is one of four Sound Shore communities participating in an upcoming No Idling Awareness Day on Monday, April 23 in conjunction with .
“As we mark this event, which has been scheduled to follow the annual commemoration of Earth Day, it is a good time to think about the legal, practical, and environmental impacts of unnecessary idling," said .
So what does car idling have to do with Earth Day?
We've all done it. After circling in vain for a parking space, you pull close to the curb, turn on your hazard lights and leave the car running while you run into the dry cleaners or coffee shop for quick errand. It's not that big a deal, right?
Wrong. Forget that excuse. There are a whole host of reasons why leaving your car idling is a really bad idea. The most obvious is that it's illegal and you can get a ticket; the Rye City Code prohibits idling for longer than three minutes. It's also an easy way to get your car stolen or involved in an accident. That cup of coffee won't taste so good if you return to your spot and your car isn't there.
As Earth Day approaches, Connors also points several "green" reasons why drivers should cut out car idling:
- Car exhaust is hazardous. Westchester County is the fourth worst in New York state for particulate matter emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
- An idling vehicle emits more pollution than one traveling 32 miles per hour. Sitting for 10 seconds burns more than twenty times more fuel than re-starting the engine.
And did he forget to mention you could get a ticket?
Rye, along with Larchmont and Mamaroneck, is part of Sound Shore No Idling Awareness Day.
