Smoking And Driving
While driving an automobile, one should have some patience, be
conscious aware, and be courteous towards other fellow drivers in order
to creat safe driving techniques. As I was observing my driving skills for
the past few months, I became more aware on what a wreckless driver I can
be. But not only did I noticed the way I drove, I also noticed how crazy
and impatient other drivers drove on the streets. Ever since I got my
driver's license I always thought I was a pretty darn safe driver until
I proved myself wrong this semster. Even though I follow all the
driving laws, I hardly ever speed, I do not change lanes frequently, I
always use my blinkers, I thank those who let me cut in and vice versa I
let others cut infront of me, I do not consciously tailgate people, and I
always wear my seatbelt when I enter any automobile,...I was still able
to find that one unsafe driving technique. This unsafe action of mine
is smoking cigarettes while driving. Yes, smoking is the one unsafe
driving technique that I need to change to become a safer and better
driver.
Smoking cigarettes may seem like an odd traffic psychology topic to
write about, but this topic deals with some distractions that I personally
faced while driving. Smoking is just as distracting as cellular phones
can be. For example,
Allison
Asahina
quoted from
Jae Isa
that "people talking on cellular phones while driving have attention
defecit syndrome" because they loose their concentration while talking on
the phone. Both cellular phone people and cigarette people do not focus
their attention on the roads when they ought to be. They tend to be a
tad bit dangerous on the roads because they first of all drive with only
one hand on the wheel, and secondly they concentrate on that certain
object rather than on the road. Basically, they can easily cause an
accident due to not being aware of their surroundings.
Back to the top
How I started smoking...
My smoking days all started about three or even four years ago when I
was stressed out and by myself. This was my very own deep secret I hid from
my family and friends. My secret hiding place to smoke and relax was in
my car. The only time I would smoke a cigarette was when I was driving
alone. I remember before the first thing I would do after I started up
the engine was light up my cigarette. Other than that, I would not smoke in
public. (But now I smoke wherever I want, whenever I want. But I must
say that I am trying to quit slowly taking it day by day). Anyways...
Dangerous driving skills...
There has been a number of times where I was so close to causing an
accident due to smoking and driving. Perhaps smoking and driving
can be just as bad as drinking and driving, huh? The whole process;
before, during, and after stages of smoking a cigarette can easily
distract a smoker's concentration on the road. I know for fact that I
get distracted myself. For instance, while driving, before I light-up
my cigarette, I always look side-eye at my bag that is usually on the
passenger seat and feel all around my bag for my cigarette pack and the
lighter. Then when I am lighting-up my cigarette, I watch
the flame of the lighter to make sure the cigarette lights and to make
sure I do not burn my lips, or chin, or nose, for that can be a tidy bit
painful. Throughout the process of smoking my cigarette, I realized that I
only drive with one hand on the wheel, while the other hand is holding the
cigarette. If I can recall, all drivers are taught to drive with two
hands on the wheel because one can loose control of the car easily when
driving with one hand on the wheel. And I vaguely remember my driver's
education teacher telling me to always keep my two hands on the wheel at
the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock position.
I personally feel that the most distracting part of smoking a cigarette
while driving is the after stage, when I decide to end my cigarette and
throw my butt out the window. Yes, I am admitting to you
all that I litter, but I must add in that I am very carefull when I do throw
my butts out on the streets. When I am at the end of my cigarette, and
just about to throw my butt out, I find myself constantly looking in my
rear view mirror for any cops, for one who litters can be fined $25-$50 for
littering. I not only do I look around for cops, but I also look for other
cars around me because I do not want to get caught by anyone for
littering on the roads. This may sound weird, but I sort of feel guilty
for littering all the time. It is like I plan out thoroughly a
perfect time to end my cigarette and throw my butt out without anyone
looking. I try not throw my butts out the window at a complete stop
unless I am in traffic, then I have no choice. And I never throw my
cigarette butts near dry grass or weeds that could possibly catch on
fire. Nor do I smoke near gas stations or gas trucks or anything that
is considered a fire hazard. Throughout my smoking process while driving, I
basically do not seem to be concentrating on safe driving skills, rather
I focus on my cigarette and the cars around me.
