Rant Car smoking ban

Firstly, I doubt you'll never get Specofdust to agree with you, not even if you're blue in the face, because he seems to have a liberal live and let live outlook, which on this occasion I do agree with him on, and not because I'm a smoker.

Secondly, perhaps if you hadn't been so rude in your quotation of Teel and simply accepted he has a sense of humour with a right to exercise it on this forum he wouldn't have been rude back. This is GD after all, not Serious.

Finally, I think you'll find telling him or anyone else they can **** right off is contrary to the rules you so happily quote for others to abide by so perhaps you would benefit from clicking on your own link

Edit: And finally finally, who made you a mod or the forum owner to determine what people can and cannot post?

 

Yes driving whilst smoking is risky, and the same can be said about drinking any type of fluid, or eating.
If we are going to ban smoking whilst driving, then we might as well ban consumption of food and drink.

I'm sure plenty of people have crashed after spilling a drink, or making some sort of mess with food. I just remembered my first ever near miss whilst driving!

I was traveling through a green light, when a car just came through the intersection right in front of me, so I slammed on the brakes. For a newbie without ABS, I think I did a good job of pulling up quick without skidding, and I watched as this young girl drove past me, eating her apple.
That apple must have tasted damn good, as she looked like she was loving it. Her eyes opened as she finished taking that bite - I should have asked her where she got that apple from, because I'd love to eat an apple so good, that they cause you to close your eyes whilst eating, even when driving.

Supermonkey raises a fair point about polluting the air other people are breathing.
If I'm stuck in traffic next to a smoker, then I too will put up my window if the wind is blowing their smoke in my face. If someone has some really annoying music or whatever playing, I'll also either put up my window, or put my music up, or encourage my passengers to make fun of their music, that sometimes works at getting the rubbish turned down

If I'm parked in my car with my windows open, waiting for someone or whatever, and someone decides to light up next to my car on the footpath, I'll tell them that their smoke is coming in my car - this is usually more than enough to get the message across, but a couple of times I've had to be a little more forceful to get some smokers out of my space.
The same with if I was sitting on a park bench, and a smoker comes up to me - I was there first, but the solution is usually as simple as swapping seats if necessary.
If it's something like a kid's playground, well then it doesn't matter who was there first, I'd ask the smokers to move if neccessary - I've never had to though, every parent I've encountered at a playground was already downwind of the playground.

 

Im with you on this, because its all about how you react to it, there isnt one standard reaction to alcohol (unless I just know the biology badly). They also need incentives in bars to not drink, i.e. not £1.70 a coke.

@mvagusta - yes, other things are dangerous too, however its about what we can police and what gives the most benefit. Adding more incentive for people to stop smoking is a great thing if not for themselves but the image it sends to young people that it just isn't something people do so much anymore. I know this is false and loads of people still do, but over time it can be weedled out to the good health of all

@carrie - [snip edit - cant be bothered with it, off topic, etc]
Finally, I don't care if specofdust agrees with me or not, different points of view breed different opinion. This is a good thing.

 

I have read many posts on this and wish to point something out. If you believe it is legal to eat or drink while driving, do so in front of a police car. They should stop and fine you as you should not have anything in your hands. Cigarettes is currently the only exception.
I challenge anyone to drive long distance without a radio or music. It is soooo boring that anything becomes a big distraction.
Lastly there is a reason people gas themselves in cars! Enclosed space intensifies the effect. Smoking is no different.

Sorry for being morbid, I just know too many people who have died from smoking and as non smoker can not rationalise it any longer

 

The funniest thing in the world is someone calling me to complain that the coffee in his cup holder spilt and fried his radio. The stunned silence when I refer them to their owners manual which advises only to be used when stationary. That why it's above the radio in the hope you would not be stupid enough to use it when driving.

 

holy ****... after reading some replies it really explains why so many countries are in the place they are in. What happened to freedom?

When it comes to government morals should never be involved, I thought you guys tried that with the whole catholic church ruling the world for a few decades...

What if chocolate is next? Its bad for you, creates over weight people that tax the medical system.

