A man was tickets for leaving his running car UPDATE IN.OPr

[hisno1girl]

unattended, in his driveway.

In winter.
In Michigan.

I know the cop was just doing his job, but really?

EVERYONE who lived in cold climate runs their car for a few minutes to let it warm up.

Personally, I run mine for about 10 minutes because I'm not scraping ice or brushing show off in this weather.

Oh, his ticket is for $128.


He's the story:

ROSEVILLE, Mich. (WXYZ) - Did you know you could get fined for heating up your car? One man's parking ticket has gone viral, with thousands of views after he was ticketed for heating up his car in his own driveway.

Taylor Trupiano says he's still shaking his head over a parking ticket he got on his own property.

"I thought it was some kind of joke at first, and then I was thrown back by it," he said. "I was really surprised."

The ticket was for leaving the keys in the ignition with the motor running and no one around. Trupiano said he was only doing something many people in Michigan do during the winter.

"I was in and out in probably about 7-8 minutes," he added. "So in that amount of time he ran up here, gave me a ticket and by the time I got out he was nowhere to be seen."

Frustrated with the ticket, he posted a photo on Facebook where he racked up thousands of comments and shares.

The Roseville Police Department ticket comes with a $128 fine. There is no state law against leaving your car turned on and unattended, but dozens of cities across Michigan have local ordinances.

"We have five to ten cars stolen this way every winter," Roseville Police Chief James Berlin said. "It's dangerous, and of course it drives everyone's insurance rates up. It drives our crime rates up."

Many of the ordinances will allow you to use a remote start because the vehicle is locked.

Berlin tells 7 Action News they will not apologize and in fact, he encourages his officers to enforce this law.

"It's common sense. We can't warn everybody of the law there is. Common sense says you don't leave your car running unattended," Berlin said.

# # # #

The tickets are issued to deter car theft, no mention of the environment.

I don't get the environment argument because what's the difference between heating up your car for 5-10 minutes vs. driving it around.

Scraping ice and snow can take a lot more than 5-10 minutes. If my car is heated, the only thing that needs to be cleared is the roof and DH use a big sweep broom to do that. Since I can park in the garage, he's responsible for cleaning of my car. Especially now since I have to limit my exposure to cold weather.

[sonrisa]

Was his kid in the car? Because otherwise that's insane.

[julianabixby]

Oh man. I would NOT be happy about that. Like you said, everyone does that in the winter - especially when there is snow, ice, etc on the car.

That makes me wonder why you can have remote start cars if you can also be ticketed??

[youhadmycuriosity]

Wait, what? I had no idea this was illegal. My car has remote start, but I live in a semi warm climate so I never really leave my car running. I sometimes
turn it on a minute or two before I get inside if I get sidetracked... If I lived in a cold climate, I could totally see myself doing this and having no clue it was a problem.

[isabel]

This is... not surprising? It's not legal to allow your car to run while unoccupied (in Colorado, that is). DH almost got a ticket for it once, but the cop just told him not to do it again when he walked out of the house.

[tillie]

I don't start mine early because mine is in the garage. However, as I leave in the morning I could probably count at least 10 cars that are running without anyone in them.

[wise_rita]

Jan 11, 2017 3:36:26 GMT -5 isabel said:

It's not legal to allow your car to run while unoccupied (in Colorado, that is). 

What?!  I have never heard of a law like this (and I grew up in a place that makes Colorado look downright tropical).

Your alternative is people driving with frozen windows, or people accidentally gassing themselves to death for being in the car.

WTF for real.

[fernweh]

Jan 11, 2017 2:40:51 GMT -5 julianabixby said:

Oh man. I would NOT be happy about that. Like you said, everyone does that in the winter - especially when there is snow, ice, etc on the car.

That makes me wonder why you can have remote start cars if you can also be ticketed??

The justification the officer cited was that it was running with the key inside and no one around. It was a safety issue because anyone could have gotten in the car and taken off in it (even a child I guess). Remote starters are okay (at least in Michigan).

[AutumnRose25]

Carsdon't need to be left idling to warm up anymore. The only benefit it to people being in a warm car, not to the actual car itself.

Also, he was at his girlfriends apartment complex, so not even in his own driveway, though that doesn't change the safety issues around theft and/or the car rolling and emission issues.

Everywhere I've lived had had this law and both places have extremely cold weather.

[AutumnRose25]

Jan 11, 2017 4:46:36 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Jan 11, 2017 3:36:26 GMT -5 isabel said:

It's not legal to allow your car to run while unoccupied (in Colorado, that is). 

What?!  I have never heard of a law like this (and I grew up in a place that makes Colorado look downright tropical).

Your alternative is people driving with frozen windows, or people accidentally gassing themselves to death for being in the car.

WTF for real.

People won't die from just sitting in the car while it warms up...if that was the case then you couldn't be in your car while driving it LOL
People die when they block the tailpipe or purposely route the emissions back into the interior.

[PatBenatar]

I had no idea this was illegal. I do this all the time when there's ice on the windows so it can defrost

[Saint Monica]

Cops have discretion. So, yeah, technically he was doing his job. It is still fucking bullshit.

[zitiqueen]

It's because the keys were in the car, making it steal-able. I've heard of people getting tickets like this before in Michigan. Remote-started cars can be started without the keys but they can't be driven without the keys.

