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Road blocks to catch smokers

Good response but that's simply you. I suspect thousands of people have had conversations on mobiles since they were first brought in, especially as car phones and also not had a crash.
Not just me, most work colleagues too. Due to the fact they weren't just chatting but answering queries about work related issues, faults etc.
I still think if you can see it or not lighting the end of a tab still means that is what you are concentrating on.
Maybe so but a lot less time than texting or dialling.

Also, steering wheel isn't held properly either. I just can't see how people can get done for eating a sandwich but having a tab isn't banned.
Never seen anyone holding a sandwich between 2 fingers.

I'm actually not bothered by it though. The only aspect that does annoy me is that smokers tend to litter a lot. Too out of breath to make it to the bin I guess!
Chewing gum, sweetie wrappers, sandwich cartons etc all get chucked out of cars, I do agree though that cigarette butts are annoying.
m.

EDIT - lack of flame is still hot. In fact in car lighters are potentially worse as the slot is well below the line of the dash and no-one is going to risk burning their dash. At least a lighter (unless its a zippo) will go out if you drop it. Dropped tabs are the same issue. Difficult to drive with your tackle on fire!
Never dropped a lit fag in a car, nor a lighter be it car type, zippo or any other type. I have seen people fumbling for their mobile phones when they've dropped then though.

As for dialing... speed dial anyone?
Everyone in your phone book is on speed dial? Still not looking at the road in front of you though are you. Smokers can see through/around the flame. You can't see through a mobile phone.

I'm also pretty sure that not everyone has their tabs placed in the centre console, people forget and will start a rummage... even if they are their, there is no way that they will do the whole process without looking at what they are up to, just human nature!
Very true but same can be said for mobile phones. The difference is a mobile phone stops ringing and goes onto answerphone so putting a time constraint on the driver trying to answer it. Not so with cigarettes.


As I said above though I no longer smoke therefore it's not an issue for me. I do however it's a complete waste of Police resources carrying out these checks. Politically correct boll*cks wasting taxpayers money yet again.
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My apologies. No kids of my own so that one slipped my mind :D

Ahh maybe no kids but you must have seen parents driving down the road looking into the backseat to try stop "Little Princess" trying to shove a Barbie doll up "Little Princes" left nostril!!:D Not that they're distracted from driving at all :D
 
they'll ban passengers next for distracting the drivers attention whilst driving :P

Personally I don't smoke, never have, detest it in fact, but I still don't believe it requires this level of monitoring, what's worse is I still see countless amount of people on their phones...in my opinion that's what needs clamping down on further.:wallbash:
 
Ahh maybe no kids but you must have seen parents driving down the road looking into the backseat to try stop "Little Princess" trying to shove a Barbie doll up "Little Princes" left nostril!!:D Not that they're distracted from driving at all :D

Oh! That's what it is. I thought the "Baby/child/little princess on board" signs were a generic excuse to drive like an idiot ;)
 
As I said above though I no longer smoke therefore it's not an issue for me. I do however it's a complete waste of Police resources carrying out these checks. Politically correct boll*cks wasting taxpayers money yet again.
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Still the majority you though :)

Found this from the pro-smoking people actually Smoking and Driving

"It examines types of secondary distractions (smoking while driving is considered a "secondary distraction", along with talking on the phone, speaking to passengers, etc,"

The having a conversation aspect is important - why not ban passenger? Or speaking?

I'm sure other things do get thrown out of cars but lets be honest, most of it is tab ends isn't it? simply because it is easy. Likewise the plastic when opening a new pack, followed by the foil etc.

Like I said, I wouldn't actually ban it but I can't see how or why it has escaped given the way legislation is.

m.
 
Have to disagree. The mere fact that fire is involved in the car is on its own a reason to ban it. What about obscured vision from the smoke? Not holding the steering wheel properly? Just as dangerous as a phone.


Do you smoke? Have you ever smoked?
 
Not that I give a tinkers cuss about people smoking in their own cars But it has often crossed my mind why its illegal to eat or drink while driving but not smoking. !!

The dangerous part as a long ago smoker is when you flick the end out of the window and it flies back in. Or when you drop a lighted fag between your legs. Or when it sticks to your lips and you pull the red hot end off. Fun smoking in a car LOL
 
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Found this from the pro-smoking people actually Smoking and Driving

"It examines types of secondary distractions (smoking while driving is considered a "secondary distraction", along with talking on the phone, speaking to passengers, etc,"

The having a conversation aspect is important - why not ban passenger? Or speaking?

