Minneapolis cracks down on car idling
With oil prices shattering all known records this past Friday, letting the car idle while you wait in the parking lot is becoming an expensive luxury -- not to mention the fact that an idling engine pumps out about twice the greenhouse emissions as one on the go. That's why Minneapolis' city council has set a new limit on how long drivers can run their engines while they sit in park.The new ordinance in Minneapolis limits motorists to 3 minutes of idle time. While I'm never a fan of unenforceable laws, I think it's easy to see why the council passed the measure (it makes them look good, duh). Pollution from idling engines can add greatly to a city's smog problem. Many drivers are already changing their driving habits to limit their fuel costs -- which conveniently lowers their carbon footprint in most cases. These days, it's not uncommon for penny-pinching drivers to shut off their engines at a long traffic lights -- which apparently does save gas. Still, the ordinance seems a little broad. Are hybrids exempt? What about traffic jams, road construction, etc.?
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