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Thread: Useful car de-icing tip

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    Formerly known as DavidJames David Bailey's Avatar
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    Useful car de-icing tip

    ... don't leave your car running if you're not in it. Because it's a crime.
    Driver fined for leaving engine running as car defrosted outside his home | the Daily Mail

    Well, you learn something new every day...

    If I were cynical, I might think that's a nice easy way to bump up the conviction rate targets. Rather than catching, say, actual criminals.

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    t's not possible to defrost your car and sit inside it because it's too cold and I think they don't take that into consideration.
    Ah, diddums...

    If he got out and scraped the ice off, maybe the exercise would warm him up.

    I have the vague impression that it is also against the law to be sitting idling when you are in the car, anybody heard of that?

    Greg

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    Formerly known as DavidJames David Bailey's Avatar
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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by Sheepman View Post
    Ah, diddums...

    If he got out and scraped the ice off, maybe the exercise would warm him up.
    Yeah, sure - he's a lazy beggar. And he's got a flash car.

    But I'm still kind of surprised the police prosecuted him for that.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sheepman View Post
    I have the vague impression that it is also against the law to be sitting idling when you are in the car, anybody heard of that?
    The phrase "Catch-22" springs to mind...

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidJames View Post
    ... don't leave your car running if you're not in it. Because it's a crime.
    Driver fined for leaving engine running as car defrosted outside his home | the Daily Mail
    I'm a criminal

    F.FS!, I normally do that. Leave the car running, go and have a cuppa, by the time I come out, the car's defrosted and it's nice and warm too.
    Mind you, there are some place I wouldn't leave my car running unattended.

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    Registered User Lynn's Avatar
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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by Sheepman View Post
    I have the vague impression that it is also against the law to be sitting idling when you are in the car, anybody heard of that?
    Don't know about illegal, its flippin' annoying if its a noisy car! A neighbour used to do this - he had a diesel and esp at night it would really start to grate and I felt like going out and saying 'either drive off or turn the engine off!'

    Why do people do that? Is there some technical reason (I'm not talking about cold mornings here) why people prefer to sit for 10 mins or more stationary with the engine running rather than switch off and restart?

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    Registered User stewart38's Avatar
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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by Lynn View Post
    Don't know about illegal, its flippin' annoying if its a noisy car! A neighbour used to do this - he had a diesel and esp at night it would really start to grate and I felt like going out and saying 'either drive off or turn the engine off!'

    Why do people do that? Is there some technical reason (I'm not talking about cold mornings here) why people prefer to sit for 10 mins or more stationary with the engine running rather than switch off and restart?
    I think a heavy fine would be sufficient

    Its irresponsible and a kind of 'f*** the neighbours attitude

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    Lovely Moderator ducasi's Avatar
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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    If the law doesn't take into account that he can lock the car with the engine running, and the keys not in it, then the nice policeman can't either.

    If the nice policeman has just booked his neighbour for doing the same thing with his not-so secure car, he can't ignore the Merc owner, no matter how secure it is.
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

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    Formerly known as DavidJames David Bailey's Avatar
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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by ducasi View Post
    If the law doesn't take into account that he can lock the car with the engine running, and the keys not in it, then the nice policeman can't either.
    See, I can understand the idea behind the initiative - crime prevention.

    And that's a Good Thing. Of course it is.

    But going from crime prevention to crime creation seems - well, a bit perverse.

    What's next?

    Do we start putting people in jail for not double-locking their doors every time they nip out to get a pint of milk, because they're making it easier for burglars? Do we arrest people for walking alone late at night in London's mean streets?

    I dunno, blah blah, the world's going to hell in a handcart etc.

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    Registered User Lynn's Avatar
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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidJames View Post
    See, I can understand the idea behind the initiative - crime prevention.

    And that's a Good Thing. Of course it is.

    But going from crime prevention to crime creation seems - well, a bit perverse.

    What's next?

    Do we start putting people in jail for not double-locking their doors every time they nip out to get a pint of milk, because they're making it easier for burglars?
    Well maybe if they eg had a knife collection in their living room that a burglar takes to use in another crime... I got the impression the issue with the cars was that the police were wanting to prevent fast cars being stolen for use in criminal activity.

    To be honest in respect of a car being left unlocked (I know this one was locked) in a public street with engine running and keys in ignition - I'd be more concerned with a child getting in and trying to drive off and causing a serious accident than it being stolen.

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    I thought it was an environmental issue - trying to reduce pollution by stopping people running their car engines unneccessarily. I'm sure you can get a fixed penalty fine in Glasgow for Vehicle Idling.

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    I always assumed that not leaving your car with the engine running was a safety issue - in case your car accidentally slipped into gear (or a child/dog/etc knocked one of the controls).

    In my car's case I've seen reports of the central locking getting confused and deciding to lock the doors (with the keys in the ignition, hence locking the driver out) so it's a bad idea from that perspective...
    Love dance, will travel

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidJames View Post
    See, I can understand the idea behind the initiative - crime prevention.
    What initiative? It's been unlawful to leave a car unattended with the engine running on a public highway for decades. It comes from very early laws about cars when it was possible for a pedestiran accidentally to knock the handbrake off and turn a De Dion Bouton and similar into an unguided missile.

