Fined for leaving your engine running

[mr_cellophane]

Get a car with a heated windscreen. I turn mine on and by the time I have my seatbelt on and rolling forward the screen in clear.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I've got an ice scraper. Citroen 2CV heating is - to put it charitably - useless.

 

[marinyork]

Sounds stupid. There are times, that when parked, it is more economical to leave the engine on than turn it off and start it back up a few moments later.

There would be much better ways of improving air conditions than this.

Er, actually people have measured this sort of thing and that and just general traffic volumes are the main cause of breaches of binding pollution levels.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I read somewhere that starting an engine uses the same amount of fuel as ten seconds of idling. So if you're going to be stationary for more than ten seconds, it makes economic sense to switch your engine off.

 

[wafflycat]

Slightly OT, but isn't it illegal to leave your car running when you're not in it and not around to pay attention to it? I think that would invalidate your insurance.

Indeed it does. Says she having worked in a claims department of a motor insurance company. You leave the car running whilst you 'just nip into the post office for a stamp' and the car gets stolen - you've invalidated the insurance. Then there's plod, who may take a dim view of you not being in control of your vehicle whilst the engine is running...

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Indeed it does. Says she having worked in a claims department of a motor insurance company. You leave the car running whilst you 'just nip into the post office for a stamp' and the car gets stolen - you've invalidated the insurance. Then there's plod, who may take a dim view of you not being in control of your vehicle whilst the engine is running...

My car doesn't have keys - the ignition lock barrel was broken when I bought it and I've wired the ignition into a flick switch and push button. The doors don't lock either, come to that. Does this mean I'm not insured? Not that anyone's going to nick my car.

 

[Chrisz]

I seem to remember thatit is illegal to sit at traffic lights in certain cities in Germany with your engine running.

As to leaving a vehicle unattended with the engine running - it is indeed illegal! I had an 'issue' with the local bobby years ago as I'd left the turbo timer on in my car and gone indoors (it was about the only time I ever saw him!).

However, once he had a demo of the remote start (he thought it was great) he let me off with a caution

Off-topic - the remote start was great fun! Sat in a pub on the way to a car show once, six of us all had remote starts and used them to good effect when a load of the local youff turned up and started peering through the windows. The looks on their faces asnone by one the cars started up with no-one in them was priceless

 

[Billloudon]

I am almost certain a driver can be fined in Glasgow if the engine is running when the car is parked up.

 

[BenM]

I read somewhere that starting an engine uses the same amount of fuel as ten seconds of idling. So if you're going to be stationary for more than ten seconds, it makes economic sense to switch your engine off.

I read in the manual for my car (yes... I know!) that running the engine on idle for anything over 2 minutes will be costing you money so switch off; the manufacturer recommends switching off in queues.

B.

 

[thomas]

I read in the manual for my car (yes... I know!) that running the engine on idle for anything over 2 minutes will be costing you money so switch off; the manufacturer recommends switching off in queues.

B.

Yep, 2 minutes is the figure i've heard before too.

 

[thegrumpybiker]

Easiest and quickest way to defrost icy windscreens; a bottle of warm water. Always worked for me.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Our council does come up with barmy ideas on occasion, but in this I am in full agreement. I was at the service station in a queue for diesel this morning......why did the others in the queue leave their engines running? Money to burn?

 

[Davidc]

Easiest and quickest way to defrost crack or shatter icy windscreens; a bottle of warm water. Always worked for me.

And I've watched it happen, several times.

 

[Muddyfox]

but it doesn't actually melt the ice unless you leave the engine idling for about 15mins. They all ended up scraping it anyway.!

Cars have obviously come along way since then

What difference does it make to the enviroment whether you sit in the car with the engine running to defrost it or whether you go back indoors ?

Simon

 

[Davidc]

Gerry Attrick - do you expect sense from the average car driver? You're an optimist!

Although idling the engine while there's someone in charge of the vehicle is normally perfectly legal there are a few places with bylaws to stop it. Some ferry ports certainly, and some places like swing bridges as well.

If the DM don't like it perhaps the best solution would be pipe the exhaust fumes from 100 idling cars straight into the air con of their offices. One way or another it should stop them objecting .