To feel angry at people running their car/van engines when waiting in car parks?

Well don't leave small children in cars. I never did. No need to keep engines running pumping out more fumes and heat for everyone else

I think if it is 40 degrees outside then you would have to use the aircon because it can get up to 60 or more in a car . People die very quickly in that sort of heat. Every year small children are affected badly here because parents just nip out to pay for petrol or get something from a shop and leave their babies to cook in the car.

I live in a narrow Victorian street just off the main shopping road in a town. A few years ago, 40ft lorries started delivering to one particular shop, and the drivers occasionally (once or twice a week?) leave the engines on for 20 minutes or longer. A resident will go out and ask them to switch off. Sometimes they do, sometimes not, occasionally a driver is difficult.

Petera

Hithere

Petera

Because it may be too hot outside?

So how is the rest of the world outside managing?

Because while I'm sitting in my car waiting for my charge in 40 degrees (if I'm lucky I got a shady park), the person I'm waiting for is in an air conditioned building, along with everyone else in the area. Or in colder weather, they're in a heated building. I'm not getting out of my car to get the wind added to the cold or burned in the sun.

I don't run my engine but I do sometimes turn it on for about 30 seconds to get a blast of air con or heat through the car, just enough to take the sting out of the air. I do find constant running of engines annoying and unnecessary. Especially in the heat though, I'm going to give myself a blast to just bring it down a little.

If it were up to me I'd not be sitting in the car in that kind of weather at all, but duty calls.

Years ago I had a BMW ( a treat after the children left home and I didn't have to pay for them any more). Anyway I had to do lots of home visits. Quite often in dodgy areas. I was assured it would always be fine as everyone thought it was a drug dealers car! Nobody touched it and nobody ever gave me any cheek. (That may have just been the deterrent effect of my face though )

Word of warning. If your in a dodgy area ( as I was the other night) and there’s a very nice BMW with blacked out windows just ignore it and walk away.
I’m sure the driver who was just trying to earn a crust would have had something to say to me ?

Definitely one of my pet hates. I see it often when I walk to school and parents are sitting outside in their cars texting and the engine is running so they can stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

They're just stupid really.

"Because it may be too hot outside?"
And not helped by idiots running their engines!

Hithere

Petera

Because it may be too hot outside?

So how is the rest of the world outside managing?

My neighbour has a habit of doing this on our shared driveway! He has a van and is frequently sliding the doors open and shut whilst unloading his tools. Very annoying, but he is such a nice man that I wouldn’t wish to fall out with him.

Guilty of this over the summer, far too hot not to have AC on especially with GC in the car.

Petera

Because it may be too hot outside?

Hithere

They may have the ac on while waiting for someone?

Then why not turn it off and get out of the car

I've posted about this before as it drives me nuts. It's so inconsiderate. However, the Grans back then told me I was being unreasonable and that they'd tell me where to go if I spoke to them about it in a car park!!

Our car has Stop-Start, which means the engine stops waiting at traffic lights etc. A bit disconcerting to begin with, but we are used to it now. Saves emissions and petrol.

I notice it every time I sit outside of my favourite pavement cafe. They must be after wasting loads of petrol/diesel/money.

Why do people do it? Is it to save the massive effort of turning the key? Or do they genuinely not notice/care? I'd love to know.

You’d think with the cost of petrol they wouldn’t want to waste it leaving engines running. Dumb as dogs##t.

Good on you.
Everyone needs to do it, but we're generally too polite, or don't want a fuss.

Slight digression. I went fir an appointment at my macmillan centre. I have disabled discs. One space left in the dedicated car park occupying a disabled spot. I stopped and gave the driver a look. He opened his window and said “what?” You are in a disabled space I replied. “ I’m waiting for my grandad he’s just come out of hospital “. In main hospital by the way and no blue badge. In other words he was pulling a fast one not wanting to possibly have to pay. He then asked if I had a blue badge which I showed him and he sped off very disgruntled! Glad I stood up to him.

I wonder if new ones would carry any weight in influencing behaviour?
I think they would.

I don't think they would use the old films, they would need to make new ones. I'm sure you can find all the old ones on You Tube.

Charlie says...
There's a blast from the past.

It seems 50% of the population are complete numbskulls in so many ways, and drive the other 50% crazy. We have litter, dog poo, cycling and scootering on pavements, bad driving and parking, the list goes on....and on.

I wish they would bring back those Public Information Films on all the above and keep showing them on TV. The public today are so dopey they really need them.

I have spoken politely to a few people doing this, and have had a mixture of responses from 'F off' to 'oh sorry' and switching off. No-one has ever known that it's illegal, and I think awareness of this should be more widely spread. Most of the time though I don't say anything, and then feel guilty for not doing so!

I have thought of taking a photo of their number plate.