Warming up your ST in the morning.

[WXMotorSports DecalsPartsAccs]

In Seattle the weather has been 30-32 degrees in the morning and vehicles are frosted over. Like myself, individuals are letting their vehicles idle to warm up and defrost.



9 cars were stolen since Monday in the area.



Now I get in the ST start it. Lock it and go in the house and come back out in 10 mins. Love the Key Pad.



What I learned today is...if the police are patrolling your street and see a car idling unattended they will write you a ticket for 101 bucks! Well they say they will give you a warning first by going in your car. Turning it off and taking your keys! And, then they just wait for you to come out.



Thanks,

SST



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[Deleted deleted]

Actually, it's better on the engine not to let it idle. Best way to warm the vehicle is drive it at slow speeds until the gauge reaches normal temps. Mine is usually warm after driving a mile or 2.

 

[Johnny O]

What I learned today is...if the police are patrolling your street and see a car idling unattended they will write you a ticket for 101 bucks!

What's up with that? Some greenie global warming law or what? FWIW I almost never warm mine up.

 

[Gerald Pierce]

What I learned today is...if the police are patrolling your street and see a car idling unattended they will write you a ticket for 101 bucks! Well they say they will give you a warning first by going in your car. Turning it off and taking your keys! And, then they just wait for you to come out.

Next we'll hear about an officer getting shot when someone looks out and sees a stranger in their car. I can see their point... it creates work for them investigating the theft, but what if the car is locked? Do you still get a ticket or does it just apply to a vehicle left unlocked?



I myself just start it, turn on defrost, and then scrape the windows. Once done, I get in and drive off, but I have, on occaision gone back into the house to grab something. Heck, even in summer, I have left it idling in the driveway for a second.

 

[Frank Marano]

r-e-m-o-t-e s-t-a-r-t-e-r is my friend. i start it 5 min before I go out in the morning and its fine.

 

[Johnny O]

BTW, 30*-32* ain't cold. At 30* (and less) I still walk outside in bare feet and boxer shorts to get the morning paper, and I hate winter. :lol:

 

[Jeff C]

Hah! it was 30 here in AL this morning. I cranked it up, then had to go inside to get something to scrape the ice off the windshield with. A large plastic putty knife worked so well that I put it in my console...Oh, and I'm wearing shorts, a long sleeve t-shirt, and birkenstocks...and I hate the winter too.

 

[EddieS'04]

We dont get the cold as some of you do,,but here in Texas it is against the law to leave your car unlocked, running or not...dont know of anyone that got ticketed..Iam sure somewhere a zealot cop has done it..



They passed the law some years back when a lot of cars where being stolen from people running in and out of the store, etc...easy target for thieves...

 

[TrainTrac]

I'd be curious to know if anyone has ever challenged these laws in court. Seems to me that they're just laws designed to protect people from their own stupidity. Or, just an easy way for municipalities to generate revenue, like most speeding tickets.

 

[WXMotorSports DecalsPartsAccs]

Ticket is for unattended and unlocked vehicles idling. I usually don't go out and start it but we get some major frost a few days a year. Even scraping it takes me a good 10 mins to get the stuff off. Usually, it's been raining over nite and then in the morning freezing temps. Now you have a nice sheet of frozen rain drops on the ST.



Well it's supposed to snow later today so I get to watch all the fools who can't drive. I was raised in Detroit and Reno where snow is very common in the winter. Just cracks me up when schools around here close for the day over an inch or two of snow. However, the weather man said rain and snow yesterday and it was sunny...lol

 

[Johnny O]

I think if your car gets stolen because you left it running and unlocked, you had it coming. Where I live it isn't a problem however. I think the cops are ticketing the wrong person because you're the easy one to find. :lol:

 

[Kerry Matthews]

We have those laws here in Northern Kollyfornya too... Stockton, which has one of the highest vehicle theft rates in the nation was one of the first to start issuing misdemeanor tickets for leaving your vehicle unnattended & running. They're trying to cut down on the theft rate. Stockton is becoming a bedroom community for Bay Area workers commuting. Theives drive through neighborhoods in the morning, looking for cars to steal. Leaving your vehicle running makes their job THAT much easier! Sacramento is now also issuing misdemeaner tickets for doing the same... They figure the best way to keep people from doing it is to hit them in the pocketbook. Still cheaper than coming out and finding your driveway empty!!!

 

[Jake Levin]

If you live in an area that is prone to auto theft and you leave it running, unlocked and unattended then it's your our damn fault. I let mine warm up every morning that warrants it ( no heated seats makes the leather pretty cold on my butt). I very rarely lock my car doors at night at home and in the summer leave my windows open as well. Never had a problem.

 

[Dana OBrien]

Minneapolis, MN is the same way. Reason for it here was so the cops dont have to investigate. Plus - if somebody has your car and they have the keys, its harder to prosecute for theft, they can say you lent it to them - whatever. when its 10 out, -20 with windchill, ill be damned if I am not going to let it run first - even with heated seats!

 

[Todd Cloutier]

If there's no snow, I wait for the idle rpm to drop to the normal range (about 30 second or so). If it snowed, then its pretty well warmed up by the time I've brushed the Trac off.

 

[Shawn Hennessy]

Ticket is for unattended and unlocked vehicles idling. I usually don't go out and start it but we get some major frost a few days a year. Even scraping it takes me a good 10 mins to get the stuff off. Usually, it's been raining over nite and then in the morning freezing temps. Now you have a nice sheet of frozen rain drops on the ST.



Well it's supposed to snow later today so I get to watch all the fools who can't drive. I was raised in Detroit and Reno where snow is very common in the winter. Just cracks me up when schools around here close for the day over an inch or two of snow. However, the weather man said rain and snow yesterday and it was sunny...lol

The state supreme court ruled agains this ordinance in Tacoma last year. It seems that they could only ticket you if your car was running unattended on public property. An unattended vehicle that is running is apparently illegal, even though there is no RCW.

 

[Travis Munday]

I do what Todd C does, let the idel drop from cold idle to warm idle, then go on my way. Don't have to worry about the snow thing though...cause if there's snow, everything is closed so there's no need to go out...no to mention I'd have a whale of a time getting out of the driveway.

 

[k c]

Being a cop myself, we only ticket the people in my city who have left their car on idle and had it stolen. Its always amusing to attend a call and see an owner actually surprised that someone would steal their car after they have just run into the variety store to get a pack of smokes. To a criminal, leaving your vehicle idleing and unattended is like to the average person walking down the street and seeing a $20 bill on the sidewalk.



Your insurance company probably wouldn't be happy if your car was stolen this way anyways.



On a side note my city has the highest car theft rate.

 

[Fred]

You better get to work then! :lol: Just kidding.

 

[M B]

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