I'm sure other things do get thrown out of cars but lets be honest, most of it is tab ends isn't it? simply because it is easy. Likewise the plastic when opening a new pack, followed by the foil etc.

Like I said, I wouldn't actually ban it but I can't see how or why it has escaped given the way legislation is.

m.

You forgot to quote this bit

"The most frequent secondary tasks contributing to crashes were internal distractions, wireless devices, and passengers. The most frequent types of inattention for near crashes and incidents were wireless devices and passenger-related tasks. Accidents caused by smoking were negligible by comparison.":)

Re: littering yes there probably are more tab ends thrown out of cars than other things. Then other things tend to be larger generally, I'm think McD cartons, crisp packets, sandwich wrappers, chocolate wrappers etc. None of which break down with the passage of time (including fag buts) but the other stuff does blow about in the road distracting other road users;).
 
What about the attention lapses caused by a smoker worrying about when they can get their next fix if they can no longer smoke whilst on the move?
 
What about the attention lapses caused by a smoker worrying about when they can get their next fix if they can no longer smoke whilst on the move?

More liable to happen if they get banned from smoking whilst driving. You should see my missus on flights, in airports etc. Patched up, chewing nicorette gum, she still turns into a gibbering loon as soon as she can spark up!:D
 
You forgot to quote this bit

"The most frequent secondary tasks contributing to crashes were internal distractions, wireless devices, and passengers. The most frequent types of inattention for near crashes and incidents were wireless devices and passenger-related tasks. Accidents caused by smoking were negligible by comparison.":)

It isn't relevant that's why - it just seems that the people who are looking to defend smoking and say it shouldn't are putting it on a par with being on the phone... which is!

The rest might be true but that's not what we are talking about here.

Re: littering yes there probably are more tab ends thrown out of cars than other things. Then other things tend to be larger generally, I'm think McD cartons, crisp packets, sandwich wrappers, chocolate wrappers etc. None of which break down with the passage of time (including fag buts) but the other stuff does blow about in the road distracting other road users;).

Bit of a poor defence that one "some other stuff is bigger". Can't see how that makes it ok? Besides fag packets are a decent size are they not?

Just look in the gutter or round a bus stop/outside the supermarket. There will be a bin within a few meters i bet you... but there will still be loads of dog ends on the floor because well, "it's only a dog end isn't it" except that when there atre hundreds of them that doesn't work.

Just a bug bear really. that and people who let their dog crap on the pavement/in the park without clearing up.

m.
 
Just as a slight side track. Anyone noticed how much more rubbish there is outside pubs now that smokers are banned from smoking inside.:devil: They used to use ashtrays inside, perhaps it would have been better to have smokers pubs and non-smokers pubs.:dk:
 
However the 2006 legislation that applies:- The law made it illegal to smoke in all vehicles used primarily for business purposes by more than one person
So the person driving the car doesn't own it and they are not the only driver - its essentially a workplace environment- possibly used both by smokers and non smokers- its a pretty enclosed environment -with recirculatory air conditioning -completely so.

I have a question about this.

What about chauffeurs? In this instance, I'm talking about a chauffeur who drives the client's car, not a private hire/executive minicab service (where the car will be non-smoking anyway).

Reason I ask is that you'll be driving the client's own car, and obviously s/he can do whatever he likes in their own car. However, as underlined in the quote above, it's not the chauffeur's car, and they may not be the only driver.
 
Originally Posted by snoop51
You forgot to quote this bit

"The most frequent secondary tasks contributing to crashes were internal distractions, wireless devices, and passengers. The most frequent types of inattention for near crashes and incidents were wireless devices and passenger-related tasks. Accidents caused by smoking were negligible by comparison."
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It isn't relevant that's why - it just seems that the people who are looking to defend smoking and say it shouldn't are putting it on a par with being on the phone... which is!

Hardly irrelevant it quite catagorically states
"The most frequent types of inattention for near crashes and incidents were wireless devices and passenger-related tasks. Accidents caused by smoking were negligible by comparison."
I.E. wireless devices (phones) are MORE distracting.

Quote"
Bit of a poor defence that one "some other stuff is bigger". Can't see how that makes it ok?" Unquote

I was just answering your point that most rubbish is fagbuts thrown from cars. I see a lot more McD wrappers, crisp packets etc whilst driving.

