Smoking No Longer a Drag (Race) for Honda Workers
Thanks to a Ohio ban on indoor smoking enacted last November, Honda's Buckeye state employees may no longer indulge in the evil weed inside the plant. In response, Honda's tobacco addicts began driving off the property, parking at the sides of nearby roads, lighting up and then (presumably) tear-assing back to the plant. The local county sheriff's office became concerned about hundreds of people parking and puffing along the roads. According to MSNBC, Plan C: Honda will create outside smoking areas on their property. Smokers will also be able to partake in their own cars on Honda's parking lot. The automaker remains committed to its anti-smoking program, but the new policy makes sense, as workers get a half-hour lunch break and two 10-minute shift breaks.
Glenn is a baby-boomer, born in 1954. Along with his wife, he makes his home in Connecticut. Employed in the public sector as an Information Tedchnology Specialist, Glenn has long been a car fan. Past rides have included heavy iron such as a 1967 GTO, to a V8 T-Bird. In between those high-horsepower cars, he's owned a pair of BMW 320i's. Now, with a daily commute of 40 miles, his concession to MPG dictates the ownership of a 2006 Honda Civic coupe which, while fun to drive, is a modest car for a pistonhead. As an avid reader, Glenn enjoys TTAC, along with many other auto-realated sites, and the occasional good book. As an avid electronic junkie, Glenn holds an Advanced Class amateur ("ham") radio license, and is into many things electronic. From a satellite radio and portable GPS unit in the cars, to a modest home theater system and radio-intercom in his home, if it's run by the movement of electrons, he's interested. :-)
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There's something about a lot of smokers that prevents them from seeing their butts and matches as litter. Extreme case in point is emptying car ashtrays on parking lots. Most corporations spend a lot to have attractive buildings and grounds. I don't blame them for saying "enough!" A friend once marveled at his own friends throwing their cigarettes into his shrubbery as they approached his house, like they were doing him a favor.
I live in Ohio where this law was passed, and one of the companies I worked at when this passed designated areas out side away from the doors for just that reason. I honestly don't understand why Honda wouldn't have done the same earlier. From what I understand it is now legal for an employer to not hire a person if they smoke (I've heard this, but haven't seen proof yet). For what it is worth, I don't smoke. My mother and father both smoked. My mom quit years ago, then survived a bout with lung cancer. My dad never quit and was just diagnosed with lung cancer. As you can imagine I have become pretty opinionated about it over the last couple of years.
Orian: Trend: You smoke? You're fired!
Position: Non-Smoker I'm surprise no one foresaw this situation with the employees driving off the property just to light up. They're intention was to avoid the crowds that gather in front the any/all entrances, but without a solution provided people will just go with whatever they can think of. The smoking huts are a great idea, I wish my company had them in place.