Well I guess this is the end of the honeymoon period for the non smoking laws. I say this because a North West taxi driver has fallen foul of the recent legislation and been fined £50 for smoking in his own cab.
The man was handed the penalty after a council officer in Oldham saw him smoking a cigarette in his private hire taxi while parked in Rochdale Road. There were no passengers in his cab at the time, but this of course makes no difference.
The new laws make it an offence to light up in any workplace at any time - this includes taxis and private hire vehicles.
The purpose is to protect members of the public against the effects of second-hand smoke.
Some taxi drivers in Scotland have been fined after flouting smoke-free legislation, but this is thought to be the first case in England since the ban was introduced on July 1.
This leaves me wondering just how long it will be before they start getting tough on smoky drivers up here in Barrow.
The man was handed the penalty after a council officer in Oldham saw him smoking a cigarette in his private hire taxi while parked in Rochdale Road. There were no passengers in his cab at the time, but this of course makes no difference.
The new laws make it an offence to light up in any workplace at any time - this includes taxis and private hire vehicles.
The purpose is to protect members of the public against the effects of second-hand smoke.
Some taxi drivers in Scotland have been fined after flouting smoke-free legislation, but this is thought to be the first case in England since the ban was introduced on July 1.
This leaves me wondering just how long it will be before they start getting tough on smoky drivers up here in Barrow.
3 comments:
I must admit thats one of the reasons I never used public transport (well I still dont but out of habit). Theres nothing more off putting than getting in a cab that stinks of smoke, especially if its for something important, because you know the smoky smell is going to cling. And the same with buses, having to sit next to someone who has just put out a fag is horrible.
Roll on the day when all tobacco is as popular as chewing tobacco is these days
They tried to enforce this in the U.S. with police officers. We were much too sly, and many would sneak a way around it. There is no good way to keep a smoker down! I was glad that I had quit the habit long before they made a rule against it!
jane: I feel the same when a fare gets in the cab who has been smoking.
tuffenuf:ex smokers are the most the most anti smokers of the lot.
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