One Cigarette Can Do A World of Damage

[otohara]

But in Texas, the punishment for tossing a lit cigarette is only a littering ticket.


I saw a killer in action last week.

I saw a driver toss a burning cigarette.

When Texas is windy and tinderbox-dry, any spark can burn a town, taking with it homes, dreams and, sometimes, firefighters' lives.

The cigarette landed just shy of grass. It could have easily flared up like in Fort Davis, or near Possum Kingdom Lake, or near Gorman.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/04/16/3004786/one-cigarette-can-do-a-world-of.html#ixzz1Kxdth2RW

[Drale]

1. A crafty DA would charge said person with arson

Thats what they did in a case a few years ago near me, when someone through a cigarette out the window and started a large fire in a forest preserve.

[ReggieVeggie]

2. this certainly would be a time to step up enforcement

Hell, a public service message on the local tv station telling people not to flick their burning embers.

[musette_sf]

3. I remember these every summer when I lived there

Grassfires all over, due to smokers tossing butts

[otohara]

4. Governor Secessionist Perry

If he doesn't want federal assistance, they should change the laws on the ciggy butts.

Tough laws in my state - Colorado


Don't Toss That Butt!

It's a jail-able offense now to toss a cigarette butt out your car window. Via 9 News:

Firefighters throughout the Metro Denver area want drivers to know they will seek prosecution of those who would throw lit cigarettes out of their car windows. Under Colorado law, anyone convicted of the Class 2 misdemeanor could be sentenced to jail.

"It happens daily," said Lt. David Marchbanks of the Denver Fire Department. "All over Denver, we have people running on weed fires that are caused by cigarettes. It's a lot of resources taken from the city." http://www.5280.com/blogs/2005/07/22/dont-toss-butt

[kentauros]

5. I've been seeing plenty of blogs and small-town papers online

warning about the dangers of tossing a lit butt, but so far nothing on one I recall reading some years back. I know it took place in North Texas, around either Denton or Denison. I only remember that a woman was arrested for tossing out a lit cigarette while a burn ban was in force. It may have gone to trial, but nothing more was ever reported. Their local papers probably covered it, if you can find them.

The only other bit I've found only states that someone was pulled over this past January (in the same area of the state) but the "reporter" gave almost no details of any kind:

http://blogs.star-telegram.com/crime_time/2011/01/flicking-a-cigarette-butt-turns-out-to-be-a-drag-for-woman.html

[Nye Bevan]

6. I thought smokers were exempt from littering laws?

At least, that's how they all behave.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. "All"

Nice broad brush there.

[Heidi]

21. "All" is inaccurate. (nt)

[robinlynne]

7. I'm a smoker, and would NEVER throw a cig out of the window. ever.

[Zanzoobar]

8. When I smoked I threw out hundreds, maybe thousands.

I never burned up a state that didn't deserve it.

[kentauros]

9. Excuse me?

"deserve it"? Care to elaborate?

[Zanzoobar]

12. If a joke has to be explained, it's not worth telling.

I don't know which of us is at fault.

[kentauros]

13. I don't consider that a joke.

Maybe you haven't been around here that long, but Texas is the brunt of the fiercest bashing you may still get to see. I'm a native of this fine state and have to put up with a lot of hate directed this way. Implying, however facetiously, about our state burning down by means of a tossed lit cigarette is not funny in the least.

[Zanzoobar]

14. I never mentioned Texas. Chill out.

Some of my best friends are from Texas.

[kentauros]

16. The OP is about Texas and a lack of enforcement on tossed cigarettes.

I'm glad you have good friends here. There's plenty of good people here and sorry if I reacted badly. It was easy to assume.

What you may notice as you hang around here more is that many will state that they know there are good people here but... In other words, it's selective or conditional compassion for any problems we might be going through. It keeps us on edge, unfortunately.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Neither would I

[Maraya1969]

15. Why did they do away with ask trays in cars???? I think that was stupid and when

I was still smoking I threw cigarettes out of cars which I am ashamed to admit but it was either that or put them out on my leg!

[Zanzoobar]

17. Why did you have to say that?

Oh man are you in T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

The very existence of your soul will be questioned.

[kentauros]

18. Because cupholders were more important.

;)

[Manifestor_of_Light]

20. Another Native Texan checking in on the bashing,

Native Texan here.

Third Generation Democrat. Grandmother voted for Franklin Roosevelt, Dad voted for Norman Thomas in the 30s and his brother was a socialist also. Dad was a union organizer for the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers. Collected money for the widows and orphans of the Texas City Explosions in 1947.

Parents were active in Dem politics. My folks were delegates to the State Convention in 1958 and endorsed Henry B. Gonzalez for Governor. Fifty three years ago, they voted in their convention to nominate a Hispanic.

I've worked in Democratic politics for years and been a State Convention Delegate several times.
I have voted for Republican judges that were sane, but I have NEVER EVER voted for a Republican politician.

I met Lyndon Johnson when he was Vice President, and John Connally at the same time, when he was Governor. This was at the Rice Hotel in Houston. My dad had to pick me up and carry me because the crowd was so thick. Lyndon Johnson gave me a pass to the Senate, which I still have. This was probably in 1963.

There are lots of progressive people in Texas. They are concentrated in the cities. Billie Carr told us to keep fighting.

I'm a Native Texan, and I have never owned: A) a cowboy hat; B)Cowboy boots; C) a pickup; D)a horse. The only country singers I can stand are Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, because they sing properly, without a clothespin on their nose and pedal steel guitar abuse.

I read The New Yorker and used to have season tickets to the Houston Grand Opera & the Houston Symphony. And I would sing along during "Don Giovanni" and "The Marriage of Figaro". In Italian, of course.

I auditioned to sing in the Houston Grand Opera Chorus a few years ago, and sang a mezzo-soprano aria from The Marriage of Figaro.

I used to be the concertmistress of the Houston Youth Symphony and was in the first violin section of the Houston Civic Symphony. Both of those are very fine amateur groups.

I've played both on the stage and in the pit at Jones Hall, the symphony hall in Houston. When I was nineteen.

I've gone to the Summer School for High School students at Rice University.

I have three college degrees, including a doctorate.

You think I'm a hick?

:shrug:

[Obamanaut]

22. Another option for smokers in cars is to purchase an ash receptacle, one

that is weighted to keep it from tipping over.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

19. And we are not even talking about second hand smoke breathing!

:popcorn: :hide:

[Heidi]

23. I smoke, but not indoors (even if my own home) and not in my car.

I don't even know if my car has an ashtray. :shrug:

For those of us who smoke outdoors, it's pretty easy to stomp out a cigarette, field strip it and put the butt in your pocket for later, proper disposal.

[ScreamingMeemie]

24. Interesting that you posted this today...

http://www.click2houston.com/news/27719194/detail.html

Investigators: Cigarette Butts Cause Strip Mall Fire
Firefighter Injured While Battling Blaze