Now let me make it perfectly clear… I’m not a smoker and I detest cigarette smoke. However, as long as people don’t blow their smoke over me I’m quite happy for them to smoke as many cigarettes as they like. Obviously, if they're stupid enough to asphyxiate their own kids then they probably shouldn't have any children. What’s wrong with educating people and getting kids to ask their parents not to smoke in front of them? Why compel lone drivers to fall in line with everyone else? Is there no personal liberty any more?
As a libertarian, this alarming and increasing propensity to ban anything that the doom-mongers don’t like really scares the bejesus out of me. I’m certain that the bansturbators of this world won’t stop once they get a taste for banning things. It’s like a wild animal that’s tasted blood for the first time.
Next the good doctors will call on a smoking ban in people’s homes. After that they’ll turn their swivel eyes towards alcohol, sugar, fat, meat and anything else the pious gits consider to be bad for us. These people are not protecting the public; they’re merely exercising their taste for bossiness and fascism.
In a similar vein, I noticed in yesterday’s papers that the taste for banning things has now reached the masses with a call yesterday for the looped cords used on window blinds to be banned. A small child managed to hang himself while his mother was out of the room. The family claim the blind manufacturer didn’t warn them that such a thing could be dangerous. It was, of course, a tragic accident but hardly the basis for a total ban on blind cords. The family is now calling for the introduction of ‘Harrison’s Law’ (their child was called Harrison) and they are selling yellow wristbands for people to show their support for this proposed law. Apparently, Harrison’s favourite colour was yellow.
As I said, it's a sad tale but evidence, if evidence were needed, that the country is absolutely barking and that the grief industry has gone into overdrive along with the bansturbators.
I’m off for a lie down.
All smokers need do is what my dad did (before he quit) - wind down the window a bit when you light up, blow the smoke in the direction of the open window.
ReplyDeleteIt's not just over there mate, it's already law here yer not allowed to smoke in yer own car if there is children in it and 2 years ago a clause was inserted into my flat lease stating that I was not allowed to smoke or allow anyone to smoke in MY flat, needless to say I am in breach of my lease on a daily basis :-)
ReplyDeleteFollowing a bad accident in which a career criminal driving a stolen car failed to stop for a police check, resulting in a police chase which called off 3 mins before the driver ran a red light doing an estimated 150 km/hr (in an 80 zone), tearing another car in two and killing 4 people (including himself) there are calls to ban all police chases....
ReplyDeleteThe whole world is going mad......
At last some voices of reason. There is no one makes me want to take up smoking more than members of Ash !! Pass me a Fag. I gave up years ago and thats all I did. I didn't climb a mountain, save a child from a burning building or dedicate my life to helping the 3rd world. Smokers have been persecuted beyond all reason over the years and with the price of cigarettes these days they contribute more to the NHS than anyone. I think most people get the message. It was drummed into my children at primary school 15 years ago. We have enough laws to protect most people from second hand smoke and even smokers mostly agree they are liveable with.
ReplyDeleteSo Ash, hang up your pompous self righteous hats, move on, the country has. There are far more important issues to deal with in 2010. Some caused by giving up smoking like obesity and an aged population !!! Duh. Which government didn't do the math when they started the No Smoking campaign.
Hope your better TM xxx
It's just total fascism. The quacks have no idea what getting into the car and lighting up means to a smoker. (I gave up 10 years ago but I have an ash tray in a prominent place in my sitting room and all smokers in my flat are welcome to indulge.)
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling better. Best wishes to your wife and family.
p.s. I'd like to hear what you have to say about electric dog collars. Are they the creepiest invention ever or what?
I disagree XTM as I do think smoking in cars should be banned for safety reasons (yes, the much-maligned 'elf & safety).
ReplyDeleteI am a smoker but I won't smoke in my car as I think it is distracting and therefore potentially dangerous, almost on a par with mobile usage. And you can never get the smell out.
As to smoking at home, that's a different story. How can you ban something that's legal?
Cora
Smoking while driving can be punished at the moment under current driving laws. However, what about a passenger in a car? They won't be allowed to smoke so it's not just about safety. I've no doubt a lot of people will think it's not a bad proposal as it doesn't affect them if they don't smoke, but make no mistake... these fascists will be coming for meateaters, drinkers or something else once they've finished with smokers. I think the following words illustrate my point...
ReplyDelete"THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
THEN THEY CAME for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up."
Pastor Martin Niemöller, 1946
XTM. I’m so sorry to sense that you’ve been in much pain recently. Cannot you persuade your surgeons to fit your femur with titanium pins?
