This afternoon started off with me wanting to get to my sons school early so I could have some time to just sit and veg. A few moments to myself – over 20 moments actually. I wasn’t the only one early to the preschool. One of the bus/van was already there. Running. The driver looked like he had already been there for a while as he was relaxed and playing on his phone.
The moment I pulled into my spot I made a split second decision (totally unlike me) to get out and ask him to turn the van off. Why does he need to sit there for over 20 minutes letting the van run? I could possibly understand if it was below freezing outside but I was in short sleeves and windows all the way down.
Me: (walked up to van) Hi. I don’t want to be rude or anything but could you turn the van off. You don’t need to sit here with it on idle.
Driver: (blank face) I thought that was just a diesel law.
Me: Does it really matter? Either way it’s wasting gas and polluting the air.
Driver: (annoyed) It’s a diesel law.
Me: I’m not a tree hugger or anything but…
Driver: (cutting me off) Well that’s what it seems like.
Me: Either way it’s wasting gas, polluting the air, and can still get into the schools vent system [he was parked right in front of the door and I've seen vents on the building near there]
Driver: (super annoyed and some sass in his tone) Whatever makes you happy…I’ll do it just cause you want me too [I think he rolled his eyes too]
Me: Thank you, I really appreciate it. (walk away as I’m sure he was texting his buddies telling them about the crazy lady on his route)
So am I crazy in asking him to turn the van off. In my mind NO. And yes I will tell you why.
- First of all the whole myth about leaving your car running was null and void years ago with the wonderful invention of EFI (electronic fuel injection). Try googling it and you will find that leaving your car idling is actually bad for it and 10 seconds is equal to 1 start up. So if you are going to be somewhere say waiting for school to let out for more than a minute do us all a favor and just shut the car off.
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Secondly, I would have been more understanding if it was really cold out. However, researching to see if I was right I found that now a days the way cars are made that letting them “warm up” for more than 2 minutes is also bad for them. If it was cold I’m sure the van would have been piping hot and even turning it off for just 15 minutes it still wouldn’t have gotten that cold in there. That gives him five minutes to turn the van back on and let it warm up.
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Third, Our planet as a whole is in a economic & environmental crisis – fossil fuels will not be around for forever and I noticed gas prices are going up again. So we have people that like to sit for 20 minutes and just let the car run and run to thank.
- Fourth, Companies all over our city – our country – are making budget cuts and even laying employees off. Now I’m not saying that this one time of turning the van off is going to save someones job, but if he is there everyday 20 minutes early and does this on a daily basis then I’m wondering just how much his van could save alone.
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Fifth, Why is it just a diesel law? I’ve seen signs outside of buildings saying that you can only let a diesel idle for a maximum of five minutes. Shouldn’t it be this way for all vehicles? Not just commercial vehicles but even private ones as well? Think of how much energy we would save and if everyone is doing this – all 10+ million drivers that are on the road daily how much pollution we would be cutting. – Also, I found during my research that in NYC you can get fined up to $1,000 if caught idling for more than 60 seconds.
If you have information with stats on facts that would help/hurt my case I’d love if you can leave them in the comment/opinion section. Also, I’d love if you have any thoughts on this to comment as I do plan on sending a email to the company that owns the van. I’m sure they are trying to cut costs and perhaps a change in their internal operations even if it’s just a few dollars here and there helps. You know that saying right – every penny counts.
UPDATE: Please note that the reason I was upset because this man was letting a van run that is paid for with TAX dollars. It was running in front of a school for special needs children that are very sensitive to smells and chemicals. Also, in a city that is trying to be green letting a TAX dollar paid van run in front of a special needs school for 20+ minutes is not green at all – it costs money and pollutes the air. You can call me a tree hugger or a b&^%$h – but I stand by my decision to ask the driver to turn the van off. Thanks!
Alaina Frederick
Alaina Frederick, publisher of Dinker & Giggles, loves helping to create a healthy environment for her three children and husband. Her favorite time of year is winter - trees blanketed with fresh snow, hot cocoa in hand, and a great book completing the package.
40 Responses to How Long Should You Let Your Car Idle?
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I would not have the nerve to ask someone to do that- But, if you thought it was deemed necessary, you go Girl!
.-= Sara Broers´s last blog ..If you could take your family on a road trip anywhere, Where would you go , and why? =-.
I don’t know what made me do it but for some reason I did. I do have to say that since that day I have yet to see him idling more than 3 minutes
That totally made me smile to imagine you doing that:).
I for sure stepped WAY outside my comfort zone that day. But it felt good. To this day any time that I’m their early and that van pulls up he turns it off until a minute or two before the kids come out
Good for you. I think I would take it one step further and bring it to the attention of the school or the bus/van company. For one it has to save them money and who would say no to that. And who is going to say no to protecting the environment. I would ask that they make a policy that all buses/vans be shut off if they will be idling more than 5 minutes or something.
