[RahulNagaraj]

As per law in the city of New York, USA, commuters can earn money by reporting cases of idling commercial vehicles. According to a media report, the 2019 law called Citizens Air Complaint Program has garnered US$ 2.3 million in idling fines. As per the law, a quarter of the collected amount goes to New York commuters who report such incidents.



Now, a man called Donald Blair has already managed to collect US$ 55,000 for reporting idling commercial vehicles. Blair who goes after idling trucks and buses now has another US$ 70,000 on the way, bringing his total earnings to US$ 125,000. The amount is the highest any single New Yorker has earned from the 2019 scheme.

As per the scheme, citizens of New York can record a three-minute video capturing an idling commercial vehicle in the act (one minute if it is in a school zone). The video will then need to be submitted to the city's Department of Environmental Protection, along with a sworn statement. The owner of the commercial vehicle will then be fined US$ 250 or more, of which the citizen will receive US$ 87.50 or a quarter of the issued fine.

Reports also suggest that there is a group in NYC, called "Idle Warriors", consisting of 60 New York citizens dedicated to catching and reporting idling commercial vehicles in the city.

Source: NBC

Link to Team-BHP news

[landcruiser123]

It'd be ironic if these "Idle warriors" drive around in fossil-fuel-powered cars looking for their "targets."

I don't condone idling, but sometimes it is an unavoidable evil, especially in the US midwest/east coast winter.

[ninjatalli]

Wonderful rule - while I'm sure there will be genuine reasons that will get penalized once in a while, rules like these are aimed at the heart of changing habits of people, basically what is 'acceptable'.

I remember the remote (key-based) engine start feature was a great feature to have in cars for folks living in cities that see cold winters; people would get this done after-market if not default in their cars. I chose not to (in Chicago winters) - what it meant was the first two minutes of riding would be cold but then it was fine; my colleagues would spend upwards of 5 mins waiting it out in their homes while the heater of the car 'warmed' the car. Many times this 5 mins would extend to 10+ mins because someone had a call or got lazy, etc. In the end it was a convenience feature that gets over-used than what was initially required.

Similarly vehicles (commercial & private) would sit idling at parking for long periods while one of the riders would jump in, do their work and come out. This would vary from a few mins to even an hour or longer at times. Of course there would be genuine cases where it is required. But is it required for mass usage? No.

[RedTerrano]

I see snow in the picture above and I think cold.

I am a huge fan of Trucking Girl Iwona Blecharczyk and have seen almost all her videos for years. Like the name suggests, she drives trucks. And mind you, not the types we see in India. She drives mammoth trucks which are used to ferry windmill blades. Some time back she quit her job and started her own trucking company. Now she drives a Volvo, with not one, but two trailers!!

Some years back she went to Canada, to drive trucks of course. She chose to do, what is locally called the Ice Road run, where temperatures plummet to double digit sub zero range constantly. During one of those videos, she mentioned, they do not switch off the engine at all. For months. If they don't switch off their engines for months! If they do, they run the high risk of a frozen engine.

Perhaps that could also be the reason for idling.
Having said that, I should also point out, I have been seeing the PMT (local public transport buses in Pune) stand idling at their termination point for hours since the last 50 years.

Here is her channel for those who might be interested
https://www.youtube.com/c/IwonaBlecharczyk

[click]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

It'd be ironic if these "Idle warriors" drive around in fossil-fuel-powered cars looking for their "targets."

I don't condone idling, but sometimes it is an unavoidable evil, especially in the US midwest/east coast winter.

As the article mentions New York City, I doubt they would be scouting sitting in cars. Using subway to get around and just walking around would prove more easier.

[JediKnight]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

...
I don't condone idling, but sometimes it is an unavoidable evil, especially in the US midwest/east coast winter....

I believe it may be to keep the cabin heat working.

From mechanical point of view there is no reason for keep a modern engine running provided of course you are using the correct anti-freeze. Apart from damaging the environment it is also bad for the engine.