Smokers behind the wheel
Discussion
This is not intended to be any kind of witchhunt but having just avoided being hit this morning by a driver who was "driving without due care and attention" by lighting a cigarette, I wanted to see if others have experienced similar problems.
If it is an offence to use a mobile phone while driving (I agree this should be so), why is smoking while driving an offence?
If it is an offence to use a mobile phone while driving (I agree this should be so), why is smoking while driving an offence?
Maybe I'm biased as a non smoker, but when people get 'done' for drinking/eating (the case i'm thinking of was even while stopped at traffic lights ffs!) then smokers should be pulled.
I freely admit to and would accept the fine for eating (chocolate
) at the wheel, but at least if I need to I can chuck it in an emergency. Can't do that with a lit cigarette!
I'm sure I'll get ripped apart for this, but so be it.
Sparks
P.S why do smokers always put the ash AND the but out the window? Bit dangerous that, especially for bikes/roadsters.
I freely admit to and would accept the fine for eating (chocolate
) at the wheel, but at least if I need to I can chuck it in an emergency. Can't do that with a lit cigarette! I'm sure I'll get ripped apart for this, but so be it.
Sparks
P.S why do smokers always put the ash AND the but out the window? Bit dangerous that, especially for bikes/roadsters.
sparks said:P.S why do smokers always put the ash AND the but out the window?
At the risk of being flamed...
Its because they don't want the smell of stale fags in their own car, so decide to inflict it on everybody else instead!
By all means, choose to smoke if you want to,
but live with the consequenses! Really pi55es me off when a lit butt comes flying my way from the car in front
sparks said:
why do smokers always put the ash AND the but out the window? Bit dangerous that, especially for bikes/roadsters.
Because they are bad people. :nonon:
If it happens to me I go out of my way to pull level with the car in question and give them abuse. Trouble is they are too ignorant to know why I'm shouting at them.
Right, bikers have a valid argument I will concede that.
The reason you cant use a phone is because you concentrate on the conversation rather than the driving because there is a conflict on which part of the brain is used at a given time. Smoking on the other hand requires no thought at all and hence is not a distraction.
I dont smoke in the TVR but do in everything else and given the number of people on the road who cant drive with no fags and two hands on the wheel the odd smoker here and there is the least of your worries.
Matt.
The reason you cant use a phone is because you concentrate on the conversation rather than the driving because there is a conflict on which part of the brain is used at a given time. Smoking on the other hand requires no thought at all and hence is not a distraction.
I dont smoke in the TVR but do in everything else and given the number of people on the road who cant drive with no fags and two hands on the wheel the odd smoker here and there is the least of your worries.
Matt.
Frankly, I don't see how trying to steer a car whilst holding a burning stick such that one does not tip red hot ash on one's leg is condusive to road safety. Many such drivers seem to operate with 1st priority being don't drop fag, second priority, get round roundabout safely!
I also hate fag butts ejected from cars. Had one land in the Griff once, when roof was down. No damage, but I was well pi$$ed off!
Jon H
I also hate fag butts ejected from cars. Had one land in the Griff once, when roof was down. No damage, but I was well pi$$ed off!
Jon H
I saw a copper smoking in his Vectra the other day. Thought that was a bit cheeky. He probably drove around for the rest of the day with the windows down, so the others couldn't smell it when he got back in the evening!
I feel slightly less evil than other smokers because I smoke rollies, which a) kinda limits ones smoking whilst driving opportunities b) doesn't have the same 'litter' problem, as they disintergrate, c) doesn't have the 'burning tip is motorbikers face' problem, coz they go out by the time you chuck 'em.
The downside is people look at you funny in posh restaurants.
I feel slightly less evil than other smokers because I smoke rollies, which a) kinda limits ones smoking whilst driving opportunities b) doesn't have the same 'litter' problem, as they disintergrate, c) doesn't have the 'burning tip is motorbikers face' problem, coz they go out by the time you chuck 'em.
