To think people can defrost their cars without running their engine all morning?

[shinysnowman]

I start work in a couple of hours. I have been awake since 5am, due to a steady flow of neighbours who have sat in their car with their engine running, one actually revving their engine constantly, waiting for their car to defrost. The first at 5am, each for a good 15 minutes each. It's been the same every day this week.

Don't people scrape their cars anymore? Is it wrong for me to be annoyed and think that they are being inconsiderate?

(Apologies to those with DC who are dragged up with them at this time!)

No, I don't use de-icer it smells horrible and can't be good to breathe it in. Scraping takes a couple of minutes. Remembering to cover with an old duvet cover the night before, even more sensible - if I remember, or realise that it's going to be cold enough to freeze.

Finance offence? I should really proof read- bloomin autocorrect!

The fine for exiting your vehicle and leaving the engine on is between £20-£50.

You may not like it, but sometimes its the only option. I have cloths to try to demist the inside but they don't really work and I am not setting off without decent visibility.

Of course it's not the only option, you don't have to run your car to clear the windows, you just get out there and scrape and wipe it like everybody else does. It just takes a bit longer, that's all.

Even if it's on your driveway? Stolen from private land? Oh well. Worth the risk for my lovely coffee indoors

It's,an offence to leave your engine idling unnecessarily on a public road so perhaps near that in mind. Is it really necessary?

The air is so bad today outside our flat and I'm sure this is part of it. Then in the afternoon its people running their engines until they decide it is finally The Time to get out and go collect their DC from school. Can they really not survive 10 minutes in a warm but cooling car.

Also annoying is that many, many people have garages stuffed to the rafters with crap so they can't park their cars in their garage. Cars parked in garages don't need scrapped in the morning.

I think running the engine to defrost a car is fine, the fact its 'illegal' is unimportant,

@Trewser Why do you consider yourself to be above the law? Get over yourself and stop being such a dick.

Mine is fogged up on the inside at the moment, I don't know why. It takes ages to demist on the inside (2003 car so not very new).

you don't have to run your car to clear the windows

I do. No amount of wiping the inside of my car is going to clear it enough for me to drive safely.

Dh just chucks a bucket of warm water over our cars.

Of course it's not the only option, you don't have to run your car to clear the windows, you just get out there and scrape and wipe it like everybody else does. It just takes a bit longer, that's all. It's not the outside that is the issue. That,as you say, gets scraped.

It's the misting up of the inside. Wiping the inside doesn't work as it just mists back up again leaving you without a clear view. It's getting rid of the moisture... as both the RAC and AA explain as best being done quickly, including running the engine!

@elliejjtiny I thought it was advised people stopped doing this due to it cracking the window?

@shinysnowman just interested in the car you drive ( if you do) that you don't need de mist your windscreen? Is it clear as soon as you get in? I have a new VW Beetle and it takes ages to clear !

And yes, Trewser, how is doing something that is an offence 'fine'?

It's getting rid of the moisture... as both the RAC and AA explain as best being done quickly, including running the engine!

Not when you aren't in the car though - the legal way is when you are in the car, people are talking here about leaving the car unattended.

Honestly, windowscreen covers are a game changer.

Dh bought me one, and when I get up, his screen is icy and mine is fine.

However, demisting is a different ballgame.

Might try the hot water bottle whilst I'm getting ready and doing my makeup.

Otherwise, as PPs, I have to run my engine to clear the mist. Today it took 4 minutes.

What a sad person I am - actually looking forward to trying the hot water bottle on dash .

RAC recommend starting heater off on cool so as not "to overload interior with hot wet air" and also running air con and heater together .
and
"Use the air-con in conjunction with the heater. Hot air will dry the glass a little through evaporation, but the air will then cool down and condense on the glass once more, so make sure the air-con is on to keep the atmosphere inside dry."

and if you don't have air con ,to open car windows
"This helps because the dry, cold air from outside can help reduce the amount of water vapour inside the car, stopping the screen misting up."

people are talking here about leaving the car unattended

People staying with the car is neither here or there, the point is you have to have the car running to safely demist the inside. You claim this isn't the case, but haven't offered a solution to demisting the car which doesn't involve starting the car.

It's,an offence to leave your engine idling unnecessarily on a public road so perhaps near that in mind. Is it really necessary?

Its necessary to drive with clear windows and having the engine on whilst scraping the windscreen helps clear the inside, as many pp have said the RAC advise it: www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/winter-driving/how-to-demist-your-windscreen-in-double-quick-time/

Not when you aren't in the car though - the legal way is when you are in the car, people are talking here about leaving the car unattended.

What on earth difference does it make if you are sat in the car for a few minutes, or sat in your house for a few minutes? Does the former make it quieter or cleaner or something? Does it just make people happier than others are being punished for starting their cars by having to sit in the cold?

I admit I have no experience of ice or snow (it is hot here 9 months of the year and the 3 months we have winter, you would consider it summer, by comparison), but don't people have garages? Or carports, at the very least? Do people really leave their cars outside not undercover? If the car was garaged, I can't imagine it would have ice over it. Here, for good car insurance the car needs to be in a lean-to garage or carport at the least, if not preferably in a garage with roller doors. Leaving the car out to the elements also means the car's exterior breaks down quicker.

What a sad person I am - actually looking forward to trying the hot water bottle on dash - lol I am as well, can kill 2 birds with 1 stone

I use warm water to de-ice mine.
Yanbu.

Isn't it also an offence to drive without cleared windscreen or if your view is restricted in any way. Personally I would prefer that people took the time to clear their windows properly rather than risking injuring or killing someone because they are worried about upsetting their neighbours.