Has anyone worked out the mentality of those people who mindlessly idle their (normally diesel) engines for extended periods of time?
I've got a neighbour who's rusty heap of a work mini bus gets started at 7:45 on the dot and finally driven off at 8:10. Doesn't make a difference if there is a frost or not, 25 minutes of *dag dag dag dag* five days a week. I know my front door is a bit draughty but if the wind is blowing the wrong way I can smell the diesel stink in my hall.
Yesterday we went for a walk round our village and there was a guy in a Transit talking to a couple with his engine running. Fair enough, maybe he's only stopped for a couple of minutes. Nearly half an hour later when we came back round he was still sat there, still idling. I actually cheered when 5 minutes later he drove past us. We then saw a Nissan SUV running, no owner in sight, which was running for at least 10 minutes parked at the side of the road.
I totally get running your car for a bit to demist it before driving off but what is the point in running an engine for so long without it even moving? Is it that much effort to switch it off? Are they that lacking in confidence that it will start again?
What really bugs me is that these are probably the sort of people to wax lyrical about how good the fuel economy is on their oil burner.
I'm not really one for peoples hands being forced by the government but I'm now starting to think bring on the ICE ban because some people are too stupid/selfish to be trusted with a combustion engine.
I've got a neighbour who's rusty heap of a work mini bus gets started at 7:45 on the dot and finally driven off at 8:10. Doesn't make a difference if there is a frost or not, 25 minutes of *dag dag dag dag* five days a week. I know my front door is a bit draughty but if the wind is blowing the wrong way I can smell the diesel stink in my hall.
Yesterday we went for a walk round our village and there was a guy in a Transit talking to a couple with his engine running. Fair enough, maybe he's only stopped for a couple of minutes. Nearly half an hour later when we came back round he was still sat there, still idling. I actually cheered when 5 minutes later he drove past us. We then saw a Nissan SUV running, no owner in sight, which was running for at least 10 minutes parked at the side of the road.
I totally get running your car for a bit to demist it before driving off but what is the point in running an engine for so long without it even moving? Is it that much effort to switch it off? Are they that lacking in confidence that it will start again?
What really bugs me is that these are probably the sort of people to wax lyrical about how good the fuel economy is on their oil burner.
I'm not really one for peoples hands being forced by the government but I'm now starting to think bring on the ICE ban because some people are too stupid/selfish to be trusted with a combustion engine.