State Police leave their engines running while eating lunch...?

[hexola]

They do it in PA...

A friend saw 2 cruisers sitting at a local restuarant...motors running the whole time they were inside, sitting down eating.

He went nuts and called everyone...local officals to the governor...

Those things must have 400s in them! That's a lot of taxpayer gas!

Is this an issue?

Or should we feel "safer"?

[movonne]

1. Do you have a link on this..

[hexola]

2. No link - just observed...

by a friend...

I have noticed the same thing also...

[Kutjara]

3. Not sure about safer.

I'm assuming you mean the cops were sitting in the restaurant while their cars were running?

It only takes a couple of seconds to stick a key in the ignition and start a car, hardly a big time saving if the cops need to respond to a call. It probably takes them longer go prise their guts out of the booth and waddle to their car.

Also, leaving an unattended car with the engine running is pretty dangerous. It doesn't take much to knock some vehicles out of 'Park' and then you have a runaway.

Finally, as you say, that's a lot of gas to waste on nothing.

[benddem]

14. the pollution

not withstanding.

[RC]

4. With all the electronics on board it's a big deal to shut the engine off.

[hexola]

5. That's what I expect them to say...

But - is it really...?

Somehow - I doubt it.

[DemoTex]

12. Nope. I've got HF/VHF/UHF ham radio in a 4-cyl Subaru Outback.

And a 500-watt linear amplifier. I am much more radio-pimped than they, and it is no problemo! They just like cool/warm cars after a few donuts.

[RC]

17. The computer power in some squad cars rivals some offices.

It's the time it takes to reboot the computers. Notice the 's' at the end of the word computer. It takes several minutes to get everything going again and in the mean time they do not have access to their on board information and only partial access to their communications. Squad cars today are not like your run of the mill Mayberry specials anymore.

[AndyTiedye]

6. Hybrids Might Save the PD a Lot of Money

Police cruisers put on a lot of miles, much of it in traffic.
And they sit a lot with the engine running.

Put some hybrids in those cruisers. At least the auto-stop/auto-start feature from the hybrids.

[JVS]

9. I think hybrids are great and all, but their acceleration and speed sucks!

You might as well have the batmobile with one of it's wheels missing, because those jokers are going to get away

[timber84]

If they are K-9 cops they have to for obvious reasons.

[DemoTex]

13. Exactly why I carry two sets of car keys on car trips.

Especially in summer. The motor stays on with the A/C on high whenever I have to stop with Nick-Nick in the car. I have to keep my doggie cool, but not my Icom-706.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

7. I Love Jerry. But That Aside, I Find This Extremely Petty.

I'm sure they have their reasons and can think of a few off the top of my head (as can probably most). When it comes to pursuit, 1 second is quite a bit of time.

Regardless, of all the good things police officers do, and the level of bad things when they do bad, I would be hard pressed to find many people that would rally behind such a benign event so passionately.

Sorry.

[hexola]

8. Yeah - Im not sure how I feel about it...

just taking a reading...

My friend was pretty fired up...thanks for the input.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

10. i saw a mailman getting gas at exxon for his mailtruck

last saturday. the most expensive gas around.

[DemoTex]

16. Why have cheaper government motor-pool fuel ..

When you can buy it at top-dollar from Bu$h'$ buddies at ExxMob? More for Lee Raymond. eh? FAT BA$TARD!

[MazeRat7]

11. It takes very little gas to keep an engine at idle... its actually better

to do so. The most wear and tear on an engine is starting so if nothing else, this reduces maintenance cost. Also, as someone pointed out earlier, there are the electronics on board that should be kept active (no reboots). Personally, I would rather they burn an extra 1/4-1/2 gal/hour so they are ready to roll in an emergency.

Just my 2cents.... :)

MZr7

[politicat]

15. Illegal in Colorado.

No vehicle may idle for more than 10 minutes per hour. (Mostly pertains to buses and trucks, but cars, too.)

[BiggJawn]

18. What I hate is the Bubbas who let their Dodge RAM Diesels idle.

"Jes laik th' BIG boys in th' Eighteens do!"

Yeah, sure, if it's 20-below, I could understand, but when it's 80, and just how did you get the thing started in the FIRST place?