Dear editor,

I saw on the TV news a day or so ago that a ticket for over $500 was issued to a driver who dropped a burning cigarette out a vehicle window.

The driver (unnamed, unfortunately) was quoted as saying the ticket was 鈥渋nsane.鈥�

No. It鈥檚 attempted arson.

Has it ever occurred to all of us that one of the reasons people throw burning cigarettes out their vehicle windows is that vehicles no longer have ashtrays?

It is an option; you have to pay for one.

Auto manufacturers did this to save money. We pay the price in wildfires.

If the government of Canada can legislate that all vehicles in Canada be equipped with daytime running lights, maybe the answer is to legislate that all vehicles in Canada have mandatory ashtrays installed on purchase. MPs, MLAs are you listening?

Some smokers are sloppy, lazy and cheap; they will not pay for an optional ashtray. Or use one.

Jill Gould

Courtenay