Enforcing Traffic Fines for Idling
by Kristin Underwood, San Diego, CA on 09.17.08
Image source: Mother Proof
Rule 123 of the Highway Code states that "If the vehicle is stationary and likely to remain so for more than a couple of minutes, you should switch off the engine to reduce emissions and oil pollution." The problem is that it also says, "However, it is permissible to leave the vehicle running if the vehicle is stationary in traffic." It is this part that has community members up in arms in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, where officials are encouraging law enforcement to, well, enforce the laws.
15 States in the US have anti-idling regulations, according to the US EPA and city officials are beginning to crack down - armed with stop watches and ticket books. Denver, CO cops began issuing tickets recently (at $475-105 a pop) for idling. The tickets have nothing to do with air quality or emissions, but rather are an attempt to deter all of the car theft in the city. Motorists who walk away from a running vehicle will return to find a ticket, if their vehicle is still there.
Traffic wardens in Shoreham-by-Sea will be giving motorists a warning first, but then are allowed to give a £20 fine for motorists that do not comply. The area in question tends to have an elderly population, who have asthma, lung and heart conditions and are more sensitive to air pollution from idling cars. The plan is temporary for now, but if it does show improvement in air quality then officials will consider expanding it to other areas.
Idling cars slow down the catalytic converter, which is what helps keep emissions down, but only works when it is hot. If a car is going to be sitting for more than 30 seconds, it is better to shut it off, even though turning it on will use a burst of gas. While "an hour of idling can produce 2.36kg of carbon dioxide."
Signs will be installed at all intersections to remind drivers to turn off cars. But it doesn't really say how it will be enforced - whether wardens will be walking the lines wagging fingers or just standing at intersections. Could the red-light runner cameras eventually be fine-tuned to target idling motorists? What do you do if you're at an egregiously long traffic-light, do you turn off your car? What about the stop and start traffic, which is more common, how do you know when to turn your car off and when to turn it on and move up in the line? Is this just the latest addition to congestion charges? Oh the complexity of it all.
As I write this article there has been a truck idling out front for the last ten minutes. Thanks for the air pollution and not to mention noise pollution. Any Treehuggers have experience with these programs who can attest to the program?
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If local governments REALLY wanted to eliminate idling they should reprogram stop light sensors.
I don't know how many times I sit alone at a traffic light late at night, waiting for the silly thing to run through it's program of offering left turns to non-existent vehicles and holding the main cross-traffic light for the full minute even though no other vehicles are passing through.
"If a car is going to be sitting for more than 30 seconds, it is better to shut it off, even though turning it on will use a burst of gas. "
A cold start requires the equivalent of about 12 seconds of idle
checkmate.
Hi Everybody,
Please join us in the "Stop the Idle Threat" challenge at Carbonrally!
http://www.carbonrally.com/challenges/14
thanks,
Jason
Geneva, Switzerland had passed such law in the 80s. Traffic lights were equipped with additional lights displaying "turn off engine".
The law was removed shortly later, as it became obvious that restarting a motor after 30 seconds created MORE pollution than having it run while the light is red.
===
Thanks for the tip.
Michael Long -
I've thought the same thing for so long.
The other thing I can't get over since I've moved to California is all the stop signs! There are so many 4-way STOPS in this state, much more than in VA. I'm used to the main road never having a stop sign and it worked great in my opinion.
It turns out that almost every, or perhaps every, state in the US has an anti-idling law on the books. It's part of the "uniform vehicle code" that most state vehicle codes are based on. It includes:
"11-1101.Unattended motor vehicle
No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key from the ignition, effectively setting the brake thereon and, when standing upon any grade, turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway. "
That doesn't cover idling with someone sitting in the vehicle, but it does cover idling when someone runs in to a store, or when a delivery person makes a delivery. There are no time or temperature limits. We need citizens to remind police departments of this law and ask them to start enforcing it. Check your state law to make sure it's in there and then get the police to start issuing tickets right away.
California has additional restrictions on idling for on and off-road heavy diesel vehicles. This is to reduce the amount of diesel particulate matter (linked to asthma, cancer, global warming, heart disease, etc) and nitrogen oxide (one of the components of smog)
On-road heavy diesel vehicles include things like school buses, garbage trucks, and semi-trucks. If I recall correctly, school buses are not allowed to idle anywhere there are children present, garbage trucks are not allowed to idle in residential areas and semi-trucks are not allowed to idle for more than 5 minutes except in a few limited circumstances (for example, queueing to receive a load, operating a power take off [PTO], etc).
Off-road heavy diesel vehicles include things like construction equipment (loaders, excavators, etc) and the vehicles that move cargo containers around ship yards. These vehicles are limited to 5 minutes of idling except in limited circumstances. Unfortunately, I don't believe these rules apply to agricultural or logging operations.
California is also working on or has already passed laws regulating locomotive and ship idling.
Most of these laws are fairly new and are not being heavily enforced. The California Air Resource Board has a pretty limited enforcement staff but they say they will investigate complaints of over idling. If you live in California and have diesel vehicles that regularly idle for long periods outside your house or business (especially your house, the rules tend to stricter in residential areas) it might be worth it to complain and see if anything happens.
Hong Kong is going to have an idling ban in 2009. This is because of the recent (2007) upsurge in complaints. This shows we can all make a difference by complaining.