So on the way to work on Wednesday morning, the Monaro was at a bit of a crawl. I noticed not one, not two, but three people throwing their cigarette butts out of their car windows during this journey (two people from the same car). The ACT is a tinder-box – I can’t fathom how people think it is okay to throw lit butts into the grass on the side of the road under any circumstance – but especially when everything is so dry. But that’s okay – used my trusty camera to take photos of their rego plates (when the traffic was completely stopped of course) and I will be reporting them to the police. They will cop a fine, and will have to pay the said fine, or I will be very happy to testify to their transgressions in court. I will feel much better about the world.
If you see people littering, please – take down their rego, time and place of the offence and report them. You’ll feel so much better.
I would hope that tossing a cigarette butt out of a car during the fire season is made a criminal offence. I certainly plan to report any !@#$er I spot. And I would add that tossers should be taken out into the field and made to work, rebuild, and euthanise all the stock and wildlife that can’t be saved after a fire.
Yay! One of my all-time pet hates. Good on you, I will start to do likewise.
Good work. On a similar note, is smoking in cars with children illegal yet? I saw one such parenting fail this morning with a woman smoking like a chimney with a car full of kids.
A couple of days after the worst of January 03 fires I was sent home as my suburb was on high alert. While I was out checking on our garden and roof gutters I noticed a guy drive past our corner block and throw out a ciggy but on to our verge, which was/still is a large native garden.
That guy took out the trifecta that day – stupid, ignorant and selfish!
Not sure I would have felt much better if I took down his details and ran off to the coppers, mind, but that’s just me. A few expletives yelled in his direction seemed to do the trick.
What is just as bad is when these morons throw their butts out just as a motor bike goes past. Getting a flaming butt (I know, there’s a joke there somewhere) under the visor or through the open-face is no joke.
Fkn morons.
Ah, Deezagood I love you. There’s no way I have the time or energy to do the same but when I see it I wish I did. It is very generous and community minded of you to go to the effort.
Where does this kind of community policing stop? I confess I don’t mind being cheeky. Sometimes I stop where it says ‘no stopping’. I also let off fireworks… only the pretty ones that go sparkly fizz, not ‘bang’, but it’s my little act of rebellion against our new found wowserism. So, while on the one hand I say I love you, on the other I wonder if there’s someone to dob me in too?
Anyway, that’s a bit aside. The point is we should all do something to raise awareness about butts.
Aaaah AstralPlane – I really am no wowser and profess to also being a bit ‘civilly disobedient’ at times (especially when parking); but people who throw their crap out of car windows (like the glass bottles that cut up my dog’s feet and butts in the middle of a drought) send me over the edge.
Butts in the rain are okay?
Oh deezagood, sounds like a double standard to me.
I wonder what will happen when the people you accused of littering get back at you by accusing you of say ‘driving in a manner meant to intimidate me’, or that you ‘threatened them with assault’.
Most people think the best way to deal with a vexatious litigant is to return the favour, so be careful. You never know how spiteful random people can be. The wise man would just it go (in my humble opinion).
Makes me mad also. If I see these actions, I tend to give them the horn or highbeam them.
Good on you deezagood!
I’ve just bought a pair of motorcross type motorbike boots, they have steel tips on the front edges of the sole.
The next person who throws a butt out of the window when I am riding behind them, which happens so fecking often, I will follow until they stop, and kick their lights out.
farq said :
And not to forget the old favourite, “I said, you said” rule.
“What’s that you say, you have a photo?
Please show me on the photo the errant butt is?
Also please inform me of when you asked for my permission to photograph either myself or property?”
This does open a big can of worms, even for someone little legal knowledge, like myself.
Also please inform me of when you asked for my permission to photograph either myself or property?
It’s my understanding that anyone can take your picture in a public place for whatever purpose and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. You have no explicit right to privacy when you’re out and about.
@ #12 Generally speaking, it’s okay to take photos in a public place without asking permission.
