Pipe sightings in public

PappyJoe

Other than pipe shops and club meetings, what pipe smoking sightings have you made in the public? Yesterday I passed a gentleman in a Corvette with a straight pipe clenched in his mouth?

thebadgerpiper

I passed a man in downtown yesterday walking around with a bent pipe in his hand. I've seen him around with his pipe before, but haven't had a chance to talk with him. Always cool to see other pipers in public.

tomatobodhi

It has been a while. When I was in seminary there was a professor that always smoke a pipe. If you wanted to find him, you just had to follow your nose.

Even at the tobacco lounge I hang out in, I am the only pipe smoker I've seen there in the past year except for my dad (who often joins me there for a drink and a bowl).

pipesith

I can't recall the last time another pipe smoker has been spotted around here. I have seen that some of the pipes and tobacco have been sold at the discount tobacco store. But haven't seen anybody with a pipe.

john1100gs

i am the old man on the bmw motorcycle everyone else sees in public.  years ago, people would see a cop smoking his pipe in his cruiser, but I can't do that anymore.

Parttimetryhard

Only when I look in the mirror. But I love going to the bar and getting all the looks cuz everyone is surprised that a young guy like me smokes a pipe but I hate it when they inevitably come over and ask if what I have in the bowl is marijuana.

thebadgerpiper

Today my friend and I were hanging out by his car in a little town that meets halfway between where we both live. There was a farmers market today, so there were lots of people coming and going. While we were talking, my friend points out a car where the gentleman in the car was smoking a pipe. Sure enough, I saw the older man with a billiard in his mouth passing by. I never tire of seeing fellow pipe smokers out and about.

Mangoandy

Public sightings? Rarely outside of the smoke shop, but private sightings abound. 

I was getting bored smoking alone, so I've welcomed at least a dozen guys down to our local pipeshop/pipe club for camaraderie. A cheap $4-6 corn cob has served to get each of these guys into the hobby. There are a lot of men out there looking for a community to hang out with. Looking for more friends/guys to join you? Try inviting them.

Woodsman

Very rarely; I often feel like I'm the only Pipe Smoker in my part of the county. There are some Hookah Bars in a city near me but, that's not my cup of tea.

Puffstone

@pappyjoe
Your story reminds me of not long ago I saw a guy in his 70's smoking an oom Paul in a really nice looking brand new z06 corvette. I managed to get beside him at a redlight and the man used his finger as a tamper and looked like he was born to smoke a pipe in a $90k pipe. He had no cares in the world other than enjoying that pipe and his vette

Hitz53

Haven't had one in years except me in the rear view mirror.

PappyJoe

SE Louisiana Renassaince Festival last weekend in Hammond, LA. I saw 3 guys dressed as pirates with pipes. My wife saw one "pirate" smoking a pipe and said I've never smoked anything that smells that bad.

JaGri1

I was at the grocery store today and life Magazine is running an article on sherlock holms, on the cover was him pictured with his pipe.

ghostsofpompeii

The most recent time I saw anyone with a pipe in their mouth other than myself was over the Christmas holidays when my nephew's two year old son was blowing bubbles out of a plastic pipe. It's been ages since I've even seen a toy pipe so I'm assuming it was an old toy once owned by my nephew. Can't imagine the PC Police letting something like a toy pipe making it's way to a toy store.  

xDutchx

Around 3 years ago, I was out in Irving, Texas sitting in a parking lot, and spotted a fellow pipe smoker enjoying his pipe. He was having a conversation with a couple of cigarette smokers, and appeared to be approachable. I decided that when I finished my paperwork, I would load up one of my pipes, and walk over and introduce myself.

A few minutes later, he apparently finished his pipe, because I noticed that he was banging out the dottle on one of those concrete filled steel pipes you sometimes see around the edges of parking lots.

For some reason, the episode had the same effect on me, had I seen a man abusing his wife, and I lost all my enthusiasm for introducing myself.

Philip

Just noticed that this thread is over half a year old and there are more entries on the website for Bigfoot sightings. How woeful. Last month I was walking along the lake (it was freezing out) and I saw a little truck parked in the trees. Taking a closer look I saw an old dude puffing away on his pipe. I just waved but thought that poor old guy has to go down to the lake and sit in his truck to smoke. Then I thought maybe he's just getting away from the [reference deleted] and enjoys sitting in the freezing mist, bundled up smoking. Decided to go with the second thought and was happy for him.

Of course laws prohibit you from doing whatever you want but if possible I enjoy my pipe where ever and when ever I want. I try to be as courteous as possible, but other than that I'm not letting someone who probably thinks they are doing the world a favor by stopping people from doing something they personally don't like. By the way, don't try to stop them from doing something they do like. 

My rule of thumb is, if I think someone doesn't like my smoke or asks me nicely with a valid request, I happily save it for later (but I don't apologize). If on the other hand I get that stupid face like I'm killing the precious snowflake or someone is rude to me, I also save it for later but pull out another pipe and fill it with the stinkiest, blend I have available, something with the most latakia in it, and fire it up. It may not be the most gentlemanly thing to do but I can't let them win all the time.

In the spirit of this thread I think I'm gong to keep with me an ounce or so of a favorite blend and if I see someone out in public with a briar I'm going to offer it to them with the suggestion that they might like it. Perhaps they would appreciate something like that.

Now I'm off to the woods to see if I can get a glimpse of the Sasquatch. 

mfresa

Take heart, @Philip, I was watching the horse races in Fort Lauderdale last weekend, and the camera passed a guy smoking a pipe (looked like a Meerschaum) next to where the horses get saddled prior to a race.  Nobody complained to the guy, he just stood there puffing away.
They are out there......