As a counterpoint to the survey of smokers, I have put together a similar survey about current non-smokers’ experience of pubs and pubgoing since the smoking ban.
6 days ago
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
17 comments:
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Filled it in. :-)
ReplyDeleteI see the nastiness is already coming out - one respondent commented "Smokers who say pubs are closing because of the smoking ban are twats" :-(
ReplyDeleteAnd of course the smoking lobby are all paragons of restraint asn even handedness...
ReplyDeleteThe Smoking Ban should never have existed, air quality standards created by the EU exist.
ReplyDeletehttp://f2cscotland.blogspot.com/2011/07/air-quality-standard-eliminates-need.html
Anon: having just read that article, I don't consider that it proves anything conclusively.
ReplyDelete@John Clarke: can you point us to anything similar in the 30 comments on the smokers' survey? No, thought not.
ReplyDeleteI would say that your regular anti-smoking ban discussions* are invariable going to attract an audience of readers who are like minded. people googling 'anti-smoking ban' are likely to find this blog. Hence a vast majority of people are going to be like minded.
ReplyDeleteIt's like me writing on my blog 'how many people prefer american craft beer as opposed to lager?' and then touting the results as proof. Readerships are inherently biased, it's why they read our blogs!
thats said, I do think its good you have done a smokers survey and anti smokers survey. It is at leats an effort to get some usable data
*read as rants ;-)
Well, I did put in a disclaimer that the results couldn't be regarded as scientific and the respondents would inevitably be somewhat self-selecting.
ReplyDeleteOh, and it's a non-smokers' survey, not an antismokers' survey. Not the same thing at all.
Sorry that was a typing error. I think as i was discussing 'anti-smoking ban' above my brain got stuck on that terminology
ReplyDeleteI meant to type 'non-smokers survey' as you say.
Still, pointing out typing errors aside. I think my point still stands.
I think my point still stands. - Neil.
ReplyDeleteWhat point still stands?!? The point is already made! Curmugeon already went to the trouble of pointing out that the surveys are self selected:
"Now, before anyone pipes up (as it were) let me make it clear that this survey makes no claims to be representative or scientific, and readers of this blog who responded to it will by definition be somewhat self-selecting.".
BTW, I prefer lager to septic craft beer, unless the lager in question is Stella, in which case I would probably drink any septic beer!
what the hell is septic craft beer?
ReplyDeleteAlso, This is a discussion not an argument frederick. I'm not deriding what mudgie is doing, I think his survey is very useful, particularly as he has invited both non smokers and smokers to be involved. But i was simple sayin readers are more likely to agree with his views on smoking as this site is unashamedly partisan, (as mine and any other blog will inherently be.) A simple point, which isnt negated by the fact he has already stated it 'isnt scientific.'
we're discussing the issue, not arguing here. Yes I appreciate he has mentioned the blog readers being self-selecting, which i was trying to expand on.
ReplyDeleteNone of these surveys or polls proves anything, they're really just discussion points.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the results in many cases can be very interesting, especially when you don't have a clear expectation of how it will turn out.
For example, I would say the answer to question 4 in the current non-smokers' survey "Do you feel it is reasonable to expect smokers to go outside for a smoke?" is genuinely interesting. Currently it's about 50-50.
The general survey of blog readers I did earlier in the year suggested that more people read this blog for the beer and pub content than the more political aspects, so I don't think it can be said it is a blog that is primarily read by people who agree with it.
(The current poll about beer strengths would appear to demonstrate an overall lack of interest in the issue...)
I started to fill it in but stopped because my reasons for not using the pub as frequently as before is nothing to do with the smoking ban, it changing social circumstances i.e having children.
ReplyDeleteI support the ban, and if we never had children then i like to think we'd use the pub alot more than we do now.
But as its said, its not a scientific poll so perhaps i should complete it, an alternate reality entry!
"I support the ban, and if we never had children then i like to think we'd use the pub alot more than we do now."
ReplyDeleteWell, everyone approaches such a survey on their own terms, and a certain amount of "gaming" will always happen. I would say that if your reasons for using pubs less are entirely unrelated to the smoking ban, you would be entitled to answer that you use them just as much as before, and that would count as an honest answer.
The rate of responses seems to have somewhat stalled now (currently 62) but I'll leave it open for 7 days (i.e. midnight on Wednesday).
ReplyDelete"what the hell is septic craft beer?"
ReplyDeletecraft beer made by septics!