Quote"
ust look in the gutter or round a bus stop/outside the supermarket. There will be a bin within a few meters i bet you... but there will still be loads of dog ends on the floor because well, "it's only a dog end isn't it" except that when there atre hundreds of them that doesn't work." Unquote

What's relevant about that are you saying drivers have pulled up next to the bus stop/supermarket and thrown there fagbuts out? Re: gutters ......... pedestrians chuck them on the floor too! Are we banning them too? Why is it distracting to light up when walking or are we concerned about the rubbish?

BTW can't get multiquote to work hence the crappy way this reply is formulated.
 
This was my response to this very issue in January and it is still the same now:

"Over the years I've been in/seen cars with drivers who smoke at the wheel and I can say that I find it very un-nerving. Particularly when they are lighting up but also when they're trying to flick ash out of the window. They almost invariably slow down too, a little bit like the distracted way people drive when using a mobile phone. I've seen it on the motorway countless times. However the worst is when they 'drop the cherry'. I was behind a guy in a van once who swerved all over the road, random braking nearly caused a serious accident. I followed him into a car park to ask if he was OK, I genuinely thought he'd suffered a seizure or similar. 'Yes thanks mate, just lost the end off me fag'. "
 
Originally Posted by snoop51
You forgot to quote this bit

"The most frequent secondary tasks contributing to crashes were internal distractions, wireless devices, and passengers. The most frequent types of inattention for near crashes and incidents were wireless devices and passenger-related tasks. Accidents caused by smoking were negligible by comparison."
smile.gif

It isn't relevant that's why - it just seems that the people who are looking to defend smoking and say it shouldn't are putting it on a par with being on the phone... which is!

Hardly irrelevant it quite catagorically states "The most frequent types of inattention for near crashes and incidents were wireless devices and passenger-related tasks. Accidents caused by smoking were negligible by comparison."
I.E. wireless devices (phones) are MORE distracting.


But it also states that talking on the phone = same as smoking. Since they have used the term phone already I think you are making too much of a leap to say wireless devices = phones. I'd say it is more like sat navs and fiddling with the iPod as phones have their own specific mention.

Quote"Bit of a poor defence that one "some other stuff is bigger". Can't see how that makes it ok?" Unquote

I was just answering your point that most rubbish is fagbuts thrown from cars. I see a lot more McD wrappers, crisp packets etc whilst driving.

Not thrown from cars though. I actually see very few McD's wrappers out and about. Crisp wrappers and drinks bottles yes but again, rarely thrown from cars. Potentially a higher risk in summer witht he temptation of having the window open already but still not int he same league as opening the window deliberately to flick the ash out and then the dog end is it?


What's relevant about that are you saying drivers have pulled up next to the bus stop/supermarket and thrown there fagbuts out? Re: gutters ......... pedestrians chuck them on the floor too! Are we banning them too? Why is it distracting to light up when walking or are we concerned about the rubbish?

BTW can't get multiquote to work hence the crappy way this reply is formulated.

You brought up McD's etc which I would say is pedestrian rubbish hence making the wider point about littering more. No need to try and read more into it than there is.

As for the point about you or your colleagues never having an issue, camerafodder is now the third different person (at least) in this thread to say they are aware of problems with people dropping tab ends in their lap while driving.

Further from the report:

a 2006 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration titled "The Impact of Driver Inattention on Near-Crash/Crash Risk." Drivers who are engaged in tasks not related to driving, such as reaching for a cigarette, lighting or extinguishing the cigarette and smoking while driving, increase the risk of having an accident by two-to-three times that of normal driving."

Still can't see why it hasn't been banned. Even Forest (as pointed out) say it is the same as talking on the phone.

Are you considering taking up again perchance? :p

m.

 
If mobile phones is anything to go by, then there will probably be a market for a 'hands-free cigarette smokers'... :D

Something that is stuffed with tobacco and plugged into the lighter socket... :p

Or maybe even a 'COMAND Bluetooth' equivalent version that connects directly and seamlessly into the car's aircon system? :eek:
 
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Are you considering taking up again perchance? :p

m.


Not bloody lightly..............oops likely I mean likely.:D

Rest of points lets agree to disagree shall we. You think it's OK to use a mobile, I think it's OK to smoke if you so wish. It's a moot point and has strayed away from the O.P.:thumb:
 

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