Possible ban on smoking in cars

ilovesmybrick

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0727/1224301449234.html

Fair enough if theres children under three, I won't smoke in my car if there's anybody who doesn't smoke there with me. I think thats courtesy because in fairness it is a bit of a nasty smell, but a blanket ban on smoking in cars is just too much. I find having a cigarette while going for a drive, especially a long drive, to be one of the few times I can properly enjoy having a smoke without getting disapproving looks, comments, or rained upon!

drunkmonkey

I'll do the time, they can feck off with these stupid laws, if the Gardai are going to accept this as a law they can feck off as well as they've moved from peace keepers to drones.
We can't just keep making up laws and turning more and more people into criminals. It's time there was a law against stupid laws.

OldGoat

Just for the sake of discussion...
I think we should support this in cases where children are involved for a couple reasons.
First, children need a voice to speak on their behalf. We have seen people smoking in cars with children present. It happens.

The other reason we should support this (assuming it happens) is because if policing proves unfeasable they will introduce a blanket ban on smoking in cars, children present or not.

On a personal note it dosen't affect me eitherway, I don't smoke in the car as I find those air-fresheners used to hide the smoke smell are gag-inducing.

ilovesmybrick

I completely agree with not smoking in cars when children are present, not that I have that problem much myself. I'm just very frustrated at the idea of a blanket ban. I supported the smoking ban when it came in, public restaurants, bars etc. are fair enough, but when I'm sitting in my car I'm in my own private property and I feel its an intrusion on my personal liberty. I never smoke around kids anyway.

Plus sometimes you need a cigarette in the car to relax, I've had too many occasions in west Galway and Clare when I've nearly been taken out by women putting on make-up in the car or tourists driving on the wrong side of the road with maps out!

1huge1

I'm not even a smoker but introducing a blanket ban is ridiculous, people seem to be losing their civil liberities one by one on a yearly basis in Ireland.

Freiheit

As someone who hasn't smoked for almost a year, would be first complete year as an adult!:), I'm worried about an infringment of civil liberties. Education should be the policy,try to inform and appeal to people's conscience,I've deep reservations about the idea of a ban.

death1234567

Another new law that wont be enforced. How about we actually enforce the ones we have first.

careca11

ilovesmybrick wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0727/1224301449234.html

Fair enough if theres children under three, I won't smoke in my car if there's anybody who doesn't smoke there with me. I think thats courtesy because in fairness it is a bit of a nasty smell, but a blanket ban on smoking in cars is just too much. I find having a cigarette while going for a drive, especially a long drive, to be one of the few times I can properly enjoy having a smoke without getting disapproving looks, comments, or rained upon!

feck sake , what next , ban on smoking in the home ? ( I don't smoke myself , but this is a bit ridiculous really)

softball

softball wrote: »

I think it is a good idea. The fact that people have to use their hands for anything else other than driving while behind the wheel of a car is ridiculous. They have banned the use of mobile phones, in my experience smoking can have the same distracting effect although its for a shorter period of time.

In that case I'd ban kids from cars, back seat drivers, the radio, sat nav and all chatty passengers.

The ban is a joke which would have Bill Hicks spinning in his grave!

charlemont

death1234567 wrote: »

Another new law that wont be enforced. How about we actually enforce the ones we have first.

It will be enforced on people the Guards don't like the look of..:mad::mad::mad:

OldGoat

This thread is likely to attract the attention of non-smokers. While discussing the topic is fine getting into a headed debate about the evils of smoking is not. Read the charter please.

OldGoat

softball wrote: »

I think it is a good idea. The fact that people have to use their hands for anything else other than driving while behind the wheel of a car is ridiculous. They have banned the use of mobile phones, in my experience smoking can have the same distracting effect although its for a shorter period of time.

The ban cannot be just for the driver it would have to be for all passengers in the car so the driving performance argument is moot.

tayto lover

OldGoat wrote: »

Just for the sake of discussion...
I think we should support this in cases where children are involved for a couple reasons.
First, children need a voice to speak on their behalf. We have seen people smoking in cars with children present. It happens.

The other reason we should support this (assuming it happens) is because if policing proves unfeasable they will introduce a blanket ban on smoking in cars, children present or not.

On a personal note it dosen't affect me eitherway, I don't smoke in the car as I find those air-fresheners used to hide the smoke smell are gag-inducing.

Should the Government also ban pregnant women from smoking if it is harmful to the unborn child ?

murphym7

softball wrote: »

I think it is a good idea. The fact that people have to use their hands for anything else other than driving while behind the wheel of a car is ridiculous. They have banned the use of mobile phones, in my experience smoking can have the same distracting effect although its for a shorter period of time.

They should probably ban things like using indicators, Wiper swtiches, fog light switches, turning on lights etc too, awful distracting old yokes they are too.

The Hill Billy

tayto lover wrote: »

Should the Government also ban pregnant women from smoking if it is harmful to the unborn child ?

Stay on-topic (possible ban in cars).

tHB

Snickers Man

As a non smoker I think this is a ridiculous suggestion and would probably be counter productive.

As death1234567 and Charlemont pointed out, it's a law that hasn't a hope of being enforced and will therefore only be used to hassle people the guards don't like the look of. So it would be a bad law. It's only effect would be to give the police yet more arbitrary power to hassle people selectively.

If one's concern is to reduce the amount of smoking then it's not going to have much effect. Indeed it could be counter productive.

If one's concern is to be a self-righteous prig like the witch called Ciara who was on Liveline yesterday (click here for the podcast-she's mainly on in the second half) then by all means go ahead. But all you will be doing is feeding mutual anger: you will be full of indignation at the flaunting of a law that would be easy for YOU as a non smoker to obey; smokers will be full of indignation at having the privacy of their own behaviour in their own private space intruded upon.

It's time to be pragmatic about reducing smoking. We now have a situation where non smokers or indeed anti-smokers have the upper hand. I am of an age where etiquette required somebody in company to ask "Do you mind if I smoke?" before pulling out the fags. Today, the generally accepted polite behaviour is to excuse oneself, or perhaps not even bother, and step outside for a cigarette. I can't remember the last time, either as a guest or host, I heard somebody ask for permission to smoke. That's a state of affairs I welcome.

But the thing to remember is that this change in attitude is only possible with the polite co-operation of smokers. By and large smokers seem to agree that stepping outside somebody else's house, or a public venue before indulging their habit is only fair and reasonable.

But what if they didn't? What if If somebody pulled out a cigarette in a concert hall say, what can you do? Especially if another 10 people all around simultaneously did the same thing.

Call security? How much security does the average concert venue have?

Call the guards? On a Saturday night? They have more important things to do than worry about somebody whose aftershave or perfume is being smothered in Silk Cut fumes.

Smokers have a huge amount of power. It would be relatively easy for them to organise a "civil disobedience" campaign that would soon have the rest of us hankering after the good old days when we could enjoy a smokeless atmosphere without having to get into a fight about it every time.

What somebody does in the privacy of their own car is their own damn business. Ultimately, if you can't convince them by force of argument, you won't be ABLE to convince them by the argument of force.

Dun

I would definitely agree with a ban on smoking while driving at least. I've been in two close calls where some eejit was straying onto the wrong side of the road while trying to light a cigarette.