My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

To think that smoking in a car with children should be made illegal!

92 replies

longbay · 27/01/2014 22:26

Was sitting in my car at the traffic lights, when another car pulled alongside me with a baby (approx 9-12 months) sitting in the back. The man driving the car was smoking. All the windows were up except his which was open a couple of inches.
Firstly I was absolutely shocked that people still smoke near children let alone trapped in a car. Then I felt real anger & rage that I couldn't do anything about what I had seen. AIBU to feel so enraged by that man's behavior? I want to start a petition but wouldn't have a clue how?!

OP posts:
Report
WelshMoth · 27/01/2014 22:27

Agreed!
Tell me where to sign.

Report
LEMmingaround · 27/01/2014 22:29

its vile, my mum and dad used to smoke in the car when i was a child - it made me sick to my stomach.

Report
PumpkinPositive · 27/01/2014 22:29

How would it get policed?

Report
LackingEnergy · 27/01/2014 22:30

Well it's already illegal to smoke in work vehicles yet people still do so I doubt they'd pay any attention to that either unfortunately

Report
KateShmate · 27/01/2014 22:33

It's absolutely vile.
Could it not be policed in the same way as seatbelt and mobile phone laws... You can be pulled over for that, so why not for smoking?

Report
longbay · 27/01/2014 22:38

It just makes me sick that a baby/ child has no option but to inhale the smoke. It is so reckless and selfish! How can anyone justify it? I think you should be able to report it just like you would if you saw erratic driving etc It makes you wander how they 'care' for their child at home?

OP posts:
Report
LEMmingaround · 27/01/2014 22:39
Report
longbay · 27/01/2014 22:42

Good point KateSmate except as well as getting a fine and points they should also be given a warning that if caught again that they can be charged with something more serious like neglect???

OP posts:
Report
phoolani · 27/01/2014 22:44

I'm just not sure there's any point - if you're smoking in a car with a baby, I'm guessing you're not smoking outside - or at any great distance from the baby - at home.

Report
longbay · 27/01/2014 22:45

Thanks for the link LEM. Good to know someone's bothered about it!

OP posts:
Report
longbay · 27/01/2014 22:49

Phoolani you can't see what happens behind closed doors so you're right what's the point? The point is in public these people need to know that it is totally unacceptable to smoke in a metal box with a child. It's impossible to stop all wrong doing but if it happens in front of you then surely we should be challenging it?

OP posts:
Report
MidniteScribbler · 27/01/2014 23:06

It is illegal here thank goodness. Hated seeing it.

Report
propertyNIGHTmareBEFOREXMAS · 27/01/2014 23:07

Yanbu. Smoking within 20 metres of children should be banned imo.

Report
Wuxiapian · 27/01/2014 23:10

YANBU.

Smokers are the most selfish people out there!!

Report
MrsTerryPratchett · 27/01/2014 23:11

It is illegal here in Canada. Policed the same way mobile phones bans are policed. Perfectly do-able.

Report
foreverondiet · 27/01/2014 23:11

Smoking within an confined space with children should be illegal - ie inside same room as a child. But what to do if its discovered? Take children into care? With cars easy as can lose licence.

Report
Starballbunny · 27/01/2014 23:12

I'd love to say YNBU, but if I did that I'd be condemning my DDad who chain smoked, in the car and everywhere else.

And I know how much he hated himself for getting addicted to cigarettes in the first place (he firmly disapproved of drinking and drugs and knew he was a total hypocrite), but that is the strength of addictions.

So I'd have to say I support education, but not prosecution.

Report
Starballbunny · 27/01/2014 23:16

If you take someone's driving licence you often lose them their job, that's really a lot OTT.

Smoking near babies and small children isn't the best thing in the world, but it's not on a par with drink driving or doing 50 mph past the school entrance.

Report
fluffypillow · 27/01/2014 23:22

YANBU. Selfish behaviour to the extreme. People who do this to babies and children should face severe consequences. End of.

Report
Froblawd · 27/01/2014 23:26

I think they want to make it illegal in Wales. I remember it being in the news a while back. Not sure what happened thou.

Report
phoolani · 27/01/2014 23:34

longbay - I would hope that any legislation would come from the point of protecting the child, rather than primarily shaming the wrong-doer. and protecting a baby in a metal box for an hour at a time every so often won't really make much difference to a child who sits in a room at home for 24 hours a day breathing in smoke fumes. I'd rather we spent the money/time/energy educating those who need it about the dangers of smoking per se around babies/children. tho I have to say, I'm not really against the law as such - you only have to think about smoking in pubs to understand how law can change behaviour and attitudes - but I think it has to backed up by more general efforts.

Report
ohfourfoxache · 27/01/2014 23:36

Yanbu - and I say that as an ex smoker who used to smoke in the car (no dc and 99.9% of the time I was in my own).

Dm smoked in the car when my sister and I were children, and still refuses to acknowledge that she wasp so oubliette in the wrong. I know I'm going to have ww3 on my hands if DH and I ever have dc as she will want to take them out in the car, and she refuses to not smoke behind the wheel.

Report
ChrisMooseMickey · 27/01/2014 23:38

I don't understand why they don't just make smoking and DRIVING illegal... It's not different/distracting to use a mobile phone! Well maybe it is a bit but YADNBU OP. Saw exactly the same thing the other day- wanted to get out the car and scream at him Sad

Report
ChrisMooseMickey · 27/01/2014 23:39

**ANY different/distracting.

Report
MidniteScribbler · 27/01/2014 23:39

If you take someone's driving licence you often lose them their job, that's really a lot OTT.

No the person who chooses to break the law has lost themselves a job. There is a choice NOT to break a law if it exists.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.