Thought a lot of people would be interested in this - http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=152397444 - being fined for running your car engine. What about warming it up to change oil? Diagnose engine faults? Or just being stuck in traffic? Are we supposed to keep stopping and starting our engines? Surely there will be some worn out start motors out there!

Edited 3 March, 201016 yr by richardsfavorit

Nanny or Police state, take your pick. I think it's time is shrank a bit though.

I agree... it isn't even right, research states that on a normal engine (not a special hybrid) your engine needs to be off for more than 3 minutes to make it worth while, as if its less than that it takes more fuel to start back up again...... how often are you immobile for more than 3 minuets? also , as with all this big brother crap (council official comming to your house and telling you how to feed your kids ect) they seem to have forgotten, that we PAY them to SERVE us....... FFS, I'd like my potholes filling and some police (traffic and beat) rather than more officials with crappy excuses to make your life a misery..... I cetainly will mot turn my engine off if any of them come near me, I will be revving so hard I wont be able to hear what they are saying..... f**ckers. (Rant over. sorry, but it really ****es me off...)

Feck em....

Wow I committed an offence running my flushing oil through my engine and I'm about to commit more offences when I flush my coolant system out.

They must have all sat around a table and brain stormed on "what else can we do to fine people and screw yet more money out of them?"

Edited 3 March, 201016 yr by anewman

Penalty notices will only be issued in situations where the driver refuses to co-operate, the council said.Nor would the council target those who leave their engines running for just a few seconds, it added. A spokesman said the fines will be reserved for "more serious offenders".

How much of a problem do they have with people leaving their engines running that they even need this power? I bet I could count on one hand how many people have ever been told to turn of their engine and have not complyed.

It's just rediculous. "more serious offenders"... it's a wind up surely!?

According to yesterday's Daily Express, it's just one of many powers that local councils have taken on from the police. It also spoke about a traffic warden ticketing cars that had been abandoned in floods. When the floods subsided, they were found to be "parked" on double yellow lines.

Haha they can try that with me! I'll just sit in it and rev it more

Dickheads, theres a council van parked outside right now as theres some works being done. The bstard is sitting in his van eating a sarnie with the diesel engine running, presumably to keep him warm.

Fight back. It says drivers will be asked to switch engine off first. So council worker has to approach your car. Consider this an attempted car jacking, and smash the fecker over the head with a heavy object. I am of course joking, I would simply use a deft right hook.

Corruption will run rife through this and if you take it to court, I'd love to see them show some evidence of this other than just your word vs theirs.

Time to start firing some council workers and generally slim down the very fat local government we now have.

On the fronts of it it does sound like a good idea, but also quite stupid.

The wise people amongst us know not to leave our engines running for no reason. We pay enough on petrol as it is, we're not going to be wasting it!!!

Why don't they fine train companies also for having the train engine running whilst its sat at the station for half an hour or so before departure.

About the starter motors maybe they want to pump more business in the motor trade since the scrappage scheme is ending...

Maybe im in the minority, but i dont see a problem with this.

If people are stupid enough to leave their engines running when they dont need to, then its their own fault.*

*this obviously assumes the council use some common sense to the application of "need".

If they where sensible about, and of course people behaved themselves you could have the German system where engines are switched off at certain sets of traffic lights in towns and level crossings for example.

Instead of the councils engaging in a knee jerk reaction, why don't they go and have a look in a country that has a working system in play at the moment?

Very true. I used to switch off my engine when waiting at railway crossings for 5+ minutes. I used to live up the road from one so I knew how long the trains took to come through once the barrier had come down!

I wouldn't switch my car on and off in traffic, I think it would hate it and the starter probably wouldn't have much life left in it!

If they where sensible about, and of course people behaved themselves you could have the German system where engines are switched off at certain sets of traffic lights in towns and level crossings for example.

Instead of the councils engaging in a knee jerk reaction, why don't they go and have a look in a country that has a working system in play at the moment?

For the same reason that this -http://smh.drive.com.au/fast-drivers-and-a-falling-road-toll-germans-show-how-20100304-plsi.html

will get a negative response or one that claimsthe car maker is biased .

Locqal politians have seen the great speed scam earn money for the govewrnment ,and seen how decriminalised parking pays well - so next step look for even more ways to fleece the motorist

They need a slogan like "It's all about the MONEY -honey"