To tell the woman in the car in front to turn her engine off?

[Niceshotdoc]

Sat in the car waiting for DS. Residential street. Woman in front has been idling her car for the past 10 minutes. Presumably for the air con. We're right next to peoples gardens. I really want her to turn it off. So selfish. Shall I?

Absolutely if it’s hot and we are all in the car I’d absolutley rather sit with the air con on for the kids and me than consider how awful it is to the environment which generally I’m too ignorant and selfish to worry or think about

What are you driving - a Hillman Imp?

I have done this a couple of times. Neither time were the idlers very pleased to be appeoached and I got an eyeroll. Most recent one told me to "go away" 😄. But - they did turn their engines off. So I am content.

Both times I mentioned the problem - ie air pollution in a place close to pedestrians. Which perhaps not everyone on this thread realises, has a cumulative effect on child health, and can trigger asthma attacks for people prone to them.

It's not just 'the environment' . As in, some random ozone layer hole somewhere, or the greater good of x billion people.

It's our immediate environment as we walk to and from school. Children's lungs being filled with particulates, and diesel smoke, and fumes, and toxins which are known to cause respiratory issues.

If everyone switched their engines off when they come to a standstill, these emissions just aren't in the air for our kids to walk through.

Do you understand this, or are you still going to persist that your kids deserve some cold recycled air at the expense of everyone else?

She’s an idiot.

she won’t care anymore if you ask her, as proved by those on here.

mos people are twats. People park outside my house for the village shop. There’s nearly always a car outside with the engine running. I’m sure each person thinks they’re only there 5 mins but the accumulation is massive.

everyone has an excuse. It’s too hot and they need the aircon on, hello your windows open. What did people do before cars had aircon?

Absolutely if it’s hot and we are all in the car I’d absolutley rather sit with the air con on for the kids and me than consider how awful it is to the environment which generally I’m too ignorant and selfish to worry or think about

You can’t be too bothered about your kids given it’s literally poisoning them. AC and idling increases the in-car pollution substantially over when the car moving.

Yes! Why do people sit with their engines on outside of schools?! It's so bad for children's lungs. Really selfish of them.

But tbh I'd take a photo and be emailing the council and Community police. We're trying to crack down on it in our estate. It's an offence

A photo of a car won't show any offence.

night it means I've got a log of repeat offenders. The traffic wardens and councillors are onto it.

just take a note of her licence plate and see of there is somewhere you can report it.
telling her would be risky incase she starts shouting or getting aggressive.

Totally agree. I think people don’t realise how much of a problem air pollution is.

Its one thing if you are actually using your car for its purpose, to get from A to B. At least you’re deriving a proper benefit from the emissions. But when the car isn’t actually moving it’s just gratuitous pollution.

You're not in Worthing are you?!

I do think it's pretty selfish, but I'm sure a very small minority of people with have genuine reasons for it.

HOWEVER are you certain her engine is actually running? I have a VW and sometimes on short journeys or very hot days this extremely noisy fan will kick in after I turn the engine off. Lord knows what its purpose is - but I've been assured it's normal. I have had people in car parks running after me telling me I've left my engine running after I've locked it and walked off!

It is your business, you have to breathe the poisonously fumes she’s belching out.

Politely ask her to switch her engine off when not moving as it causes a lot of pollution (im always asking people to do this. Sometimes they do, sometimes they ignore me, but at least I’ve tried).

Someone’s desire to be slightly more comfortable in an air conditioned/ heated car does not trump everyone else’s right to breathe clean air!

How is it 'not your business' if someone is needlessly polluting air that goes into your lungs, right next to you? Not saying I would say anything but if something affects others, then it is their business.

I see parents do this outside school for half an hour. They dont give a shit

Yes I suppose this sums up the attitude of the person who would likely think it's ok to do that in the first place. So pointless me saying anything I guess.

I mean, you can't care much about your kids and their future if you're sitting there idling your engine for no reason. Just open the windows if it's hot🙄

Wow the amount of "not your business" posts. Shocking. Not that surprising we are where we are. Her behaviour is the reason she needs the aircon in the first place. I'm not brave enough to say anything to people but if you are, I think you are totally right.

Surely caring for our environment is everybody’s business.
A dc in London died from traffic pollution.
Theres some selfish a holes on here.
If you’re hot open your windows, what do you think people did 30 years ago?

Surely a video would be more useful. If I were the kind of person to sit idling, I'm also likely to be the kind of person to say "my engine wasn't on in any of those pictures and the person who took them is a vexatious complainer". I don't see how the council could prove otherwise.

Pull up the ladder Jack, I'm alright.

Ffs some selfish and stupid people here.

As PineForestsAndSunshine, has pointed out, some times a small minority have a reason for it.
Does she have a hybrid car, many hybrids have a separate 12v battery to the battery pack for the hybrid system. If you don't use the car much you are instructed by the manufacturer to leave the vehicle in "P" for 1-2hrs per week to keep the 12v battery (which runs the cars essential electrics) topped up to prevent it going flat and not being able to start the car.

The car will run for a few min switch off then run again for a few min to top it up.

We have a rail crossing in the town and a large notice has gone up asking drivers to turn the engine of whilst waiting at the crossing.Most people do.Surely it is common sense to do this.

I’ve written to the school near me asking them to tell their parents to turn their engines off. They park outside my house and leave their engines running for ages while they collect their kids and chat. It’s a recent development because the actual school road is now a green street and they now can’t park there. Oh the irony!! I’m aware the school office may have laughed at my email and called me a twat but I can’t stand it.