Smoking and driving ban in the UK has come into force..?

Question

What are your views?

I am a smoker and quite enjoyed a cigarette at the wheel as I do not smoke in the house - I know many will disagree, but there are two sides to this. Please no rude on answers.

Answer 1

I am a non smoker.
It is absolute rubbish that now they are talking about people smoking in their own cars!
Next it will be no smoking in your own homes.
Smoking is bad for you, it kills, but it is and must remain a personnel choice.
This is dictatorship

Answer 2

Where is the freedom of choice?
Non-smokers always had the option not to go somewhere people would be smoking, but now smokers don't have any choice at all.
The government say that this will help encourage people to quit. If they want people to quit why not take cigarettes off the shelf, why not ban alcohol also, after all that's bad for your health.
Of course they will do neither of these as they make too much money from both.
People are already saying that the ban has cut down lung cancer by 17%. In 4 months!?
Don't believe the hype.

Answer 3

Jeremy: Eating drinking etc IS ILLEGAL in the UK.
A girl was bitching on TV that she was fined the other day for drinking from a can of cola, her argument was that she was stopped at a set of lights.
I am an ex smoker and so is my wife and we have both almost had accidents when the end came off the *** and into our lap. The same has happened (and I've actually seen an accident caused like this) when the driver through the *** out of the window and it blew back in.
I personally think that the nanny state has gone too far but if you can get fined for eating then I think that it is right for smoking.
EDIT: To those that have said that it is not law. The law is driving while not in control of your car. The same law that is used for mobile phones and eating/drinking.
Like I said I don't agree with all the crap that the throw at us but they did say on the news this AM that they will be starting to fine people for smoking.

Answer 4

But what about having an open taco in the car? What if someone else were eating in the car? Is there an "open container" part to this provision? I understand the premise, that eating/drinking can be a distraction, but get real. Hopefully, enforcement will be based on some good judgment. If the officer sees someone driving badly and that is the only explanation, maybe, but otherwise, it seems pretty invasive. How about having children in a car? They could be far more distracting than sipping a soda through a straw. For some commuters, that is the only time they have for any nutritional intake. Is it a statute to frustrate people into using mass transit?

Answer 5

oh well just get used to it, technically if your smoking at the wheel you arent in control of the vehicle. SO, are therefore driving dangerously, It is a nanny state we are in but at the end of the day in my line of work I do see accidents caused by smoking in the car and believe me some are quite nasty not just rear end shunts. im all for it personally, to say the next step would be banning in your own home is a bit of a exaggeration really isnt it, nah the next step would be just banning it on the street. and look at it this way at least your car will smell better when you get in

Answer 6

Really? They banned smoking while driving in the UK!? I smoke too and glad I'm not British! I always smoke while driving my truck to and from work ... I'm not hurting anyone, I only smoke if I'm alone or with a buddy who smokes too. I don't see any harm in it.

And if anyone's going to argue it's not safe -- I've never caused an accident in nearly 10 years of driving and if you're going to ban smoking while driving why not also ban eating while driving, applying makeup, talking on cell phones, or even talking to passengers ... they're all distractions too and probably more dangerous at that.

Answer 7

i am a smoker but not a driver and as far as i know it hasn't been made illegal yet, its not been publicised enough!!!! i can see the point as it is a distraction and can be dangerous e.g. my partner threw a cig out his window n it came back n landed in his friends pocket was funny at the time but only because there was no harm done it could have easy been soooo bad!!!!
anyway i am rambling a bit i think people need to put things in perspective have a cig before you get into car have one wen you stop n if you get that desperate pull over somewhere and have another!!!! it really isnt that bad, scotland have had the smoking ban for over a year and a half now n it is amazing how quickly people adjust to change!!!!

Answer 8

As far as i know there hasn't been a change in the law regarding this issue, as far as I'm aware the Police have always had the right to charge you for it under the charge of not being in control of a motor vehicle, or under the charge of dangerous/careless driving..

Of course, most police officers have used a generous helping of common sense in this matter, however if they see you swerving because you are lighting up a cigarette they will charge you for it..

On another note, wouldn't that law, if passed, cause most car makers to be legally liable for creating a car with a lighter in it??? i for one would try that one...

Answer 9

You are correct, it states in the new Highway Code that you can be prosecuted for smoking whilst driving.
Another way of getting money from the working man of this country.
I just hope when Labour set the General Election in November, everyone remembers that Labour now has a say in every direction of our lives.
People talk about the other countries that are oppressed, well it is getting like that in Britain.
If Labour get in again we will have very little say in 10 years time, and we'll be taxed at every corner.

Answer 10

I saw that on BBC1 just now. What a joke! Our government will do anything to get more money out of us. It's another stealth tax... Next they'll be telling us no talking in cars and soon no breathing.

Just another pathetic attempt to gain full control of the British people. Our country is becoming more of a dictatorship than a Labour 'free speech' government.

I don't vote and will continue not to. This is a prime example of why we shouldn't.

Answer 11

They haven't banned it - the are just saying that any distraction like smoking, fiddling with CDs etc will be taken into consideration in respect of dangerous driving.
Having been rear-ended once by some stupid cow deciding which of her crappy CDs to play and once by some bloke rolling a ciggie I am actually in favour of it.
A car is a potential killing machine people should PAY ATTENTION!!!!!