Last week some idiot completely blocked off my car and I had to take a taxi to work. By the time I got there, I had a nice acquired tobacco aroma from the driver, as expected! However, on my way back home, I had a very interesting encounter, that made me remember this photo I took in a Jordanian cab. When someone smokes in the car, or in any closed space for that matter, I always remember the techniques used to smoke fish & meats.
Anyway, the cab driver I was driving with on my way back home, though a smoker himself, ask his passenger not to smoke in the car and wait till he gets to his destination. Now that was an unexpectedly refreshing act as opposed to the usual cab drivers taking it as an opportunity to grab a free smoke and puff up in a good company 🙂
Have you ever taken a ride with any similar Beiruti cab drivers?
… and speaking of Beirut & Amman, don’t forget to attend Twestival Beirut-Amman this Thursday, March 25.
Identity Chef 
5 comments
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March 29, 2010 at 10:52 pm
Mohamad
They mentioned in Al-akhbar newspaper there will be a law at the end of May. But even if we have it, the hard part will be as usual: Rule of law
March 29, 2010 at 10:55 pm
Darine Sabbagh
I was thinking that it will be a huge hit on many Lebanese cafes who live on arguileh smokers…
March 30, 2010 at 10:27 am
Joesbox
Is the driver Lebanese?? :O)
March 30, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Darine Sabbagh
The driver in the story is Lebanese, the photo was taken in a Jordanian cab 🙂
April 4, 2010 at 8:51 am
Na
Some sort of law will soon be enforced, namely forbidding tobacco advertising which is good. But in whole, the draft law I read a few months ago seemed incomplete, which is very bad (because if we don’t get things right the first time, chance are it would be hard to mobilize politicians and public opinion a second time, if they believe the job has already been done).
About tobacco and transportation: I was in a bus once (I love taking the bus), and I was sitting right behind the driver’s seat, with my laptop and trying to get some work done. At one stop, a man smoking a cigarette came to sit next to me but the driver said “since your smoking, you gotta sit at the back and open the window”. The passenger did as he was told and the driver turned to me and asked “kif?” as in “what do you think?”. So I just nodded. Actually I was grateful, mainly because it meant I didn’t have to share my seat (I love the bus but hate sharing).
Anyway I thought it was interesting that the bus driver improvised his own smoking section.