How many get ticketed throwing cigarettes out the window?

[inkyatari]

It's been a year and a half since Illinois imposed a $500 fine for people caught throwing cigarettes out their car window.  As a person who really hates having other people's trash hit his car , I was wondering how many people have actually gotten tickets for this in Illinois? How about other states where there's anti cig butt throwing laws?

[peterj920]

In Wisconsin, a person threw a cigarette butt out of their window and ended up getting a drunk driving because of it.

http://m.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/a-tossed-cigarette-can-lead-to-owi-arrest-state-supreme-court-rules-b99621589z1-353675331.html

[noelbotevera]

I still see litter (including cigarette butts thrown from cars) on the roadside, next to "No Littering - $300 Fine" signs, and in a heavily patrolled area (in my case, US 30). I haven't seen it enforced in my part of PA.

[hbelkins]

I remember seeing an episode of "Cops" where they pulled someone over for tossing a butt during an extreme drought, and ended up arresting them for something else.

Tossing butts out the window is littering, just the same as throwing out a hamburger wrapper or an empty pop can. Anyone who throws one out within sight of a cop is just asking for trouble, especially if they're doing something else that could cause bigger trouble.

I'm still amused that the posted penalties for littering/dumping are often greater than what one might get fined for drug possession.

[jeffandnicole]

One town near me has a posted 'No Littering - $1000 fine' sign.  I'm pretty sure that's a made-up figure.

Proof: https://goo.gl/maps/eXdcAGoWPGH2

[Jim]

I have no idea if many people are fined for it, but I wish that more were.  I have no idea why anyone would think it's acceptable to throw trash, especially burning trash, out the window of their car in any circumstance.  I know it bothers me more than it should given the severity of this offense compared to many other things drivers do.  Maybe it's hard for some reason for people not to text while driving or to keep themselves from drinking and driving or from tailgating or driving painfully slowly and obstructing the flow of traffic, but I know it's not hard to keep your trash in the car until you get somewhere with a trash can.

[Brandon]

I'm still amused that the posted penalties for littering/dumping are often greater than what one might get fined for drug possession.

As well they should be.  Littering/dumping affects all of us and makes the area look trashy.

[SteveG1988]

Throw something biodegradable out the window, you get a dirty look. A paper gum wrapper for example will compost no problem on the side of the road, but a cigarette butt won't, that's going to stick around for quite some time, and leech toxins into the soil. At night i see tons of cigarettes being thrown into the road, scattering the embers all over the freeway.

[Mr. Matté]

One town near me has a posted 'No Littering - $1000 fine' sign.  I'm pretty sure that's a made-up figure.

Proof: https://goo.gl/maps/eXdcAGoWPGH2

You're right it is made up.

The fine's a maximum of $2,000.

[kalvado]

Throw something biodegradable out the window, you get a dirty look. A paper gum wrapper for example will compost no problem on the side of the road, but a cigarette butt won't, that's going to stick around for quite some time, and leech toxins into the soil. At night i see tons of cigarettes being thrown into the road, scattering the embers all over the freeway.

That is an extremely strange statement. Well, I expect any solanum to be on the same page, and that is the source of the "poison". Filter is more interesting, but still fairly rottable..

[PurdueBill]

Worthington, Ohio has "Cigarette Butts Are Litter" signs on ramps from OH 315; not sure if they nail anyone at that intersection. 

Akron has signs reminding you "You Litter, We Fine $500.00".  Cigarettes are not mentioned specifically.

[1995hoo]

Stanley Roberts (YouTube channel "tvman1981"; he's a reporter for a San Francisco TV station) did a report a few months ago about people getting ticketed for flicking cigarette ashes out the window. Good for the authorities for doing that, especially with drought conditions out there.

https://youtu.be/3k9m-ZwsqP8

[Jardine]

Easy way to fix this is a $1 per butt deposit law.

Buy a pack of cigarettes, you have to put down a $20 deposit.  Bring the butts back, get your $20 back.

[hotdogPi]

Easy way to fix this is a $1 per butt deposit law.

Buy a pack of cigarettes, you have to put down a $20 deposit.  Bring the butts back, get your $20 back.

People will be going pretty much everywhere, including areas that they shouldn't be (private property, highway ROW,  Hogwarts) to find as many cigarette butts on the ground as they can, hoping that the area has not been explored by someone else.

[kalvado]

Easy way to fix this is a $1 per butt deposit law.

Buy a pack of cigarettes, you have to put down a $20 deposit.  Bring the butts back, get your $20 back.

