Smoking Scofflaws

[Omnitheo]

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/205612 ... nrepentant

An unrepentant cigarette butt tosser told police a $575 ticket for the misdeed was "unnecessary and ridiculous."

RCMP fined the driver Thursday for tossing the butt out his car window on Veterans Memorial Parkway, near Victoria.

The incident happened at a stop light, in plain view of a police officer, and the man admitted it was his second time being caught for the offence. This despite B.C.'s ongoing wildfire crisis and extreme fire danger.

The driver reportedly told the officer the fine was “insane” as he lit up another smoke.

RCMP tweeted a photo of the ticket, which has more than 900 likes.

If you spot a wildfire – or someone flicking a cigarette – call the BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cellphone.

It's interesting the attitude of many tobacco users who seem to have no respect for others or for the laws. highways in bc are marked with signage warning of littering fines, yet they feel it's perfectly ok to throw out burning garbage filled with poison freely at the side of the road. They don't see the harm of smoking in the vicinity of other people.

Another thread on this forum seems to suggest that as taxpayers, smokers should be entitled to smoke wherever they wish, yet how many fires are caused by smokers? In 2003 for instance the McLure fire was caused by a single discarded cigarette and ended up costing taxpayers 31million dollars, and several families their homes.

How many business hours are lost by employees taking frequent smoke breaks outside of normal break allotment?

Where does this sense of entitlement spawn from? What are your thoughts? Should there be more regulation on smoking, or less?

[MrSandman]

was JUST coming here to post that story (different link)

and the man admitted it was his second time being caught for the offence

that guy, he should have his car impounded and charged with arson piece of human

[Bsuds]

Unfortunately you can't fix stupid!

This guy should be put on the front line fighting a forest fire then maybe he might clue in.

[Smurf]

Maybe in the middle of one would be even better. It's idiots like this that give smokers a terrible name. I remember in our shop at work we had a fellow who was a bit of an idiot most of the time but when it came to his smoking he was extremely careful and used to after go after other smokers that weren't. Amazingly he was smart enough to see the writing on the wall and was trying his best to soften the blow when rules came in. Didn't work as many others just felt it could never happen. Well guess what, soon no smoking at work, no smoking inside camps. Some even got thrown out of camp for things like burns in their blankets a dead and dangerous give away to their actions. With no place to stay it cost their jobs. I don't know what happens in camps now but I was certainly in favour of the rules back then. Those huge trailer camps were too dangerous to have people smoking in them.

Truthfully I wouldn't care if it was banned everywhere. It is such a filthy habit. I hate it for many reasons and my wife is allergic to it. One thing I do believe is it should be law that there are ashtrays in every vehicle, period, no excuses and quadruple the fines for discarding them anywhere in other than approved containers.

[hobbyguy]

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/205612/Butt-flicker-unrepentant

An unrepentant cigarette butt tosser told police a $575 ticket for the misdeed was "unnecessary and ridiculous."

RCMP fined the driver Thursday for tossing the butt out his car window on Veterans Memorial Parkway, near Victoria.

The incident happened at a stop light, in plain view of a police officer, and the man admitted it was his second time being caught for the offence. This despite B.C.'s ongoing wildfire crisis and extreme fire danger.

The driver reportedly told the officer the fine was “insane” as he lit up another smoke.

RCMP tweeted a photo of the ticket, which has more than 900 likes.

If you spot a wildfire – or someone flicking a cigarette – call the BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cellphone.

It's interesting the attitude of many tobacco users who seem to have no respect for others or for the laws. highways in bc are marked with signage warning of littering fines, yet they feel it's perfectly ok to throw out burning garbage filled with poison freely at the side of the road. They don't see the harm of smoking in the vicinity of other people.

Another thread on this forum seems to suggest that as taxpayers, smokers should be entitled to smoke wherever they wish, yet how many fires are caused by smokers? In 2003 for instance the McLure fire was caused by a single discarded cigarette and ended up costing taxpayers 31million dollars, and several families their homes.

How many business hours are lost by employees taking frequent smoke breaks outside of normal break allotment?

Where does this sense of entitlement spawn from? What are your thoughts? Should there be more regulation on smoking, or less?

