And there I was, thinking Canadians represented the sensible third of the North American continent. And then they go and blow it all by saying something stupid like “You’re nicked, mate!” Do Canadians say that? Do they call their cops “the plod?” Anyway, The Globe and Mail reports “an Ontario Provincial Police officer noticed the driver of a tractor trailer [not shown] was smoking a cigarette as he pulled up alongside the vehicle on Highway 401 outside Windsor . . . The policeman charged the 48-year-old trucker, who is from London, under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which prohibits smoking in enclosed workplaces and public places.” As we like to say here in The Land of the Free, that’s some fucked-up shit. No, really. “Constable Shawna Coulter, a spokeswoman for Essex County OPP, said it is the job of police to enforce the law, no matter how unpopular. She also noted that smoking while driving is unsafe.” The trucking company’s defense is even less credible—and more convoluted.
The Smoke-Free Ontario Act does not apply to trucking companies that do business outside the province. Instead, they are covered by federal legislation that allows drivers to smoke in designated smoking vehicles. In addition, [Ontario Trucking Association spokesman Doug Switzer] said if the unidentified trucker owns his vehicle and is the only person who works in it, he can legally smoke in it, even under the Ontario law.
Excuse me sir, is that a designated smoking vehicle? Or do they have stickers? “Smoker on board.” No wait! Let me guess! You have to pay for a license for the “privilege” of smoking in your own truck. And then you get a sticker with a cigarette inside a red circle, without a line through it. The scariest thing about this Nanny state story: no one says the law is wrong. And that’s wrong. [thanks to ott for the link]
It would not have been a problem if he was smoking a joint.
Twotone
If the good people of Canada want to do that, what concert is it of mine?
None.
Sounds like something that nanny-state California would do…
Personally I’m antismoker but:
If he is the only person in the vehicle I don’t care what he smokes.
As in personal freedom is a right not a privilege.
The only way I can see they could even begin to complain is if his windows were down allowing the smoke to enter the air someone outside his vehicle would breath or someone else was in the vehicle with him and is sharing the air he is releasing smoke into.
The trucker may have ground the cop’s gears in some other way – perhaps by cutting him off, or driving like a tool. I just can’t imagine a cop showing such disregard for common sense unless he was given a good reason…
They don’t call the OPP – Ontario Party Poopers for nothing. Had a couple of run-ins with them at the campsite in my younger days. I do like their “women don’t have to wear tops law” when we are out on the “tug boat”. I love Canada :)
Just wait until OSHA gets in the act and mandates ergonomic chairs for trucks, tractors, and combines.
Stupid government. They spend their money doing crap like this while they whine about tax revenues. Then again, the trooper probably had to meet his ticket quota to protect his job.
We live in an Alice in Wonderland world. It gets sillier and sillier here.
Don’t go too quickly now…the on-ramp may be unsafe…you must not go above the posted speed limit whilst merging…you may harm someone….and as such we must fine you severely and place a mark on your permanent record.
God Bless the Queen.
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SPEED!!!
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This is what you see everywhere in the cities up north. Not that a posted speed limit sign is enough…NOOOO…we must drive into your head that you ARE SPEEDING and will be punished (punished, I tell you) accordingly.
Oh, and one last ridiculous measure meant to “tame” people…
…it is illegal (illegal!) to pedal a bicycle across an intersection. As with all “pedestrians”, you must “dismount” your bicycle and WALK it across. It’s for your “safety”.
…else you get a ticket and a hefty fine.
It’s the law….and it’s for your “own good”.
How embarrassing–it’s his own truck fer chrissake. And for a long-haul trucker, smoking (cigarettes, at least) is safer than just about any other activity he might engage in to keep himself amused out on the road.
Within one week, a trucker gets a ticket for smoking in his own truck and the feds say they are considering random roadside breathalyzer tests.
I can’t believe there is still an American who would come here.
That will be America if we don’t watch out.
Rastus, it is only illegal to pedal your bicycle across in a crosswalk. You are free to pedal across the intersection when you are in the roadway where you are supposed to be.
I’m a nonsmoker, too, and fully support rules to eliminate smoking in the workplace, but this is patently ridiculous.
That Ontario cop has it all wrong.
First, the truck driver is addicted (to nicotine) and hence has a handicap for which there must be reasonable accommodation in the workplace. What has the cop got against people with disabilities?
Second, those little jolts of nicotine help keep the driver awake and alert. Being awake and alert is critical to safe driving. Indeed, the government should require drivers to smoke. What has that cop got against safety?
