18 October 2011

Phillip grass fire started by filthy smoker

| johnboy
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ACT Fire Brigade has extinguished a small grass fire on Yamba Drive, Phillip, near the Athletic Field.

Estimated size of small grass fire 20 metres x 10 metres.

Cause of fire was from a discarded cigarette butt.

An Emergency Triple Zero (000) call was made at 1.02pm by a passer-by whose quick actions allowed the ACT Fire Brigade to extinguish the small grass fire before it grew in size.

ACT Fire Brigade would like to remind the community to fully extinguish cigarette butts and discard in a proper manner.

1:45pm Tuesday 18 October 2011

[Courtesy ESA]

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New cars not having ash trays as standard is no excuse at all. Back when I was a smoker (or ‘filthy smoker’), and smoked in the car, I’d keep an old drink container in the cup holder. Fill it half with water, drop butts into it, and put the lid straight back on. Bit of a shake, the butt was straight out, and I’d never have stale butt stench fouling out the car.

And yes…I realise that the car probably stunk of smoke anyway, but the smell from old butts sitting in an ash tray is just something else. Fortunately, not something I’ve had to worry about for years now.

Henry82 said :

eily said :

But what else are they supposed to do with their butts when a lot of modern cars no longer have ashtrays.

So you’re saying you’d rather risk burning down someone’s house, than keep a butt to yourself?

Plenty of options

* ash tray car kit
* butt box free from govt
* pvc pipe (with endcap) in car (you can pour out butts when you go to a petrol station
* not smoke in your car

eily said :

Far to difficult to remember to carry something to put their butts in.

Leave it in your car?

eily said :

And oh so disgusting.

Oh, the irony of a smoker saying cigarettes are disgusting.

I’m not a smoker and never have been. And I’ve been there when our horse paddock went up from a fire caused by a filthy smoker’s butt.

But I’ve been around long enough to see that some smoker’s are an inconsiderate bunch of gits.

I get quite annoyed by drivers who throw cigarette butts out the window. Especially when I’m on the motorbike. I found myself wanting to pull up next to one of those filthy clowns last week and punch his mirror off with my armoured glove.

I didn’t, but damn I wanted to. Dirty a***hole.

p1 said :

Classified said :

I see people flick butts out of car windows almost every time I drive. I even confronted a guy about it once, but realistically what can be done?

I’ve had a few people even toss them out the windows of cars when I am behind them on a motorcycle. I usually honk to politely remind them that it is bad (whether in car or on bike), but the time that a glowing butt nearly came in the front of my helmet, I used universal hand gestures to signal to the driver what I thought. That had that blank look on their face that just tells you they don’t get it.

Do what one bloke did and pick it up and throw it back in his window!!

eily said :

But what else are they supposed to do with their butts when a lot of modern cars no longer have ashtrays.

So you’re saying you’d rather risk burning down someone’s house, than keep a butt to yourself?

Plenty of options

* ash tray car kit
* butt box free from govt
* pvc pipe (with endcap) in car (you can pour out butts when you go to a petrol station
* not smoke in your car

eily said :

Far to difficult to remember to carry something to put their butts in.

Leave it in your car?

eily said :

And oh so disgusting.

Oh, the irony of a smoker saying cigarettes are disgusting.

eily said :

But what else are they supposed to do with their butts when a lot of modern cars no longer have ashtrays.

Not to mention the removal of ashtrays from public places around our city, and new laws prohibiting smokers from having a cigarette near a building or eatting/drinking area.. I have no doubt that the removal of ashtrays will play a role in more fires in public areas this year… but thats okay, at least the people having a coffee now only have to deal with pollution from cars, trucks, construction, etc, but the burning butts are now away from buildings and pushed towards grassland/parkland areas.

To throw another spanner in the works, those smokers who would try to do the right thing with things like e-cigarettes, are prohibited from using that technique by law too.. forcing them to use single-use cigarettes/butts.

MightyJoe said :

jeez mate, ‘filthy smoker’ thats a bit harsh!

LOL, that cat’s got claws! He has a point though, smoking is a pretty bad habit. Up there with nose picking and masturbation in public toilets.

johnboy said :

I’m not saying all smokers are filthy, I’m saying this one is.

