German politicians want to ban smoking in cars

German plans to ban smoking for drivers
Tue May 3, 2005 12:30 PM BST


BERLIN (Reuters) - Several German lawmakers want to ban smoking while
driving, saying it's hazardous.

"The dangers of causing an accident rise drastically when you smoke
and drive," said Peter Danckert of the ruling Social Democrats. "I
want a complete ban on smoking for drivers."

Danckert and Katherina Reiche of the opposition Christian Democrats
told Germany's best-selling newspaper, Bild, they will push for
legislation to outlaw smoking for drivers.

Reiche noted parliament had passed a law outlawing the use of cell
phones for drivers.

"Cigarettes are just as much of a distraction as cell phones," she
said. "We need a new law banning it with fines."

German motoring club ADAC spokesman Rainer Hillgaertner dismissed the
idea, saying: "Eating chocolate bars, bananas or fish sandwiches while
driving is also dangerous."

L Sternn wrote:
> German motoring club ADAC spokesman Rainer Hillgaertner dismissed the
> idea, saying: "Eating chocolate bars, bananas or fish sandwiches while
> driving is also dangerous."

... especially for the upholstery

L Sternn > writes:

>German plans to ban smoking for drivers
>Tue May 3, 2005 12:30 PM BST

>BERLIN (Reuters) - Several German lawmakers want to ban smoking while
>driving, saying it's hazardous.

A minority.

>"The dangers of causing an accident rise drastically when you smoke

"rise drastically" in their tiny mind. They use an *insignificant*
risk factor "increase" to justify their little scheme.

Smokers will be more likely to be a danger on the roads when they
don't get their "fix" at regular intervals.

>and drive," said Peter Danckert of the ruling Social Democrats. "I
>want a complete ban on smoking for drivers."

>Danckert and Katherina Reiche of the opposition Christian Democrats
>told Germany's best-selling newspaper, Bild, they will push for
>legislation to outlaw smoking for drivers.

I'm sure that they'll also ban sex while driving.

>Reiche noted parliament had passed a law outlawing the use of cell
>phones for drivers.

Because mobile phones are a significant distraction. Traffic becomes
"invisible" for several seconds at a time during an in-depth phone
conversation. The ban on the use of hand-held mobile phones is
difficult to police; and the use of "hands-free" mobile phones has
just as great a distraction.

>"Cigarettes are just as much of a distraction as cell phones," she
>said. "We need a new law banning it with fines."

They actually just need to get a life.

>German motoring club ADAC spokesman Rainer Hillgaertner dismissed the
>idea, saying: "Eating chocolate bars, bananas or fish sandwiches while
>driving is also dangerous."

And is technically already unlawful.
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On Wed, 04 May 2005 01:21:14 GMT, Arif Khokar >
wrote:

>L Sternn wrote:
>> German motoring club ADAC spokesman Rainer Hillgaertner dismissed the
>> idea, saying: "Eating chocolate bars, bananas or fish sandwiches while
>> driving is also dangerous."
>
> ... especially for the upholstery

As a smoker, I can confirm that.

There were a couple times when I was a less experienced driver and
smoker that I made a conscious realization that saving the upholstery
was not worth totalling my car and possibly killing myself over.

It's been decades since that's happened to me though. I can light a
cigarette without taking my eyes off the road, and who uses both hands
on the wheel every second they're driving anyway?

It can get a bit tricky when you're going 75 down the freeway with the
top down though, but it can be done safely.

If anyone chooses to try this at home, don't throw your butts out the
window. Remember that guy in California that had his SUV catch on
fire when he tried to throw his butt out.

L Sternn wrote:
>
> German motoring club ADAC spokesman Rainer Hillgaertner dismissed the
> idea, saying: "Eating chocolate bars, bananas or fish sandwiches
while
> driving is also dangerous."

Absolutely - and those activities should be banned too. Same with
radios. Driving is super-dangerous to you and the other drivers and
making it "fun" is just insanity.

L Sternn wrote:
> and who uses both hands
> on the wheel every second they're driving anyway?

I certainly don't, but I'm sure that I have both hands on the wheel at
least 95% of the time I'm driving. On long trips, I'll keep a drink in
the cupholder.

On Wed, 04 May 2005 06:08:09 GMT, Arif Khokar >
wrote:

>L Sternn wrote:
>> and who uses both hands
>> on the wheel every second they're driving anyway?
>
>I certainly don't, but I'm sure that I have both hands on the wheel at
>least 95% of the time I'm driving. On long trips, I'll keep a drink in
>the cupholder.

I generally keep both hands on the wheel too, except when I'm lighting
a cigarette, of course. And opening another beer too ;-)

"Laura Bush murdered her boy friend" wrote

> Driving is super-dangerous to you and the other drivers and
> making it "fun" is just insanity.

Punish driving!
Car delivering only after >=10 years of political correct living
with an explicit permission from the single poolitical party,
like in the good old German Democratic Republik.

Thomas

On Tue, 03 May 2005 17:51:05 -0700, L Sternn > wrote:

>German plans to ban smoking for drivers
>Tue May 3, 2005 12:30 PM BST
>
>
>BERLIN (Reuters) - Several German lawmakers want to ban smoking while
>driving, saying it's hazardous.
>
>"The dangers of causing an accident rise drastically when you smoke
>and drive," said Peter Danckert of the ruling Social Democrats. "I
>want a complete ban on smoking for drivers."

I don't smoke, but on occasion I have ridden in a vehicle where the
driver was a smoker. Smokers do stupid **** like fish for their
cigarette pack that they keep on top of the dash, take both hands off
the wheel while they light up, drive one-handed because their other
hand is holding the cigarette, and, of course, flick their ashes and
butts out the open window.

Imagine what happens when the smoker-driver's cell phone rings while
they're driving...

Scott en Aztlán wrote:

> On Tue, 03 May 2005 17:51:05 -0700, L Sternn > wrote:
>
>
>>German plans to ban smoking for drivers
>>Tue May 3, 2005 12:30 PM BST
>>
>>
>>BERLIN (Reuters) - Several German lawmakers want to ban smoking while
>>driving, saying it's hazardous.
>>
>>"The dangers of causing an accident rise drastically when you smoke
>>and drive," said Peter Danckert of the ruling Social Democrats. "I
>>want a complete ban on smoking for drivers."
>
>
> I don't smoke, but on occasion I have ridden in a vehicle where the
> driver was a smoker. Smokers do stupid **** like fish for their
> cigarette pack that they keep on top of the dash, take both hands off
> the wheel while they light up, drive one-handed because their other
> hand is holding the cigarette, and, of course, flick their ashes and
> butts out the open window.
>
> Imagine what happens when the smoker-driver's cell phone rings while
> they're driving...
>

See, this is just another example of people not thinking about what
they're doing. I do occasionally smoke in the car, but the cigs live
either in my breast pocket or on the dashboard, so no fishing. I can
keep one hand on the wheel and retrieve and light a smoke without ever
taking my eyes off the road. Just like cell phones, it's a matter of
people having or not having common sense and nothing to do with the
activity per se.

IMHO it's actually more dangerous to put on sunglasses while driving
than it is to light a cig if you are planning ahead. (definitely in my
case, as I wear prescription lenses - I have this fear of contacts...)

nate

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