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!
9 Responses to “How Long Should You Let Your Car Idle?”
Sara Broers
8 months ago
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?
Alaina Frederick
8 months ago
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
Heather L
7 months ago
That totally made me smile to imagine you doing that:).
Alaina Frederick
7 months ago
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
Julie
6 months ago
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.
Mark
5 months ago
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.
Alaina Frederick
4 months ago
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
Kevin
1 month ago
This whole article screams TREEHUGGER
bobby
1 month ago
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.