[stacef]

Well Illinois put in effect yesterday no smoking in public places. Which is fine, I understand that people that do not smoke do not want to walk through a cloud when walking out of a building. But in all reality, it's going to happen. And not only will you be fined, but the company you are smoking near will be too for not stopping you! I am in Logistics, and one of my drivers just got a $500!!! ticket for throwing his cigarette out the window! Wow! But yet, we dont have deposit on our bottles...which is a whole different arguement. In Michigan we have a 10 cent deposit...you won't see them on the side of the road like you do in Iowa!! Anyways, I thought I would share my disagreement with the current law.

There is a loop hole though.
You can smoke 15 ft away from a building, IF there is an ashtray!

But, the loop hole with that is... if you are at the bar, and go outside for a cigarette, and are 15 ft away from the building in a "designated area". Say a cop stops... well now you are charged with public intoxication. One of my friends got this last night, for just standing smoking outside, in the right area, but he had consumed alcohol.

[e_baer]

lol....aye aye aye...the silly laws that get passed.

I guess the moral of the story is to always carry an ashtry in your car/pocket/whatever.

[Jeremy0322]

I am weird with stuff like that but i think it should be banned all together. It is unfair and selfish for people to be walking around blowing all of this crap into the air that i have to breath, so that when 30 years from now after never toughing a cigarette I get diagnosed with lung cancer I will be royally screwed. If people want to smoke they should have to do it in a room in their house with all of the windows up, or in a designated public freaking bubble. If smokers want to kill themselves that is fine but it is ludacris that they are allowed to take me down with them.

[pogodzib]

I HATE the smell of cigarette smoke, but feel that there are way too many laws that shouldn't exist. Since smoking cigarettes is legal, I think that the building owners should be able to decide if the building is smoke free or not and that smoking in public places should be allowed, except near building entrances. If you don't want to be around the smoke, stay away from those areas. Making it illegal to smoke in a car while your driving down the highway is wrong. I do wish that more people would get fined from throwing a cig butt out the window instead of using their ash tray because that is littering. Now, don't get me going on seat belts and all of the other laws that are made to protect us from ourselves. Many of them are good things to do, but we should be able to do whatever we want with our own body/safety as long as it doesn't harm anyone else.

[stacef]

I agree that the business should be able to decide. I agree with hospitals 100% no smoking on the premises. Back in Michigan, I lived next door to EMS the ambulance facility. I swear all of the workers smoke. The alarm would go off for them to go to an emergency, they would light up and get in the ambulance. I am a smoker, but the last thing I want, is CPR from a person who was just smoking!!

[rlcline76]

My parents were talikng about this. This is what it has caused, thus far...for those people who really want to be at the bar...many of them are trying to quit smoking altogether. I never understood flicking smokes out of a car. If you are smoking in your car, it already smells. A friend of ours flicked his smoke out of the window once and caught what he was hauling on fire.

It's easy for me, though...I only smoke cigars occasionally at my house.

The town where I am from wants to pass a law against all beer gardens, as well. I have a feeling this will also affect any restaraunt that has a outdoor seating area. Of course, for all main street events like Octoberfest and so forth where there is always a brawl going on...that is OK. Church picnics might be affected.

[glampka]

No beer gardens!!! Whatever will you do?? You'll be forced into your closet on a more permanent basis!!!

[lynnvangsnes]

I remember when we could smoke on commercial airliners. I remember when we could smoke in the classroom at the university. I remember when there was no such thing as "smoking or non-smoking" areas. Smokers have lost many freedoms in the past 25 years. We have just moved one step closer to a police-state.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

I might be out of line pointing this out,but the people who made these laws are the same ones you elected.And if you didnt vote"SHAME ON YOU".And if you voted for Bush......twice........no comment lol.

[rlcline76]

Originally Posted by glampka

No beer gardens!!! Whatever will you do?? You'll be forced into your closet on a more permanent basis!!!

Booze is freely drunk everywhere in El Paso. I'm safe. I will not be moving back to my hometown when we get out of the military.

[pogodzib]

Let's keep the politics out of this thread Dale. It's a controversial subject as it is.

[mtfabel]

Im gonna get thrashed for this but oh well. Smoking is stupid. It bad for you, its bad for me, its bad for the earth.

[RyanG]

Originally Posted by mtfabel

Im gonna get thrashed for this but oh well. Smoking is stupid. It bad for you, its bad for me, its bad for the earth.

I 2nd this.

[rlcline76]

That is fine, but I am still smoking my stoagies on Saturday night...from my closet. lol

[pogodzib]

Originally Posted by mtfabel

Im gonna get thrashed for this but oh well. Smoking is stupid. It bad for you, its bad for me, its bad for the earth.

I'll third that, but is the law necessary. It takes away your, and everyone else's, rights. In a country that is based upon democracy, is taking away your freedom to do what you want to your body a good path to follow? There are a lot of public places where there is nobody around so smoking a cig won't affect anyone but the smoker.

[stacef]

I agree, I believe it is a persons choice. But the fact that someone is to tell me where I can or can't, or I will get a $500 fine, that's a little absurd. I am sure when they passed it, they meant good...but I see more people "going postal" because of it. Hahah just kidding that's a little extreme, but it sounded good!!

[glampka]

It's another one of those laws that will hardly be enforced. It's against the law to be driving & talking on your cell - everyday I pass dozens of people doing it & have done it myself. Ok - slap the cuffs on me! Steph - please post bail!!
If one was to go through each & every law written, I'm sure it's against the law to do most things that we do.

[stacef]

Oh they are enacting on it! One of my drivers already got one, and my buddy on new years morning--2 hours after in effect. But maybe it will lighten up, who knows!

[rlcline76]

This will be in the next updated TOS...no politics, religion or Illinois state statutes on public smoking discussions permitted. lol

[stacef]

Sorry I dont know what TOS is??

[glampka]

Terms Of Service - Ryan's laws on RB!!

[rlcline76]

...and all of us know how much he dislikes changing to TOS. This Illinois crap will be just one more thing.

[stephaniesquires]

Originally Posted by glampka

It's another one of those laws that will hardly be enforced. It's against the law to be driving & talking on your cell - everyday I pass dozens of people doing it & have done it myself. Ok - slap the cuffs on me! Steph - please post bail!!
If one was to go through each & every law written, I'm sure it's against the law to do most things that we do.

Yep - some states still have laws regarding showing bellybuttons - laws regarding kiwi fruit etc... tons of silly stuff still on the books!!! I got bail ready!!!!

Originally Posted by stacef

Oh they are enacting on it! One of my drivers already got one, and my buddy on new years morning--2 hours after in effect. But maybe it will lighten up, who knows!

They'll enforce it till the courts get impacted with this kind of stuff and the county/state realize how much it is costing to enforce/prosecute, then the city/state leaders will tell the DA and Police chiefs to back off...

[stacef]

Originally Posted by rlcline76

...and all of us know how much he dislikes changing to TOS. This Illinois crap will be just one more thing.

Hmm, Sorry I brought it up then. You can delete this if you'd like. I was just sharing my view on it. No biggie at all!!

[RyanG]

Originally Posted by stacef

Hmm, Sorry I brought it up then. You can delete this if you'd like. I was just sharing my view on it. No biggie at all!!

No worries, is the lobby