Tag Archives: Idling

School Buses: Another Idle Threat

I have been blogging about vehicle idling and the damage it can do to your wallet and the environment. The rule of thumb is to turn your engine off if you plan on sitting idle for more than 30 seconds. No, it won’t hurt the engine and no, idling won’t help your car warm up. But, even if everyone turned their vehicles off, there is still another idling threat – school buses. It is estimated that each day, 24 million kids in the U.S. ride school buses. That means there are about 600,000 school buses on the road each day. … Continue reading →

More about Idling in Your Car

Yesterday, I blogged about why you shouldn’t sit idle with your engine running for more than 30 seconds. Now I know this is a hard concept for many to grasp – I even have a bit of trouble with it. But the benefits are tremendous. Here are a few myths and facts that might make you decide to turn your key, and be idle-free. Myth: You need to warm up your engine before driving. Experts say that yes, the car needs to be warmed up, but idling is not the way to do it. To warm up the car, let … Continue reading →

Don’t Sit Idle

Yesterday, I decided to go to the drive-thru of a new hamburger place here in Jacksonville, N.C. Because it is “new,” the line was long and traffic was backed up. As I sat there waiting and idling, I remembered how bad idling is. Why is sitting in an idling car bad? First, there is the emission it releases into the air. It can be so bad that if your city is in a basin like Salt Lake City, the car emission can become trapped, causing smog and unhealthy air. Students in Salt Lake City recently drafted an anti-idling resolution, which … Continue reading →