Even though the majority of European Union nations have cracked down on smoking in public places, in Germany you can still smoke inside restaurants and bars. However, one place where smoking rules may change in Germany is inside your own car. German officials are currently studying whether it would be possible to restrict automotive smoking to curb the danger of second hand smoke, which is amplified inside the tight confines of an automobile. Besides second hand smoke for passengers, smoking in the car may also prove to be a distraction that can lead to traffic-safety issues as well. While a ban on smoking inside your own car may seem like a gross invasion of personal rights, any place where freeways are sometimes without speed limits could do with as few distractions as possible.
[Source: Drive.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Avinash machado @ Feb 20th 2007 9:48AM
I think that is a good idea.
Guenther @ Feb 20th 2007 9:55AM
Funny- emissions requirements are way less restrictive, yet she feels that smoking in the car needs to be banned for health reasons... I can understand not smoking in the car with your kids (or in front of your kids, for that matter), but this is rediculous. Not to mention that ventilation in a car can be 100 times better than in a german bar/restaurant, with their lack of forced air heating/cooling.
Is smoking part of distracted driving? certainly. But so is changing stations on the radio and having a conversation on the hands-free phone. Perhaps they need a "distracted driving surcharge" on a ticketable moving violation.
akintz @ Feb 20th 2007 10:03AM
If they're trying to play the "second hand smoke" angle and still allow smoking in public places, that's just stupid.
They'd be better off to spin it as a distraction and "find" some data that relates accidents to people smoking. And then mention the second hand smoke problem as a secondary benefit.
Peter @ Feb 20th 2007 10:27AM
One single MP trying to get headlines, wouldn't read to much into it...
Dan from Delaware @ Feb 20th 2007 10:30AM
I for one welcome our new nanny overlords.
Bob @ Feb 20th 2007 10:50AM
God bless America.
gino @ Feb 20th 2007 10:53AM
Chermans are shmarten. Keep smoking in bars and restaurants, but not in your car.
Gardiner Westbound @ Feb 20th 2007 11:07AM
I'd rather the eco-nazis ban farting or wearing strong perfume in cars.
jg @ Feb 20th 2007 11:13AM
' I for one welcome our new nanny overlords.'
ROTFL
mike @ Feb 20th 2007 11:14AM
Bob, I think you mean "God Bless America, except California." Don't, or didn't they pass a law like this too?
epp_b @ Feb 20th 2007 11:35AM
If they're trying to play the "second hand smoke" angle and still allow smoking in public places, that's just stupid.
-----------------------------------------------
Oh, so you think that everyone who *doesn't* smoke deserves to be poisoned? Nice.
If you want to poison yourself, that's your own business and I have no right to stop you from doing it. But *you* have NO right to poison someone else, even in your own car.
DJ @ Feb 20th 2007 11:35AM
Before you get too 'god bless America', this type of ban already exists or is about to in the US as well...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8697348/
http://bangordailynews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=144999&zoneid=500
moogy @ Feb 20th 2007 11:40AM
Well in Canada they are thinking of passing a law to make it illegal to smoke in a car if you have a child under 18 in the car.
Ben @ Feb 20th 2007 11:50AM
Why don't they just ban the production of cigarettes worldwide if it's such a danger to the public?
Governments' priorities are misplaced.
WolfgangNC @ Feb 20th 2007 12:05PM
Socialism at its finest
Carlos @ Feb 20th 2007 12:20PM
I don't like restrictions like these (in private spaces), especially for health reasons.
BUT, smokers have proven themselves to be the absolute worst road litterbugs in the world, so no sympathy from me. Honestly, that's my only problem with them and it's a big one.
mehugtree @ Feb 20th 2007 12:24PM
I agree Carlos.
Smokers just can't seem to manage keeping their butts in their own cars, which again shows their utter lack of respect for anyone but themselves.
carlos @ Feb 20th 2007 12:34PM
Don't they have enough laws already?
When will these people retaliate?
ed @ Feb 20th 2007 12:36PM
If you put the window down an inch, every trace of smoke and smell is sucked outside. so that's not an issue. Is it a distraction? No more than talking.
This proposal can't be taken seriously. It must be considered a tyrannical harrassment of smokers, but fortunately it's unenforceable. It's easy enough to keep an eye out for the cops.
JC3 @ Feb 20th 2007 12:38PM
a law against pumping cancer fumes into public places makes sense.The fact that it hasn't been implemented yet because someone enjoys it doesn't.