Kicked out of the dorms (not my living sit.)

[Garrell6888]

So my gf lives in the dorms at the JC I go to, and we were with another girl that lives at the dorms, trying to get people to come to this party. I walk in the hall following my gf, and of course I vape without even thinking about it at this point. I walk by this chick and blow some vape, and I hear "Excuse me, are you smoking?" I turn around and say "No". At that point i'm not stupid, so I cut it out. I can wait a few mins. We stand in the hall for awhile, and proceed to the next hall to gather some more peeps.

So about half an hour later we go back to the same hall, and were just standing by the door, when security comes up and asks me to go outside with him. This should be fun...I chuckle a bit and step out.

Well this is the stupidest conversation Ive been in for a while. He (along with 3 other people...I was guessing matinence) asks if this woman (who is now outside with us) asked if I was smoking. I say, yes, she asked if I was smoking, and then he asked if she said anything else to me, which she didn't, so I respond with no. He confirms with her. Then he asked If I was smoking, and I say "no I was not, I don't have any cigarettes or a lighter in my pocket" and then he asks her, and she says she saw some smoke coming out of my mouth. With V2 in hand, I have nothing left to do but explain what it is. I told them its a nicotine inhaler, and its smokeless and tobacco free. I further explain that it is vapor, and that there is nothing in the policy that says I am not allowed to use this.

He responds with "well I don't think you would be allowed to use that inside" which I respond to with "Well legally, I am allowed to use this anywhere, until anyone with authority tells me not to, which you're doing right now, so I will discontinue my use of this inside the dorms."

So buddy obviously gets a little upset, because he asks the RA (resident admin., the woman who originally asked me if I was smoking) If she wanted me to leave. She said she would rather not have me using the device inside. Then he looks at me and states "well it did smell like smoke in there..."

At this point, I say nothing and empty my pockets. I show him I dont have any smokeables, and he says I'm soliciting a party. I tell him (which is completely true) No, i'm not soliciting anything. I'm here with my girlfriend, and HER friend (who lives in the dorms, so shes under her own liablility, not my gf's) is soliciting a party. He then turns into super-wannabe cop and states "well, if you dont live here, then your loitering". Once again, I correct him and tell him I was invited here, and I'm also a student here, so I'm not really loitering. Pissy pants rebuttals with "well she asked you to leave (when was this?) and if you don't leave i'll call the sheriff and have him deal with you"

Ever so dramatically, while he's saying that, my girlfriend and her friend walk out of the hallway and start towards their car. With the quickness, I look at him and im like "ok, peace" and just walk away.

My take on this: People are idiots. Why couldn't the girl have questioned me about it if she was that curious? How come he had to think of three different things that I was doing wrong, even though I wasn't actually doing anything wrong. I was very polite. I told him I was allowed to do this until someone asks me to stop, then I immediatly stated I would stop. Geez, if this guy wanted to be a douche then he should have walked the 100 meters over to the police academy. Either way, I didn't care, and he didnt tell me I couldn't come back. So there might be a part two of this thread in the future. I'm not gonna vape there anymore, but I'll thuroughly enjoy if he asks me to leave again. He has no reason to, because I violated no rules. Call the sheriff, He'll laugh at you too, Mr. wannabe cop...

Just a rant. Sorry for the length...but am I in the wrong?

 

[mr quackums]

no you didnt do anything wrong, but i can see why they think you were.

 

[Wolf]

Um, I didn't think you could smoke anywhere inside in California, do why would the dumb ones think you would, and didn't the Governor (Governator Arnie) decide that vaping was okay? Glad I live in Washington.

 

[WitchWay]

Sorry you had such a problem Garrell. It sounds like you did everything right. They have so much going on in those dorms, he'll forget you in a couple days. Hopefully you won't have more problems.

My daughter is an RA at her JC here in Texas. Her dorm does not allow vaping in the public areas or hallways only because on the security cameras it looks like smoking. To avoid having to check out everybody it is easier to just not allow it. Unoffically they allow it in the rooms where there are no cameras. They do not kick anybody from the public areas, just ask them not to do it. They have quite a few students that have gone to vaping instead of smoking because they can get away with doing it in their rooms.

