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?

Only if you are happy to be told to fuck off.

We have to queue in the car park outside the GP surgery for appointments/prescriptions etc. Someone sat with their engine running for AGES and I went to speak to them as the fumes were blowing our way. Some people have no self awareness. I was polite and they did turn it off.

These are extraordinary exceptions - which do not diminish the reality of what the OP is saying

yes if your car is about to die unless you idle it, fine - although you’re still technically breaking the law and should get it fixed

but the reality is, 90% of people who idle outside school do it for comfort. That’s it. Nothing to do with their car and it’s technological ability to stay running

Don't risk it. She might punch you.

And this is the level of so many people in the UK.

never mind whether a person is wrong or not..

.. if you dare to tell them something? They’ll tell you straight away to “fuck off”.

unbelievable

I find these responses genuinely really upsetting. We’ve become such a horribly individualist society - even though this is an offence, antisocial, and bad the environment, “I’d keep mine on longer if you dared to tell me what to do in my own car”.

The planet is finite. Resources are finite. Clean air is diminishing. If we don’t learn to take a little
discomfort as the price for living more socially and sustainably, it’s scary, and it’s extremely sad.

Is it ok to leave it idling if there's a dog or small child in the back?

I would mind my business because you dont know who is she or how she'll act or what her situation is. Look after yourself and your own life.
You could drive a little less if her fuel consumption bothers you. You can always approach people to ask them these things but they may not do it or may even get angry with you. If its worth the risk of that, go for it.

@SavoirFlair Well they will. Its sad but true. Plus the pp has a point too, they might just punch you. Don't know what people are like nowadays, better to just stay out of it unless it directly involves you.

Take a photo showing the car engine idling....?

And this is the level of so many people in the UK.

.. if you dare to tell them something? They’ll tell you straight away to “fuck off”.

Depends how they ask/tell the other person I suppose. Sadly, some folk can't help but but come across as self righteous and completely smug patronising arses which rarely solicits positive outcomes no matter how in the right you think you are. Seen it plenty of times between cyclists and motorists.

I tend to disagree the drivers have their freedom and right to do whatever in their own car - the cars are parking on the public street used by pedestrians. It's the public giving the car drivers the right driving and parking on the roads, while idling the cars is absolutely a selfish act harming the public health, not to mention about the environmental impact.

You wouldn't be unreasonable, no, but the thread tells you what kind of response you'll get if she's pig ignorant.

what if she/he has a problem with their car and turning it off might mean it's harder to get it up again.

happened to my parents car couldn't stop the car at one point otherwise it might not start again.

Go for it if you're strong enough to face the rage and F words. People are horrible.

Don't understand pp saying we didn't have air con 30 years ago ....but we have it now
It is like saying you didn't have mobile phones or the internet 30 years ago so you can't use them for your benefit now and you have to pretend you are in the good old days.

We have it now so we use it
Personally op no l wouldn't say anything - she won't thank you for it and you will prob get a load of abuse.

what if she/he has a problem with their car and turning it off might mean it's harder to get it up again.

Then she/he should get her car fixed, obviously.

I hate selfish cunts who idle. They have banned it outside of schools in our area thank god. People are so selfish.

You wouldn't do well at my kid's school. They have staff out in the pick up zone walking round telling parents to turn off their engines. Also a dedicated email address for residents to email details of any parents idling their cars around the nearby streets and the photos of the cars are put in a newsletter and every couple weeks a community officer comes out and goes checking.

I have actually asked people if they would mind turning their engines off. Most replies polite and just "Oh I didn't think" and then switched off. One or two nasty comments along the lines which. would probably be given by some of the posters above but not many. I live in South London.

No. Idling is an offence. You dont do it. End of.

It is illegal, it is bad for the environment and it is annoying. So of course, it is ok for OP to be annoyed by it. Because IT IS HER BLOODY BUSINESS!

Of course it's to do with other people. They have to breathe in the unnecessary fumes. Switch it off. There is no justification (and it's a criminal offence - maybe more people need to start videoing people and sending the video to the police).

If you are warm, open a window. Park in the shade.

If you are cold, put a blanket in the car to put around you. Or go for a walk.

So much for petrol being expensive when people can sit there with their engines running. Completely mad.

No, you open a window, park in the shade, or get the kid/dog out of the car and go for a walk somewhere shady while waiting.