Why idle?

[Roundtwo-40]

Did a search but didn't find exact question so..I went into work yesterday and a service truck was parked by our entrance with the back open and it was idling (not a big deal, happens often) I went back out over an hour later to get something out of my car and it was still there and still running. Here the Diesel fuel price is well over $4 a gal and I have heard many people with maintenance problems with their turbo over soot deposits from idling that are pretty expensive. So I guess my question is why would you leave it running? No one leaves gas engines running unless you would be gone like less than 2 minutes..call me uninformed but I guess I don't understand. Anyone care to educate me?

[silvercorvette]

I would be faced with a problem. I take my dogs with me wherever I go, if the temps are in the 80's my dogs will die if I leave them in the truck without the A/C running.

I lock the doors and keep the A/C on for my dogs. I don't do it often but why the temps are in the upper 90s it can get dangerous in 5 minutes.

I worked as a cop for 20 years and I would have never wrote a ticked to someone that was running the A/C to keep their dogs alive.

[Francesca_Knowl]

blt2ski wrote:
THere is an anti idle rule up here too! Not sure if it is state passed, or city passed. You can idle per say if you have a tank truck that is using the main motor as the pump, or it has a box lift for a person to get to power lines, trees etc to trim. Even the bridges that go up have signs asking to shut down when the bridge is up etc. At least in the Greater seattle area these types of things exist.

Marty

I thought it was pretty strange that Washington isn't listed anywhere as having restrictions- must be legislation too new to have made it onto the lists/articles the trucking industry puts out.

With Washington, thirty Sates now have some sort of rules! link

[blt2ski]

THere is an anti idle rule up here too! Not sure if it is state passed, or city passed. You can idle per say if you have a tank truck that is using the main motor as the pump, or it has a box lift for a person to get to power lines, trees etc to trim. Even the bridges that go up have signs asking to shut down when the bridge is up etc. At least in the Greater seattle area these types of things exist.

Marty

[rhagfo]

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Gary C wrote:
The prohibition against idling seems to be a east coast/west coast thing, in other words states where the greenies hang out.

First time I ever heard Texas characterized as full of greenies, but since it's on the list of States with anti-idling rules I guess it must be crawling with the pesky little buggers. Looks like there are an awful lot of them in middle America, too...

I always thought there were scads of greenies in Washington State, but since we don't make the list at all I guess somebody left the gate open and they escaped. 😉

Well your neighbor to the South has a 5 minute rule unless you go to Ashland! They can throw you in Jail!

OR,
Ashland
5 minutes
Fine:
Not >$500 or 60 days
imprisonment
(AMC §1.08.010)
-
Traffic conditions
-
Power equipment to load or unload
-
Emergency, utility, construction and
maintenance vehicles to power work
-
related
functions

[Francesca_Knowl]

Gary C wrote:
The prohibition against idling seems to be a east coast/west coast thing, in other words states where the greenies hang out.

First time I ever heard Texas characterized as full of greenies, but since it's on the list of States with anti-idling rules I guess it must be crawling with the pesky little buggers. Looks like there are an awful lot of them in middle America, too...

I always thought there were scads of greenies in Washington State, but since we don't make the list at all I guess somebody left the gate open and they escaped. 😉

[Gary_C]

The prohibition against idling seems to be a east coast/west coast thing, in other words states where the greenies hang out. Here in Mississippi I doubt anyone could care less if you left your truck idling or not. Diesels lean out to about 85:1 air/fuel mixture when idling, they burn very little fuel idling. In the winter at least, you probably use more fuel starting and warming the thing than you would leaving it idling for an hour or so. It's a classic case of a solution in search of a problem. I know many parts of the country are that way, but I don't hang out in places where I have to worry about someone stealing my truck as soon as I turn my back. Leaving a vehicle parked and idling just isn't a big deal to me, and I don't want to live in a place where it would be.