You are guilty of "some dogs have spots, therefore all dogs have spots" in your thinking.

Once again with the Soup Nazi stuff.

You can not measure productivity by time spent. Some smokers are more productive in the end than non smokers and vice versa. If you use "some dogs have spots, therefore all dogs have spots" thinking - then you won't be very productive in the end.

[lesliepaul]

Well, if I had my way..........every drop of alcohol would be banned. Then watch much of the problems of society go in the right direction. I know, I know..........you need that "crutch" to take the edge off..........you'll just have to find something else. Not a big deal.

[Queen K]

Fabulous, another smoking thread.

I hate seeing cigarettes all ove the place.

[hobbyguy]

It is always going to be there. By that I mean folks that want to ban something they don't use, or don't agree with, or see no need for.

Look how well alcohol prohibition worked out.

You could start a thread on bicycles and somebody would want to ban them. Gambling. There are folks who would ban cars. Video games. Lotteries used to be illegal in Canada until 1969. Some folks want to ban religion or certain religions. Some folks and countries still ban people by sexual orientation.

To a very large extent, I view such impulses as part of the instincts that are buried deep in the animal brain, the kind of thing that lead to the need for the invention of tiny red glasses for chickens.

Alexis de Tocqueville put it more eloquently:

"In the introduction to Democracy, he states: “In America, I saw more than America… I sought the image of democracy itself, with its inclinations, its character, its prejudices, and its passions.” His subject is nothing less than what is to be hoped for, and what to be feared from, the democratic revolution sweeping the Western world in his time.

The greatest danger Tocqueville saw was that public opinion would become an all-powerful force, and that the majority could tyrannize unpopular minorities and marginal individuals"

[my5cents]

Reminder... his defence to dropping a lit cigarette butt is that he had crushed it out with his fingers, so he was "just littering"

[Rider59]

Reminder... his defence to dropping a lit cigarette butt is that he had crushed it out with his fingers, so he was "just littering"

Reminder... If this is indeed a fact then the butt was out so it is only littering. Did you lose focus on reason?

[my5cents]

Reminder... If this is indeed a fact then the butt was out so it is only littering. Did you lose focus on reason?

I have no idea what your point is.

The accused is saying I didn't commit offense "A", all I was doing was committing offense "B". (Albeit a lesser offense.)

Solution, don't litter anything, especially if it was very recently on fire.

[Rider59]

Reminder... If this is indeed a fact then the butt was out so it is only littering. Did you lose focus on reason?

I have no idea what your point is.

The accused is saying I didn't commit offense "A", all I was doing was committing offense "B". (Albeit a lesser offense.) And you were there to see the lite butt being 'flicked'? You can testify that it wasn't put out as described? Or, do you have such a hard on for smokers?

Solution, don't litter anything, especially if it was very recently on fire. LOL

[stuphoto]

Unfortunately you can't fix stupid!

This guy should be put on the front line fighting a forest fire then maybe he might clue in.

I think that he should be strapped to the front of the D8 Bulldozer, and used as the blade on a cleanup crew.

[flamingfingers]

There is ABSOLUTELY no excuse for any smoker to drop a cigarette butt/match/cigar/pipe dollops ANYWHERE!! This stuff is offensive litter, just like discarded plastic water bottles strewn in lakes, streams, oceans and discarded food wrappers on the street, parks and needles anywhere. Put the damn stuff in the proper receptacles, take it home and discard it properly in your own garbage - don't make the rest of us have to look after your irresponsible and bad manners.

[hobbyguy]

Or just put the dead butt in a pocket (then you know it's out for sure )

I know that a careless smoker can start a forest fire. Have you noticed that cars don't come with ashtrays now? Unintended consequence of the anti-smokers campaigns.

I do think however, that smokers get blamed for fires that were caused otherwise.

Pull over on a dry grassy shoulder to answer your cellphone (doing the right thing by pulling over). There happens to be a dead butt under your car. You pull away. Your catalytic converter lit the grass on fire, but fire crews find the butt, and immediately assume that was the cause. http://www.ocregister.com/2008/11/18/catalytic-converter-started-fires-are-common/