Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Puff the magic driver...

It's a good thing New Jersey is leading the way at slowly chipping away our liberties. It's a dirty job...

Cigars, pipes and cigarettes would be prohibited for drivers. The bill's sponsor says violators could be fined up to $250, adding it is designed more to improve highway safety than protect health.

Assemblyman John McKeon, a tobacco opponent whose father died of emphysema, is sponsoring the legislation. He cites a AAA-sponsored study on driver distractions which found 32,000 accidents linked to distraction, 1-percent were related to smoking.



These legislators slay me. His father died of emphysema, so he's seeking to change how we drive. That makes perfect sense.

Let me say, I hate when people throw their butts out the car window with little regard to who might be behind them. But if you're going to outlaw smoking and cell phones, you must also do something about food, radios and passengers as well. Point is, leave us alone, huh?

Thanks to Lori for pointing out the story. She just wanted to see me get pissed.

6 comments:

Bottle Rocket Fire Alarm said...

I'm waiting for them to outlaw high temperatures in the summertime, whites after labor day (or whatever that rule is) and subtitles on foreign films.

Damn crusaders.

OldHorsetailSnake said...

Boy, Rocket, if they start outlawing whites I'm never going to get to go to New Jersey.

A whole 1 percent caused by smoking? Probably more accidents than that caused by people hitting the steering wheel when they hear the news about what their legislators are doing.

Lee Ann said...

I am not a smoker, can't understand why people that throw them on the ground don't see them as trash, but that is just wrong! Guess they will have to eliminate children from riding in cars. Think how distracting they can be!

Weary Hag said...

Lilly ... no you didn't (want to go to NJ that is). Trust me on this one.
As to the rest of this post, don't get me started.

Rob Seifert said...

Big Tobacco is evil. Thrashing personal liberties is evil. Barney the big purple dinosaur is evil...

Fair warning, I'm an ex-smoker...

I guess I don't give a damn if you(not you Dave, you would be missed) kill yourself slowly by smoking in the privacy of your own home, car, office, garage, or backyard. Just don't try, on purpose or by your negligence, to kill me too. What I can't stand about many smokers is the world is my ashtray philosophy. It's a selfish habit. I think it should be enjoyed privately. So long as the windows are up, your car's interior is pretty private. I've seen all kinds of wierd stuff through the windows of cars...

I have a theory btw. I think that randomly 1 in every 500 ciggies should be a death stick - it should kill you dead. It could end up being your first and/or your last. The sick thing is, people would still smoke.

For the record, I still occasionally enjoy a puff or two on a cigar in the cigar room of a fine restaraunt or hotel.

(duck and cover)

RCS

Rob Seifert said...

Laf, I forgot my point... Legislating crap like this is a waste of taxpayer money. I'm all about your and my rights to enjoy our bodies in anyway we please so long as it doesn't hurt someone else.

RCS