The merits of idling vs. not idling aside, I think it is COMPLETELY unacceptable to barge into the life of another person and lecture them. What other people do is none of your business and the sooner you learn that, the better off you will be. If you pulled something like that with me I would tell you to get lost in no uncertain terms and if you had failed to do so I would have called the cops to make you get lost or have you go to jail if you fail to do so. It’s a big myth commonly perpetuated by environmental zealots that it’s OK to meddle into other people’s lives in the name of some “greater good.” Reality check: there is no greater good except the one which each person defines for himself/herself. As long as the guy owns the van vs. having stolen it and as long as the guy paid for the gas to run the engine in HIS van vs. having siphoned it from your van, he is in the moral clear – this is America, which means that back off and get a life.
Mark, Thanks for stopping by and expressing your opinion – I truly appreciate it. I did want to point out that the gentleman that I spoke with was not driving his own car. If he was I would have never had spoken to him. He was however parked in front of a school filled with special needs children. The vents for the air systems are right near the loading/unloading area. He was also driving a school van. You know the kind that are privately owned and receive funding from the state to help sustain them. Funding that is provided by all of us paying taxes.
So besides the fact that he daily sits there for 20+ minutes letting the van idle – burning gallons of gas and releasing tons of o-zone depleting chemicals into the air my children breathe – besides all of that he’s wasting money of that company and the tax payers.
Again, I really believe had he been in his own car I would have said nothing – but the fact was he was in a special school van and he idles every day for 20+ minutes and I was feeling very outgoing that day.
Thanks for stopping by!
Alaina
This whole article screams TREEHUGGER
I also believe you stepped out of your bounds. You are crazy as bat$#!t lady. just letting you know. I hope you mellow out someday. People can do what they want as long as it isn’t hurting anyone else. I will run my car for the sake of running it if I want. That’s my opinion, and you know what they say about those.
But you are harming many others who have to breathe the fumes and get sick from it. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean you’re not harming someone else. Just another take on it from a proud ‘tree hugger’. Actually, I just want my kiddo & me to be healthy.
Christine Holroyd´s last [type] ..Disappointing News With A Positive Slant
Thank you Christine! Just like all the recent bans on smoking inside buildings and restaurants it takes a while for people to realize what even 2nd hand smoke can do.
I know this isn’t a new post, but I found it by Googling about letting cars idle. I was reading somewhere else about saving fuel by not letting cars idle, and I wondered if they meant turning them off at traffic lights. (Some VW diesels do this automatically.) When I realized they were talking about people letting them run, I thought they meant to warm up in the morning, which I didn’t think anyone under 70 did. The rest of us know about fuel injection.
Ah, but you’re talking about sitting for a long time and not turning the car off. Around here (the Gulf Coast) people leave them on because of the air conditioner, but I get really annoyed when I want to eat in my car at Sonic Drive-in and the cars all around me have their engines running. It’s hot enough without that!
Running the car to keep the heat going isn’t an issue around here!
You are fortunate in that you’re a woman when you asked him to turn off his van’s engine. If it were a man who did what you did, a fight might have ensued. And who knows what might have happened?
I commend you for having the confidence to do this. Someone letting their car idle for a long amount time is definitely damaging to the environment and your car.
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relax bobby boy…alaina has good points..
I think that its a good thing you told him too do it. It does seem pointless leaving it for that long I mean a few minutes is one thing but over 20 minutes is just stupid. Most cars don’t even need the engine on to keep the heat/air con running anyway. I think if you are going to be idling for more than 5 minutes just turn it off and save fuel.
You have got to be kidding me. Wow! If I was him I would have slapped the hell out of you for being this arrogant and gladly face the legal consequences. And I am far from a violent person or by no means I encourage violence against women. The level of arrogance you have displayed is mind boggling. The hypocrisy of people like yourself is beyond laughable but when you take it a step further to this level I think it should also be punishable.
Really? You don’t see anything wrong (setting aside environmental issues) with a school transportation driver allowing a school van idle for over 20 minutes when the gas is being paid for with TAX PAYER dollars? Plus the fact that he was right in front of the intake vent of a special needs school. Plus it was not cold nor hot.
I have sat here and rolled my eyes at all of you who have told Alaina that she was in the wrong in this instance. The fact that so many of you have used the excuse that the man leaving his car running wasn’t hurting anyone else just shows how uneducated you all are. I’m not going to go back over the points in the post because if you didn’t read them the first time you’re not going to read them the second time.
I think many of you are caught up in “the land of the free” and take it to mean that you can do whatever the hell you want whenever the hell you want and everyone else is just screwed. Stop using it as an excuse to be selfish.
Alaina, you did the right thing. I have thought to myself a lot when I see someone idling their car that I wish they’d turn it off, but I’ve never had the guts to say something to them. Good for you!!
You say it Devon!!!
I remember reading this post a long time ago!
Good on you Alaina. I pick rubbish up and hand it back to people. We all have to do our bit in whatever way possible to make for a better world for our kids and us. Wow! That all just rolled out of my head and onto the computer, so I/we must be on the right track.
