Smoking, New York City

In case you haven't heard, NYC became smoke-free in 2003, meaning you cannot smoke indoors in any establishment. No matter what...monsoon, blizzard, scorching heat...if you want a smoke you have to stand outside on the sidewalk.

Also, as archaic as it sounds (especially for NYC), you may NOT dance in any bar/restaurant/lounge. Dancing is only permitted in certain establishments that have been issued a cabaret license - so most dancing will be limited to night clubs. That means no dancing in a bar to a DJ or jukebox, no dancing while seeing a band perform...it's ludicrous and Mayor Bloomberg is working to have the law repealed, but as of now, don't assume that you can dance anytime you hear music. Management, or a bouncer, more likely, will probably tap you on the shoulder and kindly ask you to refrain. In fact, my girlfriends and I have been told to stop "dancing" while we were sitting on bar stools grooving and listening to music at a bar. Bet you didn't know that NYC was like that backwards town in the movie "Footloose"?!

Thats right. No smoking here. All I can really say is I wish they'd made these laws back when California did it. Now if we could just get you all off the sidewalks and away from the doorways. Go kill yourselves somewhere else.

Personal commentary aside I can tell you that especially in the outer boroughs you can still smoke after hours. This is in places where they just don't care or get heads up to inspections. My neighborhood I can promise you you can smoke in all the bars after 11pm and some all the time.

As a smoker (unfortunately) I was apprehensive about the smoke free laws everywhere. Didn't spoil my experience at all though. It didn't in Dublin, Milan or Rome either. You find that you don't want to smoke as much because you can't just light up and if you do want to go outside for a quick puff, you can with ease. Even in bars and clubs, they just stamp your hand and that's that. You're also not as bored as when you are at home in your normal routine so it's not a big hinderance, even for chain smokers like me.

Since 2003, smoking indoors has become illegal. Which is great. Because I don't like breathing in thick cigarette smoke.

However, since I've moved to Europe, I've actually become accustomed to the smell of cigarettes. I think I'm actually starting to "like" the smell of secondhand smoke!

Yet, unfortunately for those of you from Europe visiting New York, you're gonna have to stamp out that butt because it is now illegal. In bars, restaurants, pubs (do we even have pubs??) etc. I believe it's also illegal to smoke within a few feet distance from the entrance of any building (the reason being that people don't want to walk through a cloud of smoke to get inside a building)

It's not really a local custom but a city law: there's no smoking in any public building, train station, airport, store, office, restaurant, bar and disco. Right- no more smoky restaurants, bars and dance clubs- everything's smoke free.

Some people are loving this, some people are not. Either way, you can go out for drinks, dinner and clubbing - and not come home smelling like an ashtray, whether you want to or not.

If you are a smoker, do not feel too welcome in NYC. You will hardly find any places to eat where you can smoke at the table! Most places we went, we had to sit in the bar to eat cause we wanted to end the meal with a cigarette.
At most bars you are able to smoke though! (Luckily)
The prices for tobacco are quite high aswell, we read that the average price is $7,5 in NYC after a new tax on tobacco. We found it hard to find places they sold it under $8 though.

Dumb New York Laws
A fine of $25 can be levied for flirting. This old law specifically prohibits men from turning around on any city street and looking 'at a woman in that way.' A second conviction for a crime of this magnitude calls for the violating male to be forced to wear a 'pair of horse-blinders' wherever and whenever he goes outside for a stroll.
It is against the law to throw a ball at someone's head for fun.
A license must be purchased before hanging clothes on a clothesline.
The penalty for jumping off a building is death.
A person may not walk around on Sundays with an ice cream cone in his/her pocket.
While riding in an elevator, one must talk to no one, and fold his hands while looking toward the door.
Slippers are not to be worn after 10:00 P.M.
Carmel
A man can't go outside while wearing a jacket and pants that do not match.
Greene
During a concert, it is illegal to eat peanuts and walk backwards on the sidewalks.
New York
Citizens may not greet each other by 'putting one's thumb to the nose and wiggling the fingers'.
It is illegal for a woman to be on the street wearing 'body hugging clothing.'
You may not smoke within 100 feet of the entrance to a public building.
Women may go topless in public, providing it is not being used as a business.
Ocean City
It is illegal to eat in the street in residential neighborhoods, and the only beverage you can drink on the beach is water in a clear plastic bottle.
It is illegal for men to go topless in the center of town.
Staten Island
You may only water your lawn if the hose is held in your hand.
It is illegal for a father to call his son a 'faggot' or 'queer' in an effort to curb 'girlie behavior.'

Crazy NYC Laws
Citizens may not greet each other by 'putting one's thumb to the nose and wiggling the fingers'.
It is illegal for a woman to be on the street wearing 'body hugging clothing.'
You may not smoke within 100 feet of the entrance to a public building.
Women may go topless in public, providing it is not being used as a business.