Smoking whilst driving

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
41

wiggy:
The driver told me that this was now law in Scotland and that if this sticker was not displayed the operator was open to a fine of £250 irrespective of whether the driver was a smoker.Is this right?

True, or close enough without actually looking again at the legislation.

wiggy:
and if it is will all company cars also have to diplay the same or is it the normal truckerism that we keep seeing in this country

They are, unless the user has access to the vehicle for Private Use. I’ve already posted info on this in the Legal forum. In essence, ‘Mondeo Man’ who takes the car home and in the evenings and at weekends when it becomes ‘Dad’s Taxi’, or is used to collect the family shopping for the dietary and welfare needs of the occupant(s).(My words)

Contrast that with the Telecomms technician who, whilst he might be permitted to take the vehicle home for matters of expediency, is not allowed to use it as a runaround.

If we then scale it up. When we consider the ‘Tramper’, who sleeps in the vehicle, is that not Private Use? Being away from home for numerous days on end, then their employer would find it perfectly acceptable for them to go supermarket shopping for ‘dietary and welfare needs of the occupant’. (Notice how I carefully slotted in that phrase :smiley: ) Is that not ‘Private Use’? Even, dare I suggest, the ‘day driver’, where a planned run on an average day takes, for instance, 10 or 12 hours, but on a bad day might run to 12 to 14 hours. In contrast to the Telecomms technician, who might be expected to leave home with a packed lunch, and generally know at what time they will finish, the ‘day driver’, provided they do not extract the urine, has a certain degree of freedom to go ‘off route’ in order to satisfy dietary and welfare needs. Is that not Private Use?

Enforcement is a matter for the Local Authority, and I presume it has been dropped in the lap of Environmental Services. Environmental Services deal with Pest Control, Food Hygiene, Noise, and a host of other areas. I have certainly not seen anything suggesting an increase in recruitment levels and therefore suggest that we have another hard pressed level of local government that has been lumbered with adittional responsibilities. And knowing a few EHO’s, stickers in windscreens and ■■■ ash out of windows is the last of their worries. :wink: :wink: :wink:

42

Conor:
Do you ever look at a map/street atlas whilst you are driving?

No. I plan my route (if going to a previously undiscovered area) before I set off, and stop on the edge of town to look at the streetmap again. only had to look at 2 street maps this week.

43

wylie:
roadhog
do you work for vosa or the police
some people dont half come out with some (zb)
:laughing:

hey, its not me. I don’t know why people are taking this out on me, i’m only telling you what the law is and what the likes of the fta, highway code etc recommend for drivers of LGV’s. if you don’t like it, campaign for change or find a different career.

44

wiggy:
if as you suggest it is illegal to smoke whilst driving under due care and attewntion will it now be usual for all car drivers to be prosecuted for driving and smoking.

Hey, its not my suggestion, IT IS, and has been for a long time, against the law to smoke whilst driving and it is specifically mentioned under the goverments guidelines for prosecution for due care and attention. you would have to ask the police why they don’t prosecute more people, but it is clear that very few people know that it is an offence.

But if someone has an accident and they’re smoking at the time, they could end up with 9 points on their licence if the third party mentions this to the police. is it worth it?

45

YES THATS RIGHT… ITS LAW IN SPAIN TO SMOKE WHILE DRIVING IS ILLEGAL AND THE MOTORWAY SIGNS POINT THIS OUT…

46

Roadhog:
you would have to ask the police why they don’t prosecute more people,

pure and simple. common sense!

just like you are required to carry all your documents with you ie insurance, licence etc when you are driving your private vehicle. it is law and technically, the police could prosecute if you are unable to produce them at the side of the road. they never would though and they advise that people do the opposite and leave their docs at home.

47

scanny77:
the police could prosecute if you are unable to produce them at the side of the road

AFAIAA, that’s wrong - that’s why they use ‘7 day producers’.

Richie, i’m surprised by your comments on this issue. Virtually all of your posts here (and on other DB’s) have been made in the vein that you are probably the most safety conscious and by-the-book (dare I say, almost to the extreme!!), law abiding vocational driver that posts on here (which is a lot better than being a careless cowboy).

I don’t see why you would treat this law any different from any of the many other ‘not quite right’ ones??!! :open_mouth: :open_mouth:

:bulb: Don’t tell me you do have a rebellious bone in your body after all?? :wink: :wink: :laughing: :laughing:

48

i never claimed to be an angel mate. nor am i a perfect driver, however, i do try to stick to the unwritten rules of the road when it comes to truckers. we have standards to maintain and examples to set to the rest of the road users. i do prefer to know the laws and then its my choice whether or not to abide by them although a few MPHs over the speed limit is hardly in the same league as mass murder contrary to what the government seem to believe :wink:

REF that law abour carrying your documents:
the military police were doing squaddies if they didnt carry their documents in their cars. they said it was a civilian law, not a military law. thinking logically about it, i would guess that the 7 day producer was tacked on to it ie they can prosecute for not carrying the relevant paperwork then you have 7 days to produce.