Wait a sec, if the medical system wasn't controlled by the government then me killing my self with cigarettes and cigars would have zero effect on you... Holy ****...

Also think about this, if your so worried about peoples kids being affected by smoke then you HAVE to be Pro life 100% of the time including rape... and most likely against anyone using condoms... Also we should prob test IQ's before letting people have kids. OOO and we could limit the amount of kids they can have based on income so we don't have to pay for them.

Or we could just remember why we don't have kings anymore. Sometimes I feel like were no longer advancing as a society...

Its my car, My life. If this was proposed here in the states... I would be screaming outside right now.

 

Although you also have some silly rules. What do you mean i can't drink beer in the car.....?No I'm not driving he is....? (may not apply in Texas but did in cali? and the worse bit i was told that i could got to jail if a minor was in the car.... Thank god for slurpy cups)

 

That's not entirely true. Even in a private system, your decision to kill yourself with cigarettes can impact my monthly premiums. If a private health insurer suddenly finds itself paying out a lot of money for smoking-related cancer treatments, then they may raise their rates elsewhere to help offset that cost. The same can be said for obesity-related diseases resulting from poor diet. Whether it's a private system or one based on national health care, everyone ends up paying for someone else.

Why do you think a person would you have to be pro life 100% of the time.

 

Surprised this isn't happening here in the states. We're about due for another stupid law.

 

The people who talk about freedom and the right to do what THEY want are missing the point of this. The rule is being introduced in order to not improve YOUR health, but to stop your smoke and lower concentration endangering those around you. It is a act purely to further the cause of those who dont like smelling of smoke/breathing in smoke/being hit by a driver who was smoking.

@mods: The report post button doesn't appear to work :S
edit: ah seems someone deleted it, good. Im fed up of inflammatory responses only to my posts.

 

Maybe things are different in your area, but AFAIK, in Australia the legal requirement is for at least one hand to be on the wheel, so one hand is available to do things like hold a drink, burger, play with the radio, windows, etc.

The way I see it, is that what matters is the quality of the driver. There are plenty of drivers out there, with no distractions, but their performance is shocking, whilst plenty of other road users can handle drink or food or a cigarette or whatever, without driving like a drunk person.

This is why I don't think there's much point banning every possible distraction, just increase the penalties for reckless drivers - things like not giving way, no indicators, unnecessarily abrupt braking, tailgating, etc. Also retesting at least once a decade should generally help imo.

 

Mvagusta, point whole heartedly conceded. If I had a pound for every bad decision, recklessness and down right stupidity I've seen in my 25 miles journey to work every day. I would be living with you by now in Australia

 

I just had a smoke whilst washing the car in tan yellow boots, am I going to hell, have many kittens died due to my actions?

 

Were they platform boots though? Platforms add 25 dead kittens.

 

Maybe they should ban careless parents instead.

 

Omg I've just driven past a car wash place (I wasn't smoking ) there was 5 men washing cars three of men with brown rigger boots and two men smoking, I was just wondering if anyone might know just how serious the consequences of this might be

 

I agree with people on the zero alcohol tolerance definitely. It's fairly easy to give an incentive too.

Caught once = 5 year ban and a £5000 fine.
Caught again = Permanent ban and a £20000 fine.
Cause an injury whilst DUI = Automatic 5 years in jail plus 5 year ban to run subsequently.
Cause a death whilst DUI = Automatic 20 years in jail with the ban running subsequently.

You watch the DUI figures disappear with that kind of threat. It sounds excessive but how often do you read/hear about people causing death by dangerous driving and getting 18 months or some other equally preposterous sentence.

P.S. Teez the only possibly punishment for that is death, preferably something inspired by the middle-ages.

 

Zero....., Really, nothing, nada, zip, none, 0.000 ???

You sure that's a good idea??

 

When in control of a vehicle, yes.

 

Now I kind of agree with you.

However how should it be policed if simple things such as asthma inhalers, mouth wash, diabetes and a few other common day to day things can give positive (although below current limits) results?