What is the environmental difference between me starting my car and running back inside for 5 minutes or me starting my car and sitting in it for 5 minutes while it warms up?
In that situation, where you truly sit in your car for 5 minutes, there's not a difference. Do you honestly sit in your car for 5 minutes to let it warm up before you start driving? Because that's really excessive and unnecessary. Not to mention, your car will warm up much faster if you're driving and running the engine, as opposed to letting it idle.
The issue with the law is that most people don't let their cars run for a couple minutes. They go out and start, go inside, get distracted, and then the car has been idling for 6, 8, 10 minutes. It's absolutely unnecessary for a car's engine to idle that much and it's not good for the environment. People do it for their own comfort, not because it makes their car run better.
I've read up to here, but up until now was wondering about remote start cars and whether they are legal in these places where people are ticketed for this. But then I remembered that when my car is remote-started, it shuts itself off after 8 minutes, I think? And I swear I just read an article on facebook (I know, lol) that warming your car up actually does nothing to help it run better.
Post by gerberdaisy on Jan 11, 2017 15:32:35 GMT -5
Just caught up, cause I had no idea why a thread about a car idling would be 5 pages. There are some of the most ridiculous arguments ever in here, it was great for a mid afternoon laugh. I'm cracking up at cop cars having to be on because of oxygen tanks.
FTR- I agree, idling bad, environment good. Luckily we have a garage.
My car easily gets above 125F in the dead of summer parked in the sun and turned off...
Your specific climate is an outlier...oxygen tanks are not THE reason why cop cars are left idling across the country on a daily basis.
Well I agree it's not THE reason. However, much of the S and SW regularly has temps above 90 degrees in the summer and cars left turned off in the sun easily can climb above 125 so I don't think it's so uncommon. But I digress, not the point of the post or reason for cop cars to be left running. This thread is dumb.
Our P.D. was trained to keep oxygen carrying cars running. What YOUR police department does I have no idea.
My initial post (bottom of page 4) was to say that some squad cars might be running if they are carrying oxygen. Nowhere in that post did I say that for all time and always every squad car should be kept running for any reason whatsoever.
My original post was to respond to someone who said the cop cars in their town were often idling, to which I replied that it might be because they are carrying oxygen.
Well I agree it's not THE reason. However, much of the S and SW regularly has temps above 90 degrees in the summer and cars left turned off in the sun easily can climb above 125 so I don't think it's so uncommon. But I digress, not the point of the post or reason for cop cars to be left running. This thread is dumb.
I've never seen my car hit 125 in the very deep south , also never heard of an oxygen tank related summer car explosion.
Mofongo, why are you drilling down on me? I don't get it. My FIL was a cop and they were trained to keep the cars on when they carried oxygen.
So why am I a bad guy?
I go out to my car when it is below zero, start it up and back out of my garage. I don't sit and idle in it. I just pointed out that one reason a cop car might be running is if that officer has been trained to keep it idling for safety purposes.
Mofongo, why are you drilling down on me? I don't get it. My FIL was a cop and they were trained to keep the cars on when they carried oxygen.
So why am I a bad guy?
I go out to my car when it is below zero, start it up and back out of my garage. I don't sit and idle in it. I just pointed out that one reason a cop car might be running is if that officer has been trained to keep it idling for safety purposes.
I don't get the mocking and the LOLs.
You're doing some drilling yourself, and no one said you're a bad guy.
I think the least likely reason a car is on, cop or otherwise, is bc it's carrying oxygen. People travel with tanks, and leave them in their cars, in high heats every summer.
I am not a very thick-skinned person, I will admit to that.
I have tried to very nicely reply to everyone, and as you know, not everyone reads the whole thread OR some people post at the same time and miss their question being answered when another person's post is quoted. There have been 4 people in here that have said some version of "LOL, I can't believe someone is talking about oxygen tanks."
Well I agree it's not THE reason. However, much of the S and SW regularly has temps above 90 degrees in the summer and cars left turned off in the sun easily can climb above 125 so I don't think it's so uncommon. But I digress, not the point of the post or reason for cop cars to be left running. This thread is dumb.
I've never seen my car hit 125 in the very deep south , also never heard of an oxygen tank related summer car explosion.
