Will drivers get fined for sitting in traffic jams with the engine on?
Photo by 91RS. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.
Ouch. In an effort to clean up the air, the West Sussex Council in the UK is considering new rules that would penalize drivers who sit in traffic jams with their engines running. Police could issue £20 fines once the driver has been warned and not complied, according to the Daily Mail. The rules are expected to kick in in January and could be expanded "if it proves successful," the Mail writes. I'm guessing they mean successful with the rulemakers, because I can't see this being all that popular with drivers. People quoted in the article seem to confirm this hunch. To the rescue might come Bosch, which issued a quick press release (available after the jump) once the story broke late last week about how its start/stop technology would help drivers avoid these spot fees.
But, who should win out here? Does everyone's right to cleaner air beat out a driver's right to keep his car running? Does the argument that the catalytic converter can cool down when the engine is off - and therefore cause more pollution when the car is started up again - hold water in this context?
[Source: Daily Mail / Bosch]
PRESS RELEASE:
Bosch starts to stop motorists from standing idly by
* Local councils may fine motorists for running their engines in traffic
* Bosch start/stop system automatically switches engine off and on
It emerged recently that motorists leaving engines idling in traffic could be subject to on-the-spot fines under plans being considered by local councils that aim to reduce pollution in urban areas.
For many drivers, this will mean switching the ignition off and then on again once the traffic starts moving. For those motorists considering a new car purchase, Bosch developed a start/stop system that switches the engine off automatically when shifted into neutral at a standstill and then starts again immediately when the clutch is depressed, providing a quick and reliable start in a fraction of a second.
Bosch has worked with several manufacturers to introduce start/stop on production models – it is now standard equipment on manual transmission, four-cylinder engines BMW 1-Series (reigning World Green Car of the Year) and 3-Series models and majority of the MINI range.
In a climate of increasing fuel prices and stricter emission laws, the Bosch system reduces fuel consumption and carbon dioxide output.
About Bosch
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services.In the areas of automotive and industrial technology as well as consumer goods and building technology, some 271,000 associates generated sales of 46.3 billion euros in fiscal 2007.The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 300 subsidiary and regional companies in roughly 50 countries.This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth.Each year, Bosch spends more than three billion euros for research and development, and applies for over 3,000 patents worldwide.The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as "Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering."
The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group,making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future.Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation.The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust.The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.
Additional information can be accessed at www.bosch.com.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ronzo 8:59AM (9/22/2008)
And what happens when it's too cold or to hot to sit in traffic with no heat or A/C?
This is a stupid idea...
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McHoffa 9:23AM (9/22/2008)
Fining the drivers is a bad idea... requiring all car makers to come up with something to do this more efficiently in new cars would be a better idea... punishing the average joe is stupid in almost all cases...
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GoRealSlow 10:17AM (9/22/2008)
Personally I look at this story and see a failure in government to provide adequate roadways. Looking to that same body for solutions to problems they've created doesn't seem wise.
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ronzo 10:29AM (9/22/2008)
Agreed...
Beena 11:55PM (9/22/2008)
The argument that roads should be built to meet demand is very old and very outdated. What needs to be done is to make better use of the available roadspace, or we risk losing our lifestyles, communities, decent urban form, countryside (the list goes on.....) to the needs (or rather perceived needs and desires) of car drivers. I would say that the problem with the congestion is the fault of the government in not providing adequate public transport alternatives and allowing development which promotes the need to travel; and drivers who refuse to share or take other modes.
In response to the story, I always thought that switching off for short periods was detrimental to fuel economy, but it seems almost unenforceable anyway. It just won't work in crawling and stop/start traffic.
jim 10:50AM (9/22/2008)
Excluding those vehicles that come with a stopped vehicle, shut down mode, few cars have batteries that will still start the car repeatedly. All this restarting will slow the resumption of traffic flow as most drivers will need to reach for their key rather than simply push the pedal. Also many cars run rich on startup so unless the idle time is a couple of minutes this may increase emissions.
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Tim 12:16PM (9/22/2008)
Over time gov't power always concentrates into an Oligarchy. Much of this power is gathered via propoganda “news”, fraud and false-flag operations like bombing buildings and then saying that “too much freedom causes terrorism”.
Once the population is fooled into disarming itself and relinquishing their privacy and liberties in the name of "security", it is left defenseless. Then liberty and security are replaced with Totalitarianism controlled by the Oligarchy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totalitarianism.
Our founders in the USA knew that history repeats itself. That's why they wrote the Bill or Rights to limit the scope and power of Gov't. All 3 branches of Gov’t today are ignoring these limitations!
Those who ignore the Constitutial Limitations on their power are TRAITORS!
What’t the punishment for TREASON?
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Student 5:04PM (9/22/2008)
The problem is that we've put our money into a space and energy inefficient mode of transportation. A bus or train at capacity will always take up a lot less space than to put all those same people into cars by themselves. Cars are good for rural and sparsely populated areas, buses and trains are better for urban areas.
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Chris M 3:53AM (9/23/2008)
An even better transport system combines the "go anytime, no waiting" convenience of cars with electric efficiency and automation. It is called "personal rapid transit", and you can find more info here:
http://faculty.washington.edu/jbs/itrans/prtquick.htm
bill 9:46AM (9/23/2008)
Will pigs fly? Will cows manure? Will traffice babes in bikinis come walking down the jammed rows of traffic with stethoscopes around their necks so they can listen to the hood of your car in case they suspect the motor is running? The questions are endless as is the BS coming from every level of government. It is looking like a good ass wuppin' is overdue.
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