Question for smokers

NotRailMeat

Today, like most days, I went for a walk at lunch. Just as I was beginning a car passed by, the driver tossed a lit cigarette out the window, and it landed in the gutter beside me. :mad: This got me thinking about how often this happens so I decided to count how many butts I saw over the route. (Yes, I know, a little OCD). I only counted what was either on the sidewalk on in the adjacent gutter.

Over a 2.1 mile loop I counted exactly 296 butts. That's approximately 140 or 7 packs per mile. :noway:

So my question is when did it become fashionable to toss your butts out the window? And why do you do it?

I know the most common answer is going to be that today most cars do not come with ashtrays, but a car dealer will most likely include one for free if you ask or you can buy an aftermarket one at any auto parts store for less than $10. Cars don't come with trash cans either but you're not throwing your trash out the window are you? Plus if for some reason you don't want to spend the money for an ashtray you could always squeeze the cherry off the end and then keep the butts until you can throw them away properly.

BTW, my city has a powered street sweeper that comes around once a week and cleans the gutters. So this was not an accumulation.

TyTy76

Because humans are lazy/inconsiderate.

It's not just smokers, there is trash on the streets/highways everywhere.

pastryari

You're directing your question to all smokers? I don't litter. I have an ash tray that I put into my car's cup holder.


Also, like Ty up there said, it's everyone that throws their "trash" all over the streets, not just smokers and their butts.


ETA: If I'm out and there is not available ash tray, I do what you said, I "field strip" the cigarette and pocket the rest until I get to a garbage.

MizTerry

This burned my butt (pun intended) back when I smoked. It used to infuriate me when I saw fellow smokers being jerks.

But, as Ty said, it's not just smokers, I've seen others throw an array of things out for others to clean up. Obviously their mamas never taught them any better.

liormintz

I'm not sure i know the answer but its one of those odd things ..we're people that are normative and don't litter still allow them self to get rid of the cig out of the window ...very strange

Cliffslosinit

Smokers suck!:flowerforyou: :drinker:

NotRailMeat

I apologize if the insinuation is that ALL smokers do it. I know that not everyone is the same and there are exceptions to every rule.

However, cigarette butts were the most prevalent piece of trash I saw. As a point of comparison, during that same period, the only other pieces of trash were 2 empty water bottles and a Starbucks cup which I picked up and threw away.

TyTy76

I apologize if the insinuation is that ALL smokers do it. I know that not everyone is the same and there are exceptions to every rule.

However, cigarette butts were the most prevalent piece of trash I saw. As a point of comparison, during that same period, the only other pieces of trash were 2 empty water bottles and a Starbucks cup.

Did you pick everything up?

taunto

I toss the cig on the street. Mainly because its not my responsibility. I got a messed up world that the generation before me F'd up seriously and now they expect me to clean up their mess? Screw that. They had their fun making a mess out of this planet. Now its my turn.

Infact, I take all the hair spray I can find on sale and just empty out the can in air. Because Screw Ozone!

sixout

I apologize if the insinuation is that ALL smokers do it. I know that not everyone is the same and there are exceptions to every rule.

However, cigarette butts were the most prevalent piece of trash I saw. As a point of comparison, during that same period, the only other pieces of trash were 2 empty water bottles and a Starbucks cup which I picked up and threw away.

And I bet a majority of those butts will fit in those few cups and bottles you found. Just sayin'.

NotRailMeat

I apologize if the insinuation is that ALL smokers do it. I know that not everyone is the same and there are exceptions to every rule.

However, cigarette butts were the most prevalent piece of trash I saw. As a point of comparison, during that same period, the only other pieces of trash were 2 empty water bottles and a Starbucks cup.

Did you pick everything up?

The water bottles and the Starbucks cup... yes.

TyTy76

I apologize if the insinuation is that ALL smokers do it. I know that not everyone is the same and there are exceptions to every rule.

However, cigarette butts were the most prevalent piece of trash I saw. As a point of comparison, during that same period, the only other pieces of trash were 2 empty water bottles and a Starbucks cup.

Did you pick everything up?

The water bottles and the Starbucks cup... yes.

So what's the point of this thread?
You're basing EVERYTHING in here off 2 mile stretch.

I encourage you to take a adopt-the-highway in your area.


Also, if you truly cared you would of picked up the butts too.

NotRailMeat

I apologize if the insinuation is that ALL smokers do it. I know that not everyone is the same and there are exceptions to every rule.

However, cigarette butts were the most prevalent piece of trash I saw. As a point of comparison, during that same period, the only other pieces of trash were 2 empty water bottles and a Starbucks cup which I picked up and threw away.

And I bet a majority of those butts will fit in those few cups and bottles you found. Just sayin'.

