It’s 6:45 a.m. in Durango and 48 degrees as I ride my bike through town and pass three idling cars with no one inside. Is it that cold? Really? Is it routine? The inconvenience of using a coat or of being cool? Car issues?
After a bit of research – according to a report by Argonne National Laboratories – if each car in the United States idles just 6 minutes per day, about 3 billion gallons of fuel are wasted annually, costing drivers $10 billion.
Major vehicle manufacturers and suppliers hold the view that idling modern engines is not only unnecessary but undesirable.
Catalytic converters warm up faster when cars are driven vs. idling.
So why are people leaving idling cars unattended (illegal in some locations) early mornings? Go figure.
Tim Thomas
Durango
