Any pipe smoking 9.5 drivers in the house?

in article snipped-for-privacy@v46g2000cwv.googlegroups.com, Michael Hudson at snipped-for-privacy@reddotcommunications.com wrote on 19/04/2006 18:33:

Argh! Stop already! I gave up smoking three years ago and I don't miss it at all ... apart from a pipe :( Cigarettes, I was glad to get shot of ... around 80 a day was just too much on the wallet! Pipes are another matter altogether (thankfully, I hate cigars, so no problem there). I knew I'd be constantly tempted, so I gave all my pipes away.

What about popping a ceramic pot into the cup holder? Do you have one in the central storage area between the front seats? That might be better than a permanent cup dropped into the fold out cup holder on the dash. Would one placed into the fold out cup holder be in the way for you? I suppose it depends on whether you smoke with passengers in the car.

Paul

COUGH!

Thanks, Paul. I quit the sticks about three years ago, wouldn't smoke a cigar in the car, but do indulge my passion for pipes and tobacco while to-ing and fro-ing from work. Alas, I use the magic disappearing dashboard cup holder - now THAT'S a technological breakthrough! - to hold my cup. Interesting idea, though, putting some nature of ash tray/receptacle in the center console arm rest cup holder since I find that an inconvenient place to put a cup. I generally don't smoke with others in the car - unless they're smoking, too - so it could be popped out when cup wielding non-smokers are riding shot gun. Or in case my dog takes up coffee drinking.

Cheers,

in article snipped-for-privacy@z34g2000cwc.googlegroups.com, Michael Hudson at snipped-for-privacy@reddotcommunications.com wrote on 19/04/2006 21:19:

Oh, I remember doing that :)

You drink in your SAAB? Now that's sick ... So, back to smoking :)

There's still the storage area between the seats. Pop the lid up and see if there's somewhere suitabel. I'm not a 9-5 owner, so maybe I'm getting mixed up with other SAABs (namely the 9000), but I'm sure a toothbrush pot (or other ceramic what-not) would fit in there. You can get aftermarket cup holders, even from SAAB if you're feeling flush, to fit elsewhere in the car.

If you're DIY orientated, what about buying a replacement lid for your between seat storage bin, cutting a good hole in it and fitting an ashtray in there.

Now in my old C900 (the '85 ... and the '88) I used to use the DIN sized stowage bin for my pipe. It never caught fire!

Paul

My 9-5 has several ashtrays, all unused, so no sympathy from me! I don't expect there are many pipe-smoking Saab drivers around. If there were, they are probably all dead. No, I take that back - the Saab would save them, but in any other car.....

Smoking a pipe while driving is akin to using a mobile phone, eating or drinking while driving: all very distracting to the driver and all very dangerous, even illegal, here in Oz. And there is nothing like a bit of hot ash in your eye or a red-hot plug from the pipe in your lap to send you off the road and on the way to smokers heaven. For your own safety, I strongly suggest you keep your pipe at home!=20

--=20 Regards, Peter Wilkins

Funny you should say that. One of my earliest memories of Saabs was walking to primary school with a pal. We noticed that 8/10 Saab drivers did indeed smoke pipes, and often had a beard. Not exactly research, and quite a few years ago now I know, but still...

Thanks very much for your concern, Peter. Boy am I lucky! In the sixteen years I've smoked a pipe while driving I've never had a red-hot plug from my pipe land in my lap, nor have I gotten a bit of hot ash in my eye. Think of the odds! I drink coffee or water in the car while I drive, too, daredevil that I am, and I have been known to partake of a life-sustaining morsel of donut while motoring as well. Given the miles I drive, that's more than 100,000 miles of death-defying feats of folly!

I tell you what, though. I have had one or two times when I was momentarily distracted by the radio - not while adjusting it, mind you, but while recoiling in horror to pompous commentators - and on at least one occasion I did nearly go off the road after what appeared to be a bumblebee found its way in through an open window and alighted on my right upper cheek.

