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    • Article in Environment

    No good reason to leave your car running when you're not driving!

    Laura's picture
    Laura | Mar 5 2024 - 4:57pm
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    You know what bothers me to no end? Cars who idle in front of my apartment! You know what I mean... they just park there, with their cars running and their music blasting ruining not only my peace and quiet, but also my fresh air! (Well, as fresh as it can be in the city anyway!)

    I decided to look into it after spotting many offenders day after day and found out that it's actually illegal and you can get a ticket for it! Who knew?

    Apparently idling engines not only hurt the environment by creating air pollution, but it also increases rates of asthma and heart disease and contributes to global warming! Who knew something so small like keeping your car running unneccesarily could have such a huge health impact?

    As it turns out, if your engine is idling for more than 3 minutes, you can be issued a ticket by the NYPD. This law is even more strict near schools where you can be ticketed for idling more than one minute!

    Something that I also learned is that leaving your car engine idling for more than 10 seconds actually uses MORE fuel than stopping and restarting your car! I always thought it was the other way around!

    Anyway, I also found out that I can call 3-1-1 next time I notice someone idling their car outside my apartment to report them. I don't want to be breathing in their exhaust! I want fresh air and to protect myself the kids who live in my neighborhood from asthma and heart disease!

    Oh, and I want to pick my own music to listen to.. instead of theirs!

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    14 Comments

    Basha besh April 7, 2024 - 7:58pm

    It's well known that idling engines not only hurt the environment by creating air pollution, but it also increases rates of asthma and heart disease and contributes to global warming!

    Sony497 June 9, 2024 - 10:19am

    I think i remember hearing about the idling uses more fuel than starting and stopping your vehicle. It's good to know that we can at least try and do something about these people that are hurting the environment. I hope more people learn to not leave it idle and save their gas as well! Thanks for the info on what to do if you see someone doing this as well.

    Adam.s July 14, 2024 - 4:25pm

    My brother just got a 2024 mazda3 and leaves it running every time he runs in to a store i can't imagine doing that it's so easy for someone to jump in and steal your car and it's such a waste of gas.

    davve September 10, 2024 - 11:35am

    Most of the people that keep the car engine idling probably know the same thing, they think it's more fuel efficient if they keep the engine working for several minutes instead of stopping and restarting the car. I think they all need to be informed about this fact, maybe this would make a difference. Davve

    faciaina May 23, 2024 - 1:11pm

    I do not see any reason to keep your motor running. Gas prices have been rising as it is, better yet you can get a sensor installed that shuts the engine off when therer is no one in the drivers seat , I did it at my local car repair shop and it works great.

    Darren Hill October 8, 2024 - 4:32am

    Cars these are far more fuel efficient and environmental friendly. Emission control is something that automobile makers are putting a lot of efforts on.

    CALVINJE November 9, 2024 - 7:06am

    I think i remember hearing about the idling uses more fuel than starting and stopping your vehicle. It's good to know that we can at least try and do something about these people that are hurting the environment.

    sarahmark07 November 16, 2024 - 2:45am

    Excellent post.Thanks for sharing such a useful informative post with us...

    Keshab March 13, 2024 - 9:56am

    This article has given me a very outstanding suggestion about the potential health hazard due to environmental pollution caused by negligence of proper handling of vehicles. This is a bitter reality which must be realize by all of us. Only to reach the destination is not our duty we have to follow some hidden fact that can help to save our life and our common home the earth as well.

    jeevan April 24, 2024 - 5:52am

    No doubt it's worthless keeping your engine running though your vehicle is not in use. Ticketing for running engine of a vehicle is indeed a very good idea. Let's hope people will be discouraged to run the engine of a vehicle ideally and will decrease fuel crisis to some extent. Also, I think that knowledge of ideally running engine will let us breathe fresh air. Finally, let's save some gas for our off springs.

    andrewjpeterson April 28, 2024 - 2:57am

    Nicely presented information in this post, I prefer to read this kind of stuff. The quality of content is fine and the conclusion is good. Thanks for the post.

    johnjoseph June 6, 2024 - 3:45am

    I appreciate this article..this thing is absolutely necessary. Just stop the engine if not required to save the fuel and avoid increasing pollution. We are now working on to "Go Green" revolution so turning all my Cars to CNG and LPG.

    vegasking June 9, 2024 - 8:46am

    My wife and I have been looking for a car lately. We got a car loan, we did research, we even test drove some cars. We were ready to buy a car, so we went back to the best car that we found and took it for a drive again.

    lienknguyen83 July 20, 2024 - 10:16pm

    Turning off the car instead of idling it, is great advice. In Harlem, the air quality is very poor and many residents especially children do suffer from asthma. The toxic component from smog, ozone and particle matters trigger asthma attacks and makes existing asthma condition worse. When I'm walking down the street and noticed that cars are idling, I would cough from the fume and particles in the air. Therefore, I am not surprise that these air conditions would be worse for individuals with asthma.

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