You Idle (your car), You Lose

[gristy]

I live in an apartment complex outside of Boston. I see so many cars in the morning idling away with no one inside them. Seems like a waste of gas to me.

YOU IDLE, YOU LOSE
By Mike Fisher / Chronicle Staff
Thursday, January 29, 2004

Do you leave your car running as you rush into the 7-11 to get your morning coffee on bitter cold winter mornings?

If so, you are making yourself a target for car theft, say police, and not only that - you're breaking the law.

"We've had a rash of these car thefts," said Police spokesman Frank Pasquarello. "People will go into a coffee shop, or a convenience store, and leave their car idling out front, then somebody just jumps in and drives it away."

Pasquarello said police will start enforcing the widely overlooked state law - it is illegal to leave a car idling without an operator - in an effort to cut down on these "crimes of opportunity."

http://www.townonline.com/cambridge/news/local_regional/cam_covccidlingfinems01292004.htm

[Gadave]

1. Idle cars are ..

the tools of the devil.

[bobthedrummer]

2. When it's well below zero once the car starts it's best to let it run

just lock the doors and have your spare keys on ya, carry lock de-icer too.

[gristy]

4. Are you sure? I think this thought may fall under the "urban legend"

category with today's cars.

[bobthedrummer]

6. Extreme cold destroys batteries

right?

[Nikia]

8. I am thinking this is true

This past week has been around -10 degrees when I leave for work in the morning. My car takes a couple seconds longer to start and sounds terrible for the first minute or so after it does. If I drive it right away, it doesn't respond as well acceleration wise as I found out almost getting in an accident crossing the highway.. I have been letting it warm up for at least 10-15 minutes now.
I live in a fairly safe neighborhood and most of the potential car thieves are probably still in bed. I probably would be cautious about leaving it run in the middle of the afternoon in a fairly public place.

[Don_G]

10. The Battery Is A Chemical/Electrical Storage Device

Designed to operate over a "normal" range of temperatures for a few years. If the battery is older, it won't operate as well in Canada as it would in Florida.

Same way with the fuel delivery system: cold fuel is denser at sub-zero temperatures than at 70 degrees and your car has to work a little harder to function properly until it warms up.

What I do is carry a broom with me to dust off the snow, use an ice scraper on the windows and mirrors and let the car warm up for about 5 minutes until the heater starts working and carry an extra set of car keys in my wallet in case I need to duck inside and lock my running car.

[Intelsucks]

3. My neighbor "warms-up" his car for 30 minutes even when it isn't cold out

This is ridiculous... We live in Texas for cryin' out loud! All cars manufactured from 1980 forward are designed to start, and drive. All of that warm-up nonsense is old school.

[bobthedrummer]

5. When it is extremely cold

operation should be constant, it's best for the battery too.

[PVnRT]

9. Even modern cars

need a a short time, no more than a minute, to get oil up into the engine after sitting around powered down for a while.

[-..__...]

7. Only in the past few weeks have I let it idle.

Once it starts hitting the lower teens and single digits.
One, to get the oil warmed up and flowing better.
Two, mostly to get the heater and defroster cranking.

I keep the doors locked and a spare key with me.

(On edit)

IIRC, (urban legend?), it's illegal to leave ones keys in the ignition even if the vehicle isn't idling.

[electricmonk]

11. Wasn't there a story a year or so ago

About a guy that had 2 cars stolen within minutes. Can't remember where. He went and started his car went back in and someone stole it so he got in his other car started it up went back in to call the cops and came back out and the other car was gone too.

[Don_G]

12. I Don't Know About Urban Myths

But everyone should take reasonable precautions to make certain a "wanderer" dosen't take advantage of the situation.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

13. Silly... anyone ever hear of situational awareness?

Pay attention to where you are leaving your car idling. If there are people lounging around near by, don't do it. Lock the car, and carry spare keys.
The last paragraph of the post says it all "crimes of opportunity" I doubt there are roving gangs of car theives looking to jump on these cars... we are talking about someone who is walking and cold getting mobile and warm.