Leaving engine running outside Vets

When schools are in see this every day. Females in general sitting in cars of all types with engine running. Some hoping to get nearest to school are parked for over half an hour. Usually on their phone passing the time. So two offences, engine running excessively and in control of a car with engine running whilst using a mobile phone. Fortunately I don't live on the two roads where this goes on, I pass along them.

Gosh I feel angry when this happens too! Often I chicken out of speaking to the driver and then feel bad that I didn't. A few times I've told a white lie and said that the fumes were affecting my breathing.

These are the inconsiderate "people " for want of another name who rules of any kind don't apply to.

I've learnt to keep quiet over the years to avoid conflict

I understand your wanting the engine turned off and that it felt a challenge to to and ask the driver to do that. I hope I would have knocked on the window and without anger or apology, but courteously, asked them to turn off the engine. I don't know if I would have done! There is a really good book which would help another time in this and many other situations www.annedickson.co.uk/books/a-woman-in-your-own-right
It helps in most aspects of our lives actually - in our culture women often need to un-learn the things which get in the way of speaking up, and help us speak up in a way we feel OK about. Liberating!

What is it about bad behaviour that makes people frightened to point it out ? Obviously be sensible not to put yourself at risk but car engine running outside vets or school, of course you should say. It’s called being public spirited and we are all responsible for our environment.

For several years a resident across the road from me had a persistent habit of coming out to her car parked on the drive, in the morning, switching on the engine and going back in the house for anything from 5 - 10 minutes. It was both noisy and fume laden. Her husband and son both had cars but neither did the same.

I never spoke to her, just sometimes opened my door and stood waiting for her to come out, and made it clear that I was looking . Never gestured or anything, but she was well aware of my disapproval. In some weathers you could see the fumes rising. During that period both my next door neighbour and I had (different forms) of cancer. Now that may well be coincidence, but who knows?

Where I live, you can get done by the traffic wardens for having an idling engine. We're supposed to switch off even at traffic lights. Modern cars do that anyway, don't they? Mine does anyway, which is handy.

When they do it in school car parks makes me MAD! So far, I just stare pointedly at them as I pass but it goes right over their head so I’ll stop and say something next time. Maybe school would let me do flyers to put under all windscreen wipers to remind people of school ground pollution!

with not driving our cars so much, I was told to run my engine for 15 mins for it to charge the battery.

I live quite near a school and there are cars that come and park outside my house. One woman in particular always sat there with the engine running. After a few days I tapped on her window and told her she was damaging the environment that the nearby main road had one of the highest air pollution levels in the area and that she was just adding to it. So please would she protect all the children by turning off her engine. She did. Haven't seen her lately though so I do wonder if she is parking somewhere else.

People get too stressed over minor things. Getting stressed does not change things so is a wate of time. Don't let things get to you like this...

Must have a boast. My new Fiesta automatically cuts the engine if the car stops. Once you put foot on accelerator it magically starts up again.

We have a family near us who insist on leaving motor cycle and car engines running. They even go so far as to come out and start the engines then go back in the house for 10 - 15 minutes. So annoying especially on a Sunday. A number of their motorcycle friends call round for a chat leaving all the engines still running too

polnan

with not driving our cars so much, I was told to run my engine for 15 mins for it to charge the battery.

yes, but better to go out for an actual run rather than just sitting with it idling.

I asked a taxi driver the other day to turn his engine off. He was driving a mini bus and quite often he turns round at the end of my road and sits thete , with the engine running, for maybe 20 mins each time. He parks right across from my home. It's the pollution and the noise that gets to me. He was okay about me asking him and apologised. But I'll keep my eyes open to see if he continues.

A few months ago I had to wait hours in the car at our local A&E where my DiL was being treated, I had to run the engine/heating periodically as I was getting really cold.

They were probably charging their mobile phones so they could use them whilst driving.

I would think twice about saying anything unless you can recruit someone who looks thuggish to do it for you. Otherwise they might beat you up or even kill you. This happens. But it is soooo infuriating. You could take their number plate and report? As for parking on pavements, this is definitely illegal now.

Feel we've enough on our plates at the moment getting our own lives 'regimented' without nominating others for our disapproval. My lovely Mum used to say to me 'feel free to criticise others when you're perfect'.

I am disabled with severe lung issues, walking past an idling car can be catastrophic for me.
My partner does approach and ask people to turn off their engines. So do ... some don’t.

I hate it when bus drivers leave their engines running while waiting to leave the terminus. As they usually have the doors closed it’s not easy to complain. When I have done they take no notice anyway. Apart from the air pollution it must add quite a bit to the Company’s fuel bill, which is then added to the fares.

I want to tell my son's in-laws how angry I am at them for flouting covid rules in the north and putting me and son/family at risk by coming into son's house while I was there doing the childcare. They had been gallavanting all day in a well known covid metropolis hotspot. They subsequently both came down with covid, my app alerted me (and so did my son's, him) and I have had to miss work (in school) and a long weekend in Cornwall. They are on the mend thankfully, but I am livid at their cavalier 'rules don't apply to us' attitude. Can't say anything or I'll be in trouble, but they do know we've had to self-isolate. I doubt they will change their customary rule-breaking mentality, especially as they've got off lightly and are so privileged.

A council van was parked outside our house every morning for about a week. 2 workers inside eating sandwiches and drinking tea. Engine running. After a few days I returned from the school run and knocked on the window. ‘Would you please turn your engine off ‘ I got a bit of a look but it was switched off. If they hadn’t I was prepared to report it to the council.

The law only forbids idling where it isn't necessary. De-icing ones windscreen is one of the "necessary". Waiting at red lights also isn't forbidden or putting the engine on for short periods on hot days etc. I'm not arguing that sitting for hours with the engine running is good, it certainly isn't but we do need to use common sense. Perhaps a call to the council to ask if areas outside schools could be visited and people warned might be a way forward? My understanding is that local authorities have the power to introduce further restrictions.

Btw I have severe brittle asthma so am very aware of the damage emissions can do, but at the same time I would run my engine for short bursts in a traffic jam to keep young children or the dog cool.
I think however that I would have a reasonable chat with a driver who flagrantly disregarded the law.

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/1808/contents/made

www.newcastle.gov.uk/services/environment-and-waste/vehicles-and-environment/vehicle-engine-idling