Smoking whilst driving

[SpikeyBush]

A hot topic I don't doubt. Thousands of you do it. Here is my argument for it being outlawed. After being involved in a non-fault accident which immobilised my vehicle I got everyone out. I'd seen on 'Police, Camera, Action' people driving into stranded vehicles. So whilst on the blower to the AA to get the motor towed away, a white Rover 400 slammed straight into the back of it, bending the boot floor of my poor old Astra in half. When a representative of Cheshire Constabulary arrived, the offending driver's daughter let slip the fact that the driver at fault was stubbing out a cigarette when she turned my Astra saloon into a hatchback.

[daisya]

I've always thought smoking whilst driving was not only a distraction (like eating or drinking) but also dangerous, apparently it looks like it is with what happened in your case. Just a good job you got everyone out of the car!! I think smoking should be banned whilst driving but then I expect I'm in the minority on that one, but if they ban mobile phones and they pull you for eating whilst driving, why not smoking?

[SlackAlice]

daisya,
I can understand where your coming from, but in that case do you think we should ban changing radio stns, CD tracks, mp3 players and pressing buttons to answer calls on bluetooth phones and looking out the windows at the scenery?

SpikeyBush
Whilst I agree that stubbing out a cigarette was a contributory factor, it really falls under 'Driver without due care and attention' and I think this is sufficient rather than a specific ban on smoking whilst driving.
However I do agree with a ban on smoking in a car with children on health grounds.

[daisya]

SA I know what you're getting at re my stance on smoking in cars, but it can be dangerous if someone drops the lighted cigarette in their lap or on the floor and people are driving holding the cigarette in their fingers mostly so that can't be safe in a way can it. I definitely agree with banning smoking in cars when children are present, they don't have a choice in the matter if people smoke in such a small space...so for me I guess I'd say ban it in the car for all of those reasons.

[ojread2]

skalice, yes! OK, you couldn't ban the change of radio stations, pressing of buttons etc, but they should all fall under the driving without due care
Having witnessed the horrific aftermath of an accident where there was a death because the driver was changing a CD, I can categorically state that there has to be some come back from accidents caused by these actions

[daisya]

Spot on Eddie

[RATTER15]

I agree with Eddie, I have been guilty of all of those things, I used to text and make phone calls while driving, roll my cigarettes and smoke while driving and never had an accident, however I do accept it was very foolish and dangerous. I have since given up smoking and no longer use my phone whilst driving.

We all learn at some point hopefully.

[vulcan]

If the distraction is conversation then do you ban passengers or gag them ?
The problem isn't what's being done in the car, it's the people driving them and a lack of proper training. How else do you explain how police drivers can drive talk on their radios, deal with switching on and off lights, sirens etc and still drive,in the main safely. The answer is the correct training, not what happens at the moment where people are taught to pass the driving test and not to drive safely.

[MartinBev58]

When I was driving to work I used to have the local radio station on for traffic reports etc.
I did not play any loud music however as that could be distracting.
I now have a sat nav and some people say these are distracting.
I find it useful as it tells me what lanes to get into etc and I think it is safer that a driver has a sat nav rather than change lanes at the last second etc and pull into dangerous places to read maps.
I do not play the radio now as I am listening to the sat nav.
I have never smoked. I do have my mobile phone on in the car but I never answer it while driving.
I just drive to a safe place and phone people back.
Oddly enough I pulled into a lay by a little while ago when my mobile phone rang.
A police car followed me in and went in front. I do not know the reason except he may have been a little stiff and wanted a short walk.
I got the thumbs up from the police officer as I think he realised I had pulled off the road to make a phone call.

Martin

[SpikeyBush]

Fairplay to you MB.

Now I don't want to appear to be one of those 'holier than thou' hypocrytes, because I'm not. I've had my collar felt once or twice by the old bill over the years for going a bit quick or parking where I shouldn't, but I can't hold a conversation with someone in the car when I'm driving. It may make me seem a bit arrogant, but excuse me, I'm busy watching out for all the other eejits driving around in their own little worlds unaware of their surroundings because they are busy looking at their passengers while discussing the weather or who is having an affair with who etc... instead of watching out for the child, old dear or reversing lorry about to be in their way.

[joko]

a lot of cars have cd player controls on the steering wheel stalks now, so that you dont have to look away and reach out.

i think itd be good if cars that dont could buy an adapter or something to enable this...or even voice command operated ones.

i remember a scene in cold feet, where a girl died because a lorry hit her car side on when she was actually bending over into the passenger footwell and rifling through a box of tapes! (she was the one who was later in friends- i didnt watch cold feet much)
but this is the kind of thing that people do

i myself had a near miss because i was distracted by something falling off the dashboard, that i didnt want to break, as i turned a sharp bend in the road.
i watched it fall for just a second then looked up, and was heading towards a wall on the other side of the road... i had not yet straightened up after my turn.
i turned the wheel and it was fine, but it was about 7am and the road was empty...had it been daytime, there'd likely have been cars on the other side and i'd have hit them....few more seconds and i'd have hit the wall.

i'd not been driving very long at that time - about 6 months - and now i'd just let stuff fall and wait until i'd stopped to look

i woudl never mess with cds etc, but sometimes press the button to change radio stations, but i can do it without looking

i also only ever look at my phone when stopped.