Trucker busted for smoking in his 'workplace'

Trucker busted for smoking in his 'workplace'

www.windsorstar.com

Truckers from across Canada were fuming Wednesday night as word spread that police hit a driver with a $305 fine for smoking in his rig, because it’s considered a workplace.

Essex County OPP stopped the tractor-trailer on Wednesday around noon after noticing the lone driver headed down Highway 401 in Lakeshore with a cigarette between his lips. The officer ticketed the 48-year-old London driver for smoking in an enclosed workplace.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is definitely crossing the line in a major and unprecedented way.

I can see this being acceptable for Taxi drivers, given that some people do have legitimate allergies to cigarette smoke. However, for an LEO to pull over and harass a truck driver, in his own truck, seems 100% unconstitutional (he did not have any other citations).

Please do NOT turn this into a smoker vs. non-smoker thread. It is not about whether or not people should smoke in general, but rather whether or not a trucker should be able to smoke in his own truck, alone.

www.windsorstar.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

That is taking your job as a LEO a little to serious. Next I won't be able to smoke in my garage because it's attached to my house which has an home office in it? Canadians need to remind the Govt. who is in charge here.

reply to post by habfan1968


Not only that but what about our cars? Eventually a mechanic will need to work on our vehicle, therefore a "work place". Smoking Nazis need to die from car fumes IMO.

So next...if you work outside... in open air... let's say you're a goat herder, or a farmer... while the cops arrest you because you're smoking on your workplace?

This is stupid. Drop the charges!

This happened some time ago here in the UK. It's just complete madness. No other explanation needed.

A painter and decorator says he is "dumbfounded" after a £30 fine for smoking a cigarette in his own van. Gordon Williams, of Llanafan, Aberystwyth, says he had popped to the shops when he was pulled over by Ceredigion council officials. "I was told that because my van is my place of work I had broken the smoking laws," he said. A council spokesman said Mr Williams had acknowledged the offence and elected to pay the fixed penalty

BBC

Coming at this as an American, first off it's lunacy...

Second I guess I could somehow, kinda, sorta see this if it's a company owned truck and other drivers use it...but if this is owner/operator, I would fight this all the way.

What's next for F's sake?

Originally posted by habfan1968
That is taking your job as a LEO a little to serious. Next I won't be able to smoke in my garage because it's attached to my house which has an home office in it? Canadians need to remind the Govt. who is in charge here.

All the people all over the world need to remind their Government who is in charge.

Unfortunately if they don't the Governments have no problem showing the people.

Edit: Trucker should be able to smoke, I am unfamiliar with Canada law, but it's bull and shouldn't have happened. Every day they wash away more and more of our rights and freedoms. Like an ocean, lapping at the shore and taking with it sand, day by day. I hope the trucker fights it.

[edit on 10-10-2009 by BaronVonGodzilla]

This is ludicris rediculous. Workplace*means at a desk or office in a building! thats like being busted for smoking while working outside doing construction! For the past decade, its been GO outside to smoke* which is fine.. this is simply a discrimination thing against someone who dislikes smoke or smokers, and decdied to make a selfish example of one, probably hoping this manor of self subterfuge gain natioanl momentum. Being a cop did it, he's probably hoping it chains along, so ALL smokers get ticketed for smoking in the privacy of their car.
I think he should go to court, fight it, and see if the judge simply throws the case out. MANY times when fighting a ticket, the offcier himself never shows up anyways, and the judge throws the case out.