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

[couchparsnip]

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?

Then a warm, fluffy blanket is ideal.

As I said @CeltictigerMum

It would need to be light as I couldn't pull anything heavy across but I will try that and hope it stays on the passenger seat.

It’s everyone’s business! The increased risk of lung cancers, of deaths from lung disease, shortening all our life expectancies and killing children. Not to mention the climate change impact!

it’s actually illegal to idle engines beyond a certain period ( I think 15 minutes) (Road Traffic Act) and nothing makes me more furious.

We are actually doomed, aren’t we? Sometimes I think I think Putin’s fucking welcome to it.

I'm actually so fed up. I'm close to tears over this thread.

I am fed up being disabled. Everything is harder and takes so much more physical and mental energy. Every minute of every day.

I have to buy more clothes so I'm warm. I have to think about where I'm going and what I'm doing and can I even do it today. Where am I parking. How am I carrying my stuff. What way am I going to manage.

My life is hard because of my disabilities. I get judged all the time. Why can't you do this. Have you thought of that. Fuck that. And if sitting in a car with the engine going to keep me warm makes it a little bit easier well I'll do that.

I don't have any more capacity to cope.

Selfish Ignorant Bastards

@scrufffy I'm so sorry things are so hard for you. I really didn't mean to upset you. It would be great if you can find some easier ways to keep more comfortable. If you don't need someone to sit in the passenger seat maybe one of those seat organisers which usually go over the back of the seat could be used the other way around? It would be much better for you to be able to access things in your car more easily regardless from the sounds of things.

it’s actually illegal to idle engines beyond a certain period ( I think 15 minutes) (Road Traffic Act) and nothing makes me more furious.

Not illegal in a car park.

I'm sorry for ranting. But I am so so fed up with every choice being judged.

I have fucking shite shoes that make me look like I'm 90 because I can't wear nice shoes.

I have shitty bags because I have to have a backpack because I can't manage a nice bag. And of course they have to be fake leather because leather is too heavy. So they wear out quickly and look shit and tatty.

Everything I do is through the lens of being disabled and I just want my old life back.

I don't want to be sitting here like the fucking Michelin man with a heated throw on my lap. I want to be wearing nice clothes and I don't want to be fat as fuck with a moon face because of the medication I take. This isn't me this isn't my life and I don't want to have to live like this any longer.

Except. I don't have a choice.

And it's so fucking depressing to be judged for choices all the fucking time.

Why don't you do all your shopping online why go to the supermarket. Because sometimes I want to pick my own stuff and be normal.

Why run your car to keep warm. Because I will be in pain if I'm cold and I just don't have the mental head space to add another thing I have to plan and think about to my list.

I know not everyone is disabled. And I know that many of the people will just be running their engines. But blanket statements (ha) of how they are all selfish bastards applies to someone like me and when I challenge it and mention disabilities it's upset me.

It just sucks.

Not to me, no, though I can’t speak for others.

In a hypothetical conversation with future generations, I imagine many would have some sympathy for those who had health-related reasons for running their engine to keep their car warm.

Not so ‘charging my phone’ or ‘heating my car to 24 degrees so I can wear shorts’, which I imagine would be viewed quite dimly.

It’s about knowing the difference between what we need and what we want, isn’t it? I personally find that a useful yardstick with which to make decisions. (And no, I’m not perfect, before anyone starts, but I am trying my best, and that includes not idling my car engine for frivolous reasons).

I’m with you @SpinCityBlues.

This. With knobs on.

Thank you @waterlego thats good to read. I don’t sit there for ages as I know the engine would be running and in the summer I turn the engine off as I’m not an aircon fan which drives the family mad.