Smoking while driving

Hequn

Hequn

Hequn

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Joined
4 Jan 2003
Posts
1,609
Location
Oldham, Gtr Manchester
Anyone else thinks that if using a mobile phone is banned then so should smoking whilst driving? I think it's just as bad if not worse. A friend of mine nearly crashed his car a few weeks ago as he dropped his lighter while driving, and then of course tried to dig it back out from the footwell.

The amount of people i've seen concentrating on making sure their cigarette lights whilst driving just kinda makes me think its just as bad.

Discuss. :)
 
A few years back there was a massive thread on this, my opinion was it should be classed the same as eating/drinking at the wheel.
Most of the smokers disagreed.
 
moss said:
A few years back there was a massive thread on this, my opinion was it should be classed the same as eating/drinking at the wheel.
Most of the smokers disagreed.
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Aye, well, they would wouldnt they :rolleyes: :p
 
It IS classed the same as eating/drinking at the wheel - "Not being in proper control of the vehicle". I see reason for it to be a specific offence as it already against the law if it interferes with your control. But just like using a mobile, the odds of being caught are slim, which is why so many people ignore that law.


M
 
I smoke whilst driving, but I don't actually light the cigarette unless I'm stationary at traffic lights or something.

It's never been a problem for me, and it's definately not the same as eating. It's much easier to just hold a fag in your mouth to free up both hands than trying to stuff a sandwhich in.

Also, you can still grip the steering wheel and change gear, even with a fag between your fingers. Try doing that with a sarnie in your hand, not the same.
 
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DreXeL said:
I smoke whilst driving, but I don't actually light the cigarette unless I'm stationary at traffic lights or something.

It's never been a problem for me, and it's definately not the same as eating. It's much easier to just hold a fag in your mouth to free up both hands than trying to stuff a sandwhich in.

Also, you can still grip the steering wheel and change gear, even with a fag between your fingers. Try doing that with a sarnie in your hand, not the same.
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What if you accidentally dropped the cigarette onto your lap mid corner? :eek:

You would more then likly crash the car, or have a burnt willy :eek:
 
I smoke while driving and it isnt the same as driving while eating, being on the phone or looking at makeup while driving. Although I agree it isnt as safe as not smoking behind the wheel. Though how many people change cd or tune the radio in while driving as that is the same if not worse in my book. I always have the window open and can flick it out the window if i need/want to(always careful of whose behind though in case its a bike or convertable car).
 
Smoking while driving is worse than eating/drinking. A kitkat isnt going to set a field on fire when the smoker throws the butt out the window, which a large proportion invariably do. It also still reduces the concentration on the road, but then so does changing the radio station and various other things.

I suppose it all depends on how much you concentrate on things. Hands free phones can cause problems too, you are concentrating on what your saying rather than driving.

Edit: such as Dandle does...
 
Yes, I think it should be banned. But it doesn't compare to using a mobile (including hands-free) while driving which IMO is far worse.
 
Zip said:
What if you accidentally dropped the cigarette onto your lap mid corner? :eek:

You would more then likly crash the car, or have a burnt willy :eek:
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Well I don't smoke during 'spirited' driving, usually on the m/way or long open roads. So that scenario is not very likely. Ifact in all the years I've been smoking whilst driving nothing remotely like that has happened.


Amp34 said:
A kitkat isnt going to set a field on fire when the smoker throws the butt out the window, which a large proportion invariably do.
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Come on, the likelyhood of that happening is slim to none. The butt nearly always just lands in the centre of the road.

I don't agree that it effects concentration, certainly not to a large degree. I mean, how much concentration does it take to put your hand up to your mouth, then take it back down? If that's enough to make you crash, then frankly you shouldn't be on the road in the first place........
 
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As with anything it comes down to responsible conduct. If you choose to light a cigarette whilst rounding a corner whilst grabbing second whilst reading this morning's Sun whilst chatting on your mobile and eating a Vegemite sandwich you're probably being unsafe.

EDIT:
DreXeL said:
The butt nearly always just lands in the centre of the road.
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Is this not classed as littering by law?
 
what really annoys me is when the smoker decides that although his/her car already stinks of smoke they dont want a mess in the ashtray so throw it out the window!!

I must say that i am guilty of eating/drinking while on the motorway, never at high speed and i believe it doesnt effect my driving. Also, using hands free isnt really any different than having a conversation with someone thats also in the car.
 
DreXeL said:
Come on, the likelyhood of that happening is slim to none. The butt nearly always just lands in the centre of the road.
Click to expand...

Have a look at the statistics for field fires, theres no coincidence that a lot of field fires are in fields next to a country lane or other road.
 
Amp34 said:
Have a look at the statistics for field fires, theres no coincidence that a lot of field fires are in fields next to a country lane or other road.
Click to expand...

Well, I admit, looking at field fire statistics is not a favourite passtime of mine, so I have never seen such evidence. So yeah, you may be right.
 
Im with drexel on this one, its definately have FAR more control whilst smoking and driving, than when eating / drinkin whilst driving.
 
it really annoys me when people think that discarding a cigarette butt out of the window is totally acceptable :confused:
 
I've only smoked once in my car when I was on a dual carriageway to calm down after a stressful stint in a really busy petrol station. I don't think it affects your driving too much because unlike using a phone you have both hands on the wheel and are in your regular driving position 95% of the time. I did however forget to turn the driver's side blower off and when I'd finished it looked like someone had chucked an ashtray at my shirt. :(

Smoking while you need to change gear or move the wheel enough that you need to change hand positions is a lot more dangerous though and I would never smoke while driving around town. There is nothing worse than seeing someone changing gear on a roundabout while palming the steering wheel with one hand that's holding a lit cigarette.
 
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