davidinspain

We have a new neighbour in our apartment block using the stairs as an ashtray.How far does the smoking ban go?

scrubbedexpat095

If it's an enclosed space than it is illegal but there again this being Spain it's the enforcing which is a problem. Your neighbour is just going to reply 'no pasa nada ' if you pull him ;-)

cricketman

No, the rule involves all enclosed public spaces. A private hallway isnt public

You should bring the matter up with your comunidad de vecinos. There is probably a rule on whether it is or not allowed

Domino

surely a hallway used by the occupants of the building and their visitors is "public space".
the hallway of his flat isnt, so he can smoke there - if the BH lets him.

mind you the owner of a local bar will smoke whilst pouring pints and preparing tapas, although I have yet to see him do it when the local police are visiting for lunch.

Domino

have you tried sweeping it all up and posting it to him, or leaving on the bonnet of his car ??

cricketman

Well, you'd have to look into the law carefully

In any case, the comunidad will have a set of laws that neighbours should abide by. If smoking in hallways isnt in there, then you can request to add it at the next meeting

The community meetings in Spain are very important, they even have legal power to throw you out of your property. I hope you all go to them!

davidinspain

The President of the community is his aunt so I don't hold out much hope and as she lives two floors below his action doesn't directly affect her.Just thought if it was against the law i could "denounce" the community

cricketman

Thats the last thing you should ever do

You will be hated by the people who you are surrounded by, I would hate to do live like that

You should discuss it as a community and see what they say. Going over their heads really is the worst thing you could do

Its very important to try and get on with your community of neighbours in Spain, otherwise it can end up as a feud, and they could pass a lot of laws solely to p*ss you off

dunmovin

if it is such a big problem... go buy an ashtray and put it where he can use it. Simple.

Raising the point of the "anti smoking" laws, you also have give credence to "freedom of choice". He chooses to smoke, you don't. He does it in a stairwell when you are not there, so is he harming you? No.
Give yourself a break, stop seeing problems with other people,who do what they can to not offend those around them (maybe not smoking where children are present, or the house owner says smoking is not allowed)

I recall an incident a few years ago in Singapore zoo,where I lit a cigarette and a rude American woman said "Gaw'd.s sake....someone is smoking...ain't that disgusting"


My best guess was she was between 250 lbs and 300 lbs
I politely point out to her, that smoking in an open space had not yet been banned in Singapore and I can put my cigarette out at any time,but her ambultling mass of fat did not have the same choice

mikelincs

That reminds me on the Winston Churchiil quote to a woman when he was a bit under the influence. 'Madam, you are ugly' she replied 'Sir, you are drunk' and is reply was 'Yes, but tomorrow I will be sober, you will still be ugly'

cricketman

If that quote is true then Winston Churchill was obviously a d*ck

And he wasnt exactly a looker either

EsuriJohn

Yes it is true but not quite correct he said it to Bessie Bradock MP for Liverpool in the commons in the early 50's

MoonBaby

Perhaps if you weren't a smoker, you'd realise how truly intrusive and irritating cigarette smoke is for most of us. Smoke doesn't just disappear when you put out the cigarette in an enclosed space. It hangs around there for hours. Why should all the neighbours have to breathe in someone else's smoke every time they want to walk downstairs? Why does this guy feel he has the right to subject everyone else to his habit? If he wants to smoke, fine, let him do it in his own home or outside where it's legal. The reason there is now so little 'freedom of choice' when it comes to smoking is precisely because it rarely affects only the smoker.

The obese woman you insulted? Your smoke was probably giving her a headache and bothering her sinuses. How exactly was she making you feel sick, other than being an 'eyesore' for you?

jimenato

Farting just before you leave an enclosed space like a hallway is quite fun and has an effect similar to smoke upon those who use the space immediately after.

cricketman

I dont think smokers would notice..

As I said before, there is a procedure for these kind of complaints - with the community, where the neighbours can vote for new rules or actions

Obviously the OP doesnt believe in this kind of democratic act