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Is it fair that a smoker who takes a "fag breaks" still clocks on/off at the same times as a non smoker at work? |
Yes it's fair so long as they do the required amount of work |
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21% |
[ 4 ] |
No, it's not fair, even if they do the required amount of work |
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42% |
[ 8 ] |
How dare you question my smoking habits, it's an infringement of my civil liberty's |
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10% |
[ 2 ] |
Other - please explain |
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26% |
[ 5 ] |
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Total Votes : 19 |
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biggus illitterātus
Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 31748 Location: Hotel California
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:48 am Post subject: Smoke breaks |
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Ok here's one for you...
Is it fair that a smoker who takes a "fag breaks" still clocks on/off at the same times as a non smoker at work?
This is not a reformed smoker question, even when I smoked, I never smoked from the moment I walked through the door until I left the premises either for lunch or at the end of the day, because, I had colleagues who used to regularly disappear hourly for 10 mins at a time on "fag breaks" and it pissed me off. _________________
www.bigguspicus.co.uk
There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand Binary and those who don't
There are II types of people in the world: those who understand Roman numerals and those who don't.
98% of all Harleys ever sold are still on the road. The other 2% made it home |
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Miss G World Superbike Racer
Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 1513
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:01 am Post subject: |
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Do you stop working to make a cup of tea during the day? _________________ An open mouth is a straight line to the mind.
I’m impressed, I’ve never met such a small mind inside such a big head before. |
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biggus illitterātus
Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 31748 Location: Hotel California
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:09 am Post subject: |
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Miss G wrote: | Do you stop working to make a cup of tea during the day? |
No, I have staff for that _________________
www.bigguspicus.co.uk
There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand Binary and those who don't
There are II types of people in the world: those who understand Roman numerals and those who don't.
98% of all Harleys ever sold are still on the road. The other 2% made it home |
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Baloo Guest
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:13 am Post subject: |
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In general, I have no problem if they take a fag break or two, as long as they are equally as productive / effective as anyone who does not smoke.
One thiing that used to piss me off though was people taking 3 or 4 20 minute fag breaks during the day, plus tea breaks plus extended lunches and then said they were too busy to take on extra work.
This all blurs into one if we also consider those people take too much time on the internet, personal phone calls etc. It is no different to taking a fag break.
It also depends on the job they do to some extent in my mind. Someone who is doing a mind numbing admin job, will need a break compared to someone who may have a more mixed role which may be more mentally stimulating. |
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boudicas Kermit
Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 2987 Location: Bletchingley, Surrey
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:52 am Post subject: |
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I Voted "OTHER"
OK. Here's how it works where I'm employed.....
Everyone is entitled to a 10 minute break during the morning and another in the afternoon. If the smokers want to smoke in their break they can (in the designated corner of the car park)
However, the company kept quiet about the fact that everyone is entitled to a break by law and were happy to let the non-smokers feel disgruntled about the smokers getting the percieved "extra" breaks. So someone made a complaint to HR about it and the answer that came back was...
"accorning to employment law you cannot be forced to work more than 4 hours without a break. So for thsoe starting at 8:30 this means that if they are on the 1 o'clock lunch they MUST have a break in the morning. Same for the afternoon. Anyone who returns from lunch at 1 MUST have a further break before clocking off at 5."
So the guys I work for allow us to have 2 ten minute breaks a day where smokers can smoke and non-smokers can talk behind the backs of the smokers.
I dont know if thre are any specail exemptions because of the nature of your work Duncan but you will probably find its not a case of the smokers getting extra breaks but rather a case of the non-smokers not knowingt hey are entitled to a break too. _________________ Opinions are like assholes...... Ahhh Fcuk it - YOUR WRONG !!!