I am floored by this. Reductio ad absurdum at its worst. I’m glad to see this wasn’t in the US, but if this ends up flying, it will only be a matter of time before someone tries it here.
I can understand bans of smoking in the workplace, after all, there are most likely nonsmokers employed in most businesses, and forcing them to inhale second hand smoke would be wrong. I understand bans of smoking inside of restaurants. I even understand, but don’t agree with, bans of smoking inside of bars (seems a bit contradictory to me, it’s A-OK to harm your liver, but verboten to harm your lungs). If it were me, I’d let each individual establishment make its own rules as far as smoking vs non-smoking goes, and let the potential clientele and employees decide whether they wanted to support or work for each establishment, but that makes too much sense, so of course it doesn’t work that way.
However this, eh, I can’t even come up with a logical argument because the whole situation is so ridiculous to begin with.
And there I was, thinking Canadians represented the sensible third of the North American continent.
I can’t think of anything that ever gave me that impression.
I stand corrected.
That’s mighty nice of the federales to afford such leniency to those poor saps on a bicycle. Now where’s my Huffy???. Heaven forbid they pedal and smoke at the same time.
Thanks Pilgrim!!
http://www.lilesnet.com/patriotic/images/johnpic4.jpg
Is there anyplace normal left in the world?
Sounds kinda like where I live!
http://www.smokefreewashington.com/
I just noticed, the bumber on the front of that semi is huge. Is that due to Canadian law?
^^^^ Nope, just a trucker with a bad case of the Ooh-Shiny’s.
At the rate this world is going down in a handbasket, 2012 couldn’t happen fast enough…
(Now between you and me, I think this 2012 thing is a crock, but if it turns out to prove me wrong – well hey – I guess I’ll learn something new on that day – moments before I get vaporized…:))
It’s not that much better here in the states.
My company banned smoking in our trucks because it was “in the workplace” and, as such, was prohibitted by Mass. (of course) state law.
I decided it was time to retire…
PS: I kid you not. Look it up. MGL, Ch. 270, Sec. 22.
It is now illegal in Halifax, NS, Canada to smoke outside in municipal parks. Second hand smoke is the reason given. This is an edict from the council, who voted last week to adopt this policy without public consultation. Fine is $500. The squirrels led a “No, thank YOU!” parade to rejoice.
Predictably, the folks who don’t smoke are quite happy, according to radio station random street interviews. They are probably the same majority who don’t mind the police opening their mail, because they have “nothing to hide”.
But it’s still OK to drink like a fish at bars, and to gorge oneself on Big Macs so that the waddle back to the car becomes a sweat-laden exercise at sub-zero temps. So, come on up for a visit and sample our special pot-holed roads. Also, it’ll give you a chance to hear Canadians speak, Robert. And ancient British slang is not the rule here, eh.
The policeman was just looking to pull someone over, as that is just stupid to enforce.
Just this past weekend, I witnessed a motorcycle cop get onto the highway and he was looking for someone to pull over from a group of cars. We were all driving about 5 mph over the speed limit. He then pointed to an SUV to pull over. I don’t think the driver noticed him, so the cop shook his head (that the driver didn’t notice him) and drove up to another car and pulled that one over!
Plus, I was pulled over several months ago and the copy claimed I was going 83 mph, when I know for sure I was going 73 mph. I swear she was looking for something or if I was a young punk, but she didn’t find anything so let me go with a warning. I’m positive about my speed.
Anymore it’s like, “Your papers please!”
I just noticed, the bumber on the front of that semi is huge. Is that due to Canadian law?
That bumper is one smooth, uniform piece, most likely to minimalize drag. You see the same shiny pieces around the headlamp, the huge outside visor and the abnormally flush hood. Guess this could make the difference between getting 6mpg and 8.5mpg. Those trucks can put away some diesel.
Old news. This law and its affect on truck drivers was noted and discussed on this site two or more years ago. I’m sure this wasn’t the first trucker cited in the interim, but it is nice to let the new people here know about this idiotic Canadian law (coming soon to a state near you) and to remind those that may have forgotten.
But it’s still OK to drink like a fish at bars, and to gorge oneself on Big Macs so that the waddle back to the car becomes a sweat-laden exercise at sub-zero temps.
WMBA, don’t worry, the food police are coming soon.
It’s a shame that the pendulum has to swing so far to the Left, before we’re finally shaken from our collective comma.
The good constable probably did society a favour. The trucker was probably on is way to buy murder a prostitute!