a bit of good news: bit of a smoking ban ..

[Tonyf33]

Does this mean I can't make sandwiches on my dash whilst driving at 70mph on the A1, pah, don't they know that passive sandwich making doesn't have any ill effects except on the waistline

If holding a cigarette is banned then it's the thin end of the wedge, frankly if you can't take a quick drink from a can/bottle or nibble of something at an appropriate moment whilst driving and not taking your eyes off the road or lose control of your vehicle at the same time you shouldn't be driving full stop.

Banning the use of Sat-Nav/TV/media screens et al should be a much much higher priority, it's massively distracting yet seems to be accepted by the police as being fine yet having a momentary sip in the car is seen along the lines of dangerous driving ..the police are a joke and enforcement of this would be pointless except to increase crime 'detection' rates..

[gplhl]

….and who's going to enforce it, the police can't even stop people using their mobile phones.

I contacted my MP (Clare Perry) a couple of years ago requesting a response as to what would happen if I gave the police clear footage from a go pro that clearly showed driver clearly to see face, on phone with number plate if they'd act.

The reply was typical.. It depends on the police force, you'd have to contact each one for a response! But in short probably no action would be taken. Apparently a gopro footage isn't good enough, despite the met using them in London on their bicycles for evidence!

I was thinking of setting up a website for users to post clear footage, logging where when etc to try and shame them into action.

Even a YouTube channel might work. But then motorists might start looking out for bikes with cameras and it'd not be advisable to not report people on your daily commute.

Gary
www.longbikeride.co.uk

[Cyril Haearn]

….and who's going to enforce it, the police can't even stop people using their mobile phones.

I imagine there are a few people who will simply obey the law without fear of being caught and punished!

[Cyril Haearn]

Sorry I fail to see what this has got to do with Cycling.
I

Smoking while driving makes it harder to control the vehicle and distracts attention, for example when lighting up or re-lighting a pipe! It endangers cyclists too.

[Psamathe]

Sorry I fail to see what this has got to do with Cycling.
I

Smoking while driving makes it harder to control the vehicle and distracts attention, for example when lighting up or re-lighting a pipe! It endangers cyclists too.

And you could say having a crying child in the back does the same ... (ban then both ?). In fact from my experience of cycling and coming across "the school run" I would say children in cars represent a far bigger risk to me on my bike than somebody lighting a cigarette.

Ian

[simonineaston]

….and who's going to enforce it, the police can't even stop people using their mobile phones.

and / or reading the paper - saw all three this morning, going down the M32!

[hufty]

Sorry I fail to see what this has got to do with Cycling.

I agree, but an illiberal law playing to the gallery in the run up to an election - could easily have been compulsory cycle helmets for ickle chillun...

[beardy]

What is the definition of an illiberal law or a liberal law for that matter.

I would have thought that the definition of a liberal law is a law to prevent people doing things which hurt other people.
An illiberal law is one that restricts actions that do not harm others.

[Cyril Haearn]

Good news again, the ban just got a whopping majority in the commons and will come into law soon.

Let's hope the police keep their eyes open and catch as many smoling drivers as possible. What is the record? I saw a driver recently committing at least four offences at once. But no police to see what he was doing. Would one be punished for all four, or just one?

[Guy951]

Let's hope the police keep their eyes open and catch as many smoking drivers as possible...

If there's not enough coppers out there to do anything about the thousands of mobile phone-using drivers, the smokers should be able to carry on with something like impunity.

[Heltor Chasca]

+1 for yet another law passed by pen-pushers in Parliament who have utterly no idea about the impossibility of policing on the ground...hc

[kwackers]

+1 for yet another law passed by pen-pushers in Parliament who have utterly no idea about the impossibility of policing on the ground...hc

Just because you can't police something doesn't mean you shouldn't legislate against it. If nothing else it provides guidelines for the sorts of folk who need an excuse to get them to stop.

(IMO anyone who smokes in a car with kids in needs dragging out and given a good kicking.)

[Heltor Chasca]

+1 for yet another law passed by pen-pushers in Parliament who have utterly no idea about the impossibility of policing on the ground...hc

Just because you can't police something doesn't mean you shouldn't legislate against it. If nothing else it provides guidelines for the sorts of folk who need an excuse to get them to stop.

(IMO anyone who smokes in a car with kids in needs dragging out and given a good kicking.)

An interesting way to educate people Kwackers [emoji21]

Are these the types of people who don't listen to any form of formal authority? Guidelines aren't going to make a difference to them. Come on.

Legislating something like this just makes politicians look like they just talk the talk and can't walk the walk. Wet. That is exactly why they are so distant from us normal folk.

Sadly it puts the police in a difficult situation: 1/ The people (like the ones you want to give a kicking) just end up with even more hatred for the police for seemingly nicking them for something 'petty'. (Most of us know smoking around your kids is wrong but some people in society haven't a clue about functional childcare skills) 2/ Those who can't empathise with the workload pressures of the force build an even lower opinion of the police.

You would have thought that all those years ago, when smoking in work vehicles was banned, it would make a difference. Don't make me laugh. When do you NOT see employees puffing away in their vans and trucks? Those who legislate haven't learnt a thing and they continue to chuck money down the pan making more unenforceable rules...hc

[Mattyfez]

Good grief.

What is this Orwell's 1984?

As a smoker (trying to quit) I smoke in my car(and I keep the window open for obvious reasons). I don't smoke in my car when I have non smoking passengers.

[Tonyf33]

+1 for yet another law passed by pen-pushers in Parliament who have utterly no idea about the impossibility of policing on the ground...hc

Just because you can't police something doesn't mean you shouldn't legislate against it. If nothing else it provides guidelines for the sorts of folk who need an excuse to get them to stop.

(IMO anyone who smokes in a car with kids in needs dragging out and given a good kicking.)

Anyone who feeds their kids crap food or even too much food in their own home or in a restaurant/takeaway needs a good kicking, why stop there, why not give a good kicking to every person whom drives recklessly, what about just those that drive motor vehicles full stop, they are killing kids with their pollution & wars are fought over oil and people are dying in their thousands over it.
Next step let's anyone not generating their own energy needs, let's give them a kicking too after all that's more burnt coal and more windfarms & possibly fracking causing more harm.
Pollution alone causes 29,000 deaths annually in the UK..
Seriously, why not get social services involved and have the kids taken away from those that smoke in cars whilst we're at it
it's an utterly futile & pointless law that will achieve ZILCH

PS, I'm a non smoker whom hates it but jesus this is just ridiculous