Mally Lass

For all of those who are returning, just thought I would enlighten you about the "Infringement Police".

I'd never heard of them until last week, when my friend was give an 'on the spot fine' for disposing of a cigarrette butt in the gutter....(She stood on it and left it). She was approached from behind (no jokes from the lounge please ) and was given the £80 fine and a slap on the wrist.

I actually laughed at her thinking it was a one off

........... but I spoke to my Mother today (lives in another part of the Country), who told me that she was also fined on Friday for smoking in a ..............OPEN Bus Shelter !!! She obviously questioned the new 'Enclosed spaces Law' and was told that althought there were no signs up in the shelter, the fact that it had a semi-roof on it, made it enclosed

These were not the Police by the way, but new "Infringement Officers". They operate on general Law and By-Laws apparently.

Anyone else heard of them ??

alicecat

Wish they had them here to get all the smokers who smoke right next to the no smoking signs and stink the whole entrance to just about every building here.

Cheetah7

One place I was temping at a couple of years ago, had a bin area which was semi sheltered area.

I never went out there as a rule but when I did, my god I was shocked at the mess.

Heaps and I mean heaps, of fag butts on the floor, the wall was covered in ash marks and empty fag packets on the floor.

My boss banned them from smoking and they went mad saying it was discrimination and not fair.

But even they couldn't argue the fact of how dirty and messy it was - as it was entirely their doing.

Fag butts on the floor don't look very nice and at the end of the day, it is the same as dropping litter, spitting out chewing gum or anything else for that matter.

yanH

I agree that smoker's can make a horrible mess however what I disagree with is the motivation behind these new "Enforcement Officers". Surely in both of these cases the sensible approach would have been to in the case of dropping the butt asking the person dropping it to pick it up and in the case of smoking in the bus shelter to have made the person aware of the rules (especially as they are brand new rules) and asked them to move. Fat chance of this happening because its all about revenue. Councils love all of these new rules because its allowing them to dish out fines left right and centre. I don't know why they are short of money because council tax is at an all time high and they are now (in the many cases) gaining revenue from parking fines, litter fines, smoking fines etc.

Thankfully I no longer have to take any notice of petty UK officials

seasprite

Bus shelter is open surely? There are always glitches with new laws and over zealous officers! It is littering though...I see more cig butts than any other sort of litter.

Norm71

On a recent trip to New York, a police officer laughed at me for disposing of my but in a litter bin. His words were along the lines of everyone just throws theirs on the floor. Although it is an awful habit and one I hope to overcome in the near future, it is a matter of common sense. IF no-one around me smokes, I don't smoke. And I don't like seeing butts all over the floor. lol. Sorry no pun intended.

However, I do believe with the more serious offences going on, fining someone in a bus stop for a first offense, with a new law, is a bit extreme. Hovering around to watch someone dispose of something the wrong way and pounce it that manner is awful. Laws should be enforced across the board, and it saddens me to hear of the little horrors that get away with beating up a granny for 50p, and a person making an honest mistake.

katesbackagain

While I totally agree that cig butts all over the floor not only pose a fire risk, but look bloody horrible, I think these people are taking this way too far.

As my mum pointed out, they're enforcing all these new laws, but are they doing anything to compensate, ie, providing ashtrays for people to put out their cigs? Where I live is very clean, and almost every strip mall has those posts that you can put cigs out in, or an ashtray on top of the litter bin. I don't see any fag ends on the floor whenever I go shopping. There you go, problem solved. Give people the facilities, and they will be used. (Or pinched, depending on where in the country you are! )

dozy_muppet03

no, but have to say I love it.....I'm all for freedom of choice but had years of peoples foul smoke stinking me out, ruining my clothes, coughs....I LOVE IT...hooray for the non smokers of us....

rgds


John

seasprite

Agreed! I heard about some pubs who were asking non smokers to stand outside every 30 mins so they know how the poor smokers feel. What I would reply is unrepeatable. I have had 38 years of smokers polluting me including my own parents...anyway, not going down that road, it's one of those never ending circular discussions!

katesbackagain

I heard a rumor that people in the UK were not allowed to smoke in their own homes 2 hours prior to any service person arriving to fix whatever, if they do, that service person is not obligated to stay there. Is this true or am I just really gullible?

LouiseD

No Kate it's quite true - they are really cracking down on smokers here.

LouiseD

I must say it's much nicer going into a pub now and not coming home stinking of ciggies. We spent two nights in the pub last week and it was great not having a sore throat, choking and coughing etc.

I do feel for the smokers though and my feelings are that they could have a little smoke room or something with strong air vents. But then I'm not in government am I so I'll shut up

Ozzidoc

Dont know if it is true but I wouldn't be surprised.

There's also been talk of "no-smoking in your home" if there are children present or living there.....dont think that it's got very far...personally, I would actually be all for this..... I have a paternalistic approach to health care....

Cheetah7

Absolutely, Im for it as well.

Smokers are always trying to make poor comparisons to their kids breathing in fag smoke in the home, saying its the same as them breathing in car fumes. Well its not the same, your home environment is the one place where you can have control over the pollution that you put in to it.

Our next door neighbours toddler has a smokers cough because the pair of them are heavy smokers and have an aversion to opening windows.

Its their habit and not their baby's and that little girl cant get up and go out, she just has to sit and cough and wheeze - which she does because I can hear her through our paper-thin walls at night.

I dont think it hurts any parent to stand at the front door for a fag. And if they are aware that smoking has health risks, then why do it in front of their kiddies?

LouiseD

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005590500,00.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...de/6763555.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6244315.stm