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written by Buzz , May 16, 2008 (08:06:10 AM)

Who the hell said anything about shutting off your engine at every red light? Come on, stop with the knee jerk reaction to change...it's so frustrating that we have this huge resistance to anything 'different', and automatically see it as a threat to our freedomes and rights. I'd prefer to be open minded to people who are at least making an attempt to figure out what we can do to keep our tiny little paper thin atmosphere a bit cleaner than it is right now. As for your comments about safety freaks, yeah, lets go back to the old days of unregulated workplaces...I'm sure you'd be the first one to write a letter shrieking about the injustice of the big bad evil government.

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written by islandplans , May 16, 2008 (08:13:22 AM)

Great comments Buzz. I too always get a kick when people talk about the 'good old days'.

Misunderstood
written by Pylot Project , May 16, 2008 (08:26:04 AM)

I believe the writer was referring to this quotation from the original article....

"We'll be looking at drive-thrus, school-bus zones, idling at stop lights, construction zones, even doing some documentation of locomotive idling,"

Considering how the original article is written, it's not too hard to understand how the writer jumped to their conclusion, as silly as it may be.

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written by Business , May 16, 2008 (10:08:07 AM)

I don't think that it is feasible to turn vehicles off at stop lights. They should be making the lights shorter with quicker changes. This is what they do in Vancouver and it keeps the traffic flowing at a constant rate. This anti-idling person should be targeting people like taxi's who idle infront of businesses and hotels, airports all day. There is nothing wrong with turning your vehicle off while waiting for a train. There is no reason (other tha a red light) that a car should be idling for more than 1 minute. Turn it off, save the environment, and save on gas. The only way to get gas and hydro prices down is to stop using so much...the simple rule of supply and demand. I was at A&A Burger cafe. Upon arrival, a man had his mini-van running while he ate and when I left, he still had it running. It was not even winter time. I was there for approximately 45 mins....this is REDICULOUS.

As for the cold day exemptions, this is unacceptable because your engine will stay warm for some time after you turn your car off. For parents picking children up at schools in the winter, they should still turn their vehicls off....regardless of the weather, the young lungs are still breathing and at work.

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written by Pylot Project , May 16, 2008 (10:18:03 AM)

I know it's not cost effective for everybody nor practical, but hybrids turn themselves off at stop lights and run on electric for that time period. But maybe.... someday....

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written by One Happy Camper , May 16, 2008 (10:39:56 AM)

The comment regarding idling at red lights was made because they want to study how many vehicles get stopped at red lights because one car comes up and trips the light.
When a single car can stop 20 others there is a lot of idling going on there.
Everyone knows how bad this gets on our bypass.
One little car can put the stop to many big trucks and smaller vehicles, very inefficient use of fuel and major source of air pollution

I totally agree with you Ray
written by hmh , May 16, 2008 (06:21:15 PM)

I too have no intention of turning my truck off when I'm idling. I will also continue to use my remote start to warm it up in the winter for at least 10 minutes before I leave the house. I paid for the vehicle. I can afford the gas in it so I'll run as I please.

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written by Business , May 17, 2008 (03:06:45 PM)

This situation has nothing to do with whether or not you can afford the vehicle or the gas. It has everything to do with protecting and keeping the air/environment as clean as possible for the children, grandchildren, friends, relatives, ourselves...whoever.

HMH, you are missing the point. Those who idle for no reason at all are simply ignorant to what is happening around them. Also, I am sure you are one of those people who cry about gas prices. Remember, gas prices are tied to demand, the more you use, the more the price will continue to rise. Another point, when the anti-idling laws come into effect in Prince George, which I hope they do, you will forsure be one of those ticketed and will then be crying about your ticket. But Ohhh, I fogot, you are rich and can afford all of the tickets. Which means more tax dollars for our city.

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written by db wiggins , May 17, 2008 (04:36:41 PM)

Someday, it is hoped that these people will cast off the shackles of communism and embrace a free society. I speak not of China, Myanmar or North Korea, but of British Columbia. The provincial motto should be changed to "The most regulated place on earth". Farting is a punsihable offence.

Business...I'm not missing the point. I don't give a damn about the point!
written by hmh , May 17, 2008 (05:54:01 PM)

The price of gas does not affect my driving habits. It's just like everything else, prices go up. And your right, I'm not going to stop driving or turning my truck off just because of the air or the environment. There are way more things that pollute the air than my truck (like 3 pulpmills in the city). I've worked too hard for too long (40 years) to enjoy the luxuries of life and I'm not giving them up just because of some tree hugger or environmentalist. They can go save the planet. I'm not! BTW...I've never, ever seen a cop in my subdivision so I don't think I need to worry about warming my truck up in my driveway at 6:00am on a cold winter's morning but if they happen to show up, I can afford the ticket.

... don't give a damn ...
written by Sojourn , May 17, 2008 (08:02:09 PM)

that pretty well sums it up for most of society today

,,,

as God and poor old mother nature shed tears over the sorry state of the only living blue/green planet known to man

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written by gsjonuk , May 17, 2008 (08:47:25 PM)

hmh, you had me at "I don't give a damn!" I would have more respect for your position if you didn't try to justify it.

justify & your respect?
written by Sojourn , May 17, 2008 (09:22:37 PM)

Not looking.

Just calling it as I see it.

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written by Business , May 18, 2008 (02:33:06 PM)

What a rich country we live in when people waste things simply because they can, and don't give a damn!!!!

With 40 working years behind you, it means you are getting close to retirement and would have grown up in the pre-global warming era when there was no issue. But after 40 years of wasting, there now is a problem. Nobody is telling you to stop driving or not enjoy your luxuries. The anti-idling issue is meant to tackle the needless wasting.

It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

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written by islandplans , May 19, 2008 (03:47:06 PM)

Business you nailed it. It is because of irresponsible people ("I'll waste it because I can afford it"), that we need rules and laws in the first place. Then the real irony occurs when it is those people that cry about government intervention and 'nanny states'. I'm also not surprised that most of the whining comes from the admitted elderly and the obviously elderly. They have to be environmentally aware and responsible for the first time in their lives... and it has to be tough for them.

And the real sad irony occurs;
written by Sojourn , May 19, 2008 (05:07:24 PM)

when the 'nanny state' is one of the biggest culprits of the, ("I'll waste it because I can afford it")
.............

and the 'nanny state' advocates turn their blind eye to it.

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written by islandplans , May 19, 2008 (05:44:32 PM)

Nice to see you still voting up your own comments sojourn... and everyone else's down. Perhaps you could might one day actually add something to these threads.

Well, there you have it!
written by Sojourn , May 19, 2008 (06:32:51 PM)

.
.

Convicted on a hunch and an assumption.

And, that’s what the 'nanny sates’ eventually lead to. Guilty, until proven innocent.

FYI island …, I haven’t, and will likely never bother to vote (up or down) on my, or anyone else’s opinions here


And I really do hope all those big 4 door city trucks with a rake and shovel in them get turned off whilst the gardeners hop out to beautify the P.G. boulevards.

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written by islandplans , May 19, 2008 (07:51:43 PM)

I apologize sojourn, somehow your posts automatically get a 1 immediately after posting. A system quirk obviously.

hey, no problem island... thanks!
written by Sojourn , May 19, 2008 (08:15:10 PM)

I most often use an old machine [with an almost obsolete brower and the vote feature doesn't even come up on it].

Bottom line for me, I like to read all opinions, even though I (we) may not always agree. Hey, a light may just come on sometimes. Gotta love it when it does. HAGD.