Ravenwood - 11/07/03 05:20 PM
Police in Alaska are doing all they can to fight the heinous crime of cigarette ash flicking. The Alaska Daily News reports on the plight of a Palmer man, Troy Woods III, who was pulled over and ticketed for flicking cigarette ashes out his window. Woods was still holding the butt when officers pulled him over, but they still cited him for those little red embers and ashes that he flicked out the car window.
Woods plans to fight the $60 fine, but that doesn't dissuade police. Alaska State Trooper Mike Burkmire noted that he'll still pull someone over "just simply for the act of littering."
(Kudos to reader Tom Scott, who submitted the article, and also added, in reference to this Palmer resident: "Now we know why the residents of Palmer and Wasilla have to shoot burglars. The troopers are busy chasing smokers.")
The news report may not be complete. I don't know how things are in Alaska, but here in Colorado, we've been having a several-year drought. Early this year, reservoirs were down to 20% of normal levels.
People flicking cigarettes and embers out of car windows can cause fires. Last summer and the summer before, I saw burned patches of various sizes here and there by the side of I-70 and other roads.
Personally, while I oppose anti-smoking ordinances, I have little problem with people who throw burning cigarettes or embers out of moving cars being charged with anything that fits.
Posted by: wheels at November 7, 2003 8:05 PMHaving recently been on the receiving end of an errantly discarded butt on I-71 I can only say this.
The next individual who flicks a butt out his window in my direction had better hope a trooper is around to save his ass.
Posted by: Tazteck at November 9, 2003 4:03 PMThe discarders really piss me off, too. But ashes? On a roadway?
Smoking at the gas pump: stupid. Flicking lit cigarettes onto pavement (from vehicles or otherwise): litter, apathy, and general disregard for others. I'd imagine the smokers can't stand the smell of crushed out cigarettes in their cars. Dealing with the waste product of their addictive folly.
But ashes, though? I dunno. It seems absurd.
hln
Posted by: hln at November 9, 2003 4:14 PM(c) Ravenwood and Associates, 1.99K - 2K7
