SFOG - designated smoking areas?

This isn't an attempt to start the old debate, I'm just wondering when SFOG went to designated smoking areas? Did I miss the memo earlier in the year or is this relatively new?

It seemed either very new or very poorly done. The areas aren't marked on the maps, the areas are designated in odd places (long stetches without coming across one then suddenly two spots just 25 yards from each other) and some employees/security enforced the rule while others said smoking was allowed throughout the park. In addition to designated areas, there were a few spots with the sand ashtrays along pathways.

By the time we left this afternoon, we had no idea what the hell we were allowed to do. :)

So is this new and still in the confusing implimenting process or has this been in place for a while and they still don't have their stuff together?

BTW, other than that the park was very nice and seemed improved in several ways over our last visit in 2003.

And yes, we got a Q-bot and used it repeatedly on Deja Vu while mocking the 'regular' line. ;)

(Seriously, why the hell would they use Q-bot on that coaster? In order to keep the 'regular' line moving they only loaded the last 3 cars with Q-bot riders which in turn created a short queue wait for those using Q-bot. As someone who fully supports virtual queue systems, even I know there's some places it just won't work.)

*** Edited 8/13/2005 10:44:04 PM UTC by Lord Gonchar***

I believe it has been very recent, I can't think of exactly when the smoking ban went into place, but I want to say it was only signed into law this past May, with the law going into effect July 1st, so it's still relatively new.

I agree with you, yesterday was the first time I saw one of the designated smoking areas, and they are not very well done.

You shouldn't be smoking anyways :-P

Ahhh, I didn't even think of the laws they recently put in place. We stopped by Rocky Mountain Pizza yesterday for lunch and a sign on the door said, "Smoking Allowed. Minors must be accomanied by an adult." I was like WTF!?

I'm just wondering what they're going to do when smoking is finally illegal and people still get lung cancer. At least then I can just make one stop and score smokes from my pot dealer.

The less I smoke the more inclined I am to murder. Trust me, you want a cigarette in my hand. ;)

Thanks for the quick answer. :)

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Lord Gonchar said:
As someone who fully supports virtual queue systems, even I know there's some places it just won't work.)

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It would work if the ride ops did! ;)

PCW has designated smoking areas too.. kinda silly tho becuase there like right beside the path and the smoke still blows out onto the paths.. i think its dumb, your outside the smoke will rise:).. wen your in a house or a bar or sumthign thats where the smoking should be banned not from outside.. trust me.. and i aint complaining cuz i smoke too.

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Lord Gonchar said:
Ahhh, I didn't even think of the laws they recently put in place. We stopped by Rocky Mountain Pizza yesterday for lunch and a sign on the door said, "Smoking Allowed. Minors must be accomanied by an adult." I was like WTF!?

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Ugh I don't like their food at all, not with Papa John's so close.

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The less I smoke the more inclined I am to murder. Trust me, you want a cigarette in my hand. ;)

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More cigarettes for the guy with the good photo site! :)

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Thanks for the quick answer. :)

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No problem.

For future reference, I have only found two designated smoking areas. One is under the plant-covered arbor between Acrophobia and the Cyclone, and the other is near the Rabun Gap Railroad station headed towards Thunder River and Deja Vu. *** Edited 8/15/2005 3:23:33 AM UTC by Jophish***

You want to see poor implimentation of designated smoking areas? then try going to PKD.

Sure the spots are clearly labeled on the map,but actually finding the where they're supposed to be is another problem all together.....besides they don't seem to be enforcing it too well as I saw plenty of people smoking well outside the designated areas & not being told so much as a word by any park personnel who happened to walk by.

SFKK has also posted designated smoking signs through out the park recently. There's a sign near the front gate that suggests that guests smoke in these areas, but doesn't force them to.

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Jophish said:
For future reference, I have only found two designated smoking areas. One is under the plant-covered arbor between Acrophobia and the Cyclone, and the other is near the Rabun Gap Railroad station headed towards Thunder River and Deja Vu.

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The covered one was the first we saw. We were like "oh man, did SFOG actually start the smaoking area thing too", but quickly wondered what was up when we saw those sand ashtray things still along pathways (full of butts even) and saw tons of people smoking while walking. Then later while stopped at a relatively out of the way spot (near the new kiddie coaster) had a security guard tell us to put them out. Then after riding the kiddie coaster and crossing the bridge asked an employee where the closest smoking area was and were told (and I quote), "I've seen lots of people smoking over here so I guess this whole area is a designated smoking spot"

The spots seemed stuck around pretty haphazardly. We were moving around the park conterclockwise. We passed one just before S:UF and continueing that direction past GASM and Ninja and through the entire Lickskillet area, didn't find another until just entering the France area (or whatever they call it) we stopped and I noticed there was another no more than 25 yards further up the path. We easily circled a quarter of the park without noticing a single spot then found two practically right next to each other.

I'm sure they'll sort it out in the off season and while SFOG has always been one of the better SF parks to me, it did seems like even they had stepped it up a bit. It was the heat and crowds that made me hate being there, not the park itself. ;)

We did get the little "Last Gasp" button though. :)

Yeah, you'll be havin' your "last gasp" if you keep smokin'!

-kpjb, who would kill for a Camel Turkish Gold right now.

I'm convinced that if I smoke, future generations will find the butts and wonder why we used these little sticks to collect certain people's DNA.

If I smoke enough, they'll find that a majority of these sticks contain the same DNA and figure I was important for some reason since way back in the early 2000's they collected so much of my DNA and they'll clone me.

Unfortunately, they'll call me "Marlboro"

It's all part of a plan, man!

Better than calling you 'Basic'.

Smoking should not be allowed in the park at all, in my opinion. Alcohol is banned, why not smoking?

Because smoking doesn't turn people into drunks. Does SFOG not sell beer in the park?

I like the designated smoking areas as a non-smoker. You smokers think its no big deal since you are outside, but when you are stuck walking behind a smoker on a hot day...grrrr. Yuck.

Exactly the old, overdone debate I hope this thread doesn't become.

I got my answer.

Closed.