Hundreds turn up to smoke cigarette with man after he handed out flyers

Over 2,000 New Yorkers showed up to smoke a cigarette with a man after he handed out flyers inviting them to join him.

A man called Bob, also known as 'the cigarette maestro' to some, went out delivering people flyers saying that between 2.00pm and 2.05pm local time on 21 November, he would be smoking a cigarette outside Washington Square Park.

He gave people a map, a picture of himself and a QR code promising attendees a free cigarette to smoke if they booked their spot in advance.

Hundreds of people showed up to the park in New York to stand with Bob and smoke a cigarette with him after he said he'd like them to 'all light up together'.

On social media, Bob declared that 'over 2,000 strangers came to smoke a cigarette with me' and folks were marvellously impressed by the turnout.

"If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you currently smoke, and you have the willpower, quit. If you don’t have the willpower, at least reduce it," he wrote on Instagram in a post celebrating the people who turned up one Friday afternoon.

"But if you just love smoking and it brings you joy, light it up!"

In a video, he could be seen thanking people for coming and signing their cigarette packets, while one guy even asked Bob to sign his skateboard for him.

The man declared he was 'living my dream' and told those who turned up 'how grateful and happy I am' they joined him for his event, saying he really liked 'doing something fun together'.

Those who turned up were even chanting his name at one point, so it seems the people like Bob.

Obviously, we do have to be the fun police for a moment and remind you that smoking is bad for you, though Bob's own message for people not to start smoking if they don't and to quit if they have the willpower to do so is a pretty handy guide.

People who couldn't make it lamented that they'd missed out on what seemed like a fun surprise gathering of people to show up for Bob and hang out with him for a few minutes.

Folks said they were 'so jealous I couldn't be there' and reckoned it must have been 'an experience for everyone involved'.

Even some people who didn't smoke wished they'd shown up and said it must have been a 'great community'.