    My driving instructor told me about it, which I suppose is a measure of how good he was at his job. Lots of stuff I learned from him that was nothing to do with the test but excellent information for learner drivers.

    Although the chances may seem very, very slim, there's a chance that an unattended Merc - especially an automatic - could become a danger to road users of all kinds in a way which would not happen if there were a driver to press the brake/steer out of the way/stop the engine. So the law remains.

    The article - it seems clear to me - shows that the driver gave the police officer a 'why don't you go and catch proper criminals' so the officer - who was probably trying to be a decent bloke up to that point - gave him a tug. (And that's police slang, DT, so no crudity please). Serves him right. Now he'll have to buy a can of de-icer and a scraper, instead of needlessly pumping out toxic and greenhouse gases because he's an indolent sonovabitch.

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Shnikov View Post
    Serves him right. Now he'll have to buy a can of de-icer and a scraper, instead of needlessly pumping out toxic and greenhouse gases because he's an indolent sonovabitch.
    Indeed, now he can pollute the environment with aerosol gases and toxic chemicals instead.

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Shnikov View Post
    My driving instructor told me about it, which I suppose is a measure of how good he was at his job. Lots of stuff I learned from him that was nothing to do with the test but excellent information for learner drivers.
    Did he tell you about speed limits?

    (Sorry, it was a cheap jibe but I couldn't resist it! )

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Shnikov View Post
    The article - it seems clear to me - shows that the driver gave the police officer a 'why don't you go and catch proper criminals' so the officer - who was probably trying to be a decent bloke up to that point - gave him a tug. (And that's police slang, DT, so no crudity please). Serves him right. Now he'll have to buy a can of de-icer and a scraper, instead of needlessly pumping out toxic and greenhouse gases because he's an indolent sonovabitch.
    I agree. It seems to me that the police officer wanted to warn this driver that he was breaking the law. The correct response in this situation is "thank you officer, I'll turn off the engine straight away. Have a nice day"

    IMO, picking an argument with a policeman who is trying to help you avoid a fine is a sure way of getting one.

    Those of you who argue that it shouldn't be against the law are getting it wrong. The law is the law. If you don't know a particular law, are unknowingly breaking that law, and a policeman politely informs you of it and gives you a chance to stop breaking the law I would say that policeman is being helpful. Telling the policeman that a particular law is silly is a waste of time. If you really, really, don't like a law you should get up a petition and take it to Downing St - oh no, that would mean you might get a bit chilly. And that was where we came in, we know this guy doesn't like the cold.

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by Isis View Post
    Did he tell you about speed limits?

    (Sorry, it was a cheap jibe but I couldn't resist it! )
    I'm pretty sure we covered speed limits, in at least as much depth as the 150,000 drivers who pass me every year whilst I am (admittedly, reluctantly) travelling at the speed limit.

    During dry daytime conditions, travelling at 70mph on a motorway I probably pass one vehicle for every 50 that go past me...

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by Andy McGregor View Post
    And that was where we came in, we know this guy doesn't like the cold.

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    Formerly known as DavidJames David Bailey's Avatar
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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Shnikov View Post
    What initiative?
    The one quoted in the article - the police crime prevention initiative whatsit.

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Shnikov View Post
    The article - it seems clear to me - shows that the driver gave the police officer a 'why don't you go and catch proper criminals' so the officer - who was probably trying to be a decent bloke up to that point - gave him a tug. (And that's police slang, DT, so no crudity please). Serves him right. Now he'll have to buy a can of de-icer and a scraper, instead of needlessly pumping out toxic and greenhouse gases because he's an indolent sonovabitch.
    Well, with a name like Ken Hardman... I know, I'm a child, so sue me.

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidJames View Post
    The one quoted in the article - the police crime prevention initiative whatsit.
    Seems quite clear to me. The policeman was trying to prevent this driver from committing the offence of leaving his engine running while the car was unattended.

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    Re: Useful car de-icing tip

    Quote Originally Posted by Andy McGregor View Post
    I agree. It seems to me that the police officer wanted to warn this driver that he was breaking the law. The correct response in this situation is "thank you officer, I'll turn off the engine straight away. Have a nice day"

    IMO, picking an argument with a policeman who is trying to help you avoid a fine is a sure way of getting one.
    never argue with a police officer they do tend to have the upper hand
    Quote Originally Posted by Andy McGregor View Post
    Those of you who argue that it shouldn't be against the law are getting it wrong. The law is the law.
    again completely correct its not up to the police to make the laws they just try to make sure the inane ones that the politicians make are kept

    Quote Originally Posted by Andy McGregor View Post
    If you really, really, don't like a law you should get up a petition and take it to Downing St
    dont put it on the office of the prime minsters web site though cos no matter what you say in those you will get turned down (as in my thread)

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