Stop and Start

[PaulF]

The Act enforces rule 123 of the Highway Code which states: "You must not leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road
Doing this can incur a £20 fixed-penalty fine under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2002. This goes up to £40 if unpaid within a given timeframe.

I think there was something recently that highlighted doing this outside schools filling up all those little lungs with diesel crumbs.

Theres a few "When necessary" and "unnecessary" in the highway code but how do you judge, as a driver, when it is necessary or not? For instance a main road that runs outside my Dads retired residences compound has a white hatched area in the middle of the road followed by a central reservation bit, then a roundabout. I looked in the highway code to find if it was acceptable to go into the hatched area and wait in order to turn right across oncoming traffic(when none's coming obviously) into the compound. It says you can "when necessary". Not really sure what that means so I do use it anyway, but if there was a copper in sight Id probably think twice.

I'm a little bored at work so took a quick look at this, I do believe the Highway Code is often written by someone not too confident.
Rule 123 in the highway code refers to "The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986" regs 98 and 107.
Reg 98 is about noise prevention but does have exceptions including "where the machinery is required to be worked for a purpose other than driving the vehicle" which could easily be keeping warm, preventing the widows misting up etc.
Not sure a fixed penalty notice would be issued for that.
Reg 107 refers to when the vehicle is left unattended.

 

[Mr Bump]

@PaulF This stuff isn't a highway code thing it is beng bought in by councils in bylaws

as below

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tra...ng-while-stationary-in-west-end-10127609.html

 

[PaulF]

@PaulF This stuff isn't a highway code thing it is beng bought in by councils in bylaws

as below

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tra...ng-while-stationary-in-west-end-10127609.html

I was replying to the assertion that the law was the Road Traffic Act - relating to pollution and the use of the highway code, that was incorrect.
Now, there may be a local bylaw within the centre of London, an area that is known for pollution and already has a congestion charge (the only one in the country I believe), stating that a fine would be imposed as a last resort if the motorist refuses to turn off when asked but I don't consider an example on one small (relatively) area of the country to be the measure for the whole country where pollution is not quite as big an issue. In some city centres maybe but for the vast majority of the country it's not an issue.
That's not to say I wouldn't agree with the promotion of less pollution by local councils, they could make a start by getting cleaner public transport, especially the ones that park at schools in the mornings and afternoons waiting for the children.

Hybrid cars are just about getting to the place they need to be, the Tesla is anyway but a lot of the others aren't as clean as they make out in the real world.

 

[mrgubby]

I've got start/stop on my Insignia. The main advantage with it is the £30 a year VED

 

[Mr Bump]

hybrid cars are amazing recently starting seeing quite a few around where I live, allways makes me smile when they pull away almost silently.
superb technolgy