59 replies to this topic

[s0479]

My ex is CHP, BIG pet peeve of his. He will definitely ticket anyone that he sees doing that! I agree with everyone else, no excuse!!

[KoMbAse]

I once saw a teen throw a cigarette out of a truck right near dry brush in an unincorprated area of EDH. Unfortunately, unless you have video with license or some other type of evidence, its a case of he said/she said.

[The Average Joe]

I was once on a turnout of the San Gabriel mountains in my hometown. A stiff wind was blowing and as I admired the view across the valley, I noticed that the hill next to the ranch I lived at was on fire. I watched the stream of firetrucks move through the valley, and I was just packing up to go make sure the horses were safe at the ranch when this idiot pulls up, gets out of his car, watches the fire burn for a couple minutes, then flicks his lit cigarette onto the shoulder of the turnout.
I was so shocked, he was in his car and moving before I could jump on him for his stupidity. I chased that cigarette around the shoulder (remember, it was windy) and stomped it out before it could ignite the hillside of dry brush all around.
Some people just don't get it. Or just don't care.

[Dave Burrell]

I just went to a safety presentation by CHP and the officer told the crowd that it's illegal to throw cigarettes out of the car. It's also illegal to ash outside of the car! He said there are only two things that are legal- I think it's water and chicken feathers?!

That is very good information to know, thanks for posting that.

This is absolutely repulsive. As a motorcyclist I despise people who throw stuff out of their cars. I actually got burned from a lit cig once. Left a nice hole in my pants too.

You and me both! When I'm out riding I can smell when anyone ahead of me is smoking, (and what they're smoking) and I hate it when they flick ashes out that hit me. I've gone up to a few people and cursed them out while at stop lights for throwing their cigs out the windows - it's a serious road hazard to those of us on motorcycles.

and it's extremely ignorant and rude

[rpo]

I had a lit cigarette come thru my driver's side window while driving on the freeway about 10-12 years ago. It bounced off my arm and onto the carpet by my feet. By the time I could pull over, it melted a hole into the carpet. If I had seen who had flicked it, I would have chased them down.

[Harold]

That is very good information to know, thanks for posting that.



You and me both! When I'm out riding I can smell when anyone ahead of me is smoking, (and what they're smoking) and I hate it when they flick ashes out that hit me. I've gone up to a few people and cursed them out while at stop lights for throwing their cigs out the windows - it's a serious road hazard to those of us on motorcycles.

and it's extremely ignorant and rude

I was on my motorcycle once at a stop light when some ignoramus throws their cigarette butt on the ground in front of me.
So I got off my bike, picked up the burning cigarette and stuck it under their windshield wiper while they frantically rolled up their windows, I guess they thought I might try to throw it in their car or maybe cram it down their throat. Anyway, I think it scared them enough not to throw another one out of the window, at least not in front of a biker.

[folsombound]

I think the fine for littering can be $1000 and I would hope they would double it for a lighted cigarette!

[MikeinFolsom]

Nothing I hate more than pulling into a parking lot and when I go to exit my vehicle I see a rather large pile of butts on the ground some smoker decided they needed to place there. What does their house look like?

[momof1]

Nothing I hate more than pulling into a parking lot and when I go to exit my vehicle I see a rather large pile of butts on the ground some smoker decided they needed to place there. What does their house look like?

How about going to buy a used car from a private party and the car ashtray was full and over-flowing. I took one look at that and passed on even going for a test drive. If you can't clean your ashtray before showing a car for sale, sorry, but you won't be getting any of my money. I suspect if you can't have a clean ashtray, I wonder how filthy the oil pan is on the inside, like did you ever even bother to change the oil, or just add more when it got low.

[The Average Joe]

Kind of an interesting aside... while traveling through Montana some years back, I noticed that the fine for littering was only 10.00. Conversely, the roads were free of debris and were exceptionally clean by CA standards. Just thought that was an interesting observation...

[Redone]

I was once on a turnout of the San Gabriel mountains in my hometown. A stiff wind was blowing and as I admired the view across the valley, I noticed that the hill next to the ranch I lived at was on fire. I watched the stream of firetrucks move through the valley, and I was just packing up to go make sure the horses were safe at the ranch when this idiot pulls up, gets out of his car, watches the fire burn for a couple minutes, then flicks his lit cigarette onto the shoulder of the turnout.
I was so shocked, he was in his car and moving before I could jump on him for his stupidity. I chased that cigarette around the shoulder (remember, it was windy) and stomped it out before it could ignite the hillside of dry brush all around.
Some people just don't get it. Or just don't care.

Not defending at all , but it really has to be perfect conditions to light fuel from a flicked cigarette.
Windy, fine ground level fuel, and humidity less than 20%.

The littering alone makes me mad. Instead of a fine, how about 8 hours picking up trash on road with your hands.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

Not defending at all , but it really has to be perfect conditions to light fuel from a flicked cigarette.
Windy, fine ground level fuel, and humidity less than 20%.

The littering alone makes me mad. Instead of a fine, how about 8 hours picking up trash on road with your hands.

How about a fine AND picking up trash with their hands?

[rpo]

Kind of an interesting aside... while traveling through Montana some years back, I noticed that the fine for littering was only 10.00. Conversely, the roads were free of debris and were exceptionally clean by CA standards. Just thought that was an interesting observation...

That obviously has nothing to do with the fine. It likely has to do more with parenting and significantly less traffic on the road. Less traffic = less trash = hard to see the trash that exists.

[Terry]

A friend's daughter was recently ticketed for throwing a burning cigarette out of her car window as she was going over the Lake Natoma Crossing/Bridge. She is required to go to court to deal with it.

Is anyone familiar with the regulation related to this? Throwing a ignited object out of a car?

Here's the California Vehicle Code Section that applies to this:

23111. No person in any vehicle and no pedestrian shall throw or discharge from or upon any road or highway or adjoining area, public or private, any lighted or nonlighted cigarette, cigar, match, or any flaming or glowing substance. This section shall be known as the Paul Buzzo Act.23112.
(a) No person shall throw or deposit, nor shall the registered owner or the driver, if such owner is not then present in the vehicle, aid or abet in the throwing or depositing upon any highway any bottle, can, garbage, glass, nail, offal, paper, wire, any substance likely to injure or damage traffic using the highway, or any noisome, nauseous, or offensive matter of any kind.
(b) No person shall place, deposit, or dump, or cause to beplaced, deposited, or dumped, any rocks, refuse, garbage, or dirt inor upon any highway, including any portion of the right-of-waythereof, without the consent of the state or local agency having jurisdiction over the highway.