49

Well as far as I’m concerned they can stuff the legislation. I was in Scotland on Wednesday and Thursday this week and completely disregarded the rule as I’m sure the vast majority of other smokers did.

As others have remarked its my home for the week. No-one else uses the cab and I’m not insured to carry passengers.

I guess the next step will be to stop all drivers from working when they have a bit of a cold in case they sneeze.

Oh and maybe supply us all with tiny pieces of plastic that we can use to prop our eyes open so we don’t blink.

:imp: :imp: :imp: :imp:

50

I was in Scotland twice this week and no-one much seems to be paying attention to what you do in your cab.

What was noticeable, though, was the effect in Annandale Water truck park at night…

On the downside, it was harder to sleep as every trunker pulled into the services, drove around looking for somewhere to stop, got out (slamming the door), smoked and chatted loudly, got back in (slamming the door), revved the hell out of the engine, and drove out. It went quiet for the middle few hours then all started again as they came back north on the way home. :angry: :angry: :angry:

Flip the coin though, and I’ve never been in such a sociable place the next morning. We were all up and saying “Good Morning” in the drizzle. Made a refreshing change to glaring at each other through the windscreen with bleary eyes. This is a solitary old life when you’re out all week, so any form of human interaction is always welcome. :grimacing: :grimacing: :grimacing:

Was glad of the 5 hour load to make up lost kip, though. :wink:

51

Went to Glasgow on monday and again on thursday and made a point of sparking up as soon as I crossed the border :slight_smile: I even was smoking in cab when copper was alongside me at traffic lights, nothing happened and yes he did see me. I feel that this law is just too much bother for the coppers. If these do-gooders/meddlers in the Scottish Parliament want to stop smoking in work areas all well and good, but NOT in my cab which I live in from week to week and therefore will continue to smoke as and when I want to :smiling_imp:

52

marcustandy:

scanny77:
the police could prosecute if you are unable to produce them at the side of the road

AFAIAA, that’s wrong - that’s why they use ‘7 day producers’.

AFAIK it is, in theory, a legal requirement which could technically be enforced.

53

penfold:
Went to Glasgow on monday and again on thursday and made a point of sparking up as soon as I crossed the border :slight_smile: I even was smoking in cab when copper was alongside me at traffic lights, nothing happened and yes he did see me. I feel that this law is just too much bother for the coppers. If these do-gooders/meddlers in the Scottish Parliament want to stop smoking in work areas all well and good, but NOT in my cab which I live in from week to week and therefore will continue to smoke as and when I want to :smiling_imp:

its not just our parliament mate. south of the border will be hit with the same thing. we got it earlier than you, thats all :imp:

54

Just back from a couple of weeks working in Scotland, during which time I managed to visit some pubs on a few occaisions! :wink:

I’ve got to say - well done Scotland!! I have never enjoyed being in the pub as much and it all due to the smoke-free atmosphere; when that law kicks in here I can see me being in the pub a lot more that my current ‘couple of times per year’ that it is now.

I asked a couple of the landlords if it had affected their business and seven of them said not at all, if anything more people used the bar now. One of the landlords said the smoking ban had had a negative effect on his business but that was the real ‘old mans’ type of pub and to be honest, not such a nice place anyway.

Best bit = sat in the ‘Hole in t’a wall’ (or similar?) in Dumfries, two big TV’s, cup final day (one game on each TV), both good games, having a few ‘sociables’ and smoke free!! Excellent.

55

I wonder what roadhog would say if hed passed me once or twice (frying pan on one ring kettle on the other & a Hamlet in me gob) Oh the good ole days

56

Spardo:

scanny77:
[ the effect of having a ■■■ at the wheel actually improves road safety by calming the nerves of the driver.

I think the fact that there are HGV drivers out there who need the assistance of drugs to stay calm is only marginally less worrying than getting cancer through secondary smoking :open_mouth: :wink: :laughing: :laughing:

you are living in the wrong country to worry about secondary smoking Spardo :confused: :confused:

57

greek:
[you are living in the wrong country to worry about secondary smoking Spardo :confused: :confused:

Yes, but you would be surprised at how many French people have given up the weed. Unfortunately one, who lives in the same house as me, has not and seems to be hell bent on the race to see which of us she can kill first :open_mouth: :open_mouth: :cry:

She even lights up in the car for a 2 minute journey to the shops. Now there’s dedication for you :smiling_imp:

58

OK, so no smoking in the work place but it is perfectly alright for a cod head deputy Prime Minister to shag his secretary in a public office. I think the law makers have more to worry about than wheelnut and his woodbines :stuck_out_tongue:

59

Wheel Nut:
a cod head deputy Prime Minister

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

60

For my sins I often find myself pulling for Tesco’s, where they have a total ban on smoking…

If anyone ever said anything to me I’d be very happy not to drive for them again
:laughing:

Nobody cares or takes any notice about these silly laws and that’s how it’s going to be…