I was visiting her there right after I discovered e-cigs and was still researching so asked one of the residents that vapes where they purchased their stuff and they pointed me in the direction of this forum so I could check out suppliers and information.



May peace and joy fill your life, today and everyday!

 

[butchrobotpope]

Hi Garrell! I can think of a couple of things you did "wrong", but you're right on the principles.

First, you were vaping casually in a place where smoking is viewed as Evil & Wrong.

Second, you didn't get out in front of the problem, before it blew up. When the RA asked "Are you smoking?" - that was the time to stop and bust your gear. You're as much an ambassador for vaping as you are a vaper. Now that RA has a negative association with vaping and is likely gonna harass the next vaper she runs into.

Third, you argued with security. Typical security goons have a bad penis-size to ego ratio. The first thing I would have done is show him my gear and make the same points that you did about it. Anything after that is his own ego posturing. Always deescalate with these guys. Ask, "Now that everything's been sorted, can I take off?"

Like I said, you're right on your principles. There's no good reason why you couldn't wander through the dorms, vaping your head off. But there are plenty of real reasons why you shouldn't. At least, not without making it perfectly clear that you are not smoking. And you're right - people are sometimes idiots. Ha!

Anyway, that's just my two cents. I hope things work out well for ya!

 

[Garrell6888]

Hi Garrell! I can think of a couple of things you did "wrong", but you're right on the principles.

First, you were vaping casually in a place where smoking is viewed as Evil & Wrong.

Second, you didn't get out in front of the problem, before it blew up. When the RA asked "Are you smoking?" - that was the time to stop and bust your gear. You're as much an ambassador for vaping as you are a vaper. Now that RA has a negative association with vaping and is likely gonna harass the next vaper she runs into.

Third, you argued with security. Typical security goons have a bad penis-size to ego ratio. The first thing I would have done is show him my gear and make the same points that you did about it. Anything after that is his own ego posturing. Always deescalate with these guys. Ask, "Now that everything's been sorted, can I take off?"

Like I said, you're right on your principles. There's no good reason why you couldn't wander through the dorms, vaping your head off. But there are plenty of real reasons why you shouldn't. At least, not without making it perfectly clear that you are not smoking. And you're right - people are sometimes idiots. Ha!

Anyway, that's just my two cents. I hope things work out well for ya!

Taken into consideration. Ive decided to be a little more discreet about it, which I am good at, because I vape in class and I've asked the people that I usually sit next to and they said they haven't noticed.

I'm not mad that they stopped me and talked to me about it, I'm just mad about the way they dealt with it. I understand it's their job to enforce the no smoking/tobacco policy, so the talk was not a worry at all. I just couldn't believe that they tried to kick me off the dormatory grounds for doing nothing wrong. I do realize that maybe I should have stopped and told her what I was doing, but I took a chance. While I know that wasn't necessarily the wrong thing to do, It would have saved me some hassle if I stopped to inform her about it. But being an RA, I felt that it was her job to inquire about it, not my job to make sure she isn't gonna get me in trouble for...(broken record) doing nothing wrong. She saw, she asked one question, got an answer she didn't like, and called security.

Either way I've learned a lesson. I just was upset about what their response was after confirming that I...well...you know what I'm gonna say.

 

[yknotagain]

This is a sign of the nanny state we've allowed to begin taking over our lives.

 

[Taryn]

I'd have to disagree on the RA handling it wrong, she saw "smoke" coming from your mouth, and she asked you if you were smoking. You correctly answered "no" but did not explain the reason something that looked like smoke was coming out of your mouth and kept walking.

She did confront you, you blew her off. She called security which is a safe thing to do in that situation, she doesn't know how you will handle more direct confrontation since you blew her off the first time.

Vape where you want to but be smart and hold in that vapor in non smoking areas unless you either want to ask permission or explain yourself to those who do not understand. It does look like cigarette smoke when exhaled so I don't blame people for questioning it at all.

