Smoking drivers

Bustacapp

I nearly got splattered yesterday by some fugly munter in a steel coffin who was too busy smoking to recognise the fact that she should give way at a roundabout instead of career through it at about 60mph with steering wheel in one hand, fag in the other and plume of carcinogenic smoke blurring her vision of what was obviously a cyclist about 1 foot away. She looked like a complete arsehole.

So why are people not allowed to eat or use phones at the wheel, yet can smoke their filthy cancer sticks without any fear of being prosecuted?

jonomc4

I thought it was illegal to smoke and drive now - am I wrong?

Bustacapp

jonomc4 wrote:

I thought it was illegal to smoke and drive now - am I wrong?

I don't think it's actually illegal.

monkimark

It's not specifically illegal as far as I know but then neither is eating at the wheel.
If it affects your ability to drive then you could presumably be charged with careless driving or something - same as if you were eating, changing CD or knitting at the wheel.

wandsworth

jonomc4 wrote:

I thought it was illegal to smoke and drive now - am I wrong?

I think it is if you've got kids in the car.

markhewitt1978

wandsworth wrote:

jonomc4 wrote:

I thought it was illegal to smoke and drive now - am I wrong?

I think it is if you've got kids in the car.

Pretty sure that hasn't been enacted yet, AFAIK it's only illegal to smoke in works vehicles - even if on your own.

IMO smoking while driving should be completely outlawed, as it's distracting from the task at hand. However smokers are *extremely* defensive about their addiction, I wouldn't like to be the police officer who stops someone for smoking!

Mr.Duck

I'm sure she would be just as bad a driver without the cigarette.

It's bad enough having to walk near them in town when they stand outside shop doors blowing smoke around. I'd ban it smoking in public places. Smelly oiks.

raymondo60

Try commuting through S.London. I hate quoting made-up statistics, but the number of cars that I encounter where the driver is

a) smoking
b) smoking something other than tobacco
c) rolling a 'cigarette' while driving
d) AND on the phone with no hands free.........

is bloody remarkable and must make up at least 39.9993% of all said vehicles encountered!

Friday nights are especially pungent.......mmmmmmm

tootsie323

Not sure about this, but can the police stop a motorist if he / she does not have both hands available to drive? As suggested, it is rarely enforced.

I used to smoke and, looking back, I would say that the highest risk, or danger, in terms of (lack of) attention to the road would probably be when actually lighting a cigarette whilst driving.

Any distraction whilst driving is potentially dangerous. I've effectively swapped smoking for parenting and have to remind the kids frequently that I cannot look around to see what so-and-so is doing!

B5NGV

Frustrating when they throw their cigarette buts out the window instead of using the ashtray in the car.

patrickf

Being the cynic here for a minute, even if there was a specific offence for smoking while driving how many people would actually pay any attention to it?

Isn't using a mobile phone a specific offence nowadays?.......

slowbike

patrickf wrote:

Isn't using a mobile phone a specific offence nowadays?.......

Not so you'd notice ....

The Rookie

Not being in proper control would be the usual offence for smoking/eating etc (if it applied, you can do those and still be in proper control).

The only thing prohibiting smoking in cars is the general law on smoking in an enclosed public place, so if it's your car you can do what the heck you want.

tianuk3

I'm with you, I personally cannot stand smoking drivers blowing their smoke as I pass.

tianuk3

Oh and it should definitely become illegal as mobile phones are!

Big_Paul

I was sitting at the lights on my motorbike when some arse in a repmobile launched his fag out the window and it landed between my legs, I launched it straight back ober his shoulder and into his back seat which was covered in bits of paper and other crap, I don't think he noticed as he drove happily away. :roll:

Bustacapp

Big_Paul wrote:

I was sitting at the lights on my motorbike when some ars* in a repmobile launched his fag out the window and it landed between my legs, I launched it straight back ober his shoulder and into his back seat which was covered in bits of paper and other crap, I don't think he noticed as he drove happily away. :roll:

lol

moarspeed

Issue I have with drivers smoking, is that I cannot tolerate stupidity AT ALL, I mean not even a bit.....

These drivers that smoke with the window wide open and throw the fag ends out of the window so as not to soil the ashtray (which they believe will devalue the car), just drive me nuts. If they believe that a non-smoker can't tell when a car has been smoked in, then they must be utterly stupid..... Sell your car to a smoker, or take the hit on it's value and STOP littering the streets with your dog ends!!! :evil:

Alitogata

B5NGV wrote:

Frustrating when they throw their cigarette buts out the window instead of using the ashtray in the car.

More frustrating when they hold their cigarette out of the window and can burn you while you pass between car lanes. The other day while I was riding I saw someone holding his cigarette this way, hand full extended out of the window, and ... I took it from him while I was riding and throw it in front of his car.. You had to see his face. It was like this: :shock:

Alitogata

Big_Paul wrote:

I was sitting at the lights on my motorbike when some ars* in a repmobile launched his fag out the window and it landed between my legs, I launched it straight back ober his shoulder and into his back seat which was covered in bits of paper and other crap, I don't think he noticed as he drove happily away. :roll:

Respect!!!

anthdci

Hate it with an absolute passion. How is it less dangerous then being on a mobile phone. It takes two hands to light the things, then what do you do it you drop it on your lap I'm certain it is not look at the roads. I had that argument with some people in a pub but they said that never happens, I didn't think at the time but how many car seats do you see with fag burns in them quite a high percentage of those that stink of the stuff.

markhewitt1978

anthdci wrote:

Hate it with an absolute passion. How is it less dangerous then being on a mobile phone. It takes two hands to light the things, then what do you do it you drop it on your lap I'm certain it is not look at the roads. I had that argument with some people in a pub but they said that never happens, I didn't think at the time but how many car seats do you see with fag burns in them quite a high percentage of those that stink of the stuff.

Because the smoking lobby is fierce. it's amazing smoking in public places actually got banned.

moarspeed

markhewitt1978 wrote:

anthdci wrote:

Hate it with an absolute passion. How is it less dangerous then being on a mobile phone. It takes two hands to light the things, then what do you do it you drop it on your lap I'm certain it is not look at the roads. I had that argument with some people in a pub but they said that never happens, I didn't think at the time but how many car seats do you see with fag burns in them quite a high percentage of those that stink of the stuff.

Because the smoking lobby is fierce. it's amazing smoking in public places actually got banned.

Absolutely, I don't know how they managed it either. There's a social addiction as well as the nicotine, everyone I know who smokes has over 600 Facebook "acquaintances", so whilst smokers may be in the minority, they do stick together even if they don't really know eachother.