Oh man you back peddled!

eily said :

But what else are they supposed to do with their butts when a lot of modern cars no longer have ashtrays. Far to difficult to remember to carry something to put their butts in. And oh so disgusting.

And even with the cars that still do have ashtrays, how many of smokers don’t use them because it dirties their car. And they have to empty said ashtrays; usually while sitting at traffic lights.

Many cars oofer the option of a smoker’s pack, which includes cigarette lighter (where often there’s just a power outlet) and portable ashtray.

If smokers think that having butts in their cars in disgusting, maybe they should take a look at themselves.

But what else are they supposed to do with their butts when a lot of modern cars no longer have ashtrays. Far to difficult to remember to carry something to put their butts in. And oh so disgusting.

And even with the cars that still do have ashtrays, how many of smokers don’t use them because it dirties their car. And they have to empty said ashtrays; usually while sitting at traffic lights.

I’ve been in a car with my brother and he has done the same thing! I had a go at him and he just shrugged. No getting through to them. The only way would be getting caught and fined.

flick butts…car windows….snigger. I was once tailgated, high beam flashed, mad swerving by a kind elderly lady who thought I was hanging my ciggie out the window. I pulled over as I thought there might be a problem. After she berated me she saw that I was holding a plastic straw and apologised (sort of). No harm done but it just reminded me to be careful – when I scream at people I should make sure I have a good reason or wait till I’m really old and then people kind of expect it.

Classified said :

I see people flick butts out of car windows almost every time I drive. I even confronted a guy about it once, but realistically what can be done?

I’ve had a few people even toss them out the windows of cars when I am behind them on a motorcycle. I usually honk to politely remind them that it is bad (whether in car or on bike), but the time that a glowing butt nearly came in the front of my helmet, I used universal hand gestures to signal to the driver what I thought. That had that blank look on their face that just tells you they don’t get it.

johnboy said :

I’m not saying all smokers are filthy, I’m saying this one is.

Not sure whose ‘butt’ you’re trying to save, but when you’re talking about a smoker the word “filthy” is redundant.

The Wallaroo Brigade area (to the North West of the ACT) has seen more grass fires in the last couple of months then it did over the last summer. It might only be the end of winter, but there is a *lot* of grass around, and it only takes a couple of days of sunshine and the top will burn wonderfully (even if it is very soft underneath….) 🙁

EvanJames said :

MightyJoe said :

jeez mate, ‘filthy smoker’ thats a bit harsh!

Yes, you’re right. Criminal Smoker would be more accurate.

Although Criminal Smoker is accurate, I think ‘filthy smoker’ probably sums it up pretty well.

I see people flick butts out of car windows almost every time I drive. I even confronted a guy about it once, but realistically what can be done? Walk around any town centres in Canberra and there’s butts on the ground. I just don’t see how it can only be a minority, despite the prostests of all the smokers who apparently do the Right Thing.

MightyJoe said :

jeez mate, ‘filthy smoker’ thats a bit harsh!

Yes, you’re right. Criminal Smoker would be more accurate.

There was a smallgrass fire yesterday afternoon not too far from there along side the bike path that runs parallel to Athlon Drive south of Hindmarsh. Could we have a firebug on our hands?

MonarchRepublic2:34 pm 18 Oct 11

….willfully criminal smoker?

I’m not saying all smokers are filthy, I’m saying this one is.

i know how they prob did it, but to tar (pun not intended) with one brush isn’t exactly fair.

i am a smoker, and can honestly say I don’t throw it out of my car. heck I don’t even smoke in my car.

luther_bendross2:23 pm 18 Oct 11

MightyJoe said :

jeez mate, ‘filthy smoker’ thats a bit harsh!

Fits the bill me thinks. Picture the same location, time and idiot in mid-January when it’s 38 degrees, dry and there’s a bit of wind about. Smokers would probably account for a disproportionate amount of fires, so I think ‘filthy’ is quite a kind adjective.

You think they slipped as they went to put that butt in the bin?

jeez mate, ‘filthy smoker’ thats a bit harsh!

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