November 8, 2002

Dear Sir,

I have to write this letter out of frustration with drivers of vehicles who are smokers. It is your business if you smoke and it's your lungs. I am sure all cars come equipped with ashtrays so why do you insist on throwing the butts out the window? Not only is it dangerous, but it is littering and punishable with fines!

As a bike and car driver I have witnessed several 'butt throwers' recently, one as recent as this morning. At approximately 8.30 this morning nearing the Trimmingham Hill/East Broadway Roundabout, a male driver of a dark grey Daewoo Cielo threw his cigarette butt out of his car window and it flew back in the breeze and hit the front of my helmet. This cigarette butt was still 'smoking'. Thank goodness I have a face shield on my helmet.

Another incident where I was in stop-and-go traffic in my car on Monday morning and a driver in front of me threw her cigarette butt out the window and it landed in front of my car. I did not roll forward as I was afraid that this still 'smoking' butt was going to be under my car!! I would like all 'butt throwers' to think about this for a minute. If you throw your 'smoking' butt out the window, you have no clue if the car behind you has a fuel leak! That car, the car behind that one and your car can go "KABOOM"! And who knows what other damage it can cause. Remember, there are also oils on our roads all the time too.

By the way, may I remind you it is also still littering, no matter how small the litter is. That one butt, times by 10,000 butts a day (estimate), times by 365 days in a-year is a lot of trash!

May I just add one more thing. Use your vehicle ashtray, that is what is there for?

FRUSTRATED COMMUTER

Warwick