Ashtrays - Redundant?

[cobra kid]

Are ashtrays now a redundant item? I sit behind smokers in traffic, and you just know, with in the next 3-4 minutes, the fag will be chucked out onto the side of the road.

[Sixpackpert]

For smoking yes, for coins, chewing gum etc no!

[HTP99]

Why is it seen to be acceptable to throw a fag end on the floor, it's just littering?!

[Johnnytheboy]

I usually only use the ashtray to keep the cigarette lighter in while I use the 12V socket for something else.

[Ari]

No ashtray or lighter in my car.

There's a drawer where the ashtray and lighter would go if specified and the 12v socket is in the passenger footwell.

[alangla]

I like an ashtray, means you can keep your stash of coins for P&D meters out of sight. Also, IMHO, a cigarette lighter looks better than the crappy rubber bungs most manufacturers fit to keep crud out of the fag lighter socket.

[Snowboy]

HTP99 said:

Why is it seen to be acceptable to throw a fag end on the floor, it's just littering?!

It's nor acceptable.
Sadly you'll find those that throw fag ends also throw other litter.

Most polite smokers will stub out and bin the ends.
Some even keep an old film case to hold the ends till they find a bin.

[AW111]

Thank you Snowboy.

I've been a smoker for many years, and have never thrown a butt from a car.

[Snowboy]

AW111 said:

Thank you Snowboy.

I've been a smoker for many years, and have never thrown a butt from a car.

Well, just because your a stinky smelly nasty smoker, it doesn't mean you're a litterer.

[Lawbags]

There's some enforcement team I've seen in a few local towns that actually fine people for dropping fag butts!

[kambites]

Lawbags said:

There's some enforcement team I've seen in a few local towns that actually fine people for dropping fag butts!

Good!

[Hol]

kambites said:

Good!

Totally agree. Litter is litter, and expecting someone else to bin it for you is arrogance.

[zebra]

http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Shaw Tarse]

kambites said:

Lawbags said:

There's some enforcement team I've seen in a few local towns that actually fine people for dropping fag butts!

Good!

This happened to a bloke in my local pub a few years ago.
He was most indignant at being fined, even more so when he got no sympathy

[TIGA84]

Lawbags said:

There's some enforcement team I've seen in a few local towns that actually fine people for dropping fag butts!

I've always wondered how that would be enforced?

Drop fag butt, get accosted by glorifed traffic warden asking for £80.

At what point do they have any legal stance to stop you simply walking away? They have no details for you, and your word against theirs?

Odd.

[J4CKO]

Dont think my 350Z has any smoking stuff, it does have a Tape Player though as its retro feature.

Smoking is a bit retro, used to be almost compulsorary in the Seventies and Eighties, now smokers are a persecuted bunch that lurk, in the cold, outside looking a bit harassed.

[Dick Seaman]

J4CKO said:

Dont think my 350Z has any smoking stuff, it does have a Tape Player though as its retro feature.

Smoking is a bit retro, used to be almost compulsorary in the Seventies and Eighties

You're right, my Esprit was designed in the seventies, it proudly has a lighter and an ashtray in each door.

[Cotty]

TIGA84 said:

Lawbags said:

There's some enforcement team I've seen in a few local towns that actually fine people for dropping fag butts!

I've always wondered how that would be enforced?

Drop fag butt, get accosted by glorifed traffic warden asking for £80.

At what point do they have any legal stance to stop you simply walking away? They have no details for you, and your word against theirs?

Odd.

fag dropper: do you know who I am
glorifed traffic warden: no
fag dropper: then fk off

[kambites]

TIGA84 said:

I've always wondered how that would be enforced?

Drop fag butt, get accosted by glorifed traffic warden asking for £80.

At what point do they have any legal stance to stop you simply walking away? They have no details for you, and your word against theirs?

Odd.

How is that different to the enforcement of any other minor law?

I think usually social pressure acts as a stronger deterrent than legal enforcement in these situations. It's odd that dropping litter largely is viewed as socially unacceptable, but for some strange reason a small but significant proportion of smokers appear to believe that that doesn't apply to their particular type of litter.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 3rd October 13:29

[Antony Moxey]

Snowboy said:

Sadly you'll find those that throw fag ends also throw other litter.

What utter nonsense. When I was a smoker I'd happily lob fag ends out of the window but wouldn't dream of dropping other litter anywhere other than in a bin.