Read my Blog at www.mrboudicas.blogspot.co.uk
See my Videos and hear my rants at www.youtube.com/BoudicasUsefulStuff |
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gsxrboy 24/7 Despatch Rider
Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Posts: 154 Location: crawley
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:38 am Post subject: |
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i used to work for a company where at least two people had a 5 min fag break every hr or so, so about 8 breaks a day, 40 mins total. Yet when i grabbed a cuppa once and instead of carrying on working i stopped and read the paper at my desk, i got asked by the manager why i wasn't working, i replied, "i'm having a fag break" (he was one of the smokers) he then said that if the area director saw me he'd go ape and suggested i read the paper out of the office...so i did..for about 10 mins _________________ 97 750 srad
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wivvy's dad Cabbage club member #3
Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 14655
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:53 am Post subject: |
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Life's too short - see below |
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darkdreamsgal MotoGP Racer
Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 2074 Location: Wimbledon
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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I voted other - in principle, I don't have a problem with it so long as:
a) they do not then f*ck off home at 6pm and tell me they cannot deliver to everyone else's deadlines (and/or what Baloo said)
b) no one moans to me about my internet / coffee time
Frankly if I don't have the time because I'm full on in the middle of a transaction, then it won't even cross my mind to remember lunch, let alone taking an internet / coffee break. _________________ Baby Biker Babe!
"You must be a lawyer"
"What makes you say that?"
"You've got that sharp, useless look about you"
Yes, they are, and no, you can't |
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Flipper MotoGP Racer
Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 5419 Location: Desolation Boulevard
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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As an adult worker you will normally have the right to a 20 minute rest break if you are expected to work more than six hours at a stretch.
A lunch or coffee break can count as your rest break. Additional breaks might be given by your contract of employment. There is no statutory right to 'smoking breaks'.
The requirements are:
•the break must be in one block
•it cannot be taken off one end of the working day - it must be somewhere in the middle
•you are allowed to spend it away from the place on your employer's premises where you work
•your employer can say when the break must be taken, as long as it meets these conditions _________________ If you judge people, you have no time to love them. |
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Windy Just call me Janice...
Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 4145 Location: Up norff
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 1:14 pm Post subject: Re: Smoke breaks |
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biggus wrote: | Ok here's one for you...
Is it fair that a smoker who takes a "fag breaks" still clocks on/off at the same times as a non smoker at work?
This is not a reformed smoker question, even when I smoked, I never smoked from the moment I walked through the door until I left the premises either for lunch or at the end of the day, because, I had colleagues who used to regularly disappear hourly for 10 mins at a time on "fag breaks" and it pissed me off. |
Nope, I dont think it is! Not saying I'm whiter than white and I do have the odd 5 minute internet break...however.. one of the Essex contingent is heavy smoker and takes, on average, 4 or 5 fifteen-minute breaks on a daily basis, this is an addition to her lunch hour. I've lost count the number of times I've been asked to do something 'urgent' in her absence . It wound me up so much that a couple of years ago, I found her downstairs puffing away like a chimney and said would she mind curtailing her 'break' as her boss was after her. I'm all for smokers having a fag break(s), fair enough, but they should be made to forgo their lunch hour or make up the time spent away from their desks. By the way, she still leaves the office at 5.30pm on the dot and has never made any gesture to make up the time. A lady where I used to work took regular 10-minute knitting breaks and this was queried by management, she replied 'I'm having a cig break' Nothing further was said _________________ Mini Cooper S |
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Tiny MotoGP Racer
Joined: 10 Dec 2004 Posts: 2519 Location: God's Right Hand
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 1:18 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with Baloo. Spot on. _________________ I'd rather have a full bottle infront of me, than a full frontal Lobotomy |
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PJ_DJ Son of Athos
Joined: 18 Feb 2009 Posts: 3179 Location: Da Cronx
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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Baloo wrote: | Someone who is doing a mind numbing admin job, will need a break |
Which is why I like to surf the net, smoke 40 a day whilst at work and chat to my family on the phone. Makes me more productive in the 20mins I actually give to my company _________________ Anything you say may be taken down and used as evidence in a court of law, or boxhill forum!!
The only reason I'm fat is because everytime I f&*ked your mum she gave me a biscuit!
You're Never Alone With Schizophrenia |
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Tusky Pie Dipper
Joined: 12 May 2005 Posts: 11549
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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Oh I feel an employer rant coming on
It really pisses me off on site when the following things happen...
