Tomman, thanks for your question and for being respectful in your tone. Please understand, that you are making a mistake called the slippery slope. That if one thing happens then all others are sure to follow. How does reporting one driver who was obviously very rude and disrespectful to my wife and committed numerous other violations, how does one person result in - going around town reporting people for minor violations? One action does not follow the rest. If I drink one beer I will become an alcoholic and never stop drinking.

Is there any penalty so harsh... I will repeat myself again - I was not aware of how severly this guy was punished until after they already punished him.

NOw u ask me if punishment was decapitation, would I still report him so that he can be punished and decapitated. Again, you are going off the slippery slope and you still refuse to see that I was NOT aware of the severity of his punishment until after the fact. In fact, now I am aware of how a report for smoking may result in some severe penalties. I am only aware of this NOW - after the fact.

Finally, you go into the question of my duty to change a culture. Please realize that I would be guilty of this if I was the one person who created this law and then went around town enforcing this law as my sole duty and responsibility. Another member in this forum said he took a cigarette from a driver after asking to stop which he did not. My wife asked but rather then begin an altercation I chose to make a report about one driver. NOt the entire universe - just one driver.

China already has these laws in place. China made these rules - not me. China puts the signs on the buses - not me. Please help me understand how reporting one disrespectful driver makes me the Destroyer of cultures?

Perhaps you see a connection between the culture of a country and smoking. How does reporting one person make me guilty of changing culture in the sense that Britain went around the world with the notion of making the world England. I am sorry but I dont see the connection of a foreigner bent on changing the culture of a country based on this event. Is this similar to footbinding? Is this similar to female circumcision? Is this similar to forcing others to use my language? Or only use my language in their school system?

since we both have a difference in opinion, then we must rely on the reasonable response of others for self awareness.

If I asked 10 other people this question - Am I guilty of changing another culture by this this SINGLE event? What do yo think the 10 reasonable people would say? Now, if you were correct, which you are not, that I go around town correcting all the people for minor infractions, then I would probably agree with you. BUT, the fact is, I do NOT go around town doing this. How can I reply to your question about speaking Farsi? It is a hypothetical question that is NOT based on reality.

I have tried to reply to all your questions. I wonder if you will reply to my questions or will you just move on to more questions with a reply to mine.

HFCAMPO: thanks to you too for your good tone. Ok, so I admit that I misread your former posts about the severity of his penalty. You said you did not know how harsh it would be, so I stand corrected.

As for the culture thing, here is how I see it. Smoking is a big part of Chinese culture. Yes, China put non-smoking laws into place on buses. But, disobeying seemingly minor laws like that, is also a part of Chinese culture. I am not saying you are a destroyer of cultures. I am sorry if I came across that way. What I am saying is simply that, in my opinion, smoking, and ignoring daily laws are indeed parts of Chinese culture, just like driving on the sidewalk, millions of e-bikes clogging the streets, requiring guan xi to do business, etc. Much of that is, indeed, illegal. But part of this culture (and one of the things that makes me feel liberated here compared to the US), is ignoring many of those laws. I guess that is my main point.

correct tommann and any laowia that cannot accept this, needs to think and think carefully if they are in the right place for them or for others, to cause a man to lose his ability to provide for his family, because you hate smokers or you think Kunmignese are rude, is probably the most awful thing I've ever heard a expat do in Kunming.

It smacks of the old "colonial " mind set and I'm sorry but people like that have no place in China, especially Yunnan. They would be much happier in HK, BG or some other place, with schools for expats kids, gated enclaves and "coolies" serving them.
Yunnan, thankfully has never been that and knowing the history, culture and personality of Yunnanese, it never will be.

Growing, selling and smoking tobacco is the bigest industry in Yunnan, it not going to change because some ESL teachers hate it,. If you hate it,just leave, its that's simple.

@Natsymir: I didn't report the driver, you are mistaking me for HFCAMPO. I'm the type of person that likes to solve my problems on the spot.

@Barbara: thank you for your suggestions, I'd give you a Gold medal if I could.

TICexpats, if somebody "hates" smokers, than I agree with you and think this is too much animosity.

I myself have many smoking friends, even amongst the chinese. The thing is that there is mutual respect, they know I don't dig their smoke and don't do it when they're close to me.

Some of my family members also smoke and I got no problem with that.

Having said that, I got personal beef with smoke and the smoking industry because my mother died from smoking related pathologies when I was 24.

That doesn't mean I turned into a radical, I actually enjoyed the movie: Thank you for Smoking, IMHO everyone has the right to do what they want w/ their body (providing they respect others).

Tommann - I was travelling so I missed your reply a few days ago. I really want to thank you for your tone and manner on this forum. I am glad we can see eye to eye on some issues and still disagree on others and still remain civil to one another. Once again, THANK YOU.