Don't forget $2 per plastic bag and $10 for soda bottle.
NYS has sort of deposit for car lead acid battery. $5, and my impression it is realistic. A with cigarette tax we enjoy, a dedicated butt cleanup service can be established without significant extra cost...

No, I am not defending littering... but be realistic!

[wxfree]

Easy way to fix this is a $1 per butt deposit law.

Buy a pack of cigarettes, you have to put down a $20 deposit.  Bring the butts back, get your $20 back.

People will be going pretty much everywhere, including areas that they shouldn't be (private property, highway ROW,  Hogwarts) to find as many cigarette butts on the ground as they can, hoping that the area has not been explored by someone else.

Let's just say that the only way to cash out is to produce your original deposit receipt. If you quit smoking, you can get your deposit back that way.  Without the receipt, the 20 butts only save you the deposit required.  Keeping the butts of the 20 you bought is easier than finding 20 by the street, so there's no reason to keep looking beyond your first 20.  If we can get a bunch of smokers to pick up 20 to keep from paying the deposit, then it cleans up some places.  Since they aren't cashable without a receipt, there's no reason for people to spend the next months picking up thousands of them from inappropriate places.  This change could cause a "scourge" of litter removal for a short time.

[coatimundi]

In Arizona, there are signs on many of the roads in the foothills warning against tossing butts, with a steep fine. There have been fires started by them. It's not just cops, but regular motorists are encouraged to report the offense.

They need more signage and pressure in California. It's just a matter of time before a really serious fire is started because of a discarded cigarette.

[inkyatari]

Easy way to fix this is a $1 per butt deposit law.

Buy a pack of cigarettes, you have to put down a $20 deposit.  Bring the butts back, get your $20 back.

I had thought of that, but there are so many cig butts on the ground that this idea is ripe for abuse.

I think putting ashtrays back in cars at no extra cost -and perhaps bigger ashtrays - would correct this problem over the long haul.

[jeffandnicole]

Easy way to fix this is a $1 per butt deposit law.

Buy a pack of cigarettes, you have to put down a $20 deposit.  Bring the butts back, get your $20 back.

I had thought of that, but there are so many cig butts on the ground that this idea is ripe for abuse.

Keep a receipt or something as well, or the box.

Although, do you think store clerks really want to handle these smelly butts that people have been sucking on?  And then what they do they do with them?  A trash can in a store filled with cigarette butts seems to be a bit of a fire hazard if one of them were to somehow light.

[kalvado]

Easy way to fix this is a $1 per butt deposit law.

Buy a pack of cigarettes, you have to put down a $20 deposit.  Bring the butts back, get your $20 back.

I had thought of that, but there are so many cig butts on the ground that this idea is ripe for abuse.

Keep a receipt or something as well, or the box.

Although, do you think store clerks really want to handle these smelly butts that people have been sucking on?  And then what they do they do with them?  A trash can in a store filled with cigarette butts seems to be a bit of a fire hazard if one of them were to somehow light.

Keeping possibly still burning butts, as opposed to disposal in some sort of non-flammable ashtrays as most people do, is also a recipe for some trouble.
Punitive solutions rarely solve anything...

[hbelkins]

smelly butts that people have been sucking on

TFTMS

I'm still amused that the posted penalties for littering/dumping are often greater than what one might get fined for drug possession.

As well they should be.  Littering/dumping affects all of us and makes the area look trashy.

I'd rather have someone throw a McDonald's bag out their window than have a dope dealer operating in the same neighborhood. Anyone who thinks drug use doesn't affect society as a whole is sadly mistaken.

[Takumi]

TFTMS

what

[inkyatari]

TFTMS

what

I think "Thanks For The Morning Smile"

New one to me too.

[Brian556]

Smokers are very selfish people. They think its okay to smoke in public and force others to inhale their toxic stink. They think its ok to smoke in the house and car with their kids. Every single one I've ever met has a entitled attitude like this.

So, is it any surprise that they think its ok to litter and potentially start grass fires? Not really.

[Jardine]

I love torturing cigarette smokers.

Buck-a-butt deposit law is a favorite of mine to annoy my friends who still smoke.

I had nothing to do with it, but a relative of mine had a serious medical condition which put her in a nursing home for over 10 years and robbed her of her needed dexterity to handle cigarettes.  No one would help her smoke in her time there, and you could tell it was a continuing aggravation.

They didn't let her drink alcohol either.

Don't get disabled in the midwest . . . .