As for proving this person threw a butt without another witness…difficult.
was driving on the GDE about 11.45am yesterday mitchell bound near kaleen and there was a grass fire on the left being hosed down by a couple of cement trucks and guys beating flames with jackets – looked very much like a fag butt fire – firies there soon after and sorted but coming backthet way maybe 15 minutes later mitchell bound traffic was halted for about a km. People who fling burning butts need a hefty penalty – $10000 etc given recent fire histories imho.
http://www.nobutts.com.au/act.html
You just fill in a form, fax it off to the rangers and you can choose to remain anonomous if you so desire. Maybe anonomous (and not prepared to testify in court) is the safer option for those folks who may be worried about repercussions? Photos not necessary.
Holden Caulfield said :
No, littering is not okay ever … but ‘butts in the rain’ are less likely to start bushfires that may destroy property, ruin lives, and/or kill/injure people and animals.
Holden Caulfield said :
Not are butts in the rain ok, they are alot of fun.
Are we still talking about smoking ?
IMO people who toss butts out their window (or on the street, or generally fail to fully extinguish a butt when finished regardless of location) should be charged with attempted manslaughter, especially in the high fire danger seasons.
Perhaps smoking degrades the brain power?
Medibank Tuggers main office has a real antismoking by staff stance. They cannot ban it entirely, but the main option for smokers is to stand out front on the footpath.
To try and keep the area a bit neat, maagement provided a bin for the butts. To no avail. Inconsiderate individuals seemed to delight in throwing the butts anywhere but in the bin. A couple of weeks ago, someones butt succeeded in setting fire to a 2 metre high bush in the garden, causing major damage requiring its removal.
Enough to make you give up smoking than be associated with these geese.
That should of course be Medicare. An editing allowance would be great.
Dirty smokers. It’s not just a few of them either, it’s lots.
Often wondered why people insist on smoking but don’t seem to like the concept of a butt in their car.
Ahhh vigilante justice, the best kind right?
I’m thinking of getting some stickers printed, “Bushfires are FUN!!” , and attaching them to cars whose drivers are knucklehead butt flickers. Chances are that vehement members of the public might set fire to their car. Warped, perhaps, but the fantasy gives much pleasure.
deezagood said :
One little factoid taken from the site:
Postalgeek said :
I don’t think fines cut it. There’s nothing accidental about discarding a lit cigarette during high fire danger, and the action deserves jail time. Driving a truck and running over two people, ploughing through 50 homes, and running down 1000 animals, would probably garner more than an on-the-spot fine.
I can’t wait for the new stronger anti-smoking ban to be in… I’ve got a medical ‘thing’ at the moment that makes being near cigarette smoke more dangerous than usual, so I’ve paid a lot more attention to how many smokers are out and about.
I can’t believe how many inconsiderate smokers are out there, crowding around entries/exits, or ruining a perfectly good outside meal!
The Police dont actually do anything about this when you ring up, unless you want to take it all the way, make statements, go to court etc, I have tried this way. I wrote to the then Minister for Parks & Territories, Hargreaves, about what on the spot fines can be introduced, same as Victoria has up and running for ciggie tossers (fire bugs). The responce I got from him was that his Department does not deal with the issue, even though the Rangers had been taking calls from me for 12 months prior to me writing.Whenever I called the Rangers Office, they advised me that any calls they recieved were followed up with TAMS for rego details then a call to the owner of vehicle. Funny that the in-correct responce I got from the Minister back then, was emailed (most likely written too) by his then advisor, Andrew Barr. At least they said they would follow up on the matter with the Police, but they never did, and the issue still stands. Nobody wants to take responsability!
Holden Caulfield said :
You dont seriously think that ciggie tossers stop to think, “oh its raining so I can toss now, and oh its a heat wave, better not”, no I don’t think so either!
deezagood said :
Great form and link Deeza. I wonder if the ACT Govt. website is as pro active as this linked one?
Ceej1973 said :
Um, There is a thing called “positive proof” of an offense committed. Other wise every Tom, Dick or Harry could dob in any Jim, George or Jimmy for any thing they like. Taking photos of rego plates doesn’t prove a thing, Complaining about the ‘Unknown’ butt thrower isn’t proof of anything. You would have to catch the person in the act with proof. And be able to identify that person. Not necessarily the driver or owner of the said vehicle from which the cigarette butt was thrown from.
remmi2 said :
“Highbeaming” could land you a hefty fine and lose of points if caught.
i say people who park illegally near crossings should be charged with attempted murder then handed over to the mob.
the bastards…
Comment #31, spot on. One statement saying a person threw a butt out of YAB123 means nothing, unless the offender confesses (yeah right) or there is at least one corroborating statement.
