Jan 02 2008
Smoking Ban
The Australian state of Tasmania is introducing a new law, which bans anyone from smoking inside a car where children are present.
Sounds like a good idea in theory but is it really going to do anything to save children. Is it possible this will cause more deaths from car crashes than from saving children’s lives by avoiding second hand smoking?
A crash may occur as the smoker sees a police car and panics as he or she try to hide their cigarette. Or panic as they desperately try to put it out and clear the smoke.
Or alternatively on longer road trips the driver may find a cigarette perks them up, similar to a cup of coffee. We all know happens when you fall a sleep on the high way.
I am not suggesting it is a good thing to smoke in a car with children and it is not something I would do, but people are free to make their own choices whether good or bad.
If it is a law to protect the children, then I am a little confused, the worst damage that can be done to a child is to smoke when you are pregnant. I am not aware of any laws banning that so what are they really hoping to achieve with this law.
Yes but you have to protect the children who can’t protect themselves. That is why this law is required.
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I agree that the children can’t protect themselves in their parents car. But they cant protect themselves in the womb either.
SJ
Good point SJ, no child has ever died of second hand smoke that I am aware of. Having medical knowledge gleaned only from House and a few episodes of ER, is it possible for kids to get adicted to the smoke and possibly become a greater risk of taking it up full time when they are older?
I dont understand how smoking really differs from other major addictive drugs – other than it kills you much slower? Its addictive, it can harm/kill you, and it makes you feel good. But then so is alcohol so I dont like my train of thought and will stop there.
Pretty soon you will only be able to smoke 300km from the nearest person anyway so I dont see it lasting much longer in civilised countries like Australia.
The other thing is that although we are all free, you cant always trust people to do whats right and when your decisions affect the health of other people, then you need laws and police to make them behave. I dhave always wondered why we makes cars possible of 220km/hr but then limit their speed to 100 with sign posts. Even making cars that wont go over 120kmhr is better than nothing, this atleast gives you a bit more if you need to overtake and will eliminate all highspeed car chases and crazy idiot drivers. But I digress.
My 2 cents…..I’m Darren Hinch.
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Another country has tried the speed limited car already. It was Nazi Germany and the car was the humble Volkswagen. It wasn’t electronically speed controlled, it was air speed controlled. It wouldn’t go to fast because the piddly little engine couldn’t push past the air resistance. Your not trying to start the Fourth Reich are you…..?
SJ
What really takes the cake is putting drugs to quit smoking on the PBS…..tax payers (ie Me!) funding dirty bevan smokers to quit……..why shouldn’t they pay?
The quicker they die the better….. less smoking dole bludgers equal less welfare…harsh but true.
I’m tired of paying for other peoples stupidity……i don’t ask tax payers to fund my hangover cures or my weight loss program.
I’m tired of people not taking responsibility for their own actions!!!
Happy New Year bludgers!!!
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Thank you Tiger, always ready with a Capitalist point of view. I particularly enjoyed the “The quicker they die the better” comment. You are indeed and humanitarian. Are you by any chance related to Andrew Bolt?
SJ
What weight loss program Tiger? I would be asking for a refund!
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You sure you just don’t want their number there Reeeegitz?
SJ
Shirvo,
It only takes a few hours to get from the top of Tasmania to the bottom of it, If you are really keen you could do a lap of it in one day. Makes me wonder if you cannot go with out a cig for that long, how do smokers cope with sleeping? And yes I am a smoker but not a dole bludging one. What irks me is this sentiment that smokers are a burden on society yet the smokers pay a lot more in tax than do non smokers and we are treated as outcasts for doing something that is totally within the law. If anyone is to blame for this it would be the governments who allow smoking to be legal and collect the tax from these products then treat us as though we are the scum of the earth. Next thing will be banning obese people from getting medical attention when they suffer heart attacks, maybe the government should pass a law requiring people to pass an intelegence test before they are allowed to breed thus elimnating the so called welfare state (which just happens to be 4% of the population from the great leadership and policies set by little Johnny). That was a little rant and all over the shop, so I will get of my soap box now. PS If you are caught having a smoke in the car with the kids onboard, better be ready to cop a $2000 fine for your troubles. And here is the answer to what they are trying to achieve (revenue raising from a small tax base). PSS the health minister down here is a twit IMO.
