but its fine to smoke, why is this, plod failed to explain what the fundamental difference is, can any of you lot enlighten me ? mouth full of pop at stairfoot round about wile waiting for lights to change, or lighting a cig and taking your hand off wheel to put it in you mouth and out of the window 10 times in 5 minutes i know which id say was most dangerous,
Apparently there is a rule that covers all those sorts of things and it's left to the police officer's discretion as to what is dangerous/appropriate or not. Did safe driver training in August and that's what we got told.
If they see you lighting a cig while driving you'll get done. You're not in control of the wheel. It's clearly dangerous. But the big difference between smoking a cig and taking a drink is that you can still grip the steering wheel with both hands with a cig in your hand but you can't with a cup or can in your hand.
Do you actually get fined these days for supping pop in a car? Well they can **** off trying that on me, I wouldn't pay
Just to add to that They'll ban smoking while driving soon enough. Then watch the accident rate shoot through the roof as millions of stressed out smokers denied a cigarette go tearing to traffic.
Re: Just to add to that Just wait long enough and driving whist in possession of a motor vehicle will be banned.
Have a go at gripping your wheel and turning it sharply (to simulate getting out of the way of something) and not pinch/squash your cig so it drops and you burn hole in your trousers. If folk do smoke at least use ashtray not throw out of window!
Re: Just to add to that You're right but it won't make any difference. They banned using mobiles but its still done on an alarmingly regular basis.
Road Traffic Act 1988 - not in proper control of the vehicle. Rarely used piece of legislation in its own right but if the drinking/smoking/changing if radio station contributed to a secondary offence i.e a collision or moving traffic offence for example jumping a light or crossing double white lines then it would be bolted on as a secondary offence. Qualification to post - 2 years roads policing.