[Captain Serious]

This varies by state. In VT, it's illegal to let your car idle for more than 5 minutes. It's an environmental protection measure. I break that law almost every winter evening before I leave work.

[Captain Serious]

Jan 11, 2017 4:46:36 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Jan 11, 2017 3:36:26 GMT -5 isabel said:

It's not legal to allow your car to run while unoccupied (in Colorado, that is). 

What?!  I have never heard of a law like this (and I grew up in a place that makes Colorado look downright tropical).

Your alternative is people driving with frozen windows, or people accidentally gassing themselves to death for being in the car.

WTF for real.

Or scraping your windows during that initial few minutes, which is what they expect but few people (myself included) do.

[MixedBerryJam]

I thought it was pretty common to be illegal. But hadn't this guy been idling for something like 30 minutes? I thought I read that somewhere. I like this law, actually. But also I park in a garage so I rarely need to let the car warm up more than a minute or two, if that. (ETA: He said it was 7-8 minutes.)

[kicks]

Jan 11, 2017 5:46:23 GMT -5 AutumnRose25 said:

Carsdon't need to be left idling to warm up anymore. The only benefit it to people being in a warm car, not to the actual car itself.

Also, he was at his girlfriends apartment complex, so not even in his own driveway, though that doesn't change the safety issues around theft and/or the car rolling and emission issues.

Everywhere I've lived had had this law and both places have extremely cold weather.

Did I miss something about the OP that you know who the person is that hisno1girl is talking about?

But yeah agreed, good PSA to everyone that most cars don't need to be left idling in cold weather #climatechangeisreal

[Deleted]

Jan 11, 2017 5:46:23 GMT -5 AutumnRose25 said:

Carsdon't need to be left idling to warm up anymore. The only benefit it to people being in a warm car, not to the actual car itself.

Unless it's so cold that the windows need time to warm up so that you can see through them. I have definitely had times where I had to run my car for 5-10 minutes before the windows were driveable. I just sit in the car and shiver because the trip back to my apartment isn't worth it, but once I have a baby, I could see the appeal of leaving the baby in the warm apartment while the windows defrost. But yeah, it's illegal to leave the key in the ignition here, too.

[chickadee77]

Yup, this is also illegal in KY (or it was when I lived there, anyhow).

[notsopicky]

Illegal? Really? I actually just bought a car w/ a remote start, so I don't have to get in an ice-cold vehicle in the morning. Damn.

[RexManningDay]

I knew this was a law, but I think it's so stupid.

[fivechickens]

This is what I found. It does not apply to remote car starters. I assume it is similar in other states.

The Michigan Motor Vehicle Code (R28-1458 & 257.676) prohibits “leaving a vehicle unattended on any street or any other place without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition and removing the ignition key. This provision does not apply to a vehicle that was manufactured with an ignition system that does not have a key and that is incapable of being locked.”

[pagas]

There are no idling signs all over our neighborhood. It's for the environment around here, obviously there is no threat of an icy car in Houston.

[spindle92]

Well if this law was enforced in MN there would be some very busy cops.

[Deleted]

Jan 11, 2017 8:16:34 GMT -5 notsopicky said:

Illegal? Really? I actually just bought a car w/ a remote start, so I don't have to get in an ice-cold vehicle in the morning. Damn.

Check your local laws. Around here, using a remote start to warm it up is fine. It's leaving the keys in the ignition while the car is unattended that's not permitted.

[gummybear]

We have no idling signs at places like Wawa but I've never heard anything about it on your private property. I know it makes sense, but I also thought driving a cold engine was bad? That could be an urban legend.

[pandora89]

It is illegal to have your car idling for longer than 2 minutes here due to pollution/environmental issues and I live in Canada. There are no idling signs everywhere.

ETA - Actually, google says if its above 27C or below 5C you can idle to heat/cool your car in the city I live in.

[MixedBerryJam]

Jan 11, 2017 8:41:11 GMT -5 gummybear said:

We have no idling signs at places like Wawa but I've never heard anything about it on your private property. I know it makes sense, but I also thought driving a cold engine was bad? That could be an urban legend.

I think new formulations of gasoline and oil (synthetics and additives and whatnot) make driving a cold engine not (as) problematic nowadays. So, not exactly accurate anymore, but not urban legend material, either.

[cabbagecabbage]

Well it looks like I'm potentially breaking the law on the regular. I'll happily get a remote start if someone wants to give me the $400 for it.

[isabel]

Jan 11, 2017 4:46:36 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Jan 11, 2017 3:36:26 GMT -5 isabel said:

It's not legal to allow your car to run while unoccupied (in Colorado, that is). 

What?!  I have never heard of a law like this (and I grew up in a place that makes Colorado look downright tropical).

Your alternative is people driving with frozen windows, or people accidentally gassing themselves to death for being in the car.

WTF for real.

What? Who is getting gassed sitting in their car? You open the garage. Other than that, there's no concern of carbon monoxide.

They expect the car to be attended. It's a hazard to the environment to let them run and people tend to forget or leave them running longer than necessary.

It's just not that big of a deal. I mean, would it be nice to turn it on and go back inside, sure. But that's the law. It is what it is.