Idling Engine Illegal....Do you do it ??

[Larrynwin]

Reported this morning that it will be considered to offer percentage of idling fines to be passed to those reporting offence with evidence, this already happens in the USA.

Do you switch off every time as motorhomes afaik don’t have eco switching.

Engine idling: Why it’s so harmful

What does idling mean and is it illegal to leave your engine idling in the UK? Our comprehensive guide takes you through everything you need to know.

www.confused.com

 

[Riverbankannie]

It is talking about leaving your engine running whilst parked up. Not the same as stop start engines for traffic lights.

 

[Spriddler]

Depends how long the hold up is likely to be. Yes at a m/way hold-up or at a railway crossing, no at traffic lights .

It's a question of individual judgement as to how long the hold up will be. Like so many daft new laws who's going to enforce it? Whenever I've seen a copper they've had more priorities than worrying about an engine idling.

 

[Jim]

After hard work or towing my hand book says I must idle the engine for a full ten minutes before switching off.

 

[Larrynwin]

It is talking about leaving your engine running whilst parked up. Not the same as stop start engines for traffic lights.

The report I watched led me to believe it was specifically idling in traffic.

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[JJ]

I notice quite a few folk in Portugal leave their engines running when parked... I believe it is to keep the A/C running.

I don't have A/C in my cab...


JJ

 

[Larrynwin]

Depends how long the hold up will be. Yes at a m/way hold-up or at a railway crossing, no at traffic lights.
Like so many daft new laws, who's going to enforce it? I've never seen a copper when I've been in a queue (and rarely anywhere else in the streets or on the road).

The suggestion is that it would be reported by vigilante members of the public who would receive a percentage of any fines as encouragement.

 

[Spriddler]

After hard work or towing my hand book says I must idle the engine for a full ten minutes before switching off.

I guess drivers of turbo vehicles would have to remember to disable the 'Stop-Start' function then?

 

[Wendo55]

I always turn my engine off at the hand car wash, even though you have to move forward every few minutes for the wash, wax then dry. All those workers are heading for respiratory problems in the future, breathing in fumes all day.

 

[Spriddler]

The suggestion is that it would be reported by vigilante members of the public who would receive a percentage of any fines as encouragement.

And holding a phone, drinking coffee, eating a sandwich? Where will it end? How would a vigilante prove that - and prove who was driving?

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[Figaro]

The suggestion is that it would be reported by vigilante members of the public who would receive a percentage of any fines as encouragement.

That's a green light for nosey Norris to supplement his income by grassing up fellow motorists.

PS I think the report was referring to vehicles idling whilst parked up not at traffic lights.

 

[Ivory55]

If other workers are entitled to min and max temperature working conditions why is a driver not entitled to them by leaving the engine running to maintain a decent working environment. Also people waiting to pick up their other half from the station in the winter, just because a train is cancelled and they have to sit waiting longer should they be punished and made to sit in a cold car ?

 

[rod_vw]

And holding a phone, drinking coffee, eating a sandwich? Where will it end? How would a vigilante prove that - and prove who was driving?

He'd be taking a photograph with his phone whilst driving past!!!

 

[Larrynwin]

And holding a phone, drinking coffee, eating a sandwich? Where will it end? How would a vigilante prove that - and prove who was driving?

They showed a guy in the US with his camera that makes a living from it. We already have one here in the U.K. that acts as a vigilante with drivers on mobile phones and bad parking

 

[Larrynwin]

That's a green light for nosey Norris to supplement his income by grassing up fellow motorists.

PS I think the report was referring to vehicles idling whilst parked up not at traffic lights.

No , it also showed vehicles in traffic.

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[GPW]

I guess drivers of turbo vehicles would have to remember to disable the 'Stop-Start' function then?

I'd like to think the makers of vehicles with stop-start programmed in the correct conditions for stopping.. I would have liked stop-start, I still recall waiting about 40 minutes in Dieppe in the blistering heat in a car without AC or stop/start.

The problem is that switching off and on a hot engine isn't such a great idea for heat cycling reasons as (the head does get quite hot for a while after as heat rises due to the pump stopping) but with stop-start it would never have got that hot so switching off would be fine.

My own view is that stop-start tech is something to go for when possible.

 

[Spriddler]

The suggestion is that it would be reported by vigilante members of the public who would receive a percentage of any fines as encouragement.

Frankly, I wouldn't want the hassle/delay/bureaucracy. Popular perhaps with the poor and cheapskates looking to make a few quid. Would they have to declare it and lose benefits or be taxed on their additional income?

 

[Larrynwin]

Frankly, I wouldn't want the hassle/delay/bureaucracy. Popular perhaps with the poor and cheapskates looking to make a few quid. Would they have to declare it and lose benefits or be taxed on their additional income?

I don’t like the idea , could soon end up with neighbours in conflict , as for folk declaring extra income I very much doubt most would.

 

[tonyidle]

The article in the link suggests it isn't a new law - simply more enforcement of an existing Act. It also says that enforcement will be by the LA - presumably by Traffic Wardens. It says you may be fined if you refuse to turn your engine off suggesting that you can wait until asked and in a final stupid statement says that some vehicles air conditioning will not work with the engine off. I've never seen one that will. So no real change and no news there then.

 

[PeteH]

Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!. The most stupid thing about SWMBO`s new car is the "Eco-stop". I have found how to switch it OFF permanently, But she won`t let me do it!. So I now sit at trafiic lights and just keep moving the steering, that keeps it alive, you can actually switch it off,but it resets every time you re-start, putting the aircon on too by passes it. AND nothing worse than being stuck, waiting for a passenger on a cold wet day without heat!. When I was on the Lorries, at least we had recourse to the "Night Heater". Used to set the timer to come on 1/2hr before leaving, nice Toasty cab. ( Gaffer used to hate it!!.). 6am start, by 5.30 up to 12 lorries all warming up!.

