Waiting in car with engine running

[whatnewxxx]

Would you/do you/have you gone up to someone sitting in their car waiting with engine running for an hour (ie the engine running so that the car cooling or heating system works depending on the weather) and told them to turn off their engine for the sake of the environment?

[AfterSchoolWorry]

I wouldn't say anything but I'd be secretly irritated.

[yeOldeTrout]

I have asked them to stop generating smelly air -- sometimes they oblige, sometimes they have reasons they won't.

[vanillandhoney]

I probably wouldn't have the guts to confront them.

I'd just seethe silently!

[Sirzy]

I would silently seethe.

Ds is autistic and has been known to shout his views on people killing the environment rather loudly as walking past

[myworkingtitle]

Silently seethe.

[CurlsLDN]

I haven't, but if you plan to you might like to point out it's an offence under the highway code and can get a fixed penalty fine

[cologne4711]

I'm not willing to go up and say something and receive a torrent of abuse in return, but it really annoys me and the people who do it are selfish piglets.

[gentlycooking]

I'm waiting for my DD, sitting in a hot car. Engine running and air conditioning full on. I've been sweating in PPE and a steamy mask all day. We aren't allowed to have the air conditioning on during procedures due to air flow. I'm bloody well going to enjoy a blast of cool air while I wait.

Oh, and I've thrown away a shit load of plastic today and every day thanks to PPE requirements. The latest gloves they have issued are extra thick and very good quality and yet I must discard them after five minutes use because frequent hand washing isn't enough any more.

[FrankieFrankFrank]

I would probably walk by and do some PA coughing and mention to DD that he was really smelly

[FrankieFrankFrank]

That was meant to be a not a (fat fingers

[whatnewxxx]

The highway code refers to unnecessary use. But doesn't define unnecessary. For example - dc who cannot regulate heat efficiently.

I have to say now though that it was me in the car - and I had the aircon on because I had a migraine and was trying not to throw up - my dc got into the car, I turned to talk to them for a few minutes and a man flew up to the car and stood angrily while I put on my mask to get out of the car to see what he wanted. He gave me a lecture. I explained. He continued the lecture and I resisted the urge to challenge him about his plastic water bottle and clothes made in the far east and flown across the world for his pleasure and instead said I had explained and that was enough and that he should calm down and go away. He said something about feeling better about himself now he had challenged someone. I pointed out that it was in front of my child and his child and he had done it in a completely inappropriate way.

[Sunnydaysstillhere]

It is actually an offence. ..

[RunningFromInsanity]

You handled that very well OP. He was an idiot. Even if he had good intentions to start with, he should have stopped after your explanation.


It’s only offence if it’s unnecessary.

[KitKatastrophe]

I saw this yesterday. Two vans parked next to each other in a car park with their engines running, presumably the drivers were on their break. They sat there for at least 15 mins with the engines on (I was waiting in the car park for my friend to arrive, without the engine on) and were still there when I left. It wasnt particularly hot or cold so its not like they needed the aircon or heating on.

I didnt say anything as I cant see two blokes changing their habits because of a comment from one person.

[RunningFromInsanity]

And it’s also only on public roads, so private property including supermarket carparks for example aren’t covered by that law.

[EnjoyingTheSilence]

I have to a neighbour when it’s been early in the morning and he’s woken me up yet again with his ridiculously loud stupid engine. Not done it for a while

[AndAnotherUsername]

If I’m with the kids walking past I usually say “hurry, let’s get past these horrible fumes” as loudly as possible.

It must have been very unpleasant for you but you were sitting there casually dirtying the air he and his child had to breathe. It doesn’t sound like he was particularly aggressive.

[TimeFlysWhenYoureHavingRum]

I noticed police cars attending the Extinction Rebellion protests on Waterloo Bridge last year doing this. They were only sat there "supervising" the event so really no need to have them running. I wasn't actively participating in the the protest but was walking past and noted the irony. I nearly said something but didn't have the guts!

[whatnewxxx]

@RunningFromInsanity thank you : )

@AndAnotherUsername it wasn't the fumes - he was sitting a good 60 m away and came running across the car park and thumped on the window after my dc got into the car. if it had been fumes bothering them, I would have moved the car. I would say he was aggressive, he was standing glaring through the window with arms folded as I found and put on my mask. He shouldn't have behaved like that in front of his or my dc.

Anyway - what is done is done, I am now wondering about the ethics of it. Does a migraine constitute "necessary"? Does working in the car on a computer when it is freezing outide constitute "necessary" if you have to sit and wait for someone, and you have to get work done?

[Mistymonday]

Yes, politely tell them it is illegal, under The Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002 and they could get a fixed penalty notice. I’m nice like that...

[Arnoldthecat]

Some commercial vehicles simply have to idle at times because of power systems and equipment fitted on board. I drive such a vehicle and a guy walked up to my window ,dispensed a curt lecture then swiftly turned and fled before i had a chance to explain ,, hahaaa

[IceBearRocks]

I'd mind my own business.... I have a severely disabled child and if the engine stops he turns into a tasmanian devil and it usually causes seizure!
Last environmentalist who mentioned this...I opened the dude door of our Wheelchair converted van and made him call the ambulance!!

Not everyone is a knobhead !

[Mistymonday]

I hate it, makes me seethe. Even more so during a lung disease pandemic!

And yes, before anyone chucks it in my face, our car is electric, we don't fly, buy second band if we can, recycle as much as possible, don't have kids and are vegan. Etc etc. There is plenty of room on the moral high ground, do join me!

[SallyLondon]

I might well, if it was parked outside my house on a hot day like today when I had my windows open. Your right to cool air is no more than my right to clean air in my home.
I think it's completely reasonable to say something; I live very close to a primary school with very limited parking and I am astonished at the parents who turn up maybe 45 mins before pick-up time so they can nab a parking space, running the engine and AC / heater of their car all that time. It's their kids who are breathing all the fumes too, and I have been known to politely point this out to them .
Air quality is a huge issue here in London and many primary schools are operating in areas of the capital where guidelines are regularly broken.

[frogswimming]

No, if they're cold / hot then they can use their own car to rectify that. Do you knock on other people's doors and tell them to turn their central heating off?