CAR TALK\Bandying some idle thoughts about frequent starts and stops.Byline: Tom & Ray Magliozzi Raymond F. Magliozzi (born ca. 1948) is a co-host (with older brother Tom Magliozzi) of NPR's weekly radio show, Car Talk. He graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972. Dear Tom and Ray: Now for a "dumb blonde The dumb blonde is a popular-culture stereotype applied to blonde-haired women. The archetypical "dumb blonde", while attractive and popular, lacks both common street-sense and academic intelligence, often to a comedic level. " question: I deliver from 17 to 20 meals once or twice a week for my town's Meals on Wheels n. 1. A program that delivers hot meals to persons, such as the elderly or disabled, who are confined to their homes and unable to cook for themselves; also, the meals thus delivered. Such programs are usually conducted by governmental or charitable organizations. program. Each stop takes from 30 seconds to a minute, except for one that requires five minutes for three apartment deliveries. My question is: Should I turn off my motor while making these deliveries, or is it OK to let the engine idle? I do turn it off at the long stop. I have a stick-shift 1986 Honda Accord The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. . Thanks - Jean Tom: I don't understand what's "dumb blonde" about your question, Jean. I would, however, watch out for one of my brother's patented, "dumb, bald-headed" answers. Ray: I'd say it's a tossup, Jean. From the point of view of the car, it's probably better to let it run. The amount of wear and tear it gets in less than a minute of idling is negligible - certainly less than the wear and tear you'd put on the starter and battery when you restart the car. But you're wasting fuel and polluting pol·lute tr.v. pol·lut·ed, pol·lut·ing, pol·lutes 1. To make unfit for or harmful to living things, especially by the addition of waste matter. See Synonyms at contaminate. 2. the environment. So for that five-minute stop, or even a three-minute stop, you're right to turn it off. Tom: But I'd vote for turning it off at every stop, Jean. And I'll tell you why. We've got a friend named Alan Nissenbaum, who runs Nissenbaum's Junkyard. Ray: "Automotive recycling," he likes to call it. Tom: It's a junkyard! Anyway, one day, Alan Nissenbaum stops at the corner mailbox to mail a few letters. He puts his Buick Century Buick Century is the model name used by the Buick division of General Motors for a line of full-size performance vehicles from 1936 to 1942 and 1954 to 1958, and from 1973 to 2005 for a mid-size car. in park, and hops out to mail in his overdue veterinary bill or something. He opens the slot and drops in the mail, and when he turns around, some kid is taking off with his car! Ray: Apparently, the kid was hiding in the bushes. He figured that 100 people a day leave their car idling while they mail a letter, so he just waited. When he saw Nissenbaum's Buick, he pounced pounce 1 v. pounced, pounc·ing, pounc·es v.intr. 1. To spring or swoop with intent to seize someone or something: . Tom: Nissie took it pretty well. He gave the kid points for cleverness. But I'm not sure you would be so happy if that happened to you, Jean. So because of the "Nissenbaum factor," I vote for shutting off the car and taking the keys with you every time. Ray: And just imagine how happy the kid would have been to get your car, Jean. He'd get an '86 Accord AND 15 turkey-pot-pie dinners! |
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