I trust that, in the Merry Old Land of Oz, car radios and other audio devices are verboten and their windows must remain sealed, under penalty of law, unless the operator is at a toll booth (Has Oz considered mandating the use of EZ Pass? They should, you know.) a bank drive-through or under six or more feet of water, either running or standing. Drive-thru fast-food windows are out of the question, certainly.

Thanks again for all of the unsolicited opions, Pete. It really means a lot to me.

Drive careful, now!

Michael "Public Enemy" Hudson

PS: If you're interested in off-loading some of those many, unused ashtrays, drop me a line.

How times have changed! We used to see beards at parties, beards in the office, the elevator. Now you have to go outside if you want to have a beard!

in article snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Bob at snipped-for-privacy@ultranet.com wrote on 21/04/2006 18:05:

Come work with me, pal. Apart from myself, which is often through sheer laziness than any desire to actually grow a beard, about 50% of the people I work with (or for) are muslims, who are known for their beards :) The older chaps have full beards and the younger lads tend to wear very styled beards.

SAAB-wise, there's quite a joke among the 99 forums for beard-wearing, pipe smoking, Werther sucking, tartan blanket sporting people in their retro-Swedish rides :) More so for the 96 and previous? I reckon the C900 brigade are far too "hip" and "with-it" (although those terms were coined by beard-wearers) to smoke pipes. Now 9-5s, being the new 9000s, are quite the car for stolid pipe smoking chaps. Good on 'em!

So, hands up ... Who's a "beardy"? Describe your style.

I'm a lazy 5 o'clock shadow to "designer stubble" to looking shabby to looking like a tramp to being a full beardy ... Then, I shave it off for some reason or other ... Usually something to do with my wife :)

Hey Michael - You know those "universal" mobile phone holders? I wonder if there's one small enough to hold a pipe? There's a patent in there for someone ...

Paul

Yes, it sounds like what it was in Oz more years ago than I care to remember, when most if not all Volvo drivers used to wear a hat when driving and seldom went above 40 kmph!

--=20 Regards, Peter Wilkins

Well, you did solicit for opinions from pipe smokers, and you got mine. I used to smoke a pipe before I gave up smoking, but never when driving. It means you are distracted and effectively driving one-handed and cannot react quickly in an emergency. Yes, you have been lucky so far, but will your luck continue? I would rather rely on common sense and skill, rather than luck. Recent studies show that almost 80% of car accidents are caused by driver distraction, well ahead of things like drink driving and speeding.

If you don't like the opinions you receive, that's your prerogative, but there's no need for sarcasm and ridicule. Oz has banned using cell phones while driving for the very good reason that it causes accidents through driver distraction. Holding, tamping or sucking a smoking pipe while driving is right up there in the distraction stakes. No, we haven't banned car radios, but taking your eyes off the road to change channels or insert a CD is another distraction which has caused many accidents. That's why Saab put the radio controls on the steering wheel.

And no, you can't have my unused ashtrays - I may not like your attitude but I don't want to contribute in any way to your possible untimely demise.

--=20 Regards, Peter Wilkins

"So, hands up ... Who's a "beardy"? Describe your style."

Started my first "proper" beard this Christmas. Even got a beard trimmer thingy to keep in reasonable shape. The "style" is number 4 if that means anything to you.

Also swapped my old 9000 for a "newer" '96 Aero last month & I've put a pipe, cardigan and slippers on my birthday list. Well, I will be 40!

SNIP

SNAP

SNUP

Peter, for heaven's sake, I very obviously asked for suggestions regarding the placement of pipes; you delivered a polemic on the relative safety of pipe smoking while driving. That would be akin to someone asking for suggestions as to which brand of vanilla ice cream is the richest and creamiest getting a response saying that rich and creamy vanilla ice cream will clog your arteries and have you flirting with irreversible heart disease unless you're very lucky. Regardless of the response's veracity, it's not germain to the question. And you know that.

Michael Hudson