People smoked openly in New York City up until a few years ago - until idiot Bloomberg unconstitutionally banned it. Everyone accepted outdoor smoking, nothing unusual. And no one asked permission.
“Everyone accepted outdoor smoking, nothing unusual. And no one asked permission.”
You do realize the context of the discussion about smoking (the “do you mind if I smoke?” comment) is related to being inside, you know, in an AIRCRAFT, car, someone’s home, a restaurant, an enclosed area. . .polite people asked the question.