driving licences, although they have been driving for years.

We gave someone a lift once, she asked if I could drrive. I said I could, although I didn't, as at the time I did not know whether my licence was valid in Spain or not. Her reply? 'oh we don't care about things like that here'.

What smoking ban?

I will let you know after the Fiesta.

I guess in the remote villages they have their own laws

The newspapers here are all reporting a great success in the smoking ban for bars and restaurants, although the law around hospitals isnt being complied with yet. They say that will take a little while

Funny, ive seen three smoking bans, Canada, UK and Ireland. Exactly the same concerns arise every time. Before you know it, its the norm and everyone wonders what all the fuss was about.

As a smoker, until tomorrow, i wish there was a total ban on cigarette production. In the future they will look back staggered at the habit of inhaling smoke into our lungs.

While governments continue to use tobacco tax as a major source of revenue it will not happen.

Exactly what I have been saying all along, people here seem to make the Spanish out as some sort of heroic resistance fighters. As I've said, a few feeble protest, a few fines, and after that they'll all be smoking outside like everyone else.

Ooh i know.

See same for electric cars and oil production.

Revolution!

It's certainly working here.