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Its a soap box-athon. Please don’t suggest that obese people may get banned from medical attention…. 90% of this blogs readership just winced as did the author. I do appreciate you answering the question though. I tend to agree.
SJ
Krusty, I wouldn’t be recommending intelligence testing too quickly if I was you. Part of the test could be spelling the word “intelligence”……in which case you’d fail ……..you smelly-smoke-breath-bevan!!
By the way, I found the humour of Marteen, Tiger & Reeeegitz witty & refreshing!!
Keep it up!!
Never said I would pass the test.
Forgot to say, only one misspelt word out of approx 260 without the aid of spellchecker is not that bad considering I failed english. maybe Shrivo can add a spellchecker just for me?
Iamasmartman, what makes you think I am a bevan? I have no flannie shirts in my collection. So I guess thanks for the insult.
iamasmartman.com…….You truely are a smartman.com and yes SJ, I am a massive fan of natural selection……..soon smoking will die out….it’s great now, I can wear the same shirt to a night club two nights in a row…..viva la ban..
P.S…..krusty….you stink!!! quit and be free from the massive taxes you pay…….just don’t expect me to pay for your drugs!
PPS….smoking when you are drunk doesn’t count! lukcy for me!
Here is a thought, If they ban smoking, they should also ban alcohol as well. they should even go as far as not admitting anyone into hospital who is injured/inflicted as a result of alcohol.
Oh I forgot, we live in a society that supposedly helps one and all. So welcome to society everyone.
phew stinky alcohol breath yuk. glad I gave it away years ago.
Tiger, smoking won’t die out, kids are taking up smoking all the time. It is just passed on from generation to generation. I agree with Krusty though, I think the smokers do pay their way with all of the cigerette taxes etc.
I don’t think we need to drop down to petty name calling either, do we guys?
Ban grog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SJ shut this thread down as moderator I demand it!!! It IS out of hand……
Rob B……are you one of those guys that that throws in comments from the sideline of the cab rank to settle everyone down or can you actually stink?
mmmm fights at cab ranks. I wonder if alcohol was involved?
Too many smokes!
In the name of full disclosure, I should point out that my wife is the fulltime worker in our family, she is also a smoker and this is the part that will really bite, she works for the Australian Government. What does this all mean? Your taxes pay for us to smoke cigarettes. lol
I support The Tiger in his drive to have the prohibitionists shut down from this website unless they smarten up!! (All opinions are welcome….except those that criticise alcohol !!)
Without alcohol;
1. The opposite sex would not be attracted to me &
2. I would have been unable to stomach making love to some of the creatures that I have been pleasured by in my time.
PS: Krusty, you seem like a nice guy but I subscribe to the theory that not all Bevans’s are smokers but all regular smokers are Bevans (to some degree) ….. otherwise they wouldn’t smoke!! It’s bevanie!! Quit NOW!!
OK, I should clear the air, I am not a prohibitionist I am far from it, I think what I am trying to say is just because you don’t like something does not mean it should be banned, example: if (and I must stress the word IF) I found it totally repugnant to have sexual relations with drunk ugly chicks and that they should be banned from being in public especially on Friday and Saturday nights, then you would be the one complaining about not getting any. How fun would that be for you? Just because I don’t agree with what you do, does not mean I should push my ideals down others throats. That is something that should be left for religious fanatics which is what they do with great zest. So for the record, I am not against drinking as long as it is done responsibly. And I have seen Shirvo on a binge, he would have to be the most well behaved person I have ever seen, he certainly knows how to impress the chicks with a skin full. He is GOLD.
Touche’ Bevan Touche’
I hope to meet this Shirvo character some day. He sounds like a ladykiller!
Marteeen they make cars go 220klms and hour on the dial so i can push it to go that fast. One Co Car many years ago had 220k max on the clock but would max out at 205k’s.
Yes i had the car full of kids , however we were Safe. I wasn’t Smoking.
Rob B its passed generation to generation because the 2 headed freaks smoke in the car. kids see it as normal. “Mum can i have a durrie?”
Who is Shirvo? I know Shirbo.