smoking and driving

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

chilistrucker:

newmercman:
Oh FFS, get a life.

What is wrong with people today? Can’t do this, can’t do that, need a Hi-vis to do that, a hard hat to go here, steel toe caps to go there. :open_mouth:

Shocking, ‘that drivers not safe he is smoking’ what a load of bollox, what about picking your nose or scratching your arse, I suppose that’s next on the list :unamused:

You people should [zb] off back to your sad little lives & start writing strong letters to the Editor of the Guardian.

Sorry Mike C, but I probably need to go back & get stronger pills, my [zb] tolerance has gone back to it’s old level :imp:

thankyou!!!
i thought it was just me for a mo.
i agree, with the phone business, costs lives.
as for ■■■■, i’m not so sure.
managed too do 15 years of this lark, without having a ■■■ related crash, so i’ll take my chances for now.

so the cb, is " technically" legal, but smoking is not, what a load of old tosh.
surely a cb has too be far more distracting?
what next, illegal too check your mirrors, because it distracts you of your forward vision and concentration.
this poxy country has gone crazy with some of its rules and regulations.

blimey, next u’ll be telling me, politicians are honest, and we should take financial advice from bankers.

bloody hell, whty not combine the two, and 1 could take 2 grand out of your wages, lend it too his mate the banker, too lend too yet another banker, too give back too you, in the form of a loan, and charge you interest for the honour of borrowing your own money :unamused:

good job we live in “great” britain, where this sort of underhand dealing, wouldn’t be allowed.

oh, it has.
oops :smiley:

To be honest, and I’ve got my tin hat well and truly on here. I don’t even agree with the mobile phone bit, I like a lot of others on here I suppose, used one for years, and it’s just like smoking. I don’t smoke now, but when I did, I could open a ■■■ packet, get my tab out, light it and smoke it, in the dark. Without taking my eyes off the road. It is far easier, to pick up the phone, speed dial your mate, and have a few minutes natter, than it is to smoke. In my driving experience, I have never had anything even approaching an accident, smoking or talking on the phone. The most dangerous things, again IMO, are the unexpected things. A bait box or paperwork sliding across the cab, a wasp bouncing off your mirror and landing on your lap, a pretty girl in a shrt skirt, all of these things are more dangerous than either smoking, eating or talking on a phone.

But

The most dangerous things about driving a modern artic are still, for the last time IMO
Boredom, and complacency.

22

renaultman:
The most dangerous things, again IMO, are the unexpected things. A bait box or …

I’ve got to agree, a bait box would totally send me. Infact i’m sure i’d crash if i seen one in my cab!!

23

renaultman:

chilistrucker:

newmercman:
Oh FFS, get a life.

What is wrong with people today? Can’t do this, can’t do that, need a Hi-vis to do that, a hard hat to go here, steel toe caps to go there. :open_mouth:

Shocking, ‘that drivers not safe he is smoking’ what a load of bollox, what about picking your nose or scratching your arse, I suppose that’s next on the list :unamused:

You people should [zb] off back to your sad little lives & start writing strong letters to the Editor of the Guardian.

Sorry Mike C, but I probably need to go back & get stronger pills, my [zb] tolerance has gone back to it’s old level :imp:

thankyou!!!
i thought it was just me for a mo.
i agree, with the phone business, costs lives.
as for ■■■■, i’m not so sure.
managed too do 15 years of this lark, without having a ■■■ related crash, so i’ll take my chances for now.

so the cb, is " technically" legal, but smoking is not, what a load of old tosh.
surely a cb has too be far more distracting?
what next, illegal too check your mirrors, because it distracts you of your forward vision and concentration.
this poxy country has gone crazy with some of its rules and regulations.

blimey, next u’ll be telling me, politicians are honest, and we should take financial advice from bankers.

bloody hell, whty not combine the two, and 1 could take 2 grand out of your wages, lend it too his mate the banker, too lend too yet another banker, too give back too you, in the form of a loan, and charge you interest for the honour of borrowing your own money :unamused:

good job we live in “great” britain, where this sort of underhand dealing, wouldn’t be allowed.

oh, it has.
oops :smiley:

To be honest, and I’ve got my tin hat well and truly on here. I don’t even agree with the mobile phone bit, I like a lot of others on here I suppose, used one for years, and it’s just like smoking. I don’t smoke now, but when I did, I could open a ■■■ packet, get my tab out, light it and smoke it, in the dark. Without taking my eyes off the road. It is far easier, to pick up the phone, speed dial your mate, and have a few minutes natter, than it is to smoke. In my driving experience, I have never had anything even approaching an accident, smoking or talking on the phone. The most dangerous things, again IMO, are the unexpected things. A bait box or paperwork sliding across the cab, a wasp bouncing off your mirror and landing on your lap, a pretty girl in a shrt skirt, all of these things are more dangerous than either smoking, eating or talking on a phone.