Back to the top
Possible accidents...
In comparison to the people who talk on their cellular phones while
driving, or those who drink and drive, the people who smoke cigarettes
while driving have similar possible accidents that can occur due to their
loss of concentration. One such incident I experienced as I was smoking
and driving was getting burnt by the long ash that landed on my leg.
This shocked the hell out of me! The burning sensation of the ash made
me panic and my foot instantly released the gas pedal as I slapped the
ash off of my leg. Luckily I was not at a complete stop otherwise I could
have released my brake pedal and accidentally hit the car infront of me.
But I was also fortunate that no one was tailgating me at that time
because the sudden reaction of me releasing the gas pedal would have had
an impact on the car behind me.
Another incident that freaked me out was catching my car furniture on
fire. Well, I did not literally catch the furniture on fire, but I did
burn a hole on the backseat floor rug. You all must be wondering how did
I almost catch the furniture on fire, huh? Well, what had happened was
when I decided to throw my butt out the window a strong gust of wind blew
my butt back into the car. Boy was I panicing! I did not know where the
butt landed, but I knew it was somewhere in the backseat of my car. I
totally lost my train of thoughts on concentrating on the roads because
I was looking around for smoke. I was going so crazy that not even
knowing where the butt had gone, I just threw my cup of water to the
backseat, hoping that it would burn out my cigarette. I ended up
stopping on the side of the highway to double check where the butt had
gone for I was all paranoid out. To make a long story short, my car
ended up with a wet backseat, which I must add the cup of water did not
even reach the butt, and a burnt hole on the carpet. Luckily there was
no fire that started.
As I mentioned earlier, I believe throwing cigarette butts out the
window can be very distracting and dangerous to other fellow drivers
around because it is a sudden action that can startle the other driver to
cause an accident. The one incident I am trying to explain happens only
at night time when it is not raining. When the smoking driver in the front
car throws his/her butt out the window, the impact on the sparks from the
cigarette when it hits the ground may cause the driver behind the swirve
to the next lane and hit another automobile. This may sound stupid, but
it does happen frequently. I have seen many drivers who slightly swirved
to the side to avoid hitting the cigarette spark. I realized that I have
done that myself when I followed a smoker driver. It is a quick
unconscious reaction drivers face when they become aware.
Conclusion...
All in all, I chose this topic on smoking and driving because it is a
careless action of mine when I drive. There has been a number of times
where I almost caused some major accidents, and my life as well. The
problem of not concentrating on the roads before, during, and after my
cigarette stages makes me an unsafe driver. While observing my own
driving techniques these past weeks, I thought long and hard of how I
could possibly change my driving skills to become a safer driver to my
fellow drivers. Well, the resolution(s) I could think about was to not
smoke while driving, or better yet, quit now before I start a family and
my career. Hmm...I have wanted to quit smoking for my 1995 New Year's
Resolution, but I did not succeed. Just maybe, for starters, I should quit
smoking in my car. Since it was the first place I started smoking in,
maybe it could be my last place to smoke in. And perhaps through
progress, I will then lessen my daily smoking chain, and by the end of
1996 I will quit smoking forever. This sounds like a good plan to strive
for. And in this case, I will be killing two birds with one stone. I
will learn to be a safer, better driver by concentrating on the highway
than my cigarettes, and I will become a healthier, happier person with
myself and my personal social life without cigarettes in my life. Plus, I
can drive in a clean, nice smelling car from now on. Ok...I will
definitly try to quit my bad habit of smoking and driving, and become a
better Traffic Psychologist. Wish me luck!
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Report 1--My Travels Through G1 and G2