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Original poster

Why is the woman next to me sitting in her car with the engine on?

163 replies

couchparsnip · 20/09/2022 19:57

Just that really.
We've dropped off our kids at dance school and we're just waiting in the car park for the class to end. She's been sat there with her engine running for at least half an hour. I don't get how anyone can waste that much fuel! Does she not realise? I'm not going to tell her but does anyone else.do.that - and why would you?

OP posts:
Mum2jenny · 20/09/2022 19:58

If she can afford the fuel, it’s really her choice

Kaiken · 20/09/2022 19:58

Charging her phone
Listening to the radio

IDontDrinkTea · 20/09/2022 19:58

Baby asleep in the back?

MabelFurball · 20/09/2022 19:59

Running the heater?

bluebellsandcustard · 20/09/2022 19:59

I have no idea but it's very ignorant and unnecessary imo.

Perhaps she's charging a phone and doesn't want to flatten her battery, but you don't actually need the engine on. Phones don't need that much power.

No wonder our planet is fu**ed!!

vodkaredbullgirl · 20/09/2022 19:59

Keeping warm

MugginsOverEre · 20/09/2022 20:00

I do it to charge my phone when I'm stuck at some tedious shite activity such as dance classes and my battery is about to run out. No way am I sitting twiddling my thumbs with no device for an hour.

shinynewapple22 · 20/09/2022 20:00

She probably has the heater and the radio on and doesn't want a flat battery .

YesitsBess · 20/09/2022 20:00

Battery fault and she has to recharge? That would be me occasionally, my car is 8 million (approx) years old and has a weird battery drain.

GiantKitten · 20/09/2022 20:01

People do this outside our house waiting for kids at home time (primary school round corner) -
AC in summer, heating in winter - drives me wild, esp when engine needs tuning & doesn’t run smoothly, not to mention the pollution 😡

MugginsOverEre · 20/09/2022 20:01

bluebellsandcustard · 20/09/2022 19:59

I have no idea but it's very ignorant and unnecessary imo.

Perhaps she's charging a phone and doesn't want to flatten her battery, but you don't actually need the engine on. Phones don't need that much power.

No wonder our planet is fu**ed!!

Some cars won't charge a phone without the car engine running. My old motor didn't. Not even with just the ignition on.

Delectable · 20/09/2022 20:02

Our car shuts down completely after a few minutes of the engine being off so to listen to the radio you need the engine on.

Raul57 · 20/09/2022 20:02

I have my GLS running most of time waiting for my wife shopping as it's either too hot so climate control on and now it's a bit nippy, I like a constant 24C in the car as I almost always wear shorts and T-shirt if not going into the shops.

Lennybenny · 20/09/2022 20:03

I'm so glad I'm not the only it irritates. I take ds to football training and guarantee at least 1 car sits there for the entire hour and a bit with the engine idling...🤬

Yohohaha · 20/09/2022 20:03

I'd leave mine running when I had my baby asleep and needed aircon or heating but I didn't like leaving it on (loved the hour of peace sat doing nothing though!!)

ClocksGoingBackwards · 20/09/2022 20:05

Iy will be because she wants to use the heating or listen to radio without ending up with a flat battery.

Mind your business.

Original poster
couchparsnip · 20/09/2022 20:05

No baby in the back. It's not that cold either. I'm sat here in a shirt and don't need the heater on.
Charging a phone doesn't need the engine to run -neither does listening to the radio. I'm doing both with my engine off!
FFS now someone else is doing it - and he has his lights on as well. What's the matter with everyone?

OP posts:
Ponderingwindow · 20/09/2022 20:05

If you were next to me today, it’s because it is 40 degrees and sitting in the car at that temp would have made me ill. I don’t handle heat well. I looked for somewhere else to wait, but there was no where with shade.

Caspianberg · 20/09/2022 20:10

I did today. My cars electric, so it’s not guzzling out fumes. As soon as the door is open it’s on, if you turn car off whilst inside it thinks it’s being stolen. I had heating and radio on. Was 4 degrees this am. The battery % doesn’t drop at all being on an hour for heating and radio

GiantTortoise · 20/09/2022 20:11

This drives me mad. So bad for the environment!

halfsiesonapotnoodle · 20/09/2022 20:12

Mum2jenny · 20/09/2022 19:58

If she can afford the fuel, it’s really her choice

Holy fuck. Is that it? No concern for air quality, using precious fossil fuels, environmental devastation? Ignorant a.f.

Quveas · 20/09/2022 20:14

Next thread.. why is this weirdo in the next car watching me?

30hourschildcare · 20/09/2022 20:15

Charging and radio logout not need engine, but if you do it without it can kill the car battery

MindGoneBlankNeedName · 20/09/2022 20:16

People do this in the visitor space right outside my ground floor bedroom. I've given people shit for it before, because specially in the summer I can't keep my windows closed. My whole room fills with fumes.

Perfect28 · 20/09/2022 20:16

Yep it's shit. We get parents turning up to pick kids up from school who sit for upwards of half an hour with engines running right outside classrooms. So terrible for the environment and lung health. 😢