More butts out windows... (another rant)

Ian, then be more clear in your posts.

Smokers don’t smoke and eat at the same time. So your ‘theory’ is a irrelevant.

Police do have the power to issue an on-the-spot “Littering Offence” notice, which carries a $60 fine.

It is annoying how often people throw rubbish out of their cars, including cigarette butts. Sadly, this rarely happens when Police cars are parked next to them! Suprise, suprise…

http://www.epa.vic.gov.au allows Victorian residents to report people they see littering, but I am unsure of a similar service in the ACT.

Very few people actually live their lives obeying every law to the letter. We get away with it because there are not police or pseudo- police on every corner or following us in cars or simply walking down the street in plain clothes. I like that sort of free society even if it does enable serious crimes to go undetected. There are plenty of opportunities to join the force.

Nyssa @ #14 – of course its not all smokers, but I’d suggest its at least a non-trivial minority.

Re the food wrappers, etc – I’s suggest also those people and the smokers throwing butts out of the car have a lot of members in common.

Thumper is right 🙂

IIRC both Police officers and City Rangers were able to issue on the spot fines for throwing butts out the window. Not sure if that’s still the case.

Also with the kids, they often don’t want to use the ashtray for fear of their parents finding out they’re smoking.

Crappy reason yes, but bear it in mind.

True. Look at all teh people using their mobiles while driving. Still, it’ll be a bit more obvious adn public than the quick flick out the window.

ant said :

If they end up banning smoking in cars, we’ll see a LOT less butts on the roadsides. One reason to do it.

Dunno ant, if they don’t care about one law why do you think they’ll care about another?

I’m, not sure the police do have more important things to do, GB.

Weren’t they running a campaign in past years asking people that had witnessed anybody throwing butts out their windows to provide the police with the plate, time and location? I’d make sure action is taken and keep calling them to follow it up. If you don’t get any joy, write to Corbell’s office. As the Head of law and order in the ACT, as well as Emergency Services, he might just have some interest.

As I said in a related thread recently, some idiot woman (NOTE: I am not saying all women are idiots – just this one particular) once threw her still lit butt at the feet of myself and my kids while were waiting to cross the car park outside the Tuggeranong pool. I picked up the butt and thew it back in her car while she was getting out. She then had the nerve to have a go at me. People can hardly complain if you’re simply returning something they ‘inadvertantly’ dropped, can they?!

If they end up banning smoking in cars, we’ll see a LOT less butts on the roadsides. One reason to do it.

Smoking and being a pig must be highly correlated. Still what do you expect – if they’re happy to blow second hand smoke into everyone else’s space, chucking their leftovers all over the road just comes naturally to them.

FFS, talk about making one hell of a generalisation…..

Seriously Ian, do you believe that ALL smokers do that?

Ignorant people throw food wrappers, drink bottles etc out of cars as well. Are they all smokers?

[calmer now] YDN 48W. Rated on “Rate My Plate”. …and surprisingly, no Frangipanis!

Will get a phone with video and camera if “boss” allows, and have it at ready access 😉

I have thought in the past about mounting the video camera in the car… hmmm… that woulda made a nice YouTube clip LOL (especially their protestations; “My dad’s in Emergency Services…”). Apparently that makes your daughter immune to starting fires with cigarette butts.

I’m glad there seems to be consensus about butt chuckers (and I accept that I am a whinger).

@ Gassed: I drive a Holden (but I had the “fear of God” put into my driving sense by a couple of speeding fines in one weekend, back when I was 20 – I now drive like a granny [apologies *to* Granny])

Isn’t there a direct correlation between butts thrown from cars and bushfires? I’m sure I read or heard or both that a high percentage of bushfires are caused by smouldering cigarette butts thrown from cars.

Smoking and being a pig must be highly correlated. Still what do you expect – if they’re happy to blow second hand smoke into everyone else’s space, chucking their leftovers all over the road just comes naturally to them.

I agree with the majority here and my thoughts are that RA should start a name and shame segment with photos of people flicking butts or of people not in cars and just dropping them on the pavement. I think non-smokers have the right to fart in the face of these people or throw a rotten egg at the window of a car that litters. It is only fair.

http://www.ratetheplate.com.au/

Don’t forget rate the plate!!!

Maybe slightly OT.

Some years ago, as a filthy, disgusting, wife beating, kiddy fiddling smoker, I bought a VT Holden at the Govvy auctions. (I’ve been clean for some years).

Obviously, a politically correct decision had been made that NO Govvy vehicles could contain an ashtray, as that only encouraged the filth.

Not being the sort of person who could throw butts out the window, I enquired at the local Holden dealership about buying an ashtray. I was given a strange look, and the fellow serving disappeared round the back,where I could hear a discussion take place.

He returned, with a box containing not only an ashtray, but a kit , with installation instructions, to fit the ashtray, with inbuilt lighter and illumination, to a spot in front of the gearlever.

On enquiring about the price, another strange look, another discussion round the back, and a request to pay them 5 cents!

My guess is that this was the smallest unit of currency they could ask, without giving the thing away.

Most people have a mobile phone these days.

Most mobile phones have a camera.

Your post would have looked much better on here with a nice picture of their car and rego plate.

Gawd canberra really is full of whingers 🙁
I wish the amount of idoit young people in cars, espically it seems holdens were taken car of.

Disgusting girls!

I’m a smoker and it bugs me no end that people throw their butts out windows, on the ground etc etc.

It is not that hard, cars have ash trays, butt containers can be purchased for around a dollar and places like Civic have bins.

Effin lazy pigs.

Last year I worked on road construction in ACT and the only thing rating higher than smoke butts being flicked out car windows was the amount of people who stop then start picking their noses.

I was amazed with the dangers being so high how many people continue to do it (flicking smoke butts that is)
I guess they weren’t the ones losing houses/family etc in the last fires.

i’ve seen so many people throw butts out the windows in the last few weeks – absolutely disgraceful!