Smokers needing to down tools and totally stop work for a fag break and leaving the non smoker (me) totally unable to do a two man job
Workers who can't physically talk and work... grrr... they have to look at each other and maintain eye contact
Workers that sit on there arse doing nothing for the entire rest-break and then suddenly have personal telephone calls to make once it is time to start work again
So I guess smoking is not the issue for me but if they take say 6 x 5 minute fag breaks, then that should be 30 mins of their daily allowance used up...
Oh and what really really gets me is seeing a mass of people smoking at the gates of a hospital or supermarket etc....
and breathe.......... _________________ Boxhill Chippendales
All characters appearing in this post are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. |
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biggus illitterātus
Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 31748 Location: Hotel California
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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Tusky wrote: | and breathe.......... |
Don't you mean "and cough"? _________________
www.bigguspicus.co.uk
There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand Binary and those who don't
There are II types of people in the world: those who understand Roman numerals and those who don't.
98% of all Harleys ever sold are still on the road. The other 2% made it home |
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Tango Sicknote - The Prophet Of Doom
Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Posts: 5854 Location: Looking for a + 10 @ Rising :-0
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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They take their fag breaks AFTER THEIR TEA AND LUNCH BREAKS here, and at least a dozen other times during working time.
Boils my p~~~ as it means I am working hours more as a non smoker ........... _________________
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Sharky TT Racer
Joined: 06 Dec 2009 Posts: 1163 Location: At bloody work probably!
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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I voted other.
If you work for a company that allows smokers to do this, then there is nothing to stop non smokers from having a break in the fresh air when they like. The employer can then NOT say anything abpit it because they are allowing the smokers to do it. So if your pissed off... Just down tools and go for a coffee. If anyone asks about it tell them you went for a fag break! _________________ Not man enough for an R1....... FZ1's are cooler anyway |
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Sharky TT Racer
Joined: 06 Dec 2009 Posts: 1163 Location: At bloody work probably!
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | people take too much time on the internet |
I'm at work now and reading this thread and generally not being very productive..... Does that make me a bad person
Right, i'm off for a smoke! _________________ Not man enough for an R1....... FZ1's are cooler anyway |
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The Mouse Forum Ferry Spotter
Joined: 04 Dec 2006 Posts: 4904
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 3:58 pm Post subject: Re: Smoke breaks |
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biggus wrote: | This is not a reformed smoker question |
yes it is |
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Pieandbeans Cheese on toast.. why aye man
Joined: 13 Apr 2010 Posts: 399
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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boudicas wrote: | I Voted "OTHER"
OK. Here's how it works where I'm employed.....
Everyone is entitled to a 10 minute break during the morning and another in the afternoon. If the smokers want to smoke in their break they can (in the designated corner of the car park)
However, the company kept quiet about the fact that everyone is entitled to a break by law and were happy to let the non-smokers feel disgruntled about the smokers getting the percieved "extra" breaks. So someone made a complaint to HR about it and the answer that came back was...
"accorning to employment law you cannot be forced to work more than 4 hours without a break. So for thsoe starting at 8:30 this means that if they are on the 1 o'clock lunch they MUST have a break in the morning. Same for the afternoon. Anyone who returns from lunch at 1 MUST have a further break before clocking off at 5."
So the guys I work for allow us to have 2 ten minute breaks a day where smokers can smoke and non-smokers can talk behind the backs of the smokers.
I dont know if thre are any specail exemptions because of the nature of your work Duncan but you will probably find its not a case of the smokers getting extra breaks but rather a case of the non-smokers not knowingt hey are entitled to a break too. |
Techincally your not entitled to any breaks on a 9-5 day if you get a lunch break..... ?
the law states 20 mins for each 6 hours worked and those 20mins you do not have to be paid for.... If you have a designated 1 hour lunch break your employer is providing you you 20 min break for the day....
look at this link for confermation ...
http://www.impacttlimited.com/2008/11/14/uk-employment-law-update-changes-to-interpretation-of-rest-break-requirements/
I allow my staff in the kitchen 1 quick fag before service ... then they wait till there shift is finished ... its there choice to smoke not mine ... thats all ways been my rules... and have punished some people rather harshly for it..... Smoking is a choice and you should not take smoke breaks on duty but thats just my opinion... think about how much your company looses in fag breaks every year ......