 

[Garrell6888]

Hmm. Maybe she was not completely incorrect, but I think she could have and should have handled it better. Im pretty sure the point of security is to confront, prevent, and handle the situation if people are doing something wrong. The RA's job is to make sure everything is going ok. She did not make sure. She inquired, and then decided that I was disobeying the rules.

For example, say I'm walking around with a clear bottle of water, and drinking it (the equivelent of using my pv, since it looks nothing like a cigarette). Say I walk by the RA, take a sip, and make a disgusted face in front of her (the equivelent of blowing vapor). If she would have asked if I was drinking alcohol, and I said no, I hardly think the next step would be to call security; she should have asked or smelled the bottle. I understand this isn't a completely legit comparison, but a decently legit one, and it helps get my point across.

Again, if I was openly walking around with a bag of parsley, and she asked if it was weed, and I said no, it would be very easy for her to utter the words "Then what is it?" Security handles dicipline, RA's handle conformance.

In her defense, I too could have handled the situation better. I'm just tired of explaining my PV. I've also been vaping everywhere I go and have never been confronted about it, so I forget I'm even doing it sometimes. But think about this: Its the store's job to ring up all my items and take my payment. If they ring me up and forget something, but proceed to complete the transaction, its up to me to decide if I want to let them know, or to just go with it. Either way, I have fully paid for what the store representative asked me to pay in accordance to the items I have chosen. If I'm not honest, I have technically done nothing wrong, but I might have to deal with the cashier questioning me about it.

I have no problem with being questioned about it, but I think she should have handled it. I was mainly ranting about the way the security officer handled it.

I do agree with you about the "not knowing how I would react thing". On the other hand, its her job to question something she believes is wrong, and if she is unable to do so, maybe she shouldn't have signed up to be an RA. Also, there was a hallway full of college football players who would have fun kicking my ... If I tried to assault her. ( I think they put them all in the same dorm cause they're loud)

 

[NightNurse]

This is a sign of the nanny state we've allowed to begin taking over our lives.

Word.

 

[SheerLuckHolmes]

Dumb 1) vap'n unconsciously

Dumb 2) Are you smoking? Smoking has bee around since tobacco. Vap'n about two years. Most (MOST) people that see what appears to be smoke in the air are going to assume tobacco smoke. She asked a question she already BELIEVED she knew the answer to. Like a mother that walks into the kitchen and sees the lip off of the cookie jar and the kid chewing away with crumbs on his mouth. She asks a dumb question, "Are you eating a cookie?" knowing full well he is. He knows he is in deep trouble and says a stupid answer, "No".

The RA should have said, "Excuse me, you may not smoke in this hallway." You should have gave a complete answer, "No I am not smoking. This is a nicotine vaporized for save consumption of nicotine without all the toxins of cigarettes."

Dumb 3) The RA assumed you were a lying jerk, because she saw the smoke and you lied to her, from her perception. Since she was lied to and blown off she went for security.

Dumb 4) Security was looking for a wrong to right... couldn't see anything else.

Be more up front and communicate fuller for easier interactions.

Stay safe and vap away.

 

[Milano]

This is a sign of the nanny state we've allowed to begin taking over our lives.

Agreed. Call me a rebel, but I'd even smoke analogs in dorms. I don't care. lol.

 

[Bogalu]

Gotta agree with everyone above, if someone asks if your smoking, be prepared to explain, you cant just respond with a no and continue on with your activity because it will be assumed your lying.

And if the ignorant ones reply by saying "well smoke is smoke and you cant smoke here" then I respond with the most clever line I've ever heard from another member on this forum "Well pepsi and gasoline are both liquids so how would you like a tall glass of super unleaded?" I follow with "point is, smoke and vapor may both be in a gaseous form but it doesn't mean they are both harmful." After that it has worked on EVERBODY I ever mentioned it to. Try it next time and it might save you a hassle.

 

[Moriah]

"Well pepsi and gasoline are both liquids so how would you like a tall glass of super unleaded?"