Enny said :
Sit inside then.
As a smoker who is responsible about their butts, it annoys me too see the anti-smoking brigade so willing to burn down the house to fix a broken window, or to put it another way, so willing to lynch someone because they were seen near the “crime”.
I checked that form that was linked though, and it clearly states:
YOU MUST BE WILLING TO ATTEND COURT IF REQUIRED
I declare that I am willing to attend court, and that this declaration is true and correct.
Thank goodness the law hasn’t lost its common sense at least. One aspect that is often ignored though, is that in the wake of the post September 11 security paranoia, a LOT of rubbish bins and even butt receptacles were REMOVED from public spaces due to fears someone might plant a bomb in one. In many public places these days finding somewhere to put your butt out, even if you are willing to walk a way to find a bin as I am, can be tough. I carry mine with me instead, but its an impact not thought about.
Now yes I know, this article in particular is about butts out of cars, where you could but it out inside the car in the ashtray, which is obviously just lazy and not acceptable by any means, however the comments following come from a more general perspective of “all smokers are evil doers and actively seek to leave their butts where they can cause a fire at all opportunities” type of mentality, so I thought I would point it out and the fact that some of us are responsible with our butts.
You should know by now, Mordd, that RA contributors consider that child molesters, cyclists and smokers are somewhat on the same plane, and that these lowlifes are about the only classes (significantly) rated above the Stanhope govt.
Where else can we have such a satisfying whinge about about our favourite hates?
Rawhide Kid No 2 said :
You mean like speed cameras
Just to clarify – I am not part of the anti-smoking brigade. I loved smoking – I haven’t had one for about a year, but up until 12 months ago, I was a regular ‘only smoke when drinking’ person who enjoyed the very occasional cigarette. I had to stop smoking a year ago, because my part-time occasional ciggie gradually turned into a ‘I have to have one every day’ addiction, and I refuse to be addicted to anything. So I stopped – but I really miss it. I am not judging smokers – I am judging people who throw their live butts out of car windows.
@#38. Big difference. Have a think about it.
This is not directed at you deezagood but I do find sometimes the worst non-smokers are the ex-smokers, who vindictively attack any smokers to try and make themselves feel better about quitting.
Stoopid people throw ciggies out of car windows, but what level of parenting makes people think they can do this?
…in the carpark between Anzac Park West and the great CIT carpark…
Have to agree with you with Mordd.
Anna Key said :
Different legislation.
deezagood said :
From the nobutts.com.au website:
“Australian Capital Territory:
Currently there is no web link available to report Tossers in the ACT, however reports can be lodged via fax or snail mail.”
What kind of century is the ACT living in that they can’t figure out how to provide people with a weblink to report this stuff? Fax, my fat aunt!! Somebody should help the ACT City Rangers figure out how to crawl out of the last millenium.
I gotta agree ith you Granny – get online peoples!
Rawhide Kid No 2 said :
yes I know, but I wonder about the comparison between you/me taking a photo of a car where the driver is committing an offence and a speed/red light camera taking a photo. And sorry Tooks, I do think about it, that’s what makes be a sentient being, and hence my comment. but if it will make you happy,I will never question any law enforcement legislation again (even those I have drafted myself).
Okay – enough already. The rego photos were just taken to get the plates down – quicker and easier than finding a pen and piece of paper. So many people have camera phones now, so this might be a quick way for them to record plates too. The legalities or otherwise of the photo are not relevant in this case.
Anna Key said :
Grow up and don’t take comments on the internet so personally. I don’t have a problem (who cares if I did anyway?) about you questioning law enforcement, I just thought the question was silly.
There’s a world of difference between a certified instrument recording a person’s speed and taking a photo, to Joe Schmoe taking a pic *after* the offence has occurred.
Tooks said :
And ditto your response.