1 person takes 10 mins 4 times a day lets say
thats 40 mins a day
200 mins a week
800 mins a month
lets say paid at £6 a hour wage.... thats £80 a month
thats £960 a year loss working hours for 1 year.. imagine in larger companies where they have 300 smokers....
Smoking is a personal choice do it on you personal time... who cares if it is addictive so are drugs and alcohol.... imagine how quick you would get fired if you nipped off for 10 min to shoot up or snort a line in the board room... or down a couple off shots off vodka....
thats my input...
Dave _________________ If my answers frighten you then you should cease asking scary questions.
Vita a bitchten vos matrimonium unus
There is nothing better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time. |
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lost again Dancing tree frog!
Joined: 11 Mar 2005 Posts: 2861
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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non smokers are such |
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nosnowking World Superbike Racer
Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 1907
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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I think it all boils down to the work ethic. If someone takes any opportunity to have a break, be it tea, coffee, having a fag or going for a shit, they will find the time to do it. It's been said already, but people who take 15 mins for a fag break is unnecessary. But then again so is stopping work to have a chat, browse the net, look at BHF and any other mindless task.
Personally, I never take a lunch break, preferring to nip off for a few fag breaks every now and then instead. It takes me about 5 mins max to roll and smoke a cig. Usually a lot less. I probably take less break time than someone who rigidly sits down for their designated lunch hour. I never take a break during critical times.
If someone won't take ownership of their workload, then there is a deeper issue there. Blaming it on cig breaks and imposing draconian controls on break times won't solve the issue. |
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gsxrboy 24/7 Despatch Rider
Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Posts: 154 Location: crawley
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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there was one guy at this firm, didn't smoke, but, he would spend the first ten mins on monday reading the footie pages of about 3 redtops, then, whenever he spoke to a customer for the rest of the day on the phone or at the trade counter he would proceed to talk for 20 mins on all the games over the weekend (if they were regular customers and into football that is), it gets quite boring hearing the same shit about football for 8 hours... i'm all for customer relations but he must have "wasted" at least an hr every monday during the footie season... _________________ 97 750 srad
92 1100
97 540i
09 focus tdi :p |
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Pieandbeans Cheese on toast.. why aye man
Joined: 13 Apr 2010 Posts: 399
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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lost again wrote: | non smokers are such |
LoL ....... thats the best you could come up with ??.................... that smoke be killing to many off those brain cells...
_________________ If my answers frighten you then you should cease asking scary questions.
Vita a bitchten vos matrimonium unus
There is nothing better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time. |
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SkinnyHulk "Brokeback"
Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 575 Location: Breathing down your neck
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Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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I love working outside i can smoke AND work at the same time. and you office jockeys, probably have access to a laptop, log on outside and smoke and work
i accept no liability for loss or damage resulting from my advice, if you wanna plug a laptop into the mains whilst outside and raining, consider it darwinism _________________ [url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]
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biggus illitterātus
Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 31748 Location: Hotel California
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Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:46 am Post subject: Re: Smoke breaks |
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The Mouse wrote: | biggus wrote: | This is not a reformed smoker question |
yes it is |
No it's not, I did ask the same question a few years ago when I was a smoker. It's just something that came up again at work. And as the rest of the paragraph you have quoted from says "... even when I smoked, I never smoked from the moment I walked through the door until I left the premises either for lunch or at the end of the day, because, I had colleagues who used to regularly disappear hourly for 10 mins at a time on "fag breaks" and it pissed me off." _________________
www.bigguspicus.co.uk
There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand Binary and those who don't
There are II types of people in the world: those who understand Roman numerals and those who don't.
98% of all Harleys ever sold are still on the road. The other 2% made it home |
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