Question about smoking when driving

Cool_Username

The incident reported today about the motorist getting a fine for blowing his nose in traffic got me thinking - why on Earth is it legal to smoke while driving but illegal to eat an apple, bag of crisps, even talk on a mobile phone or now apparently blow you nose?

I have a friend who smokes and on numerous occasions he's dropped the end of the cigarette into his lap and swerved or dropped the whole thing out of his mouth and had to go looking for it while still driving!

How can smoking a cigarette while driving be perfectly legal but eating an apple is illegal?

Baffles me!

nickyhutch

Cool_Username wrote: »

The incident reported today about the motorist getting a fine for blowing his nose in traffic got me thinking - why on Earth is it legal to smoke while driving but illegal to eat an apple, bag of crisps, even talk on a mobile phone or now apparently blow you nose?

I have a friend who smokes and on numerous occasions he's dropped the end of the cigarette into his lap and swerved or dropped the whole thing out of his mouth and had to go looking for it while still driving!

How can smoking a cigarette while driving be perfectly legal but eating an apple is illegal?

Baffles me!

It isn't, and neither is blowing your nose. The offence is not being in control of the vehicle, and if it's considered you're not because you're smoking or blowing your nose, you can be done.

anewman

Smoking is legal because it is good for your health and generates lots of money for the Government. If they made it illegal while you were driving they'd be hurting their own pockets

This is also why the drink drive limit is not a zero tolerance one (revenues on tax from Alcohol).

Cool_Username

anewman wrote: »

Smoking is legal because it is good for your health and generates lots of money for the Government. If they made it illegal while you were driving they'd be hurting their own pockets

Makes sense

Rolandtheroadie

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=17078324&method=full&siteid=66633&headline=now-smoking-in-cars-is-banned-name_page.html

Smokings a £60 fine in Scotland

raebhoop

It looks like a ban is on the way...ruddy ridiculous.I gave up before Xmas...But they're gonna rattle on about safety as an excuse to hammer the smoker and nanny every thing we do or don't do.

What about the people that drive whilst tired? Are they going to fit tacho's to all vehicles then? What about talking to your passengers? Or driving through pretty country and admiring the view....All reasons for not paying 100% attention to your driving.

And as for this one she should be arrested for walking beside a public road...definite death threat there.

kwaks

scotsman4th wrote: »

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=17078324&method=full&siteid=66633&headline=now-smoking-in-cars-is-banned-name_page.html

Smokings a £60 fine in Scotland

Any smoker who has to take his eyes off the road to find and light his fag isnt a real smoker anyway:)

anewman

raebhoop wrote: »

Please ensure your bicycle is locked securely!

Rolandtheroadie

kwaks wrote: »

Any smoker who has to take his eyes off the road to find and light his fag isnt a real smoker anyway:)

lol, your right. I know lorry drivers that can roll their own whilst driving.

tomstickland

Who decides whether you are or are not in control the vehicle?
I mean, I can touch the radio controls and drive with one hand. So what's the big deal about eating a cake or something?

Cool_Username

tomstickland wrote: »

Who decides whether you are or are not in control the vehicle?

Presumably the officer who observes you.