One for Nigel...

lol, you wouldn't want the actual legal one.

That was "decoded" for us by one of the chaps from TA.

A lot of this driving stuff is absolute tosh, and an attempt by a poor government to grab headlines and be seen to doing something to try and reduce deaths on the road, whilst they wont actually do whats needed as it will lose votes.

In general I dissagree with much of the recent legislation, including the mobile phone one, and I can give you examples where recieving or making a call on my mobile is as good as a break.

Whenever you pick on a particular activity, smoking, mobile phones, eating, drinking (all of which as a so called advanced driver I have done / still do) you are failing to look at the overall picture.

Just as a small soundbite, I think your attitude towards driving will make up a lot of the skill needed to be so called "advanced"

It's all gone a bit mad! I think smoking in a car can be just as dangerous as using a mobile. I have watched people light up whilst driving and using one hand to hold the cigarette and go all cross eyed while trying to light it for a period of 1-2 seconds which at about 30 mph is enough to have travelled about 15 metres.

Also, my mother in law has had several incidents while driving she has dropped her cigarette or the cherry off the end then literally had her head down in the footwell trying to stop it setting fire to the car while still driving!

I know smokers aren't all numbskulls but in a lot of cases, it can add to the danger of driving.

I wonder how many accidents have been caused by someone not concentrating due to a cigarette related incident? (and of course not writen on the accident claim form!)

I'm not picking on smokers because it doesn't make you a bad person, just a smelly one lol! but as previously mentioned, if eating an apple is a penalty offence, then smoking is much worse surely?

Mike

It seems you have all missed or forgotten to mention the whole reason for all these new laws regarding smoking . it is NOT about our wellbeing or antisocial behaviour (smoking) towards others . it is simply going to be another way of making money ! just like speed cameras . there willl be fines for people caught lighting up in prohibited places , hence the recruitment of enforcement officers .

 As someone that works in the car audio industry i can honestly say the increase in mobile phone handsfree car kits due to the new law coming into enforcement very soon has pretty much garunteed the healthiest bank balance we have had in almost 5 years so, many thanks to the overpaid overweight government bods , i owe you all a drink .

 someone allways makes money out of these government scams

 "stands back , dons flame suit and waits for it"