Saw this guy on the T-V this morning, Taking pic`s on his phone, How lucky is he that he is not at the bottom of the Thames in concrete boots?, some of those "white van" drivers he was targeting where definitely NOT happy!.

This "Eco" Global warming idiocy has gone too far. The PIDDLING contribution of the UK, as opposed to Russia, China, India, Philippines et-al. not to mention the South Americans Burning an area the size of Wales every day?.

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[Larrynwin]

The article in the link suggests it isn't a new law - simply more enforcement of an existing Act. It also says that enforcement will be by the LA - presumably by Traffic Wardens. It says you may be fined if you refuse to turn your engine off suggesting that you can wait until asked and in a final stupid statement says that some vehicles air conditioning will not work with the engine off. I've never seen one that will. So no real change and no news there then.

I was not aware that it was in law and thought by posting others like me would become aware and yes it is an old law and one that will I believe be discussed in parliament in the light of the move for cleaner air.

 

[Spriddler]

My own view is that stop-start tech is something to go for when possible.

Stop start was one reason why I got shot of my new automatic Citroen C4 Cactus after 6 weeks (4 weeks which were spent looking for something else). It wasn't possible to disable the S/S function. At a busy roundabout by the time the engine had started and drive engaged the gap had gone. Utterly dreadful car all round - too many issues to mention here.

 

[Larrynwin]

Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!. The most stupid thing about SWMBO`s new car is the "Eco-stop". I have found how to switch it OFF permanently, But she won`t let me do it!. So I now sit at trafiic lights and just keep moving the steering, that keeps it alive, you can actually switch it off,but it resets every time you re-start, putting the aircon on too by passes it. AND nothing worse than being stuck, waiting for a passenger on a cold wet day without heat!. When I was on the Lorries, at least we had recourse to the "Night Heater". Used to set the timer to come on 1/2hr before leaving, nice Toasty cab. ( Gaffer used to hate it!!.). 6am start, by 5.30 up to 12 lorries all warming up!.

Saw this guy on the T-V this morning, Taking pic`s on his phone, How lucky is he that he is not at the bottom of the Thames in concrete boots?, some of those "white van" drivers he was targeting where definitely NOT happy!.

This "Eco" Global warming idiocy has gone too far. The PIDDLING contribution of the UK, as opposed to Russia, China, India, Philippines et-al. not to mention the South Americans Burning an area the size of Wales every day?.

Very true U.K. contribution to global emissions is around 2% I believe.

 

[Hollyberry]

They showed a guy in the US with his camera that makes a living from it. We already have one here in the U.K. that acts as a vigilante with drivers on mobile phones and bad parking

He’d have a field day here ! Parking fully on pavements is the norm and I was told by the police that it’s allowed as my road was made narrower, and the pavements wider, when it was constructed ( pre 1939) to allow for vehicles parking on the pavement. Was also told that if there were double yellows put in the road it wouldn’t apply to a car parked on the pavement.....
And when people call the police to report real crimes and they can’t attend ( too busy, lack of person power, whatever) what are they going to do about cars with idling engines?

If children were brought up to have a sense of responsibility to others, ( can’t think of the correct term, communal responsibility ? ) we wouldn’t need so many laws.

 

[GPW]

Stop start was one reason why I got shot of my new automatic Citroen

A poor implementation of anything is hard to live with, from water heaters, doors, auto gearboxes and cruise controls etc - e.g: the BMW stop-starts I've seen in action at traffic lights didn't show any hesitation off the line. Perhaps combined with a mild hybrid drive take-off would be instant.

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[Hymer 1961]

I apply common sense. If I’m in either a car or motorhome and can see miles of stationary traffic up ahead, then I’ll switch off the engine. Invariably these days, hold ups where traffic suddenly comes to a halt, especially on motorways, is due to the inability of so-called intelligent drivers not leaving enough safe stopping distance between vehicles, causing increased pollution and unnecessary and pointless tailbacks.

 

[Spriddler]

A poor implementation of anything is hard to live with, from water heaters, doors, auto gearboxes and cruise controls etc - e.g: the BMW stop-starts I've seen in action at traffic lights didn't show any hesitation off the line. Perhaps combined with a mild hybrid drive take-off would be instant.

The Citroen was a very slow automated manual transmission. When it reached about 7mph pulling onto a roundabout it would change to 2nd gear, taking around 2 secs to do so and slowing slightly without any 'drive' happening whilst cars closing up on me on the roundabout hooted and flashed. One can't select to start in 2nd gear or indeed select any specific gear, just P, R, N or D.
Hateful car.

 

[Sundowners]

What about running the engine if you have a battery to battery charger running whilst stationery, will that be frowned upon, illegal perhaps?

 

[Snowbird]

Before retirement putting a cold engine to work or shutting down a hot engine was one of the few sackable offences in my yard. I never shut down a hot engine, one of the reasons I have never had an engine go down, even after many hundreds of thousands of miles.

 

[Larrynwin]

The Citroen was a very slow automated manual transmission. When it reached about 7mph pulling onto a roundabout it would change to 2nd gear, taking around 2 secs to do so and slowing slightly without any 'drive' happening whilst cars closing up on me on the roundabout hooted and flashed. One can't select to start in 2nd gear or indeed select any specific gear, just P, R, N or D.
Hateful car.

Sounds like the Ducato 1st to 2nd hesitation.

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