Well, you have heard of “secondhand smoke”, but you may never heard of “secondcar smoke.”
Secondcar Smoke
Secondcar smoke is a term I coined this week after being exposed 3 times to smoke from surrounding cars while driving. The first episode occurred on our first warm, sunny day this week. I rolled down the windows to enjoy the beautiful sunny day. I started smelling smoke, but there was nobody else in my car. It was clearly cigarette smoke, but I was going 45 miles per hour. The only car I could see was about 8 car lengths ahead of me. It was not until I pulled up next to it at the next stop light that I saw the driver flick the cigarette butt on the ground next to my car. That was when it first registered with me that I had been breathing in smoke for about 2 miles while driving behind this smoker. So much for enjoying my beautiful day…
The very next day, I was sitting at an intersection and noticed the same odor, but much stronger. I quickly looked around and realized that the driver 2 lanes over was smoking. He was the only one around that I could see, so it had to be him even though he was about 40 feet away.
Today, the same thing happened again at another intersection. This time my windows were up, but the smell still permeated my car. Disgusting!!!
I really have no problem with smokers, as long as I don’t have to breath their poison myself involuntarily. Here are some agreements that might help us all get along:
1) You agree to roll up your windows if you are going to smoke while driving. This should be more efficient for you anyway as you will be able to breath in your own secondhand smoke too. I agree to roll up my windows when I am jamming to some good tunes.
2) Don’t throw your cigarette butts out the window – this is called littering and smokers are not immune to such laws. I agree to not throw my gum out or shoot fireworks out my car window.
3) You agree to use smokeless tobacco in public. I agree to not take x-rays or CT scans in public.
4) If you decide to smoke in public while driving with your windows down, at least use marijuana instead of tobacco so that I will become as apathetic as you and just not care anymore.
If you too have been a victim of secondcar smoke, then please spread the word about these agreements or feel free to add your own.
Co-Founder of Poobah Marketing in Denver, CO. I am an uncultured polymath and an anal retentive procrastinator. My passion is the art and science of marketing. I am also an avid mountain biker, cyclist, runner, climber, tech geek, and dad.
I love this article! Thanks for acknowledging this problem. I have extensive lung damage from tuberculosis and resulting asthma and COPD from it, so cigarette smoke literally damages me.
I thought I was the only one who gets frustrated when forced to breathe smoke in my car. There is nothing worse than cruising with the windows down and moon roof open on a sunny day than a smoker in a car near you and having to quickly put your car into lock-down mode until the smoker is gone.
I also like your 4 rules, especially the one about smokeless tobacco in public. I am in college where many people smoke, and personally, I think it intrudes upon my rights of freedom. I have to take different paths out of my way to class, which is hard for me since my breathing capacity is low, in order to escape the deathly smoke. People smoking do nothing but make my life harder due to my already damaged lungs and pure annoyance of their lack of respect.
So, let’s ally together and enforce the right of non-smokers to breathe clean air!
I couldn’t agree with you more Lynne. Thanks for your comments. Let’s spread the word!!!
4) If you decide to smoke in public while driving with your windows down, at least use marijuana instead of tobacco so that I will become as apathetic as you and just not care anymore.
Haha, great article. This is by far my favorite reason!