Excellent point, my friend! Which is why I put forward the idea of asking the smoking Forumosans NOT to step outside, but to yield the outside patio at Alleycat’s Neihu, for example, to the non-smokers. Of course there might be one or two non-Forumosans smoking there, but one or two in an outdoor area is negligible. This also avoids the problem of a large group of non-smokers outside disturbing the neighbors.
I continue to feel this was a very logical and simply solution and am utterly perplexed at why it was turned down immediately by Alleycat and ignored by other posters. Feel free to point out the flaws in my thinking, of course.
As for the comment about there being few folks at the Neihu HH, and the conclusion that it was because it was a non-central location, although this sounds reasonable on the surface, I’d point out that:
- The grand opening there, 2 weeks prior, was packed, including large numbers of Forumosans, so location is probably not such an issue, and
- There were other factors involved in the low turnout, including folks boycotting it over the switch from a non-smoking venue, which really had a bunch of long-frustrated non-smokers’ hopes up, to a smoking one inside and out, which was such a major disappointment that we all gave it a miss.
So I’d recommend that in addition to showing up this Monday to thank Alleycat for his wise and wonderful decision to make Mondays smoke-free, we ALSO give this location one more shot, with the above patio=non-smoking as a “suggested self-guideline for Forumosan patrons” (since we can’t decide Alleycat’s own rules; that’s his choice), and see if it works.
On the “central” location issue, everyone’s idea of what’s central will vary. If I put up a map and asked folks who actually plan to attend HH regularly where they live/work, we would have a better idea of what is really central vis-a-vis the HH group.
For those of us living in Neihu, Donghu, Xizhi and Nangang, of course, the Shi-da area pubs are quite distant.
What I’d recommend is that we alternate, so that some are in the Shida area, some are near the WTC, some are in Neihu, etc.
Personally, I think the Tavern is in a great location, but like all small, sealed pubs, it’s a carcinogenic death trap. If our friend, the owner would consider better ventilation and/or a non-smoking period one day a week, I’d be delighted to give him my business!!!