My current dogs don't usually ride with me, but I used to have an old dachshund that went everywhere with me, he loved to ride in the truck. I always left the truck idling with the air conditioner blasting in hot weather (10 months out of the year down here) when he was with me. I had two sets of keys and I'd lock him inside taking the set with the fob with me. I'd come back and he'd be curled up asleep & snoring with the truck about 60 degrees inside. He passed 5 years ago and I still miss him riding with me. I have two more great dachshunds now, but they haven't gotten into the truck riding lifestyle like the older one did.

[J-mans_Dad]

Commercial diesel vehicle owners warned of idling restriction
Airborne Toxic Control Measure to Limit Diesel-Fueled Commercial Motor Vehicle Idling
All of the Ports in California (Port of Oakland, Port of Long Beach, Port of LA, etc.)have required commercial vehicles to install or upgrade to low particulate emissions vehicles. Fines of up to $1000 per incident and up to $10K per day.

[transamz9]

I will just tell the officer that my pet snake is in there. " What to look?"

[TugCE]

The only time I will leave my truck idling is if my Pups are with me. I use the key fob to lock the doors. When I do this it is only for a minute or two. I am sure that the same Cop that would ticket you for idling would also ticket you for leaving a pet in a Hot Truck, WHICH SHOULD NEVER BE DONE! Down here in Florida Cops do look on people that leave pets in hot cars in a very unfavorable light, as they should.

If I am ever ticketed for idling because of my pets, I will fight it in court.

[2500_Grunt]

There is discussion on other diesel forums about this topic. Some don't like the theory of excessive wear and tear on the engine (on start up) in regards to shutting down often for short periods of time and then re starting. Some believe that there is a small moment of time or travel while the piston travels without little or no lubrication b/t the rings of engine. This over time adds wear and reduces the life of a engine. For me, the Dodge A/c has trouble keeping up with the 115 degree summer AZ months and I have it locked and running with my removable key fob.

[Jarlaxle]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:
I left my truck running ONCE to run into a store.

Came back out to a crowd gathered around the truck and a very very
very angry cop with an agenda.

Holding my keys in the air I had to listen to a 10 minute lecture of
trucks left running with keys in it equals teenagers stealing it, running from police, police chases and fatalities....all because of my poor judgement and actions.

I have to admit his lecture hit home and I have NEVER left my truck running since then.

I would have told him to bite me on leaving the keys!

And you would have left in handcuffs, probably with a very impressive collection of blunt-force injuries!

[Jarlaxle]

Terryallan wrote:
As for you ideling your diesel to cool it in a campground. Fact is. By the time you slowly drive to your campsite. Your diesel is cooled enough to turn it off. When you leave. By the time you hookup to your trailer, and slowly drive to the Cg exit. Your diesel is warm enough for the highway.

When I drove trhe big trucks. By the time we came off the ramp, and eased up to the pumps in the truck stop, or parked for the restaurant. The diesel was cool enough to turn off.

Wow...you can see my pyrometer from there! You have GOOD eyes!

[Jarlaxle]

WyoTraveler wrote:

skipnchar wrote:
IN many parts of the country (US and Canada) they would ticket the driver who leaves their vehicle at idle unnecessarily.

I sure would like to see the section in the law for that cite. I'm not saying it isn't there. I'm just saying I'd sure like to read it. I sure wouldn't want to be the officer writing the cites at a truck stop. :B

The fine in Massachusetts can be as high as ten thousand dollars.

[transamz9]

N3YMY wrote:

WyoTraveler wrote:

I sure would like to see the section in the law for that cite. I'm not saying it isn't there. I'm just saying I'd sure like to read it.

Welcome to Maryland:

http://www.mde.maryland.gov/PROGRAMS/AIR/MOBILESOURCES/DIESELVEHICLEINFORMATION/DIESELREGULATIONS/Pages/index.aspx

Been cited for it with our old F-350 that was on an idle timer. Got cited even as the truck shut itself off with the officer present.

Counts as moving violation 😕

And the whole time he was giving this ticket his car was running........