Blind Eye For The Smoking Guy

The Post's Tom Sykes tries his hand at smoking in different restaurants and clubs around town and finds it surprising ignored, especially later on at night and in private or back rooms. Of course, no names are given to the various establishments ("West Village Pub," "Midtown Nightclub," and "Chinatown Party"), as who knows what wrath the Mayor and his minions would visit upon business owners trying to make a go of it. As one bar owner tells Sykes, "People out late expect to be able to smoke - and they do. And you know what? There aren't a lot of 311 callers around at 1 a.m."

With the promise of warmer weather, people will be pouring out to the sidewalks to smoke even more. Mayor Bloomberg might have bad olfactory nerves as he claims he didn't notice smokers at an event although some people don't bother smoking when he's around (he's a drag!). And Gothamist on 311.