But

The most dangerous things about driving a modern artic are still, for the last time IMO
Boredom, and complacency.

Nice comfy cabs and cruise control ,nothing to do with the standard of driving?

24

Suedehead:

renaultman:

chilistrucker:

newmercman:
Oh FFS, get a life.

What is wrong with people today? Can’t do this, can’t do that, need a Hi-vis to do that, a hard hat to go here, steel toe caps to go there. :open_mouth:

Shocking, ‘that drivers not safe he is smoking’ what a load of bollox, what about picking your nose or scratching your arse, I suppose that’s next on the list :unamused:

You people should [zb] off back to your sad little lives & start writing strong letters to the Editor of the Guardian.

Sorry Mike C, but I probably need to go back & get stronger pills, my [zb] tolerance has gone back to it’s old level :imp:

thankyou!!!
i thought it was just me for a mo.
i agree, with the phone business, costs lives.
as for ■■■■, i’m not so sure.
managed too do 15 years of this lark, without having a ■■■ related crash, so i’ll take my chances for now.

so the cb, is " technically" legal, but smoking is not, what a load of old tosh.
surely a cb has too be far more distracting?
what next, illegal too check your mirrors, because it distracts you of your forward vision and concentration.
this poxy country has gone crazy with some of its rules and regulations.

blimey, next u’ll be telling me, politicians are honest, and we should take financial advice from bankers.

bloody hell, whty not combine the two, and 1 could take 2 grand out of your wages, lend it too his mate the banker, too lend too yet another banker, too give back too you, in the form of a loan, and charge you interest for the honour of borrowing your own money :unamused:

good job we live in “great” britain, where this sort of underhand dealing, wouldn’t be allowed.

oh, it has.
oops :smiley:

To be honest, and I’ve got my tin hat well and truly on here. I don’t even agree with the mobile phone bit, I like a lot of others on here I suppose, used one for years, and it’s just like smoking. I don’t smoke now, but when I did, I could open a ■■■ packet, get my tab out, light it and smoke it, in the dark. Without taking my eyes off the road. It is far easier, to pick up the phone, speed dial your mate, and have a few minutes natter, than it is to smoke. In my driving experience, I have never had anything even approaching an accident, smoking or talking on the phone. The most dangerous things, again IMO, are the unexpected things. A bait box or paperwork sliding across the cab, a wasp bouncing off your mirror and landing on your lap, a pretty girl in a shrt skirt, all of these things are more dangerous than either smoking, eating or talking on a phone.

But

The most dangerous things about driving a modern artic are still, for the last time IMO
Boredom, and complacency.

Nice comfy cabs and cruise control ,nothing to do with the standard of driving?

At the end of the day, the driver will always be responsible, he is the Captain of ‘his ship’ In my 20 odd years of driving, it has gone from a job where you had to plan every yard of your journey, No automatic gearboxes, no speed limiters, no cruise control, no climate control, no disc brakes, abs, ebs. etc.
The only thing that may be better, is the amount of traffic, on the road, and maybe (could be the rose tinted glasses thing) a better standard of driving. and less pressure.
To a job, where one of the biggeest problems, is to stay awake and alert! Don’t get me wrong though, I believe this is a massive problem, and trying to get professional drivers to concentrate more, by removing distractions, is I think. Counterproductive.

25

Why is it a problem to stay awake? sorry mate …dont get it.

26

Suedehead:
Why is it a problem to stay awake? sorry mate …dont get it.

You never seen a supermarket wagon, in the middle of a field?
It’s regular occurence, and definitely a problem, and it’s not just being awake. It’s the level of concentration whilst you are awake. I personally think boredom is a major problem in modern trucking. But as I have said all along it’s only my Personal opinion, and I know only to well, some people have a lower boredom threshhold than others.

27

Another argument i made about smoking in a truck was it wasnt the act of smoking which was dangerous, or changing the radio, or taking a drink.

It was when people were searching in their pockets or a bag for ■■■■, cd’s or a drink.

When i go out driving i have my ■■■■ close by so its easy to grab one, same with my drink i usually have two cans or two bottles in the drinks holder.

