Vehicle idling - why do drivers do it?

[farmerbarleymow]

Don't think I could produce 2 ltrs of it in 1 go and if I saved it up it would be cold by the time I came to use it

A defeatist attitude.

 

[mauvais]

You won't break your windscreen by pouring warm (not hot) water on it.

Unless it's very cold, warm water won't form an ice sheet if you turn the wipers on immediately after pouring. If it does, just repeat.

You shouldn't idle a modern car to warm it up, it's (relatively) bad for it - you are supposed to just drive.

 

[Sasaferrato]

You won't break your windscreen by pouring warm (not hot) water on it.

Unless it's very cold, warm water won't form an ice sheet if you turn the wipers on immediately after pouring. If it does, just repeat.

You shouldn't idle a modern car to warm it up, it's (relatively) bad for it - you are supposed to just drive.

It was eleven years ago, have windscreens changed in that time?

It was a Nissan Note, the crack was right at the bottom of the windscreen, in a 'horseshoe' shape. It was just before I sold the car, so had to fork out the windscreen excess.

 

[MickiQ]

A defeatist attitude.

I suppose I could reheat it in the microwave but I'm pretty sure Mrs Q would go completely mental and that arguments about it being more energy efficent and environmentally friendlier than using the boiler probably wouldn't cut any ice (pun intended)

 

[platinumsage]

I suppose I could reheat it in the microwave but I'm pretty sure Mrs Q would go completely mental and that arguments about it being more energy efficent and environmentally friendlier than using the boiler probably wouldn't cut any ice (pun intended)

You could boil it in a kettle, although if I went to make a cup of tea and someone had done that it would boil my piss.

 

[stavros]

I don’t know why kids would want to be picked up from school by their parents anyway, when I was a kid it meant you were a bit of a cissy

The kids don't want to be picked up, especially primary-aged pupils. They want to walk, or even better cycle or scoot. Why they are driven is a combination of factors, any or all of: weather; distance, either due to rural locations or the parental-choice policy; all parents/guardians working and so viewing driving as quicker (it may not be in congested suburban areas); and a culture of protectionism that has grown within my 40 years on this planet, i.e. they fear the worst for their children's safety.

Car ownership levels and the real terms cost of driving may also have played a part (see Wednesday's Newsnight for a look at the supposed "War on the Motorist").

Addressing idling specifically, I suspect education and appealing to people moral, social conscience is the best bet. Signs like this, and knowledge of the cost per hour of idling, could appeal to some people's moral, social conscience:



Finally, and I suspect this has already been mentioned on bits of thread I've not read, electric cars don't have direct exhaust fumes, either moving or still. Their gradual adoption will surely make a positive difference.

 

[Winot]

I do this when I’m sitting in my car at lunchtime because if I turn the engine off while I’m listening to the radio then the battery goes flat.

I'm interested to hear if you might be persuaded to find another way to listen to the radio in order to reduce pollution.

 

[hash tag]

My new car does not have stop start. I am concerned if I stop it it won't restart. Why would I listen to the radio with a nice engine burbling away.

 

[moomoo]

I'm interested to hear if you might be persuaded to find another way to listen to the radio in order to reduce pollution.

I could listen to it on my phone. But then I’d have to have the car engine on to charge my phone.

 

[Winot]

I could listen to it on my phone. But then I’d have to have the car engine on to charge my phone.

How long is your lunch break

Could you use a portable charger instead?

 

[BigMoaner]

Leave the radio lights on etc without a running engine and you end up with a dead battery quite quick. I leave it idling if I have to stop briefly, yes.

 

[two sheds]

Read years ago that someone had calculated that the number of cars idling in one of the California city was the equivalent of however many tens of thousands of horses jumping up and down going nowhere.

 

[keybored]

It isn't. The reason I know this is because it happened to me. I had done it for ever on frosty mornings, then came the 'cracking' noise.

Almost all cars have been fitted with laminated windscreens since the 1930s so you should be fine these days.

 

[maomao]

Almost all cars have been fitted with laminated windscreens since the 1930s so you should be fine these days.

Laminating glass doesn't protect against cracks it just stops it breaking into pieces when it cracks or shatters. And cracked windows still need replacing.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Almost all cars have been fitted with laminated windscreens since the 1930s so you should be fine these days.

