Doctors urge ban on smoking in cars

[semi-pro waster]

Just noticed on the news that the Royal College of Physicians are urging a ban on smoking in cars. While I support the ban on smoking in public places (and that would include taxicabs etc) I think this is unsupportable as it's an intrusion into peoples private space unnecessarily. If they want to smoke and are harming no-one but themselves (or their progeny/people who choose to sit in the car with them) then there isn't a lot that could or should be done about it.

I could almost see any argument for it on the grounds that the act of lighting a cigarette is somewhat distracting in the same way that having a conversation on a mobile phone may be said to be distracting (although different levels on the scale) but it then becomes a question of where would/should you draw a line about what is or is not distracting to a driver. So essentially I see no good reason for this ban and hope it isn't passed.

 

[Marine Iguana]

True, I hate people who smoke but this is just stupid

 

[PardonTheWait]

I'm undecided about smoking ban stuff lately. I smoke and I've tried a few times to give up with varying success, from a few days to a couple of months.

Smoking is stupid and harmful and pointless - but there's the nanny state bit. I don't think smoking in your car should be banned... soon enough you won't be able to smoke anywhere. But then maybe that's a good thing. If they make it awkward enough maybe more people will quit. But then what about personal choice?

Hmm.

 

[antijoke]

Saw them talking about this on The One Show last night. ridiculous idea.

If smoking is such a bad thing then why don't they ban it all together. Oh wait....

 

[The Running Man]

what difference does it make if its in the car or not in the car?

these are 'experts' and should be able to give advice whether something is good, or bad...thats understandable...

but what the hell difference does it make where you consume the cig? they cannot prove that x amount of people got asthma from having been in a car with someone who smoked. it seems completely off the wall to me.

 

[antijoke]

It's mainly aimed at people who have children in the car, as they are saying second hand smoke is very damaging to children.

 

[Dave M]

People who smoke in their car with the kids smoke at home with the kdis too - it will make no difference. Obviously that's the point as the next step will be banning smoking at home.

It's just a gradual, step by step, approach to banning smoking outright.

I don't like smoking, it stinks and makes everything nearby stink too - but I don't like the sneaky way it's introduced.

I may not care for smoking but I fully expect the health crusade to come to things I do enjoy like having a drink - the first noises are already there with minimum pricing and I can see a time when they try to push through things like imposing a maximum strength for beer or limiting how much you can buy at a time.

 

['Wes]

the next step will be banning smoking at home.

lol, love them to try and do that,

 

[deus3x]

Ban smoking in cars and watch Road RAGE begin on a massive scale..

Soon we wont be able to do anything, they want everyone to be robots and do exactly what we are told.

 

[DJMK4]

This would never work

1) They will spend more time/money stopping people who are smoking in their cars
2) What if I dont have a kid? I can do what ever the hell I want thank you

 

[Cosimo]

They can’t police people on mobiles and they won’t be able to do the same with this.

 

[Rotty]

I think smoking should be banned in moving cars on safety grounds

 

[!bluetonic!]

It's mainly aimed at people who have children in the car, as they are saying second hand smoke is very damaging to children.

If the do bring it in, how they enforce it is another matter.

I see see plenty of folk driving around on their mobile phones or not wearing a seatbelt.

I do appreciate it can't be good for the child's health.

The 'best one' I saw recently was a MPV with 3 seats abreast in the front. A child in a child seat in the middle of two adults both smoking. You can't argue that this should be allowed to carry on?!

 

[randal]

I smoke, but I'll never smoke in the car. Spend too much time cleaning it to drop ash and stink it up! Plus I feel sorry for those who can't wait from point A to point B to have a smoke, a little self control is all that's needed.

Specifically related to the OP I fail to see how they're going to make this stick, unless it becomes a criminal offence akin to talking on a mobile phone or breaking the speed limit in a car. Then again how ridiculous does that sound: "£30 fixed penalty notice for smoking at the wheel." Next on the list eating...

 

[dandos23]

Its my car and I dont have kids, both me and my partner smoke (I know it bad and am trying to quit).
If a police officer pulled me over to say I was harming others because of passive smoking, he may have trouble backing that up when everyone in the vehicle is smoking.

This is one of the most stupid things that I have ever heard.

 

[Delvis]

Ridiculous, company cars I can understand, but personal ones?

I do find it ironic and STUPID though that someone eating an apple can get fined yet someone smoking cannot

 

[semi-pro waster]

If the do bring it in, how they enforce it is another matter.

I see see plenty of folk driving around on their mobile phones or not wearing a seatbelt.

What's the point in a law that isn't enforced or being generous is only enforced somewhere in the low single digits percent of the time? At the extreme end it undermines the concept of law - if we see laws not being enforced then how does that help with our respect for the law?

I do appreciate it can't be good for the child's health.

The 'best one' I saw recently was a MPV with 3 seats abreast in the front. A child in a child seat in the middle of two adults both smoking. You can't argue that this should be allowed to carry on?!

It's not nice to see children being subjected to their parents smoke but I don't believe that a ban on smoking in cars will aid this particularly - people are still allowed to smoke in their own homes so the children will still be subject to their parents smoking. However if smoking in cars is banned there has been an intrusion into any persons right to abuse their body with legal substances. The problem is that banning smoking 'for the kids' will unduly impact on absolutely everyone who smokes.

Smoking is bad for you, I think that much is unquestioned and I'm happy to go along with the view that smoking is bad for those around you. However I'm not happy here with the idea that restricting people unnecessarily is good - it's not the same as drinking and driving, it's arguably not the same as even using a mobile phone and driving in terms of distraction from the act of driving.

Specifically related to the OP I fail to see how they're going to make this stick, unless it becomes a criminal offence akin to talking on a mobile phone or breaking the speed limit in a car. Then again how ridiculous does that sound: "£30 fixed penalty notice for smoking at the wheel." Next on the list eating...

Indeed, that's partly my point, what line should be drawn in regard to whether an action interferes with driving?

 

[billyboyd]

Packed in the ciggies 13 years ago so don't care for it but this is yet another step at controlling peoples lives.
Hope this hair brained idea don't get passed.

 

[jas72]

I don't think it should be banned but I think kids should have the right to sue their parents in the future for any smoking related health problems they suffer.

I had to endure endless car journeys with 2 smoking parents it was vomit inducing and I had no say in the matter.

 

[Wossi]

It's already illegal for me to smoke in my car anyway as it's a company car. Not that I liked smoking in the car anyway, having to see customers while stinking of smoke is not a good idea imo.

I honestly think this is crazy, they say it's for the children, but then my sister has no kids, why should she be made to stop smoking in her car if she wants to?