28

well most smokers know exactly wir thr cigs and light are :laughing: and in my case its light before ive even thought about it :laughing:

29

I usually roll mine whilst driving,usually when im on the phone so I can have a nice relaxing chat and a ■■■ whilst I drive,the fridge is next to me so my refreshments are within reach too,to hide the fact that im smoking whilst driving I find that the curtains pulled halfway across the windows work a treat and the laptop on my dash also partially hides it from anyone looking from the front.,thats if they get chance the speed I move at. :wink: :stuck_out_tongue:

30

what? to telly? :laughing:

31

well i smoke in my cab and will continue to, i am the only driver, i live in the a more than my home!!
When the smoking ban was introduced i phoned my local council and talked to the enforcement officer explained my situation, i.e only driver, long distance away all week with no one else with me, was told that i was outside the law!!
made second call to the local council in the area of where the truck is based and was told virtually the same thing, that officer even said that they would not be interested, as the law is designed to protect other employee’s from passive smoking, and as there is one on with me i cant be exposing anyone, oh and you cant catch cancer from just the smell you have breath in the smoke.

If some jobs worth in the future tries to do me i will challenge it and take it to court, where hopefully common sense will prevail !!!
local council officers are the only people that can issue a penalty for smoking
if anyone tells you any different they are talking out their hat :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

32

I smoke while i’m driving, I use the cb while driving.
You need to use the cb so you know where the coppers are who are going to do you for smokeing and useing the cb while driving. :laughing:

33

:bulb: Quick everone, the answer to the recession is here; buy shares in cotton wool companies, 'cause we’re all going to wrapped head to toe in it soon…
:unamused: :unamused:

34

So you can smoke in the cab if no one else is in there?

I smoke when I drive because it helps. I am reluctant to take on some work due to the so called smoking ban.

Lets say I took a container down to felix from brum and back and I smoked 20 ■■■■. Then ten mins before getting back I sprayed the cab with oust or something, then swept the floor, then wiped the dash and the window ledges would the next chap who is or could be a non smoker tell. More importantly could the manager/supervisor.

Paranoid Chippy. :confused:

35

No, you cannot smoke in the cab at all…it’s your workplace.
the fact that no other driver uses the vehicle is irrelevant, a mechanic gets in it when in for service etc.

Would another driver be able to tell (and more important would he “grass you
up”)?

well, one of our night trunk drivers did just this to one of our day drivers.
Now, if any one reports a vehicle smelling of smoke, the supervisor goes and smells the cab and has a word with the previous driver.

judging by the way you posted you are probably agency, so you may well be in a stickier position than a regular driver if anyone does complain.

Whenever I want a smoke, I pull in the srvices and stand at the side of the truck in the rain…honest :laughing:

36

del949:
No, you cannot smoke in the cab at all…it’s your workplace.
the fact that no other driver uses the vehicle is irrelevant, a mechanic gets in it when in for service etc.

Would another driver be able to tell (and more important would he “grass you
up”)?

well, one of our night trunk drivers did just this to one of our day drivers.
Now, if any one reports a vehicle smelling of smoke, the supervisor goes and smells the cab and has a word with the previous driver.

judging by the way you posted you are probably agency, so you may well be in a stickier position than a regular driver if anyone does complain.

Whenever I want a smoke, I pull in the srvices and stand at the side of the truck in the rain…honest :laughing:

So you don’t smoke many then?

37

chippy:

del949:
Whenever I want a smoke, I pull in the srvices and stand at the side of the truck in the rain…honest :laughing:

And then you turn round and see your truck has been clamped and say

"Flipping eck - not again :open_mouth: :imp: , thank god for hydrochloric acid " :slight_smile: :laughing: :sunglasses: :stuck_out_tongue: :exclamation: :exclamation:

38

local council officers are the only people that can issue a penalty for smoking

I’m thinking that a driver gets back to base and the boss gets told that the driver has been smoking in the cab at some point in the day.

The driver says that he has but cannot ‘remember’ in which county it was

Can a council penalty be given where he is based if the ‘offence’ was in another county :question: :question:

39

thats a good point rog and i cant answer that. but if someone else is going to drive the vehicle when you dont its a shared truck so you cant smoke in it.
i always drive my truck to the workshop and collect it so the mechanics only move it into the workshop and that is it, i will have to wait and see if one day i get a penalty then challenge it in court that is the only way the law is going to get a president.(thats probably spelt wrong)

as i said in my previous post you can not catch cancer from the smell of smoke only by breathing in the smoke its self !!

i carry a letter on headed paper from my company stating i am the only driver of the vehicle and it is my home of at least 5 days a week.
and i was advised to do this by two different enforcement officers,
and they are the only guys that can issue a penalty notice so i am going to go by what they said, i mean they should know the law if they have to apply it after all :open_mouth: :open_mouth: :open_mouth:

40

Smoking in the cab is disgusting, the smokers shouldn’t be allowed in this industry, and smoking and driving is just downright dangerous. Their are patches etc available, there is no excuses for it. :imp: :imp: :imp: :imp: