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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

166 replies

GuinefortGrey · 27/05/2016 10:56

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 Hmm

OP posts:
albertcampionscat · 28/05/2016 11:33

YABVU. Irresponsible and selfish.

Buckinbronco · 28/05/2016 12:16

I have never noticed the noise of an engine running being that awful (excepting 6am in the winter when you can hear people warming up their cars) but making your windows vibrate? Hmm what is parked outside your house, a juggernaut?!

lljkk · 28/05/2016 13:41

Petrol must be very cheap or people wouldn't do this.

Buckinbronco · 28/05/2016 13:52

Doesn't really use any petrol running your engine though doesn it? A whiff of petrol

lljkk · 28/05/2016 14:03

A whiff of petrol ... stinks, you mean?

How much fuel is used depends how long, how cold it is, and how big the engine, but myth to think it's non-existent. Canada estimate is up to 1/2 litre per 10 minutes.

Hot weather in TX suggests more like 0.1 litres per 10 minutes of diesel.

Like I said, petrol & diesel are obviously very cheap.

I most hate diesel fumes. I get impression most people don't notice them but they make me feel awful.

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 28/05/2016 14:08

It's not just the smell even though that's bad enough on its own.

It's the vibrations!as wellsometimes they carry though the houses or along a wall or they are magnified through sewers, you can't know how people in a house feel your running car.

Mari50 · 28/05/2016 14:09

It's not ok to be in a stationary vehicle with the engine running, YABU

Roonerspism · 28/05/2016 14:09

See I'm weird about this. I hate cars sitting with their engines on. It stinks. It's wasteful.

I guess you might have been next to this lady's garden?

Buckinbronco · 28/05/2016 14:23

Lljkk- that article says 1/10th of a litre for 10 mins idling?

memyselfandaye · 28/05/2016 15:30

I don't think you were unreasonable at all, the other woman was a busybody.

However you have comitted to the crime of owning a car, on here that's as bad as smoking, reading the Daily Mail, using grandparents for childcare or doing favours for people you actually like and care about.

Therefore expect to be treated like a kitten murderer.

memyselfandaye · 28/05/2016 15:30

admitted to

betsyderek · 28/05/2016 16:01

I left my engine running in the IKEA car park today while I was shopping and my car only does 9mpg on average (obvs not in UK and get free petrol) but it didn't run out of fuel. I am extreme and wouldn't do that in Bum-Next the-Wold or whatever but in the scheme of things it doesn't really matter and the lady was probably by the window ready to spring into action if anything so exciting as a stranger in the village stopping outside happened. Let her have her moment, it may be the only one for years.

maisiejones · 28/05/2016 16:06

Buckinbronco. No, not a juggernaut. Just ordinary cars. There's just no need to leave your engine running.

Hockeydude · 28/05/2016 16:08

I think if you stop longer than 30 secs, you should turn the engine off.

betsyderek · 28/05/2016 16:09

I think people should do what they want. Its not important in the scheme of life. Does anyone actually really care? In real life would Mumsnetters be ringing the police?

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 28/05/2016 16:12

How is it not important?

Air pollution kills people and some of it is easily avoided by switching of the car engine.

betsyderek · 28/05/2016 16:14

Yes I am quite sure the neighbour would drop dead and the death certificate would cite woman stopped to read text on it. What a load of drama.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 28/05/2016 16:20

BetsyDerek So you think we should just ignore the laws.of the country?

PigletJohn · 28/05/2016 16:20

Are you also "quite sure" that exhaust fumes don't smell, or make asthmatics wheeze?

betsyderek · 28/05/2016 16:23

I don't think it's an issue, one person pulling over to read a text. The issue is more how sad and inadequate people must feel to actually get in a froth about it.

betsyderek · 28/05/2016 16:25

And yes, I think stopping for 2 minutes is fine and not what the law was intended for. In the mn world I know you would call 101 but it's only make believe

PigletJohn · 28/05/2016 16:39

"Are you also "quite sure" that exhaust fumes don't smell, or make asthmatics wheeze?"

Well?

Are you?

SplodgeBear1988 · 28/05/2016 16:41

I live on a main route through a tiny village, a few doors down from the village hall and a few yards from the car park which we knew about and excepted when we moved in and we also don't have a front garden just a very wide foot path think one car plus buggy space.
I have before now I have gone out at 8 - 9 pm and asked people who were sitting with there engines running for more than 5 mins to either move to the car park or turn them off. I have always have been met with polite I'm sorry I didn't realise type responses.
But I always wait a good 5 mins before I go and ask them to turn them off and it only tents to be in the evenings. So I would say if you were only there for 2 mins that's a bit over the top.

betsyderek · 28/05/2016 16:41

This reply has been deleted

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allegretto · 28/05/2016 16:45

YABU - petrol fumes stink and I live about 50m from the road but cars standing outside make my crap single paned Windows rattle. Just turn it off.