Ashes are better than key marks. Find a way to pitch the fit, and change their smoking place without bringing your Corvette into it. (Like butts in the parking lot instead of the trash/ashtray...) Otherwise, your Corvette might be getting reacquainted with the paint booth.

 

since quite a few smokers don't have the capability of grasping the notion that second hand smoke is harmful to others, I can guarantee that your offenders will think you are nothing more than an a hole if you bring up the topic of ashes on your prized Vette (which would be viewed as extremely trivial by the ashtray licking crowd) . If it were me, I would just find another place to park and save yourself the aggravation of trying to reform those that refuse to be reformed.

However, you mention that you can wreak havoc, then, by all means do so by sending out yet another notice of the acceptable environs for smokers and then fire the bastiches that continue to violate company policy. That'll get their attention.

 

Have you told the people that are doing this how much it bothers you?
Sometimes doing that will help.

 

I say..................

Drop the hammer!

they HAVE been given notice TWICE already!

it's extremely ignorant of them to continue to do this after they have already been asked TWICE to go to the other side of the building!

by continuing to go near your car they are basically saying F you!

now it's time to make an example of someone.

 

As a smoker I must ask, if you have an assigned "smoking area" why not have the powers that be simply enforce it. We have a very specific smoking area where I work and we do not move from it. Of course ashes on someones car might happen because of the wind however, it's not intentional.
Bob

 

You aren't going to change them and it isn't worth the stress. Your parking spot sounds like a good one so buy a cheap, super light car cover that you can throw over the car, take the extra 30 seconds, and forget about it.

Then start another thread when they (accidentally) set it on fire.

 

why dont you use a car cover until this is resolved?

uhm...what he said ^^^ (sorry didnt read the whole post :-D)

 

Well, that's a horse of a different color if they're actually damaging something. Perhaps a sign banning smoking in that particular area could be subtly put up, without anyone knowing you had an input?

 

Drive the Bentley to work and leave the good car at home. Just kidding man, that would irritate me too. I hate it when someone driving in front of me flips a butt out the window. That always forces me to pass them at a high rate of speed.

 

Also as a smoker, I believe the assigned smoking area should be enforced. Smoking is a bad habit and I have quit time and time again only to pick them back up. I smoke where it is allowed and where I don't offend anyone else with my bad habits.

 

Don't they know that smoking kills? If not, tell them if it doesn't kill them, you will.

 

Everyone, thanks for the suggestions.

That’s what my initial feelings were……


At this point, all I can really do, and did, is to send a third notice out about it. It bothers the owner as well since butts end up there which is near the entrance to the building. Unfortunately he spends most of his time in our AZ office, so it’s not as enforced as it once was. I think if I ‘put the hammer down’, it may do more harm then good.

A car cover could probably work most of the time, and I already have a really nice light weight one. The cover craft stormweave. I doubt it would catch fire, but just my luck it would. Actually, the car gets pretty dirty sometimes, especially if the roads are wet, then I really can’t use the cover anyway.

I supposed I could start drive the Jeep Renegade to work, but I enjoy driving my vette!

I had very nicely asked the smokers to smoke on the west end of the building before I sent the previous notices. The feedback I get is the smokers feel they are ‘picked on’ because they smoke. I’ve also been told, ‘it’s just ashes, they wash right off.” NO, that’s not the case. I feel like saying, “so can I pee on your car, it will wash off!!!”

Bottom line, they DO know better. And IMHO, it’s total lack of respect.

What can I do? Send more notices, use car cover, or drive the Jeep. Another parking space it not really an option, if it was, would have done
that first.

Anyway, I supposed it could be worse. I have seen/heard too many posts about vettes being vandalized/and or keyed. In the end I have been able to wash them off. So far.

 

(quote):
I had very nicely asked the smokers to smoke on the west end of the building before I sent the previous notices. The feedback I get is the smokers feel they are ‘picked on’ because they smoke. I’ve also been told, ‘it’s just ashes, they wash right off.” NO, that’s not the case. I feel like saying, “so can I pee on your car, it will wash off!!!”
(end of quote)

Exactly. It reminds me of the line " Do you mind if I smoke? " with the reply, "Do you mind if I fart? "

 

I think I would enforce the true smoking area and demand that they not smoke where the car is!

 

I think the best thing to do is remove the reason they are smoking in front of your car.

Cover the smoking area!

Sure it will cost the company a few bucks, but right now they are trying to force all the smokers to go out into the elements to smoke. Probably it's fine on a nice day, but in the rain or the snow, nobody is going to stand out there getting wet. Nor are they going to forego their cigarettes. That leaves one option, smoking next to your car.

I want to say something else too, after reading a lot of people's comments here. I'm not suggesting that smokers deserve anyone's sympathy, but come on guys, they are not bad people. Show at least a little respect for your fellow man. They just got hooked on an unhealthy substance, they're not lepers or rabid dogs. Next you'll be forcing overweight people to park at the far side of the parking lot because they need more exercise.

 

I'd put up a no smoking sign or get a car cover.

 

That's exactly what the Surgeon General says to do. Walk more, eat less. :o

 

Hehe, yeah, he's a smart guy.

And quitting smoking is smart too, but some people just ain't gonna do it.

If you don't want to cover the smoking area, then after 3 "reminder" memos, I think it's time to take some action if the rule is still not followed. Otherwise your employees are going to decide which rules they respect and which rules they don't. Now, this doesn't seem to be an offense that requires termination, but for sure I'd start writing people up and putting it in their file for performance reviews. After a write-up, if they do it again, then I would fire them.

 

Are there ashtrays near your car? If so, have them moved.

If there isn't one, then drop the hammer from the standpoint of leaving butts in front of the entrance.

 

What???
I am a smoker and I used to have a white 93. I never got little brown stains from ash! Now, you will notice fallout (pollution from the atmosphere) more on a white car than another color. These will look like brown spots. Only way to keep this off is to put the car in a bubble. Sorry for my but sometimes as a smoker it gets under your skin to hear stuff like this.

My suggestion, buy an ashtray to put out near where your Vette is. Better yet, get a 5 gallon bucket, drill some small holes in it and fill it up half way with kitty litter. This way, when the smokers tip off their ash the wind will not blow it on your Vette.