The downside is people look at you funny in posh restaurants.
jon h said: I also hate fag butts ejected from cars. Had one land in the Griff once, when roof was down. No damage, but I was well pi$$ed off!
Jon H
Frankly if people want to smoke behind the wheel - that's their perogative.
But chucking hot butts our the window is
1) A fire risk in some places
2) dangerous for the roadster/biker behind
I have been very, very annoyed at people doing this in front of me when I've got the roof down.
Of course - its not malicious - its just a habit and total lack of observation. Sams as using their washers and fcuking soaking me!
I know a bloke that dropped a lit cigarette into his lap while driving and while fumbling around trying to find it and avoid having his knackers catch fire he went through a T-junction straight off the road and nose first into a drainage ditch, the car rolled end over end twice. He was fortunate to get out with a few bumps and bruises and minimal damage to the area in which his pods reside.
My mum used to smoke and once set fire to my brother in the back of the car by flicking a butt out the window. It came straight back in and my poor little brother went up like the Piper-Alpha.
Smoking in cars is a no-no IMHO. It's just another thing to cause a fcukup like yakking on a phone, eating, fiddling with the radio, reaching into the glovebox for CD's, leaning round and watching babies in the back seat etc etc etc...
My mum used to smoke and once set fire to my brother in the back of the car by flicking a butt out the window. It came straight back in and my poor little brother went up like the Piper-Alpha.
Smoking in cars is a no-no IMHO. It's just another thing to cause a fcukup like yakking on a phone, eating, fiddling with the radio, reaching into the glovebox for CD's, leaning round and watching babies in the back seat etc etc etc...
If you fancy a laugh with rollies go to America!
I was stood outside my office with a Brit mate having a fag when she got out the papers and the tobbaco and started rolling a fag. Cue looks of horror from the assembled septics until one of them piped up with 'Err, you cant smoke that in err public over here ma'am, this aint Europe'...
Matt.
I was stood outside my office with a Brit mate having a fag when she got out the papers and the tobbaco and started rolling a fag. Cue looks of horror from the assembled septics until one of them piped up with 'Err, you cant smoke that in err public over here ma'am, this aint Europe'...
Matt.
When as a 17 year old, just passed my test, etc out cruisin' in Daddies Hillman Minx Mk 4. i tried to light a cig from the in car cig lighter. Dropped tab & lighter into lap, nearly crashed, burnt trousers, nearly sh** mesel'. Never did that again. Gave up smokin' shortly after.
New someone years ago that got a lit fag in through their sunroof thinggy on a 2CV, set fire to inside of car.
Always hate dirty smokers tossing their stubs out when I'm following on bike or car.
On a different thread, again many years ago, a guy I worked with was walking into Morpeth (where he proudly lived) and saw a tosser throw out a fag packet from their car. He marched up and threw it back in through the open window! Wish I had the bottle to do that, they are normally bigger than me or outnumber me 4 to 1
New someone years ago that got a lit fag in through their sunroof thinggy on a 2CV, set fire to inside of car.
Always hate dirty smokers tossing their stubs out when I'm following on bike or car.
On a different thread, again many years ago, a guy I worked with was walking into Morpeth (where he proudly lived) and saw a tosser throw out a fag packet from their car. He marched up and threw it back in through the open window! Wish I had the bottle to do that, they are normally bigger than me or outnumber me 4 to 1
There is nothing worse than the stench of stale fag smoke in a car, especially on a damp day. Why anyone would have that instead of the glorious aroma of leather and walnut (or plastic in my case 
) is beyond me. I saw a fella drop a whole set of McDonalds meal packaging out of his van and on the street once, lifted him out of it I did. Really hit a sore nerver, what an a55h0le !!!
) is beyond me. I saw a fella drop a whole set of McDonalds meal packaging out of his van and on the street once, lifted him out of it I did. Really hit a sore nerver, what an a55h0le !!!