I like this one

 

[Bogalu]

I like this one

Lol thanks. I member on this forum told me that one and I liked it too so I remembered it. It works, I've used it prolly a dozen times so far and it worked every time. lol

 

[Garrell6888]

Gotta agree with everyone above, if someone asks if your smoking, be prepared to explain, you cant just respond with a no and continue on with your activity because it will be assumed your lying.

I do realize that I could have made the situation better for myself. But at the same time its not my "job" to make sure people don't think I'm doing anything wrong. It IS her job to make sure people are obeying the rules, which she did not do, she assumed. Then again, its college. Students have a tendency to not obey the rules. Also, I did not continue to vape...well, openly anyway.

I aknowledge that we both did things wrong, AND we both did things right (to an extent). I was mainly upset about how security handled it. She was not out to get me, but it seemed like security WAS. Maybe out of boredom, or insecurity (haha)

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Response to Dumb 1) Unconcious would be If I was not concious, which is sleeping or being knocked out. I was vaping subconsciously.

Response to Dumb 2) Many children do not know the consequences of lying yet. Also, children aren't kicked out of houses for lying. Plus, I was still in the hall, so if she wanted to inquire, I was about 20 steps away. Again, its not my job so make sure people don't think I'm not following rules. Its my job not to break rules, which I fulfilled

Response to Dumb 3) I see stuff all the time that isn't there. Its called double checking. Did she smell smoke? Did she see a cigarette? It coulda been an inhaler for all she knew.

Response to Dumb 4) After security found that I wasn't doing anything wrong, (and also after I stated that I would discontinue my use inside) he should have ended his investigation. There was no wrong to right.

 

[BillTech]

interesting story

 

[Rainbowz]

Well, Garrell6888, I would just chalk this up to inexperience dealing with those particular types of authority figures. Looks like you have been given good advice how to handle it in the future.

The best thing is that you are NOT smoking analogs! Whoo hooo!

 

[aubergine]

Waiting for my first kit and checking out the environment here:
On Saturday I asked the bartender at an upscale bar where I was having a drink whether he'd ever heard of electronic cigarettes. He said that he had. A waitress there had tried them.
I asked him if I'd be allowed to use one there. He said absolutely not - it had been attempted and "it freaked out the customers."
Ever persistent, I said, "What if you quietly and sweetly explained to said customers that only safe, legal, odorless vapor was being expelled?"
He responded by launching a sort of contemptous lecture on the evils of smoking;
"Just quit", basically.
"Ya", says I, "but that's not quite the point. If it's legal, harmless and its proliferation as an alternative to smoking would bring back customers who enjoyed smoking in bars, mightn't educating the public be worth your while?"
"Does it look like we're starved for customers?", he replied. (He isn't.)
"Still", I said, "You're serving alcohol, which is causing that guy over there to be talking loudly and tipping his bar-stool nearly into the lap of the lady next to him, which sort of thing does not conventionally freak out the customers, and which substance might cause a fatal accident this very night - have you no sense of social justice?"
"Nope." says he.
"Did she like them, that waitress?", I query.
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"She said they weren't like the Real Thing."
Sigh.

 

[Bogalu]

I do realize that I could have made the situation better for myself. But at the same time its not my "job" to make sure people don't think I'm doing anything wrong. It IS her job to make sure people are obeying the rules, which she did not do, she assumed. Then again, its college. Students have a tendency to not obey the rules. Also, I did not continue to vape...well, openly anyway.

I aknowledge that we both did things wrong, AND we both did things right (to an extent). I was mainly upset about how security handled it. She was not out to get me, but it seemed like security WAS. Maybe out of boredom, or insecurity (haha)

I know what you mean. Its frustrating at times, but we're the pioneers of a new technology that many people don't understand, and of those few people that do understand, its usually a completely misconstrued concept of what the object is and what it does and they are the hardest ones to teach. lol

Either way, taking the time to educate someone can only be benificial, who knows, maybe if it was handled a bit better you coulda found out that chick in the hallway smoked and you coulda converted her over to ecigs. You just never know in life unless you take the time.