Saturday, November 14, 2020

Idling is for Dummies



The driver of this car idled for half an hour

On a road trip through British Columbia, Canada, on a sunny day in April, I had to wait at a construction site. I shut down the engine, not only because it looked like cars had to wait quite a while, but also there was a sign to do so.

I opened the car windows to give my dog and me some fresh air. A moment later I realized that the driver in front of me hadn't turned off his engine. I walked to him and friendly explained that I had opened my car's windows to give my dog some fresh air. And if he could please shut down his engine. His answer: "No, I will not!" I reminded him that it is also not helpful for the environment, as well as for his car's engine. No way that he obliged...
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Why Do Drivers Idle?
Why are they not better take care of their cars, the environment, or of their purse?  It is beyond me.  And it gets worse: since everyone has a smartphone, drivers sit in their car for twenty minutes on the phone while their engine is running...

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Killing Your Car's Engine?
A cold start means an extreme load for the engine, it leads to faster wear, because for example, the still viscous oil does not reach all lubrication points. 
On top of that, there is a higher emission of exhaust gases, because the fuel consumption is many times higher when the engine is cold.  Projected in this way, a gasoline engine would consume 25 to 30 liters per 100 kilometers.


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