Well, I do have an acquaintance whose husband was killed by an exploding oxygen tank in FL. I know it had something to do with his car (at least in proximity to if not actually inside it) but I honestly don't know if it was heat related or mechanical failure. I still think it's not a reason to keep your car running, in heat for the a/c or in cold for the heat, for more than a minute or two, if that. His was a SCUBA tank, not a breathing tank. Well, SCUBA tanks are breathing tanks, too, I suppose.
Well I agree it's not THE reason. However, much of the S and SW regularly has temps above 90 degrees in the summer and cars left turned off in the sun easily can climb above 125 so I don't think it's so uncommon. But I digress, not the point of the post or reason for cop cars to be left running. This thread is dumb.
I've never seen my car hit 125 in the very deep south , also never heard of an oxygen tank related summer car explosion.
I find it unlikely your car has never reached 125 inside when parked for a period of time in the direct sun and I am also in the deep south. It's why people's dogs and kids are dying when left inside them on hot days. It doesn't even have to be very hot outside for a car to increase in temperature by 30 degrees inside. I don't feel like using the google but after that guy left his kid inside his car in Atlanta two summers ago there were numerous news reports about car safety and heat and I remember them saying on a 90 degree day that the car can easily reach 125 within 30 min or so while in direct sun.
You're doing some drilling yourself, and no one said you're a bad guy.
I think the least likely reason a car is on, cop or otherwise, is bc it's carrying oxygen. People travel with tanks, and leave them in their cars, in high heats every summer.
I am not a very thick-skinned person, I will admit to that.
I have tried to very nicely reply to everyone, and as you know, not everyone reads the whole thread OR some people post at the same time and miss their question being answered when another person's post is quoted. There have been 4 people in here that have said some version of "LOL, I can't believe someone is talking about oxygen tanks."
You aren't addressing me, but I was a person who laughed.
It isn't you.
There are lots of funny/ridiculous things said in this thread, yours was just when it started dying down and was the right timing.
Nothing to get upset about, but think about it in context. People are talking about idling cars in the winter and protecting the environment, then someone mentions that cops do it, and then you come in and say...but, oxygen tanks!
I am not a very thick-skinned person, I will admit to that.
I have tried to very nicely reply to everyone, and as you know, not everyone reads the whole thread OR some people post at the same time and miss their question being answered when another person's post is quoted. There have been 4 people in here that have said some version of "LOL, I can't believe someone is talking about oxygen tanks."
You aren't addressing me, but I was a person who laughed.
It isn't you.
There are lots of funny/ridiculous things said in this thread, yours was just when it started dying down and was the right timing.
Nothing to get upset about, but think about it in context. People are talking about idling cars in the winter and protecting the environment, then someone mentions that cops do it, and then you come in and say...but, oxygen tanks!
It was funny, that is all.
Thank you for this reply. It is very kind. I realize I am sensitive today, too, and I don't always get the context here.
I heard Isabel runs through neighborhoods in the morning and breaks car windows if she finds one idling.
I want to accuse isabel of using paper towels, but I've been known to turn off my engine in traffic jams, so we're sistahs. Really though when I do that it's more self preservation because the tank is probably wicked low. You rock, isabel, because lots of little actions add up to big ones!
I find it unlikely your car has never reached 125 inside when parked for a period of time in the direct sun and I am also in the deep south. It's why people's dogs and kids are dying when left inside them on hot days. It doesn't even have to be very hot outside for a car to increase in temperature by 30 degrees inside. I don't feel like using the google but after that guy left his kid inside his car in Atlanta two summers ago there were numerous news reports about car safety and heat and I remember them saying on a 90 degree day that the car can easily reach 125 within 30 min or so while in direct sun.
Omg we are talking about an exploding oxygen tank, not someone or some animal dying in the hot car. Two different things.
I get hot cars are a real thing.
Yes, I know. The point was made that they don't explode until 125F. My point is that it isn't all that uncommon for a vehicle to reach 125F on a hot summer day while turned off and parked in the sun. You disagreed because you live in the deep south and I disagreed back.
This thread is so dumb and I'm done contributing to it!
All I've got is I can't believe people leave their cars unattended. I live in the city - your car would be GONE in 2 seconds flat. I'm amazed people leave their cars running and unattended (with the keys in).
I know two people who have had their cars stolen this way!