Pollution war gone mad?

[dm383]

OK

I know we've alll heard about global pollution, global warming and all the unpleasant things that go with it....well, now the local council where I work (Glasgow, in Scotland for those of you who don't know) has decided that if you are stopped at the side of the road, with your vehicle engine "running unnecessarily" you can be fined £20 (about $38).

Now normally I'm quite tolerant of our governments little aberrations ~ after all, you have to be a little bit nuts to want to run for office..... but just who the Hell thought THIS one up?

Europe already has some of the most stringent vehicle pollution standards anywhere, and even more strict rules in force (I think) next year. Petrol/gas is almost the most expensive in the known universe, and now they want to charge us even more for using an extra thimble-full if we stop to answer our mobile/cell phones? Nothing about WHO decides if your wait is "unnecessary" or WHO is gonna hand out the fine.... just YET ANOTHER "screw the motorist" ploy by the powers that be!

OK...I'll get off :rant: now. :hair:

Thanks for looking folks!!

DM

[BIBI]

Same here in Canada...think that it is 2 minutes of the car idling. I am sure the police will be right on it too! lol ;)

[lizzardbits]

Oy! it is my opinion that we Americans are gas hogs, and the bigger the SUV and the more fuel it takes, is just kind of thought as part of the deal. We seem to have an obsession with bigger means safer, and bigger means more fuel consumption. And then most of the time we can't be bothered to get out of our vehicles to get food or get money at the ATM and we will sit and idling for long periods of time waiting in line for a hamburger.

If we had those sorts of laws here and strictly enforced, people would be ticketed right and left as they come out of the McDonalds drive-thru.

I try and make a conscious effort to use my van as little as i can, and even chose to pay higher rent and live on campus, rather than driving, so i could walk as much as possible, but as a "Typical" American, i am very dependent on my van.

I agree that those laws are a little on the sucky side, especially you are pulled over to use your mobile phone, and the "unnecessary" is vague at best, but i think that there are other better ways to help conserve gas consumption and perhaps the US should take notice and enact more incentives not to use so much fuel.........but then that is politics and dealing with Dubya Bush.....and ol' Dubya......well i won't go there.......Lol

..............all said in my humble opinion.........

[Sharni]

oh well....we only get one planet....best to try to save it anyway we can

I'd have no issue with turning my car off...infact i do if i'm going to be there for longer than a minute...i mean it will restart *L*

[osuche]

The only consolation you have is that all the police forces are trimming people because the local goverments are trying to save money....so there are fewer policeon the roads.

Of course, they'll probably spend all their time ticketing stopped motorists...and none of it policing the really important crimes. :p

[WildIrish]

Doesn't it take more gas to start your car than to let it idle for two minutes?


Damnit...where's PF?



Hey old man!!!!! Take the satin off yer shiny head and get to calculatin! :D


OMG...I've got a shiny head too! :eek: Quick, where's some satin? I need to cover up before I get a sunburn!

[maddy]

My Dad always claimed that WI *the takes more gas to restart* and I just believed him. I would think a more effective way of dealing with this little problem on our little planet is to have some "universal" rules about emissions. I know here (Texas) not all cars are required to go through emission testing, only certain counties ... was the same in Wisconsin. Perhaps getting some of the "high emission" cars off the road permanently would do us all some good.

[WildIrish]

Connecticut is the wrong place to bring up a discussion about emissions! Our failed emissions program has been shut down and revamped so many times...there's now a federal inquiry into the entire thing!

Plus, adding insult to injury, diesel vehicles don't have to submit to testing and vehicles that fail three times in a row get an exempt sticker. :rolleyes2

[maddy]

Speaking of my Dad, he drives one of those REALLY big diesel powered vehicles, and was recently telling me that NY has a law of some fashion that makes it illegal for diesel vehicles or maybe more specifically semi-trucks to idle for a length of time (I forget the amount of time). Being that he travels to NY on a weekly basis he had to invest a chunk of change in a generator (I believe it runs on gas) that will run all the accessories of his truck including the heat/air to keep it temperate for sleeping. In the long run it's all a good thing... in many ways for him... but this seemed to actually have some legitimacy ... after all he will let it idle for HOURS at a time, particularly in cold weather so the diesel fuel doesn't gel.

[cowgirltease]

No more parking for you buddy with the motor running eh??????? :D ;)