got my big old judgey pants in a right twist!

[BlueFishWonder]

Stuck in a traffic jam. Infront of us is a family, 2 adults and 2 children, one toddler, one baby! In the space of an hour the adults have worked through 4 cigarettes with windows closed!! I am fuming and getting increasingly angry and starting to drive dh a bit mad! I am heavily pregnant so hormones not helping! I know I'm being judgey but really annoyed and needed to rant (and not to dh!)

I think it's an issue because smoking is a selfish act.
Every time you do it, only you are getting anything positive out of it. No one around you is getting the lovely 'aahhh, lovely fag is calming' thing except you. People around you only get the negative effects - the illness, the smell etc. Of course, smokers also get the negatives, but you don't tend to think about it when smoking :)

This is coming from a mum who smokes.

And OP - YANBU. Smoking in a car with children present is wrong. In fact, smoking in any confined area with small children is just awful.

we don't ban cars because the benefits, and improved safety measures and education, hopefully outweigh the tragedies - I am not trying to trivialise deaths from car accidents

what are the "advantages" to smoking - how in any way shape or form is it a good thing? Even if you admit to being a hopeless addict, and wish you could quit, you still have the duty of care for your DC. I can see no sense in the parent who carfeully buys the correct car seat, drives well etc but then smokes in the car!

So, it seems it is all to do with the 'benefit' side of my cost benefit analysis. Is that why people get their knickers in a twist, then? Because we all hate selfish behaviour around kids?

Well thank goodness we are home now. Glad I wasn't being completely over the top judgey pants!! This pergnancy I have such a short patience span and get irritated sooooo easily! Poor DH, I was getting so wound up I think I actually brought on Braxton Hicks and he thought I was going to go into labour then and there - at least he is being kept on his toes! [buwink]

Aside from that I do think smoking when pregnant or in confinced spaces around young children is neglectful and selfish, so even if ~I wasn't ppregnant I know I would of still been ranting away!

It's not just selfish around children. The local hospital has real issues with people smoking outside the main entrance as the smoke wafts inside and into the wards. There's 'please do not smoke' signs everywhere yet people still do it.

There was something on the radio the other day "Every fatal house fire in Lincolnshire last year was started by cigarettes"

Cigarettes kill in many ways

There was a thread about that a while back Lady. Apparently those signs aren't enforceable and therefore people don't have to obey them.

It's grim, Sparkling. Imagine how the poor patients and staff feel.

Check out the thread Lady. Unbelievable.

I have been known to smoke the odd cigarette or two but I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever smoke in a room with my children, or any children, let alone a car.
I used to work with someone who smoked heavily (30 a day) while pregnant. Her daughter was born prematurely and very underweight even by premature standards. I used to work in the HR office (same room, different department) and she came in sobbing shortly after the birth to tell work what had happened (had to start mat leave early). She was absolutely adamant that her smoking couldn't possibly have had anything to do with it, even though doctors had told her otherwise.
When baby was big enough to be brought home she brought her into work to show her off (as you do). She and baby absolutely reeked of fags. I had to leave the room, I was that angry with the stupid cow. And I was a proper smoker myself at that time (no kids).
I think the sooner a ban on smoking in enclosed spaces comes into force the better, and, like I said, I smoke myself now and again.

I'm so sorry, zuki

I'm feeling sick already, sparking. I stayed at a friend's place before Christmas and he hadn't washed the quilt cover. I still heave when I think of the smell.

why does no-one ban growing/processing/manufacture/import-export/sale?
only use - by addicts
nrt should be available everywhere tobacco is

(ex-smoker)

"You're not being judgey, it's vile. Poor kids"

That's what I had to put up with as a child. The car didn't have rear passenger doors so we couldn't even open windows in the back. Both my parenst smoked and long journeys were a nightmare.

It's no wonder that I loathe smoking and am extremely judgemental about people who smoke near children and other non smokers.

I remember when people used to be able to smoke on public transport. I also remember needing to get off to vomit, a lot!

My parents would both smoke constantly on long car journeys - with the windows wound up.

And then they wondered why I was sick on every journey!

Whilst I lived at home, I took medication for asthma and had one or two full on attacks, but as soon as I got married and left home, it pretty much cleared up with no more need for medication.

YANBU - it is selfish and irresponsible and has far-reaching effects that last so much longer than the 'thrill' for the smoker.

DH put up with this as a child too. Was terribly car sick because of it.