Clancy is going too far this time
I read a piece by Ellybabes the other day. I could not believe it.
I am REALLY annoyed.
Those smug self-righteous do-gooders in A.S.H are at it again.
They want to ban smoking in cars.
They can go f*ck themselves.
I have been driving for the last 36 years [well, not all the time, but I’ve had a licence that long]. I have always smoked my pipe in my car. I haven’t killed anyone yet. I have never had an accident as a result of my pipe. I have not smoked if there were others in the car unless a) they smoked too, or b) they wanted me to.
It is my car paid for with my cash. It is my property and I will do what I damn well want in it.
They cite passive smoking. Hah!! The only other person who smokes in the car is Herself, and I find the smell of cigarettes so bad I open her window wide every time.
They cite that it is dangerous – “Smokers must light up, hold the cigarette, deposit the ash and dispose of the cigarette – all whilst driving.” Well, open your f*cking eyes – there is a lot going on in cars that is a lot more dangerous. And give me one – yes, just one – example of an accident that was caused by a cigarette.
And they say that the use of mobile phones has been banned. Mobile phones, even if they are voice activated and hands-free, require concentration. You have to concentrate on the conversation and not your driving. Dangerous. As is listening to a talk programme on radio. Joe Duffy probably causes more accidents than smoking, but he’s not banned.
I have seen a few strange things. And I don’t mean at traffic lights. I mean on the dual carriageway, in rush-hour at at least 30m.p.h. [OK, it was quite a few years ago now but I bet they’re as bad still].
Here goes…
- Drinking out of bottles or cans
- Eating sandwiches
- Eating breakfast out of a cerial bowl [no kidding!]
- Reading books [yes – at speed]
- Reading newspapers [yes – at speed]
- Combing or brushing their hair
- Drying their hair
- Shaving
- Putting on eye make-up
- Putting on nail varnish
- Picking their noses [and examining the results]
- Admiring the man / woman in the car next to them
- Driving with a baby on their lap
- Driving with a dog on their lap
- Taking off coats or jackets
- Changing CDs or cassettes or tuning their radios
I’m sure I’ve missed out on a couple, but you get my point.
All of the above are a hell of a lot more dangerous than smoking.
Luke Clancy
So, Professor Luke Clancy, get off your sanctimonious, holier-than-thou, smug, self-satisfied high-horse and open your eyes. You, and your lot are obsessed. If passive smoking were the only threat to human existance, then maybe you’d have a point, but there are a lot more dangerous things out there. Like drink, guns, knives, fast cars, and most of all – stupidity.
If you don’t like smoking then f*ck off to Greenland or Antartica or somewhere.
If I want to damage my health, that is my right. I am harming no-one but myself. And if you don’t like that you can stick it up your arse and set fire to it.
I’ve always reckoned that taking Joe Duffy and Matt Cooper off the drive-time air slots would halve the number of accidents in the Dublin area each day….
Listening to conversation on the radio in the car can be very distracting.
A point I missed in my post – I gave up the pipe for a while a few years ago. I honestly found I was driving more dangerously! I was less tolerant and more aggressive. It was one of the reasons I went back on the pipe. Answer that one, Clancy!
Grandad, completely agree with you, although since I’ve had kids I never smoke in the house much less the car, but you make many good points. However, you did ask to cite an accident caused by a cigarette? So of course I have to be facetious and answer! 🙂 How about the Mont Blanc tunnel in France in 99, supposdely the whole thing was caused by the truck driver tossing his smoke out the window… 41 people died!
Deborah, I will concede. I think you are right, though I saw a documentary about it and am not 100% sure that was the cause. I promise never to throw my pipe out the window [and I use a lighter, so I don’t throw out matches either – I am the ultimate in cleanliness!!]
Grandad you are a gentleman! Back in my college days I had a pipe, bet it wasn’t the kind you’re using though! 😉 I never threw it out the window either… contents were too expensive, but had the cops come by might have had to!!!
Personally, I find my pipe quite adequate for any job. The only thing I haven’t used it for is blowing soap-bubbles……
“I promise never to throw my pipe out the window” – oh, but imagine the humour value!
🙂
Now you are conjuring up pictures that are not suitable for a public platform!!
Or is that just my dirty mind?
It is indeed your dirty mind. I was simply imagining streets littered with discarded pipes and tins of tobacco and so on.
Thank God for that!!!
I have heard tales of people who have been lifetime match-users being given expensive lighters as presents – they promptly throw them out the car window out of habit!
Incidentally, before anyone says anything: if Herself goes to throw a fag end out of the window I always wind up the window [the joys of remote control] to stop her. I hate people who throw fag ends, and even worse, their cellophane and the like out the window. That’s what ash-trays are for.
There was an accident the other day in Ft. Collins, Colorado wherein the DRIVER of the Honda car was typing away on his laptop, at 65mph, when he crashed and died. I shall not comment on that other than to say, Ignorance should be Painfull.
If only we could take that little saying and apply it to politicans and gub’mint employees.
Don’t worry about all of those people doing wierd and wonderful things in their cars instead of concentrating on the roads. The Darwin Theory sorts those people out nicely. I bet insurance companies even endorse cerial bowls for the purpose!!!
Are they on crack?
My personal is my personal car. If I want to smoke in it I will and anyone trying to stop me must be on some really interesting drugs – maybe they should share? 🙂
As you rightly pointed out, there are plenty of things that people do in cars that are far more dangerous than smoking.
How could anyone even consider typing on a laptop while driving at speed? Darwin Award anyone?
Michele
So Michele and Offspring think alike. You two know each other? Mind you – the first thing I thought of when I read Brianf’s comment was the Darwin Awards 🙂
Does anyone know what the driver was typing at the time? Maybe he was Googling “how to drive a car”?
BTW, Offspring – what are you doing in the UK? You were home the last time I spoke to you?