Toronto Police Launch Anti-Idling Blitz

Motorists leaving their cars running while they’re parked could be in for an expensive surprise this week.

Toronto Police have launched a five-day traffic blitz on idling in the city in an attempt to improve air quality throughout the GTA. Idling is thought to be a big contributor to smog.

That means anyone caught leaving their engine on for more than three minutes can be fined up to $100 plus a $25 surcharge.

Ask a pedestrian and they say they see the offending vehicles regularly.

“I walk by cars every day that are idling unnecessarily,” said Linda Bellamy.

Steven Creighton agrees: “I see cars running every day and there’s nobody in them.”

City officials contend idling is a year-round issue in Toronto.

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Idling Facts & Myths

As Steppenwolf sang in the 60s anthemic smash “Born To Be Wild”, ‘get your motor running’.

But John Kay and company had plans to head out on the highway and not sit on a city street letting exhaust fumes emanate from the tailpipe of their motorcycles.

Toronto’s anti-idling bylaw was introduced in 1996 and was designed to cut down on pollution in the city. Under the rules, drivers can’t leave their motors running for more than three minutes in a single hour period. If your time runs out, you can face fines of up to $5,000.

The exceptions to the rule: emergencies or any time the temperature outside is below 5C or above 27C, to allow motorists to run their heat or air conditioners. Public transit vehicles that are stopped to let passengers on or off are also exempted.

Some drivers complain the law is too strict and that the period for running their engines is too short. They believe they use up more gas stopping and starting their cars than if they simply let them run. That’s just one of many idling myths. Here are a few others.

The Gas Hog

Myth: Stopping and starting your car engine uses up more gas.

Fact: Idling for more than 10 seconds actually gobbles more fuel than simply re-starting your car.

The Winter Warm-Up

Myth: The cold days will be here soon and you have to spend a few minutes warming up your car’s engine before driving it.

Fact: You shouldn’t leave your car running in park or neutral for more than 30 seconds. Modern automobiles are designed to warm up while they’re running at moderate speeds and leaving them to spew fumes out of the tail pipe for several minutes hurts the environment and wastes gas.

Idling Doesn’t Really Hurt Anyone

Myth: Idling your motor for 5 or 10 minutes doesn’t really harm anyone and the city is just out to make money with its bylaw.

Fact: It’s estimated that Canadians add more than 200,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases and pollutants into the atmosphere every year by running their motors without moving their cars. It wastes at least 90 million litres of gas, worth roughly $70 million. And it gunks up your spark plugs and puts excessive wear on your engine.

Remote Car Starters

Myth: The ability to start your engine in the winter means your car will have a chance to warm up before you get into it and you can drive it more efficiently.

Fact: It’s another waste of gas and another way to pollute. People who use remote car starters often underestimate the amount of time they’ll need to get out of the house and into their vehicle, letting it run excessively for no reason. While it’s great to get into an already warm car during the winter, most new vehicles can let you have heat within 1-2 minutes of starting the engine. And there’s another hazard – thieves can easily hop into a running car and drive it away before you even know it’s gone.