It was much later. Laminated windscreens have only been mandatory since some time in the 80s. Before that most were toughened glass that shattered into millions of pieces when broken, but safety bods realised that people going through windscreens would inhale loads of the glass and it'd cut their lungs to bits. The laminate also keeps the glass together, so less chance of getting impaled by loose bits.

And hot water can and does break frozen windscreens. My BIL is regional manager of an automotive glass company, and he assures me it's a common occurrence.

 

[keybored]

It was a bad, ageist joke guys.

 

[maomao]

It was a bad, ageist joke guys.

Even jokes need to make sense.

 

[MickiQ]

You won't break your windscreen by pouring warm (not hot) water on it.

Unless it's very cold, warm water won't form an ice sheet if you turn the wipers on immediately after pouring. If it does, just repeat.

You shouldn't idle a modern car to warm it up, it's (relatively) bad for it - you are supposed to just drive.

That always used to be my Dad's pet beef way back when his children, his grandchildren and the State allowed him to drive. I won't let a car idle to warm up the engine but sometimes you have let it idle whilst it defrosts or inversely while it cools. More than once I've had to start mine, switch on the aircon and let it cool down inside before people could sit in it.

 

[mauvais]

That always used to be my Dad's pet beef way back when his children, his grandchildren and the State allowed him to drive. I won't let a car idle to warm up the engine but sometimes you have let it idle whilst it defrosts or inversely while it cools. More than once I've had to start mine, switch on the aircon and let it cool down inside before people could sit in it.

It doesn't do significant damage or anything, but gentle drivetrain loads are much better than idle for distribution and heating of oil, so it gets the high-wear phase of cold engine start over quicker. It's also better for the environment, obviously. Between those two things most car manuals will tell you to drive off immediately.

Aircon is driven off the aux belt, and works much more effectively when the car is actually moving.

 

[Looby]

Is it ok to idle outside a selfish cunt’s tent at 6am playing something horrible if they’ve kept you awake all night?
Asking for a friend.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Is it ok to idle outside a selfish cunt’s tent at 6am playing something horrible if they’ve kept you awake all night?
Asking for a friend.

Only if you run a pipe into the tent from your exhaust.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Is it ok to idle outside a selfish cunt’s tent at 6am playing something horrible if they’ve kept you awake all night?
Asking for a friend.

Did you get your revenge? Hope you did - people like that are twats.

 

[Sasaferrato]

Is it ok to idle outside a selfish cunt’s tent at 6am playing something horrible if they’ve kept you awake all night?
Asking for a friend.

Don't forget the hose from the exhaust under the tent flap.

Saul beat me to it.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Looby has been very quiet - maybe she went on a rampage and has been arrested?

 

[BigMoaner]

Is it ok to idle outside a selfish cunt’s tent at 6am playing something horrible if they’ve kept you awake all night?
Asking for a friend.

gotta be death metal. got to be. or gabba. just leave that bastard running and have a nice cup of tea and breakfast.

 

[Looby]

Did you get your revenge? Hope you did - people like that are twats.

Unfortunately not, they were up before me.
I just had to go with an old fashioned bollocking about what selfish little shits they were.
We’ve just got home because the traffic was horrendous and I kept having to stop for more cold drinks and sugary snacks.

 

[maomao]

Three wankers doing this outside my kid's school today, particularly offensive in the heat. I'm supposed to not be starting fights at the moment so didn't go to confront them today (I'm not naturally diplomatic). Wondering if I should email the headmaster to see what he's able to do about it. They've just banned bananas from the school because of one kid's allergy (fair enough imo) so surely they should be willing to deal with people deliberately releasing pollutants at kids' head height.

 

[pbsmooth]

do it. unless they enforce it, nothing will happen. nobody is meant to stop outside ours - yellow lines etc - but of course people sit on them idling with no recourse.

 

[Winot]

Three wankers doing this outside my kid's school today, particularly offensive in the heat. I'm supposed to not be starting fights at the moment so didn't go to confront them today (I'm not naturally diplomatic). Wondering if I should email the headmaster to see what he's able to do about it. They've just banned bananas from the school because of one kid's allergy (fair enough imo) so surely they should be willing to deal with people deliberately releasing pollutants at kids' head height.

Definitely worth raising with school. However our kids' primary tried to stop parents parking illegally outside school for the whole time they were there and parents just ignored them.

You could see if there is a possibility of setting up a School Street.

 

[maomao]

You could see if there is a possibility of setting up a School Street

I've already emailed them but this looks really good, thanks.