And look at that guy, switching it off when he sees you. You are a force to be reckoned with! LOL.
Christine Holroyd´s last [type] ..Disappointing News With A Positive Slant
Exactly – If we aren’t going to stand up for our children’s future then who is?! Thank you Christine
Oh, and NEWSFLASH: If an article you read on the internet makes you want to “slap the hell out of” the author then you ARE a violent person. I don’t care what you say.
Devon´s last [type] ..The Road to Recovery
LOL You make me smile Devon! Thank you
Awwww, how cute is that you two are going back and forth, complimenting each other. The truth is, this type of selective and highly aggressive activism is usually associated with a form of some sort of mental illness. I’m pretty sure you have no idea of what the planet is capable of enduring and I find it almost lauagble when you try to justify the reasoning behind such madness. Now, I’m all for keeping the planet clean ( really, who wouldn’t want that?!?) but the problem is with how individuals like you take it on themselves and interfere with others. I don’t know if you’re trying to subconciously compensate for something when pursuing this but it is not healthy, not for you and definitely not for the society at large, despite what you believe. Please keep your hypocrisy at home or on the internet with other like minded individuals, where it belongs. There’s nothing annoying than “selective liberalism”. I’d like to see this much passion being put Into other issues. Unfortunately, we live in a nation full of hypocrites.
Speaking of being a hypocrite, I believe you are doing the samething to Alaina that you are accusing her of. Wether it is on the internet or in person, what is the difference? You are still talking to her personally by typing it rather than saying it to her face. I also agree if you say to someone on a blog that you would slap the hell out of someone you are a violent person.
I don’t think you know what the definition of “hypocrisy” is considering I would have no problem at all saying the exact same thing to her face.
Well done Alaina.We all have to make contribution to save our planet for future generation.I think,to turn off vehicle in idling condition is very good habit to pollute less and Good step towards right direction.By this habit we can control harmful gas emission into air and save fuel.Fossil fuels which are non renewable natural resources will not be around for forever and they are depleting day by day due to haphazard usage of them.
That is a trip. I don’t know what i would have done, but way to go girl!:)
Baby Gates´s last [type] ..Baby Gates
I think I would take it one step further and bring it to the attention of the school or the bus/van company. For one it has to save them money and who would say no to that. I think it should also be punishable.
Each small or big step towards environment protection is very precious and needed. Due to environment, now vehicles are design in such a way that they less pollute our air.But still if we could make some efforts like you suggest to save our earth then it will be great contribution to our earth saving mission.
Valeriae´s last [type] ..Most Popular Diamond Anniversary Rings
Thanks for your kind words and agreement.
You did the right thing in my opinion and I really appreciate it. Moreover when your approach is so cool without being rude, the person is bound to yield.
It such an unrealistic situation and in my opinion there should be allways realistic consideration about eco related issues. We won’t save the world, it’s more likely it will save it self.
I think i remember hearing about the idling uses more fuel than starting and stopping your vehicle. It’s good to know that we can at least try and do something about these people that are hurting the environment. I hope more people learn to not leave it idle and save their gas as well! Thanks for the info on what to do if you see someone doing this as well.
Nice post, i find interesting and informative,thanks for sharing! and keep it up!
I totally agree with you that people should not idle their car for long time. I normally do not idle my car too. However, I idled my car for 10 minutes to keep the AC on because my 18 months old baby was sleeping in the car and my wife had to run to the store to get milk and juice. It was 115 degrees day in Phoenix on that day.
Hi , The most practical way is use Public transport more than our personnel vehicle to save environment and to prevent air pollution.
Ok soooooo. I drive semi truck for a living and in the winter my truck runs all week long….. It never gets shut off. If I would shut it off, first my diesel fuel would gel up and it would not start for me the next morning but more importantly than that……… I would freeze to death in a matter of one coooold night. U can let a gas engine run for a long time too, probly 5-6 hours before build up and damage to a gas engine. Seriously, stop being a tree hugger. Our atmosphere will last for sure 10 generations after we die. U say save a little gas here and there by shuting of ur car or buying a fuel efficient car…… Ya rite. It ain’t gonna make much of a difference. God bless.
Nate,
Thank you so much for your opinion. I do appreciate it. I do want to point out that it was not winter. The temperature was in the 60′s with bright sun shinning that day. It was not too hot nor too cold that day. Also, it was directly in front of a school for special need children. So that 20 minutes of him sitting there was sending toxic fumes into a school full of children that have health issues. That was my biggest issue. Now if it was 20 degrees out that would have been a whole other story but the fact that it was warm but not warm enough to require the A/C and that he wasn’t using gas that he paid for (like you are using) he was using gas that tax dollars pay for.
Again, I agree with you and totally understand the need for truck drivers to leave their trucks running during the cold and very hot months. Also, I know that many times you are parked on the side of a highway at a rest stop not directly in front of a special needs school.
Alaina