I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life. Call me prudish, but I’ve just never felt the need. I don’t judge those who do, hell, my husband smoked for over a decade before he made the decision to quit.
Where smoking was something the cool, suave, popular kids did from the ‘20s to the ‘50s, since the ‘60s (at least) it has taken on a dirty double entendre. Only rebels, outcasts and runaways smoke cigarettes. In many areas, restaurants and bars/clubs no longer allow smoking on their premises, airplanes are smoke-free, buses are smoke-free: everywhere is smoke-free. So, why do some cars still have ashtrays?
It dawned on me while in my latest tester, a 2013 BMW ActiveHybrid3, when I was fiddling with various buttons, openings and knobs: I came across the elusive ashtray. There are some car models that even line their “ashtray” with velvet, clearly marked “Not an ashtray,” making it impossible to use it for anything other than loose change.
It would seem the Germans are the worst offenders for ashtrays in their vehicles. The Europeans love their cigs. While the Americans and Japanese make it a point to move as far away from the dirty habit as possible. In a way, they are dictating how their owners behave, what habits they have. They are making it more difficult for their drivers (and passengers) to indulge in a bad habit by not providing an ashtray and lighter.
Why? Well it seems that automakers, since the mid-‘90s at least, have been slowly phasing out the ashtray/lighter combo to appease consumer demand. And as smoking has taken on even more of a stigma in the 21st century, manufacturers are clearly following the trend.
As I’ve never been a smoker myself, I can’t imagine ever wanting to use the car’s ashtray. What’s so hard about opening a window and discarding the dirty, gross ashes outside? I mean, technically, your window should be open anyways, so why not ash outside? Maybe I’m just an ignorant non-smoker…
So, what’s next? Will automakers suddenly take a fancy to “curing” obesity and ensure their cup holders are only big enough to hold small beverage sizes? No Ventis or Super Gulps allowed, sorry. If they do, it won’t happen suddenly. It will be a slow gradual fade out of the larger cup holder size. One day you’ll notice your large caramel macchiato doesn’t fit, so you order a medium . Then a few years later, in your next new vehicle you’ll notice your medium doesn’t fit either…
If automakers are hell bent on “protecting” their customers -- and by association, their customer’s health -- while they drive, might I suggest a few things? An SMS-block that’s activated as soon as your car is turned on; a breathalyzer installed in every car owned by a driver who’s been arrested for DUI; air purification systems in every HVAC system (not just those on high-end vehicles); and rear-view mirrors that cannot be turned far enough to the left to be used to apply makeup while behind the wheel.
Where smoking was something the cool, suave, popular kids did from the ‘20s to the ‘50s, since the ‘60s (at least) it has taken on a dirty double entendre. Only rebels, outcasts and runaways smoke cigarettes. In many areas, restaurants and bars/clubs no longer allow smoking on their premises, airplanes are smoke-free, buses are smoke-free: everywhere is smoke-free. So, why do some cars still have ashtrays?
It dawned on me while in my latest tester, a 2013 BMW ActiveHybrid3, when I was fiddling with various buttons, openings and knobs: I came across the elusive ashtray. There are some car models that even line their “ashtray” with velvet, clearly marked “Not an ashtray,” making it impossible to use it for anything other than loose change.
It would seem the Germans are the worst offenders for ashtrays in their vehicles. The Europeans love their cigs. While the Americans and Japanese make it a point to move as far away from the dirty habit as possible. In a way, they are dictating how their owners behave, what habits they have. They are making it more difficult for their drivers (and passengers) to indulge in a bad habit by not providing an ashtray and lighter.
Why? Well it seems that automakers, since the mid-‘90s at least, have been slowly phasing out the ashtray/lighter combo to appease consumer demand. And as smoking has taken on even more of a stigma in the 21st century, manufacturers are clearly following the trend.
As I’ve never been a smoker myself, I can’t imagine ever wanting to use the car’s ashtray. What’s so hard about opening a window and discarding the dirty, gross ashes outside? I mean, technically, your window should be open anyways, so why not ash outside? Maybe I’m just an ignorant non-smoker…
So, what’s next? Will automakers suddenly take a fancy to “curing” obesity and ensure their cup holders are only big enough to hold small beverage sizes? No Ventis or Super Gulps allowed, sorry. If they do, it won’t happen suddenly. It will be a slow gradual fade out of the larger cup holder size. One day you’ll notice your large caramel macchiato doesn’t fit, so you order a medium . Then a few years later, in your next new vehicle you’ll notice your medium doesn’t fit either…
If automakers are hell bent on “protecting” their customers -- and by association, their customer’s health -- while they drive, might I suggest a few things? An SMS-block that’s activated as soon as your car is turned on; a breathalyzer installed in every car owned by a driver who’s been arrested for DUI; air purification systems in every HVAC system (not just those on high-end vehicles); and rear-view mirrors that cannot be turned far enough to the left to be used to apply makeup while behind the wheel.
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