My point EXACTLY. Squeeze the cherry off and dispose of the butts inside a water bottle/cup in your own car!

sixout

I apologize if the insinuation is that ALL smokers do it. I know that not everyone is the same and there are exceptions to every rule.

However, cigarette butts were the most prevalent piece of trash I saw. As a point of comparison, during that same period, the only other pieces of trash were 2 empty water bottles and a Starbucks cup which I picked up and threw away.

And I bet a majority of those butts will fit in those few cups and bottles you found. Just sayin'.

My point EXACTLY. Squeeze the cherry off and dispose of the butts inside a water bottle/cup in your own car!

So by your logic, i can ask what's wrong with people that drink water from bottles, or starbucks, because their very few things can take up more space than 100 cigarette butts?

NotRailMeat

I apologize if the insinuation is that ALL smokers do it. I know that not everyone is the same and there are exceptions to every rule.

However, cigarette butts were the most prevalent piece of trash I saw. As a point of comparison, during that same period, the only other pieces of trash were 2 empty water bottles and a Starbucks cup which I picked up and threw away.

And I bet a majority of those butts will fit in those few cups and bottles you found. Just sayin'.

My point EXACTLY. Squeeze the cherry off and dispose of the butts inside a water bottle/cup in your own car!

So by your logic, i can ask what's wrong with people that drink water from bottles, or starbucks, because their very few things can take up more space than 100 cigarette butts?

I never said that one was better, or more acceptable, than the other. But to counter your logic, which takes up more space 300 cigarette butts or 3 crushed 12 oz water bottles. Which has greater weight/mass? Without a doubt I would say the butts do.

sixout

Because people obviously crush and smash their bottles before they throw them out on the side of the road. How silly of me to think they wouldn't do that.

spade117

I assume the birds will use them for insulation in their nests.

SpeSHul_SnoflEHk

As a former wildland firefighter, I can tell you that this is especially annoying and costly habit. I have been on more than a couple fires in desert sage scrub that were started from some *kitten* tossing a butt, or even a cherry out as they drove down the highway in the middle of an Idaho summer. It doesn't take much for the flames to take off at 40 chains per hour destroying tens to hundreds of thousands of acres in a day including facilities. Then there is the cost of containig and controlling it. Those waterbombers and helicopters are not cheap to keep in the air. However, they do paint the desert a nice pretty pink.

odusgolp

You counted cigarettes....

Cp731

I toss the cig on the street. Mainly because its not my responsibility. I got a messed up world that the generation before me F'd up seriously and now they expect me to clean up their mess? Screw that. They had their fun making a mess out of this planet. Now its my turn.

Infact, I take all the hair spray I can find on sale and just empty out the can in air. Because Screw Ozone!

I know your just playing T.
BUT I work w/ppl w/that sorta attitude. Its called ignorance.
Rise above and Be true to yourself, you cant change the behavior of other ppl. That's what the street cleaner is there to do.

cmcollins001

You counted cigarettes....

Yup...that's pretty much what I got out of the whole thing as well.

NotRailMeat

You counted cigarettes....

Yup...that's pretty much what I got out of the whole thing as well.

Yes I counted cigarettes. Like I said in my OP I'm slightly OCD. However, what difference does it make WHAT I counted. Would it be any more or less odd if i'd counted cars, birds, or the number of people I passed?

The fact that there were 300 butts in a 2 mile stretch is still ridiculous.

TyTy76

You counted cigarettes....

lolz.

kelseyhere

As a former wildland firefighter, I can tell you that this is especially annoying and costly habit. I have been on more than a couple fires in desert sage scrub that were started from some *kitten* tossing a butt, or even a cherry out as they drove down the highway in the middle of an Idaho summer. It doesn't take much for the flames to take off at 40 chains per hour destroying tens to hundreds of thousands of acres in a day including facilities. Then there is the cost of containig and controlling it. Those waterbombers and helicopters are not cheap to keep in the air. However, they do paint the desert a nice pretty pink.

OMG THIS!!!! So true. In my home state two of the most beautiful camping areas I used to frequent and now completely torched and gone do to some people being lazy. Use a trash, for all of it! Stop arguing about what trash makes up more space, just wait til you get home and throw it away. And for godsakes stop putting your water bottles in the trash people! There is a recycle bin right by it in most cases.

cmcollins001

You counted cigarettes....

Yup...that's pretty much what I got out of the whole thing as well.

Yes I counted cigarettes. Like I said in my OP I'm slightly OCD. However, what difference does it make WHAT I counted. Would it be any more or less odd if i'd counted cars, birds, or the number of people I passed?

The fact that there were 300 butts in a 2 mile stretch is still ridiculous.

Not as ridiculous that you know that. Also, if it really bugs you that much, and you were taking the time to count them, why didn't take the extra step and pick them up, put them in the empty water bottles and starbucks cup and throw them in the trash.

People litter...not smokers litter...people litter.