Why do I get in trouble for throwing my cigarette butts out the car window?

Question

Especially when I see people throwing empty bags of chips and other trash out their window all the time.

Answer 1

Aside from the obvioius (littering and fire hazzard), cigarette butts are not biodegradable.

The filter part is made from synthetic fibres which do not break down like the remaining tobacco will along with the paper wrapper of the butt part.

Littering of any kind is disrespectful to the environment, chip bags, along with food containers, etc., are no less offensive and are usually made of plastics.

More disgusting and thoughtless are soiled disposable diapers. I have seen these thrown along the roads as well. Makes me shudder at what kind of parent would do this.

I keep a jar with a lid, filled with baking soda in the car for smokers to dispose of their cigarettes, together with a garbage bag.

Answer 2

What if the cigarette that you threw out of the window landed in a pushchair in burnt a baby or even worse set it on fire. Do you understand now why you should not throw a lighted object out of a car window. it could also go into another car through an open window and go unrecognised by the driver and set that car on fire and kill the driver and cause a major accident killing many other drivers and passengers. All culprits of throwing any item of litter out a car window should be fined £1,000 and or imprisoned for at least 6 months. It's just loutish, idle and disrespectful behaviour. Please act responsibly!

Answer 3

Just because others trash the planet that doesn't mean you should follow suite. If you act like a punk then you're a punk. Throwing your butts out the window is called LITTERING, it's against the law in most areas, and if you do it then you're a punk. Stop it.

Answer 4

Chips and other trash are litter
Cigarette butts are litter - AND a fire hazard. A very large percentage of forest fires are caused by a cigarette butt thrown out a window.

Answer 5

Another possibility is that if you throw your cig out of the car window at night when a cop is behind you, they stop you because they think you are trying to get rid of drugs. An Officer told me that before.

Other than that it is the same reasons everyone else gave, because it is littering, because it is a fire hazard, etc...

Answer 6

For one thing, it's littering. And a cigarette, if it's still lit, is also a fire hazard. It only needs to land in a pile of paper, some dry grass or leaves. A lot of forest & brush fires have actually started that way.

Answer 7

wow, you are a DUMB punk kid, huh? You get into trouble because it's not only littering, but a potential fire hazzard. I live in CA and there have been countless fires started from some idiot throwing a cigarette butt out their car window and in the summer when we havent had rain for months, it's just a disaster.

Answer 8

Because there is a knack of doing it.
Just hold on to the butt until you reach a bend or corner and instead of throwing it, just let your arm dangle loose down by the outside of the door and gently open your fingers..
It helps to have a white car too-camouflages nicely with the butt.

Answer 9

The stupidity of other people does not excuse your stupidity.
Stop littering and you'll stop having this problem.

Stay in school
Stay out of trouble
Don't idolize prison culture
If you have a child, be a parent.

Answer 10

Trouble by whom?

I seriously dought you've ever gotten thrown in jail for this. If you did, well, then you're the one setting fires, and probably got arrested for arsen --- but you're on YA! --- so, I know you're not an inmate doing 20-40.