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?

I have knocked on 5 car windows when people have been idling their engines recently. 4 were apologetic. 1 guy was apoplectic but seemed to be under a great deal of stress waiting for his kids and threatened to knock my head off. No chance on a busy street so I just said think about it and left.

All the people saying "the police have better things to do than attend" etc...

It's that reason why so many people run their engines when stationary. They know there is a 1% chance someone might be there to fine them. Rest of the time, it's open season for their selfishness.

Last time some asked me to do this I opened the windows and side doors on my wheelchair accessible van and they had to listen to my severely disabled child screaming at the top of his voice and having a complete and utter meltdown. He can't handle stopping the van and the engine if he needs to wait.
It was a whole 4.5 minutes from start to finish ....... some people need to mind thier own business!

I am sorry to hear this. Your experience is clearly an exception, although technically illegal.

However the interesting thing with exceptions like this is that they're regularly used as camouflage by everyone who wants to claim "you don't know if I'm SN or my children are" when challenged on a forum like this.

Sounds unpleasant for your son just for you to prove a point to a stranger.

I will, @WeAreBob . This thread has been eye-opening (and I'm a bit embarrassed that I a) didn't know it's illegal and b) didn't realise how poor it made the air quality inside the vehicle). I think we'll pop the sling on and go field-walking for naps instead! Breathe in some fresh air.

Just seems very strange to me that parents of babies young children and early primary age children are the ones idling their engines! Whose lungs do you think will be the most damaged? Just bizarre.

I can't wait for most cars to become electric. Then all these muppets can stop making everyone else's lives a misery.

One of the great things during lockdown (obviously setting aside the huge negatives) was being able to walk down the high street, cycle and be outside without the stench of exhaust fumes.

Top tip for everyone else. If sat behind in your car. Turn off the cabin ventilation. Also a good idea in traffic jams etc, as is leaving a generous gap between the car in front.

Ooh aren't you hard of thinking

It's very selfish and when you know better you do better.

As advised by DS disability team when meltdown or non typical behaviours impact others it must be changed and can be changed through trial and error by replacing or distraction.

You cannot leave an engine running for the next whatever about of years, invest in a vibration chair or to avoid disturbing a sleeping baby, the planet is fragile.
It's blatant "I don't give a feck" behaviour.

It was a whole 4.5 minutes from start to finish ....... some people need to mind thier own business

or you could, you know, just say "sorry, i can't" and leave it at that? I get you were probably stressed but there's no need for PA stuff. After all, other people's disabled children need the clean air too.

Surprised anyone who replies like this is old enough to hold a licence... Embarrassing.

Sounds like something a particularly annoying quite dim 13 year old would say.

My other top tip for getting ice off a windscreen is to use an old credit card or loyalty card. It scrapes it all off perfectly.

And yes it is a pain getting ice off the car for the winter morning school run -- which is why we cycle to school even in the dead of winter. It is just so much more convenient 😊.

I had no idea that this was illegal or how harmful it is to the people actually inside the car. I have a few times sat idly when my baby has fallen asleep and I am too tired to keep driving around, but also aware that he will wake if the engine goes off. This thread has made me rethink this, so well done/thank you OP.

Having said that, yes I would probably have been annoyed if someone tapped on my window when I was sat there because a) it would wake baby and b) let’s all be honest and admit that our human nature doesn’t like being told what to do!

Mortifying that another adult needs to tell you how to behave decently - it’s on you not them though.

We’ve all had non sleeping babies never felt the need to sit in a car with the engine running like an absolute prat.

“I have a few times sat idly when my baby has fallen asleep and I am too tired to keep driving around”

But you’re not too tired to move off ten mins later?

the mental contortions people go through on Mumsnet to justify their selfishness never fails to amuse

Yes, anti social aresholes who think their "need" for aircon or some such crap is more important than other people's quality of air.

I've never used a stationary car for air con/heat or soothing babies

Indeed. It's also odd that on a parenting site, people don't give a toss about the environment. You'd think they'd care a bit about their kids' futures. Clearly not.

Me neither. Funnily enough we all seem to have survived 🙄

There really aren't. Open windows, park in shade, don't get to school so early for pick-up (people get there 45 mins before where I live!). If it's cold wear warm clothes! When I used to have to wait for my son's activities I had a second coat in the car that I used to wrap around me.

If you are at traffic lights you probably won't turn the engine off unless you know they will be off for a while (eg four way lights at roadworks when you might be there 5 minutes!).

I can't think of an occasion when it would be reasonable to keep an engine running when you know you are not going anywhere.

One of the big unintentional consequences of covid was that our school extended the opening and drop off times to a 30 minute window and it completely stopped all those people who turned up mega early to hold a parking place - and so the number of cars who left the car idling reduced dramatically. Unfortunately we are back to a 5 minute window come September and we'll be back to square one I suppose.