to think many otherwise socially responsible people think nothing of chucking a cigarette butt on the pavement?

[CreamOfTomatoSoup]

I don't smoke. I don't care if other people do, that's up to them. Recently I've realised that loads of my friends who do smoke think nothing of chucking a fag butt out of a car window or throwing it in a bush. You would never catch them throwing a crisp packet on the ground so how come it's ok to chuck cigarette butts around?

These people aren't scum of the earth, they're nice people who work in education and for charities and all sorts of other caring professions. Most of them even recycle!
Has anyone else noticed this? AIBU to be annoyed? What should I say next time I see this?

YANBU, drives me nuts!

I've been known to throw a cigarette butt out of a car window Not often, as I rarely smoke in the car, but I have annoyed myself when I've done it, and I fit your description people who do this almost perfectly!

It's not because I wanted to, but because I didn't have much other option at the time. It's either chuck it out the window, or mess up the car ashtray, which I'm reluctant to do.

YANBU.

It's funny, I walked around the town centre at the weekend musing how few fag ends were on the ground, compared to how many you'd see a few years ago.

I suppose there was a possibility that I was following a road sweeper around

When smokers were allowed an indoor space with ashtrays, I don't think this was such an issue.

This is a side effect of the smoking ban.

I see hardly any these days as fewer people smoke. There are worse offences imo and at least a fag end rots down pretty quickly, it's not like it's plastic.

According to a (bonkers) neighbour - they have to be put on the floor so homeless people who 'need' the tobacco can pick them up.

YANBU.
I am a smoker, but rarely - if ever - smoke in the street.
But if I do, then I will always find a bin to put the fag end into - and I wouldn't have lit up in the first place if I didn't know there was a bin nearby.

According to a (bonkers) neighbour - they have to be put on the floor so homeless people who 'need' the tobacco can pick them up.

There is a man who looks to be homeless in the town near me. He does pick up every cigarette butt he can find and puts them in his Morrisons bag. No idea what he does with them, he also collects cans and other rubbish. He's a lovely bloke who likes to chat

What are you supposed to do with it? Putting it out in a bin is a fire waiting to happen.

There needs to be more bins around with the bit on the top for stubbing out and disposing of cigarette ends. If someone chucks it in a normal bin (even when they think they have stubbed it out) it can be a fire hazard. I know this from when my friend did just that and about five mins later the bin was smoking!

I have a story about how STUPID this is.
I pass a smoker going the other way (or may be somebody on a balcony or a driver who knows!). He must have flicked his butt without looking or even thinking.

I was walking with DD2 (11 months) in the pushchair and DD1. DD2 started yelling. DD1 looked and said "mum there is fire".

Yes, indeed, the seat & the hat had started burning and DD2's hand was mildly burnt as it was next to the seat where the butt had landed

So smokers scrape the butt on a wall and keep it with you. Do not flick it still lit.

I don't think the majority 'flick' I think on the whole in the absence of ashtrays, people tend to drop it on the floor and 'step and twist'

Hence fag butts all over the floor where people congregate outside buildings.

That is horrible about your DD, what a stupid man!

I could never get the hang of flicking it! Nor curling a lit one on my tongue either

I don't smoke anymore though AS IT IS DISGUSTING AND THOSE WHO STILL DO ARE SCUM!!

Apart from my dh :o

I'm a smoker and I hate people throwing butts on the floor.

I once had a still lit cig thrown from a car land in the collar of my jacket while I was out on my bike one day. That was scary i can tell you, I nearly fell off my bike.

LeMous

Lots of idiots throw lit fag butts out of moving vehicles windows.

"What are you supposed to do with it? Putting it out in a bin is a fire waiting to happen."

You stub your cigarette on the edge of the bin/or on the ground - so it's just ash - and then you put your fag end into the bin. Easy.

My mum smokes and does this!! It drives me insaine sometimes she doesn't even put it out she just throws it down!! I secretly hope that she gets caught and fined one day!

Outraged ATPOF.That's a bit skanky.

Valium: "...at least a fag end rots down pretty quickly, it's not like it's plastic."

Actually, it is. The filters are made of a type of plastic called cellulose acetate and can take up to 12 years to decompose. I am frequently surprised at how few people know or care about that fact.

OutragedATPOF: "It's not because I wanted to, but because I didn't have much other option at the time. It's either chuck it out the window, or mess up the car ashtray, which I'm reluctant to do."

Are you serious?! I'm reluctant to put nappies in my wheely bin, I don't particularly want it to smell, should I throw them in the street? I can't believe you used that argument. Why should the rest of us put up with your litter because you don't want to?

Those who said putting them in the bin is a fire risk: only if you don't put them out properly first. Excuses excuses. Come on people, take responsibility for your actions, there are no excuses for littering (and before I get accused of being anti-smoking - I smoked for twenty years, only gave up when TTC, I have no problem with smoking. I HATE littering)

OP: YANBU!

pigletts I know what you mean. My brother was caught and fined once, I was pleased and when he moaned to me about it I told him so. He was surprised and a bit upset that I was pleased he was out of pocket, until I took the opportunity to have a bit of an anti-litter rant. He'd always assumed they were biodegradable. He bins them now.

I really wish people were more informed on how long things take to decompose, I'm sure far fewer people would leave fag ends lying around if they knew. Similarly I wish people knew that vegetation not native to a country may not decompose properly in the climate. Chuck your apple core in the bushes if you really feel you must, it's designed to biodegrade in our climate, but please be aware that your orange peel will still be there months, even years later. The oils in it actually preserve it in a damp climate, it is designed to rot down in warm, dry climates.

I'll stop now

I'm a smoker. I really dislike throwing fag ends on to the floor. I will always seek out a bin or failing that, I'll throw it out of sight somewhere.

If I'm visiting someone and I pop outside for a cigarette, I cannot bear the thought of leaving my 'droppings' outside their door so I will stub it out and put it in their bin. If I feel even that is too rude because of the smell, I will put it in my pocket and deal with it later.

I have thrown them out of my car out of pure laziness when the ashtray is full, but even though it's hypocritical of me, I would be too embarrassed to do it if there were other drivers or pedestrians around. I also live in fear of a copper spotting it.

There's a roundabout called 'Five Ways' in Birmingham and queueing up happens frequently. I always used to throw a cigarette end out of the window while waiting for my turn but one day a big sign was put up about the fines for throwing fag ends out of the car and I never did it again because I was convinced someone was watching.

I bought one of THESE

YANBU. I flipping hate this. Its especially worse when they don't even bother to put it out. They just throw it onto the floor.

I was once walking behind this guy going into Tesco. He flicked the cigarette but behind him onto my 1 year old in a buggy.

Luckily it only burnt a hole in her trousers and didn't hurt her. I however nearly exploded with rage.

How hard is it to put the bloody thing out and throw it away properly.

that site was blocked by Chrome, LtEve but I'm guessing it's one of those portable ashtrays. I bought one for my brother. It fits in a cigarette packet. I have no idea if he uses it.