ReplyDeleteWHISTLEBLOWING IS US
There are times when I feel that Jeremy Klaxton (per your more recent blog) has re-invented ‘joie de vivre’ and yet you still have the largess of spirit to cite Pastor Martin Niemöller. To complete the loop, I feel compelled to mention ‘Refugee Blues’, a poem by W. H. Auden - written in 1939. [Try http://www.poemhunter.com/] Even today, it still warns us against totalitarian bureaucracies and a lack of concern for the individual. ‘Lessons have been learnt’ seems to be a routinely vacuous way of avoiding an apology for sloth or incompetence masquerading as an SEP [Someone Else’s Problem.]
I really wish I could have the titanium pins but because I had osteomyelitis in my femur, any foreign object is likely to set the infection off again. If my leg was pinned I could get the proper length back too... I'm hoping there may be a solution soon as it's almost a year since the femur broke.
ReplyDeleteXTM! Glad you seem a bit better. Hope things will be on the improve even if slowly, slowly.
ReplyDeleteAs a non smoker always, I've often been puzzled why anyone would want to. Always 'casa de bogan Chris' has been a smoke free zone, in no small part to accommodate the asthmatics of the family, however...
Way back one of my since departed spinster Aunts, who was a respected Teacher of the 'old school' variety and, I realised later in my life, had a wicked sense of humour and introduced me to various comic acts via ancient scratchy recordings. I don't know whether the Canadian duo of Wayne and Shuster rings a bell with anyone ( they of the 'I told him Julie don't go! Its the Ides of March already!'quote ) From memory I think it was they that also did a skit which included one end of a conversation that might have been made if the phone had been invented back in History.
The one with Sir Walter Raleigh and QE1 in essence;
Where are you Walt?
Oh,America.
You've discovered what?
Tobacco?
What do you do with this tobacco Walt?
You light it and put it where, Walt?
That about sums up the habit for me.
This weekend the F1 Grand Prix here in Melbourne, with no 'baccy advertising. It's been banned!
Cheers, Chris, Melbourne
I would never dream of smoking in anyones house or car, I don`t even smoke in the house , but boy ... do I have to suffer sphyncter emissions when hubby is driving... and especially in the house.... Have the government introduced a fart tax yet ??
ReplyDeleteNess..
Yes... I believe a fart tax is in the small print of the budget. However, as you're in Crete you would be classified as a non-dom and thus outside of the scope of Gordon's Fart Tax. Just a tip, maybe if you cut down his humous allowance you may be able to reduce emissions. By the way, did you know that methane is far worse than CO2 when it comes to global warming... if you believe in global warming.
ReplyDeleteI think a blanket ban on smoking in a car when there are no children in the vehicle makes no sense, however, forcing a child to passively smoke in a confined area should be stopped as it is detrimental to a child's health and they have no choice. It is not possible to stop people smoking in their own homes, but I think it is a good idea to stop adults from smoking in a car. I also have to say that driving whilst smoking is dangerous. But then again, a law should not have to be passed, as anyone with any common sense can see that smoking in a car whilst driving or chauffering chidren should not happen
ReplyDeleteEven when I was a smoker, I never smoked in my car; as it would make it harder to resell the car in the future (as cigarette smoke is hard to get out of the upholstery of a car or anything else). Once I gave up the filthy habit, I found that it was hard to be around smokers unless I was upwind from them; otherwise I tolerated their habit (hey, it's up to them what they want to do).
ReplyDeleteWhen I moved into my current townhouse, my landlords had stickers everywhere 'no smoking' for the tenants. And they were most relieved to know I didn't smoke. But because I respected as my landlords, I did ask my friends who were smokers to take their smokes outside if they could; and they did, and still do. Otherwise, I don't allow it in my home.
But as Rod from Oz has said, it's been law here in Australia that we can't smoke in our cars if we have children in the back seats. Also, we have smoke-free pubs and smoke-free areas outside shopping centres. So, it's getting to a point where smokers are on the outer.
I am a persecuted Aussie smoker and an freaking fed up with these stupid laws. Until they actually make it illegal to smoke altogether they can jam their laws up their arse. Control the alcohol problems then persecute the smokers. I don't smoke a packet of fags then go on a glassing rampage. Or King Hit the bloke next to me cos he looked at me funny. And as I don't have kids what I do in my house or car is my business. GRRRR
ReplyDeletehope you're feeling a bit better TM
Hey there Rod from Oz - i finally managed to quit a packet a day habit about a year ago, but by god i defend the right of anyone to smoke in the privacy of their own home, rented or not. LIght up another durrie and have a beer for me.
ReplyDeleteHey TM - hope things are looking up for you. Keep up the good work
Cheers
Mich from perth (Oz)
I'm with Kosmos.... LEAVE SMOKERS ALONE!!! start persecuting the binge drinkers and meth takers - THEY'RE now the ones using up the health system's resources.
ReplyDelete