In addition to listing smoking as a "distraction," the code now advises drivers to pull over if the sun is in their eyes.

Maybe if a driver feels a sneeze coming on they should pull over as well.

What is so bad about smoking and driving? If I can change gears on a manual transmission while driving, I think I can handle a cigg. Smokers are the new lepers these days.

LOL! I almost spit my drink out when you said that about sneezing. Sneezing while driving is probably one of the scariest things you can do, especially on the highway.

I agree with smokers are the new lepers, why cant people just mind their own business? And people do MUCH more distracting things such as make-up, shave, talk on the phone, etc.. so I don't see why the focus on smoking other then to go along with the whole anti-smoking fad.

This rampants Euro decadence that has spread like a plauge unchecked has made europe into one big hell. You guys cant smoke, cant drink where you want, cant drive what you want. Cant own guns, cant walk without being videotaped. Damn you suck!

And all these Euro's tell us Americans how WE have no rights! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! I'm sure in a few years they'll outlaw tobacco all together in Europe. Smokes will the next generations joints for the Euros.

So, the police can now pull a driver over if seen smoking behind the wheel and charge them with driving erratically? After all, it's the drivers word against that of the police officer(s). It looks like they just thought up a new way of getting more money from the driving population

I still see so many people driving with a mobile phone stuck to their ears or their head cranked over and the phone wedged between their ear and shoulder, whilst negotiating junctions and roundabouts. This is something that really makes me mad as I have a Bluetooth head unit in the car so can take calls handsfree and if I need to make a call I usually pull over, despite the voice activated dialing. What I find incredible is the buggers driving a £70K car yet no Bluetooth option, WTF

If the police cannot enforce the mobile phone laws then how the hell are they going to have the time to spot smoking drivers and pull them over. Just another piece of pointless and idiotic legislation to justify the existence of the lawmakers

I'd like to know how they intend to prove that smoking was the cause of an accident...

I'm currently doing the quitting thing (lemme tell you, it's not much fun) and I'm sure that if I was in any kind of serious wreck the first thing I would do afterwards is light up.

Butts in the the ashtray (do they call 'em that in Brittan?) isn't proof because you can claim that they were smoked by passengers or smoked while parked.

Even a smoldering butt could be explained away as being a re-light after-the-fact.

I just can't see any way of actually enforcing this other than video taken of the driver smoking while the crash happens... and how likely is that?

This law is ridiculous in general. What about people eating or drinking (non-alcoholic beverages) while driving? What about fixing your hair in the mirrors? What about heated discussion with passengers? Dare I mention "adult" activity? I've seen drivers do all sorts of dumb stuff while behind the wheel, and there's no specific law being made to prevent them.

How about strengthening "driving without due care and attention" and/or reckless endangerment laws?

I guess it's just fashionable to demonize smokers.

nd how likely is that?

In Britain, much more likely then you suspect. How many CCTV camera's do they have now? 50 thousand? 100 thousand? I forget.

And anyways I don't see how smoking can cause an accident unless the driver was extremely reckless. I can see how lighting your smoke can cause an accident as you have to take your eyes off the road for a sec to light it, but smoking? I can smoke and use both hands at the same time. It's called letting the butt hang out the side of your mouth liek some cheesey motel manager.

[edit on 5-10-2007 by sardion2000]

It's getting ridiculous now, where's it going to end? With us living like mindless drones only being allowed to talk to each other at certain times of the day? Having to apply for a permit to walk to the shops? How about a tax for people that want to wear a hat on a friday? (i'd best stop there, I may be giving them ideas!).

Like they're not making enough money from the public by putting speed cameras on every other road and hiding in discrete places with a speed gun racking up £60 fine after £60 fine. They're now looking to prosecute people for smoking in their OWN cars!

It wasn't long ago I saw a policeman driving his van whilst eating a packet of crisps...with both hands! I can only presume he was steering the van with his truncheon...

I always thought the film 'Demolition Man' was science fiction, but things really do seem to be heading that way. Scary and sad really.

Drivers cannot be ticketed simply for smoking behind the wheel.

Ok, I've just actually read the article and this pertains only to people who were smoking at the time of a crash. That's not that bad. Be hard as hell to enforce though if there were any passengers.

[edit on 5-10-2007 by sardion2000]

Originally posted by sardion2000

Drivers cannot be ticketed simply for smoking behind the wheel.

Ok, I've just actually read the article and this pertains only to people who were smoking at the time of a crash. That's not that bad. Be hard as hell to enforce though if there were any passengers.

[edit on 5-10-2007 by sardion2000]

That's not too bad then I guess.

Note to self - extinguish all cigarettes before crashing car...

In addition to listing smoking as a "distraction," the code now advises drivers to pull over if the sun is in their eyes.

What are you supposed to do, pull over and wait 4 hours until the sun moves to another part of the sky?

hmm,

The Telegraph..I wouldn't believe a single thing in that paper. Paranoid right wing nutcases. The editor thinks Britain is a communist state

Though I don't smoke, I think things like this, if true, are bad. It just gives the cops carte blanche to pull you over. They can just allege you were smoking - how can you dispute it?

Once they pull you over then they are able to harass you at will. A cop doesn't like the way you look, no problem, they can claim they saw you smoking and give you a ticket, fulfilling their quota of tickets for the day.

[edit on 5-10-2007 by Badge01]

Good, driving while smoking is no different to driving while on the phone.

Both should be the same offence that carries the same fine.

Though I'd tend to agree about driving distracted, the enforcement is going to be sporadic and biased. It may be that some people are more distracted than others. Unfortunately, you can't measure impairment on the fly.

In addition, fining is not going to stop cell phone use or smoking while driving. People will find a way around it. In fact 'furtive' smoking (trying to hide it) could cause more of a distraction. The part I hate is people thinking the world is their ashtray.

Originally posted by Flyer
Good, driving while smoking is no different to driving while on the phone.

Both should be the same offence that carries the same fine.

Totally agreed.

If this is true, it's a good move to ban smoking while driving.

If they ban smoking in a car, why don't they ban CD players and radios too? I'm sure folk fiddle with their knobs as much as they flick their fags in the ashtray, and if smoking can cause an accident then so can listening to music, IMO. And what about having a conversation? And what about kids arguing in the back seat?

p.s. my partner was stopped by police a couple of years ago for eating a bag of crisps while driving. I've still never heard of the eating ban but I suppose that's as dangerous as having a fag.

Just ban cigarettes, it would be much easier, and let's face it, ALL smokers really want to quit, if only they could

i can see the sense behond this - basically if it can be proven that smoking was the main cause behind the accident (say you drop the cig) then you can ticketed for it - at least its not like using a phone when driving - thats an auto fine and points (thank fully) - saw an acident today actually - a `soccer mom` talking on her phone drove into the back of a bus