New York Police: Don't walk away when warming up cars

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

This is a rather common sense statement but one that many people do not heed and thus many a car gets stolen in the cold of winter when people start up their cars to warm them up before starting out to work or whatever.

Warming up your car is a waste of time, a waste of fuel, as today's cars have no need for warming up the engine, not even diesel cars. Walking away from a car where the keys are in the ignition and the engine running is not a good move either.

However, this is what has been happening during the recent cold spells in New York and I am sure this is being repeated throughout the cold areas of the USA and Canada and elsewhere.

Remember:

  • Your car, unless one that is more that 20 years old, does not need warming up, not even on real cold mornings. Yes, the car will be cold inside but...

Starting up your car and needlessly warming it up in idle – or worse even with a cruise control on revving it higher than idle – is a serious waste of fuel and is very bad for the Planet (and your wallet).

If you insist on warming up your car do not leave it unguarded and walk away from it, not even for a few minutes.

Never, ever leave your car unattended with the key in the ignition and the engine running. Not even just leave the key in the ignition either. In Britain it is actually illegal to do so.

© 2012