Another point regardless of the physical safety issues of smoking whilst driving (and we've all seen 'em swerving about tring to find the lighter or fumbling with both lighter & cigarette) is that Nicotine is a drug and has narcotic effects on the brain.....We cant drink and drive and a quick spliff before hitting the road is also not seen as a good idea....So why then are people allowed to smoke cigarettes???
plotloss said: The reason you cant use a phone is because you concentrate on the conversation rather than the driving because there is a conflict on which part of the brain is used at a given time. Smoking on the other hand requires no thought at all and hence is not a distraction.
If this is really the case, why is it OK to use a phone with a 'hands-free' kit?
I would agree the actual smoking act requires no thought, but the lighting up does, plus fumbling around to find a cigarette in the first place. Anyhting which distracts from the driving is a no-no to me.
If we continue down this route then you could consider changing radio station, CD, tape or switching lights, wipers or heater on to be just as dangerous. I think the key is 'due care and attention', if you decide to light the cigarette whilst stationary then can it then be considered as safe ?
Litter out of cars really p155es me off. A few months back I was walking up to Slough High Street when this old style Beemer parked on double yellows winds down its passenger window, and out pops this bag of take away, all wrapped up. They were only 10 yds from a bin, FFS. By the time I had walked to the bag, the window was back up, so I could not represent it to them. I picked it up, and dumped it on their bonnet. Unfortunately they had had a milk shake, and not finished it, because there was this lovely pool of milk all over their bonnet. I did not stop, just in case, but continued over the road and left them to it!
The same thing happened to me a few years ago. This joker in a Omega (need I say more) swerved across 3 lanes on the M25 (when it was packed) without looking and whilst lighting his cigarette! He would have side swiped me if I hadn't taken to the hard shoulder. Goon thought a single hand aknowledgement was sufficient to excuse his moronic behaviour.
Pdavison said:
"If we continue down this route then you could consider changing radio station, CD, tape or switching lights, wipers or heater on to be just as dangerous. I think the key is 'due care and attention', if you decide to light the cigarette whilst stationary then can it then be considered as safe?"
I see where you are coming from but haven’t we already gone a long way down this route. You could argue that your suggestion is no different to having a KitKat unwrapped and handed to you by a passenger, at which point the bodily actions are not that much different to smoking a cigarette i.e. hold object in hand and occasionally bring up to mouth. However I think most of us are aware of the law’s outlook on the KitKat scenario.
I do agree that a line has to be drawn somewhere but I think it is unfair to target some drivers who have one particular habit and ignore others with different habits, that can be perceived by others as just as ‘dangerous’.
Personally the only logical way forward I can see is the ‘ban one, ban all’ philosophy. Or to be more specific, if it isn’t already a part of the car i.e. radio/wipers etc then it shouldn’t be part of the driving experience.
Only my two pence worth.
Matt
"If we continue down this route then you could consider changing radio station, CD, tape or switching lights, wipers or heater on to be just as dangerous. I think the key is 'due care and attention', if you decide to light the cigarette whilst stationary then can it then be considered as safe?"
I see where you are coming from but haven’t we already gone a long way down this route. You could argue that your suggestion is no different to having a KitKat unwrapped and handed to you by a passenger, at which point the bodily actions are not that much different to smoking a cigarette i.e. hold object in hand and occasionally bring up to mouth. However I think most of us are aware of the law’s outlook on the KitKat scenario.
I do agree that a line has to be drawn somewhere but I think it is unfair to target some drivers who have one particular habit and ignore others with different habits, that can be perceived by others as just as ‘dangerous’.
Personally the only logical way forward I can see is the ‘ban one, ban all’ philosophy. Or to be more specific, if it isn’t already a part of the car i.e. radio/wipers etc then it shouldn’t be part of the driving experience.
Only my two pence worth.
Matt
Gassing Station | Motoring News | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff