Oklahoma smoking laws set to change

[Plutonic Panda]

Same thing happened with texting and talking on the phone while driving. I've mentioned before you have more to fear from the general public than the cops when it comes to this. It's totally not acceptable here and you'll get yelled at, honked at, etc.

For talking on the phone? I had a lady start screaming at me for talking on the phone in traffic the other day, so I just told my friend I'll call him later and put down so she'd calm down. It's already starting to happen here. When I see people texting and driving, I'll honk at them and flip them the bird sometimes. But I don't see the problem with talking.

[Pete]

Here, you can't talk on the phone while driving unless it's hands-free.

Stiff fine for doing so, and it's pretty well enforced.

[Plutonic Panda]

I didn't know that. I'll have to get used to that. At least my car has Bluetooth equipped.

[turnpup]

Mine defaults to Bluetooth anyway, but you still have to look away from the road at the little screen to "accept" or "reject" the call. No matter what, there will always be *some* form of distraction. Not nearly as bad as it could be, but it's still taking attention away from the road.

[ctchandler]

Mine defaults to Bluetooth anyway, but you still have to look away from the road at the little screen to "accept" or "reject" the call. No matter what, there will always be *some* form of distraction. Not nearly as bad as it could be, but it's still taking attention away from the road.

Turnpup,
I agree totally. Most of the problems I have while driving, minor as the may seem are caused by people on cell phones. The worst when somebody cuts me off, ignores a yield sign, turns right on red without slowing down, and the really minor but irritating ones, missing a green arrow turn signal light because the person in front of me is on their phone (yes, I see it when they are turning) and they always seem to wake up (sometimes because I honk) just in time to be the only car that gets to turn before it turns amber/red. It is not possible to talk on the phone either handheld or bluetooth without being distracted, it's only the degree of distraction that changes. Driving requires thinking, and so does talking on the phone so which one is the most important? My phone is for emergencies and it is either off or totally silent, not even the vibrate is on while I am in the car, or for that matter, even at home since I have a landline. When I get to my destination, I might take it out of my pocket to see if there is a missed call. And I should mention, both of my boys live on their phones, the older one because he works a lot out of his vehicle. But, they are in their mid to late 40's, and it's not the way I taught them. Of course, when they were still at home, we didn't have cell phones.
C. T.

[hoya]

Turnpup,
I agree totally. Most of the problems I have while driving, minor as the may seem are caused by people on cell phones. The worst when somebody cuts me off, ignores a yield sign, turns right on red without slowing down, and the really minor but irritating ones, missing a green arrow turn signal light because the person in front of me is on their phone (yes, I see it when they are turning) and they always seem to wake up (sometimes because I honk) just in time to be the only car that gets to turn before it turns amber/red.
C. T.

That's why I honk immediately if someone doesn't go when the light is green.

By "honk" I mean I also roll down the window and scream like a crazy person.

[OKCisOK4me]

That's why I honk immediately if someone doesn't go when the light is green.

By "honk" I mean I also roll down the window and scream like a crazy person.

Do you hold you pinky and thumb up to your face and yell at them "get off the F'n PHONE!!!"?

[mkjeeves]

I saw a great graphic on smoking rates the other day but can't find it now. It peaked around the time I was in high school, '70s. Born into a two smoker family, I was probably addicted before I ever lit one up. Started at 15 and quit finally for the last time around 30. One of the notable influences on declining rates later was nicotine substitutes, which I didn't have at the time I quit. I used the harm reduction method of eating, which led to gaining weight, and remains an ongoing battle.
2.5 decades later a lung capacity test ages my lungs at 90. I'm totally for laws against smoking in a car with a minor, in public places and making it as difficult and unappealing as possible, just short of outright illegal everywhere.

[Pete]

It's amazing to me that in this day and age and knowing everything we do, that 18% of adults in the U.S. still smoke.

That is certainly way down from the 40% of the 60's but still, you would think that number would be much lower by now.

The CDC reports that 43% of all smokers attempted to quit in just the last year. Nicotine has to be one of the most highly addictive substances known to man, yet it is barely regulated due to the massive influence of the tobacco companies.

I have no doubt that in another 20 years people will look back at this time and wonder what the heck the government was thinking. It's pretty unbelievable there aren't much stronger restrictions and regulations already in place

[Pete]

This is a really interesting graph from the CDC.

The blue line represents high school students. As late as 1999, 35% of high school students smoked at least sometimes. 1999!! 35%!!!

By 2011, that number had dropped to 18%. Very important because, obviously, if you never start you never get addicted.

[mkjeeves]

This is the graphic I saw the other day. Largest peak in the '60s, dropped following some bad press and peaked again in the '70s. Somewhere in there advertising was reined in.

[Pete]

The peak in the 60's was mainly due to women, as for the first time cigs were marketed to them smoking was somewhat connected to being 'liberated'.

[traxx]

I have to think a lot of smoking numbers these days might not be entirely accurate. A lot of people have moved to vaping in the past few years and those who vape don't see it as smoking. They see themselves as non smokers more times than not. Vaping is being marketed as a safe alternative to smoking and that's not entirely true. It may not be as bad as smoking cigarettes, but there's no evidence to show that it's safe.

[Dubya61]

For talking on the phone? I had a lady start screaming at me for talking on the phone in traffic the other day, so I just told my friend I'll call him later and put down so she'd calm down. It's already starting to happen here. When I see people texting and driving, I'll honk at them and flip them the bird sometimes. But I don't see the problem with talking.

I've heard news reports that say even talking on the phone with a hands-free device still results in impaired driving. The psychologist stated that it's human nature to place verbal interaction as more important than (life-impacting) operation of an automobile, and so we STILL don't pay the attention to driving as much when talking on the phone (even with hands-free devices) as opposed to when a conversation isn't in progress.

[Dubya61]

It's amazing to me that in this day and age and knowing everything we do, that 18% of adults in the U.S. still smoke.

That is certainly way down from the 40% of the 60's but still, you would think that number would be much lower by now.

The CDC reports that 43% of all smokers attempted to quit in just the last year. Nicotine has to be one of the most highly addictive substances known to man, yet it is barely regulated due to the massive influence of the tobacco companies.

I have no doubt that in another 20 years people will look back at this time and wonder what the heck the government was thinking. It's pretty unbelievable there aren't much stronger restrictions and regulations already in place

I'm an ex-smoker. Quit several times. Lost my Mom to cancer (who I would say committed suicide via smoking -- long story). I'm amazed, too, when I see people smoking. All the same (as has been said), it's a powerful addiction (chemical AND psychological) and the peer pressure when I was young was incredible.

[Plutonic Panda]

I've heard news reports that say even talking on the phone with a hands-free device still results in impaired driving. The psychologist stated that it's human nature to place verbal interaction as more important than (life-impacting) operation of an automobile, and so we STILL don't pay the attention to driving as much when talking on the phone (even with hands-free devices) as opposed to when a conversation isn't in progress.

intersting. I have been driving for 4 years and talked on the phone and never came close to being in an accident. So next they'll need to outlaw radios and navigation because it could be distacting. Then on to signs.

I can completely understand it being illegal to text ask drive, but after that we will surely have people go after talking. It will never stop.

[hoya]

I've heard news reports that say even talking on the phone with a hands-free device still results in impaired driving. The psychologist stated that it's human nature to place verbal interaction as more important than (life-impacting) operation of an automobile, and so we STILL don't pay the attention to driving as much when talking on the phone (even with hands-free devices) as opposed to when a conversation isn't in progress.

Wouldn't that also be the case when speaking with a passenger?

[RadicalModerate]

Do you hold you pinky and thumb up to your face and yell at them "get off the F'n PHONE!!!"?

I'd like to rig up a lighted sign for my truck that says:
"Hang up the F'n Fone and DRIVE, A**hole."
Except with the correct spelling.

But this thread is supposed to be about smoking.
(I enjoyed two of the best cigars, ever, in the last couple of days. I hope the Anti-Tobacco Nazis keep their hobnailed boots from trampling all over cigar bars and smoking rooms at cigar stores.)

[Dubya61]

Wouldn't that also be the case when speaking with a passenger?

Absolutely. That's one of the reasons I like laws that say how many people can be in a car with a teen-age driver. When I'm driving and in a conversation, and the situation becomes one that I should probably pay more attention to the operation of my vehicle than to the conversation I'm having, my passenger NEVER minds when I say, "Hold on. I think I need to pay a bit more attention to the road." In fact, they're quite in favor of it.
FWIW, I'm not saying I'm in favor of any new laws on the books for texting and driving -- I think we (Oklahoma) already have a distracted driving law that suffices. I'm not in favor of banning hands-free calls and driving. I think any unenforceable law is stupid. I just think it's important to know and keep aware of the fact that when I'm driving -- when I'm operating a semi-guided missile -- that's my number one priority.

[mkjeeves]

Study done with driving simulator. Makes sense to me.

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
Previous work on use of cell phones while driving compared cell phone conversations while driving with
driving only conditions. This study investigated how conversing on a cell phone differs from conversing
with a passenger. Participants conversed about close-call situations they experienced. We compared how
well drivers followed task instructions when driving only, when driving and conversing on a cell phone,
and when driving and conversing with a passenger. The results show that the number of driving errors was
highest in the cell-phone condition. Analyzing the conversations we found that in passenger conversations
more references were made to traffic and more turn taking followed those references than in cell phone
conversations. The results show that passenger conversations differ from cell phone conversations because
the surrounding traffic becomes a topic of the conversation, helping driver and passenger to share situation
awareness, and mitigating the potential effects of conversation on driving

http://www.distraction.gov/downloads...ed-driving.pdf

[Bullbear]

Think this thread has gotten WAY off topic

[traxx]

Think this thread has gotten WAY off topic

Trying to figure out how we went from discussing smoking to distracted driving. It doesn't matter the subject, it always turns to driving and traffic somehow.

[ljbab728]

I find this encouraging given that it was proposed by a Democrat and is perceived by some as liberal.

Senate panel passes measure prohibiting smoking in vehicle if minor is present | NewsOK.com

[iMAX386]

Anyone have any experience with what smoking bars will smell like and the air quality after they go smoke free? Does that stale leftover smoking smell ever completely go away? I think of places like Edna's or Henry Hudsons or any other smoking bar and if you'll ever feel like the air is clean in there after those places have been caked in cigarette smoked for years.

Pete, you have a feel for those ex-smoking bars in Cali? Any signs it was a smoking place 10-15 years later?

[Jeepnokc]

But this thread is supposed to be about smoking.
(I enjoyed two of the best cigars, ever, in the last couple of days. I hope the Anti-Tobacco Nazis keep their hobnailed boots from trampling all over cigar bars and smoking rooms at cigar stores.)

Don't tease...what were they?