To think it was ok to have my engine running??!

[GuinefortGrey]

This morning, driving through a village, I received a text that I had been waiting for and required an urgent reply. So I pulled over into space at the side of the road in order to safely read and reply. Lots of space available, so pulled in adjacent to a garden wall, so not directly outside anyone's house. I left the engine running as I sat there as I knew I would only be a couple of minutes. There are no parking restrictions, all village residents park along the road on that side.

Anyway, head down in phone, I noticed movement outside the car and saw a older lady gesturing as me, making key turning movements. Whilst trying to get my brain in gear to work out what on earth she was trying to say (for a moment I thought maybe she had locked herself out!) another younger woman knocked on my window She said "can you turn your engine off as my neighbour has a condition that is made worse by toxic fumes". To be honest I don't know if she said please or not but the tone was very snooty and immediately got my back up. I had literally been there no more than 2 minutes and was just about to leave. I said "I'm just leaving now" and the woman said "well if you ever park here again make sure you turn your engine off", to which I replied "don't worry I shan't ever stop here again now I know it's such a nice, friendly village" and she shouted "good!!!" behind me as I pulled off.

Seriously, I was not even stopped outside the older lady's cottage, but about 2 metres away next to a garden wall. I feel bad because I should have responded more politely but the woman's tone was so rude, and I immediately felt all defensive and blurted out the first things that came out of my mouth, but I still don't think I did anything "wrong" leaving my engine running for a couple of mins. AIBU??

I seem to attract these "tellings off" by random strangers 🙁 . Had a lady have a go at me for using a poo bag to pick up
after my dog a couple of years ago. Said I was polluting the environment and as we live in the countryside should just leave the dog poo for nature to take care of

[Kidnapped]

She may very well be thinking by now that she was a bit snippy with you and could have handled the situation better.

Or she could still be fuming about the audacity of you. Probably rallying the villagers for demo on the engine running spot as we speak.

[GoblinLittleOwl]

Can never understand why people don't turn their engine off when they stop at the side of the road; two minutes is a long time. Like people who pull in and leave headlights on main beam.

[Paulat2112]

YABU you should have turned your car off. I know it is illegal as someone has pointed out. My friend also takes her key out as well, don't know if that is part of the law though?

If i am stopped for any longer than 30 seconds then it is best to turn your engine off. Including using phone, picking someone up, drive thru, etc It's very easy to turn back on.

[icanteven]

People often park outside my house (quiet side street, houses right on the street, single glazed Victorian windows) and leave their engines running, or worse, have the radio on full blast (how do they bear it inside the car???) and I go out and tell them. You might think she was being over the top, but it's bloody annoying when people do it all the time.

[Nannawifeofbaldr]

YABU. Why wouldn't you just say 'no problem' and turn off your engine, it's not like it was a difficult or inconvenient request to comply with.

I think you need to give more consideration to how you responded.

I wouldn't have considered that request 'being told off' why did you?

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

OP, it's not just texting while engine is on that is illegal, just having the engine idling unnecessarily while stationary is illegal on its own...

[RedToothBrush]

Stationary idling is an offence under section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The Act enforces rule 123 of the Highway Code which states: "You must not leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.

Doing this can incur a £20 fixed-penalty fine under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2002. This goes up to £40 if unpaid within a given timeframe.

It doesn't mean you've got to cut your engine at every red light: you are allowed to leave your engine running if you're stationary in traffic or diagnosing faults.

But the woman was rude and unreasonable and I'd be pissed at her.

[Teasgonecoldagain]

I am going against the grain and say that I wouldn't have turned my engine off either just to send a text however I didn't realise until now that it is actually illegal

[Buckinbronco]

What a dick. Whilst it's not legal to use your phone with the engine running she's not the police so what does it have to do with her? That minor point doesn't make it ok for her to demand things of you and lie (don't believe there is anything wrong with her, people like that are usually making it up to guilt trip nice people into doing what they want)

[BigPurpleCake]

YABU. Turn your engine off whenever you can. It's disgusting.

[WaitrosePigeon]

Tough tits I would have said.

[Bogeyface]

The OP pulled over to read a text message, she wasnt hosting a cruising meeting! Do MNers really never leave the engine running ever?!

YANBU OP, at the very least the younger woman could have been less snotty with you.

[HunterHearstHelmsley]

I'd heard something previously about taking the keys out but never thought much of it. Don't tend to use the phone while driving.

You'd hate me though. I leave the car running for 10 minutes in the winter at 6am. If a neighbour complained I'd just offer them the opportunity to de-ice the car!

[SunnySomer]

Interesting. I read the other day that in parts of Berlin it is now illegal to reverse into a parking space on the side of a road (ie so the rear of your car would face the pavement - I'm not talking about parallel parking) due to the noxious gases being splurted all over pedestrians. That's a complete tangent, apologies, but seems to be a very similar issue.

[GuinefortGrey]

RedToothBrush that is so interesting and very surprised it is not more widely known. That is honestly the first time I've been aware of that law in nearly 25 years of driving . I have certainly learnt the error of my ways thanks to this thread and not just because of the legal implications but also because I'm a bit of a country bumpkin and never lived directly on a busy road/street so hadn't ever considered how annoying it must be for those of you who do and have to put up with it all the time. This lady's cottage was just down the road from a school so I imagine it is something of an issue for her twice and day every day. Feel even worse now for my petty over-reaction

[GuinefortGrey]

Thank you to those who have been brave enough to admit they have also been guilty of leaving the engine idling on occasion. I was beginning to think I was some kind of monster

[UnderTheGreenwoodTree]

We have people leaving their engines running when parked on the school run - it's really gross to walk past. Breathing in car fumes is not good for you. So, regardless of the mobile phone laws, ywbu. It only takes a second to switch off the engine.

As an aside though, let it go, don't stress about it. We live in a village where people will come out and "tell people off" for various minor things. I've seen it happen numerous times. It's annoying

[BitOutOfPractice]

Hold on OP you're supposed to get the hump with us, tell us we are all bitches and that you were perfectly reasonable, then flounce off! Don't you know how AIBU works for goodness sakes?

[LilaTheTiger]

I think there is a lady out there on a mission and I met her a couple of years ago.

I was in waitrose car park after a truly horrible shift when my favourite patient (yes, we do have favourites) had died and several other things had been awful, and I was having a severe medication related hot flush that left me breathless. So I had the engine running and the air con blasting at me while I talked to a colleague on the phone and had a cry. The interfering old boot bashed on my window and screamed "NURSE, NURSE!" at me, now when someone screams like that I assume I'm needed in an emergency, so I leapt out and asked her what she needed, she proceeded to have a 5 minute rant at me for having my engine running! I was too upset and shocked to say anything but sorry, and to this day it annoys me.

We have no idea what other people have going good on.

[LilaTheTiger]

*I was in uniform which is why she knew to scream nurse.

[PigletJohn]

Diesel engines are very prone to unpleasant fumes. Quite apart from the smell, they make some people (including me) cough and wheeze. I knew that long before the health effects of diesel particulates became widely known.

For some reason French cars are often bad. I used to know when I was driving along with a diesel car ahead because I would start to cough.

Sadly some people disable or remove their DPF because their driving style does not keep them clear, or because they think the car goes faster without them.

[Goingtobeawesome]

It's illegal to use your phone when the engine is running so you should turn the engine off but yes, it's quite anti social to sit with it running. Smells awful and can be problematic for asthmatics.

[BigPurpleCake]

But just WHY would you leave an engine running? It is so antisocial, it's horrible to be around, and it takes you two seconds to turn it off. What possible reason is there to be so lazy?

[APlaceOnTheCouch]

I came on to say you're not allowed to sit with the engine running but I see RedToothbrush has posted the relevant legislation.

There are notices all round our town centre saying you will be fined if you sit with the engine idling. So, in a roundabout way, the woman did you a favour because now you know it could result in a fine. Much better to find out from her than from a fine through the door.

[londonrach]

Yabu on two counts...one if you using the mobile and your engine is on you breaking the law and two the pollution both sound and fumes and waste of petrol from your car. Yes i understand in traffic queue etc but in this situation its politer to turn the engine off!