As we plunge into a deep-freeze with the winter solstice barely a month away, many drivers do not seem to hesitate idling their vehicles far longer than actually necessary.
Unless a person wants his or her vehicle's interior warmth to match tropical levels, there is no reason to let it run for more than a few minutes before hopping in. The only exception might be in cases when the windows are frozen over on the interior and need to clear up before being able to see adequately enough to actually drive safely.
But seriously folks, it's winter ó something all of us Canadians should be well prepared to cope with. Put on a tuque, driving gloves and a winter jacket. Letting a car idle for longer than it takes to reach our destination seems redundant.
Those fortunate enough to have a garage really have no excuse to run their vehicle for any extended period of time before heading out. However, many people have to make do with street parking.
A general rule of thumb is to start the vehicle before proceeding to clear any accumulation of white stuff. The minute or two required to properly remove the snow should be more than enough for the vehicle's engine to have warmed up sufficiently to start driving. The interior might not yet be roasting warm, but again, that's where winter wear comes in handy.
Note that properly clearing snow includes the pile on top of the vehicle, which can, after a freeze-thaw cycle, become a lethal projectile when it suddenly breaks off unexpectedly and flies into the vehicle behind you. At highway speeds, the results can be catastrophic.
Otherwise, idling a vehicle for five, 10, 15 minutes or longer ó as some do ó is nothing more than a waste of gas that not only needlessly contributes to air pollution, but also makes a tempting target for a thief looking for a quick, easy score.
If the vehicle is already warmed up, shutting it off for the few minutes you're stopping by the grocery store or post office won't suddenly leave it frozen over again.
Unfortunately, the significant and totally needless contribution to emissions caused by idling generally does not seem to be an argument that will carry much weight to convince many people.
But perhaps they might reconsider when presented with the perspective that the practice of idling wastes your gas and therefore your hard-earned money ó especially considering the astronomical price at the pumps ó and also drastically increases the chance of your car or truck ending up as a joyride or accessory to crime committed by opportunistic thieves.
