Jan 5th, 2009
Smoker’s Station
I optimized the route to building 1: go down the stairway on the gym side, cross street, enter building 1, turn left to the corridor, up the elevators, 4th floor. This is my engineering instrinct: must optimize for heavy usage.
A new device appeared several weeks ago. It is an over-sized ashtray. I was puzzled.
How much money Juniper spent on this apparatus? In addition to the giant ashtray, there is also a sign telling the smokers to use it. Prior to the new device, smokers simply use the trash can that is 6 inches away.
The dooor enterinng building 2 has a sign, “No smoking within 25 feet of the door.” That new ashtray just barely 25 feet away, or slightly less. Hmm. Maybe one must smoke beyond the sign-post? But that’s on the road. Is that a hint?
That ashtray also the starting point of my routine jogging routine. I will be a bit annoyed to meet a herd of smokers at the end of my run. Good thing that never happened.
Since building 2 houses the cafeteria, this smokers’ station will also get maximum notice with the heavy foot traffic. Guess that’s why few smokers use it. Most of them simply hover somewhere in the parking lot near the main entrances. They tend to avoid paparazzis these days.
I am not sure there are more such smoker’s stations around Juniper campus. I am thinking of request it be moved, then that appears to be a “not in my backyard” petition. Oh well.