Edmonton's Proposed Anti-Idling Bylaw

AxeMan · #1 01-09-2009, 06:08 PM

Anti-idling bylaw comes with hefty fine
Updated: Fri Jan. 09 2009 16:29:06

ctvedmonton.ca

The City of Edmonton wants to reduce unnecessary vehicle idling with a new bylaw that comes with a hefty fine for motorists.
Motorists could expect to pay a $250 fine if their vehicle is stationary and they let their engines idle for more than three minutes within a 30 minute period.

With the recent cold temperatures in Edmonton, the proposed bylaw would still allow drivers to run their vehicles for an unspecified amount of time if the temperature is -11 or colder.

The proposed bylaw is complaint based so Edmontonians would be asked to report those who leave their vehicles idling for more than three minutes in -10 degree weather or warmer.

And some Edmontonians CTV News spoke with are in support of the bylaw.

"(It) keeps the country cleaner and safer for the children around us, I think its a great idea," said Larry Louie.

City Councillor Don Iveson also approves of the bylaw.

"Well having the law sends the signal that it is important to the city, that people behave reasonably when they operate their vehicles and it gives us the tools in extreme cases to do enforcement," said Don Iveson.

But the City doesn't have everyone's support. City Councillor Tony Caterina doesn't see the proposed bylaw getting passed.

"The calls and emails from my constituents basically say this is the silliest thing they have ever heard of, and given how this is going to be enforced I agree with my constituents, this is pretty silly," Caterina told CTV News.

Any persons who file a complaint would be required to testify in court if the matter is challenged, another matter that has Caterina shaking his head in disapproval.

"If someone disputes this and has to go to court the person who complains has to take the day off to act as a witness," he said.

Vehicles that would be exempted from the bylaw include fire, police and other emergency vehicles, as well as some commercial vehicles.

Motorists will not have to worry about get ticketed if stuck in a traffic jam.

Edmonton would not be the first to enforce an idling bylaw. The following communities currently have the idling bylaw:

St.Albert
Beaumont
Hinton
Jasper
Banff (restricted to commercial vehicles only)
Edmonton's proposed bylaw stems from a $140,000 vehicle idling reduction campaign the City paid for in 2008.

A public hearing will be held on January 13th and from there, the matter will go before council.

I can hardly contain my anger at these deadbeat excuses for city councillors to even consider wasting time even talking about this. They already wasted $140,000 on it. This was Michael Phair's original idea. Next they will be telling me how much toilet paper to use when I take a crap! These people must live on another planet than me. If they ever give me an idling ticket it will be followed shortly by an assault charge. I won't even waste my energy explaining why it is wrong because it just is on every level. I would love to talk with Don Iveson behind the wood shed.
What are your opinions?

The Rog Man · #2 01-09-2009, 06:25 PM

I think it just reinforces the level of stupidity running this city, aswell maybe they are trying too justify the raises they gave themselves?
I've already been taxed on the money i earned to buy the gas they taxed me on when i purchased it too put it in a vehicle i bought with money I already paid taxes on so I personally think if i want too run my vehicle it is at my expense and they should mind their own business?
And what about in the summer time when it's fires of hell hot outside and i want to run the car in advance so i don't burn a layer of skin off my ass when i sit in the vehicle??? Or have a friggin stroke from the heat???
Politicians at their finest!!!!!!
ALWAYS coming up with new ways too waste tax payers money and then expect us the taxpayers too pay for their stupid ideas??
My three bitts werth !!!

Sporty · #3 01-09-2009, 07:13 PM

Maybe if people showed some common courtesy and common sense they wouldn't need bylaws like this.

Before I bought my house, we lived in a small apartment, for 2 winters another tenant with a diesel truck ran it continuously night and day in the winter months. More often than not the fumes seeped into our bedroom windows aggravating my daughter's asthma and we had to listen to the noisy thing night after night.

We approached the fellow nicely on several occasions explaining the problem it was causing and he basically told us to f off each time. We complained to the landlord and asked them to at least move him to the other side of the parking lot away from our windows with no luck, it wasn't illegal what he was doing.

Too often diesel owners run their trucks non stop in cold weather, especially when they work the rigs because they don't have to pay for fuel. Their reasoning, its harder on a diesel to start it up when its cold. Funny thing though is that my husband who also works the rigs, never leaves his truck run all night regardless of the temps. He plugs it in and it fires up every morning without trouble, it can't be that his truck is more special than most.

Its these type of people that anti idling bylaws are coming about. If they showed a little respect for their neighbor and environment then everyone else wouldn't need to be punished along with them.

sparky660 · #4 01-09-2009, 07:17 PM

I for one think it is a great idea but 3 minutes is not long enough. 15-20 minutes would be more realistic. Like sporty said it is nice know that the guy with a company truck won't be able to let his diesel run all night stinking up the community and keeping us up.

honda450 · #5 01-09-2009, 07:32 PM

What a crock of you know what.

sparky660 · #6 01-09-2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by honda450

What a crock of you know what.

So it would be alright if I parked my diesel in front of your place idling all night stinking your house up?

More importantly lets think of what benefits it will have on the environment.

slipbobber · #7 01-09-2009, 07:42 PM

There has been some talk of a similar bylaw in Red Deer. I can see people following city owned vehicles with stop watches now. Let the games begin.

LongDraw · #8 01-09-2009, 07:45 PM

There is two sides to this. I agree that the last thing we need is another Bylaw. However most of the azzhats that own the latest super-chipped diesel think that they have to leave it running in perpetuity from late September until May... Your trucks are noisy, stinky and you can shut it off you know. Especially when you park in front of a businesses front entrance.

Anyways, no point in another Bylaw. Waste of time and resources. Seems our elected officials have to create make work projects for themselves- Nevermind the enforcement nightmare!

duffy4 · #9 01-09-2009, 07:48 PM

I think its a great idea. As said above if some people had some common sense and consideration for the planet and other people there would not be a need for bylaws like this.

However there are so many selfcentered ("its a free country, I can do what I want") people out there they need some strong direction sometimes.

honda450 · #10 01-09-2009, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky660

So it would be alright if I parked my diesel in front of your place idling all night stinking your house up?

More importantly lets think of what benefits it will have on the environment.

Yup park it right beside my diesel. I don't get the smell in the house. Gotta supply your own fuel though.

Which reminds me I don't leave the truck run all night.

AxeMan · #11 01-09-2009, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duffy4

I think its a great idea. As said above if some people had some common sense and consideration for the planet and other people there would not be a need for bylaws like this.

However there are so many selfcentered ("its a free country, I can do what I want") people out there they need some strong direction sometimes.

If we were to have a bylaw for everything that contravened common sense we would need a bylaw book as thick as the yellow pages. You can't legislate common sense and that's what they are trying to do. Where does it end though?

roadkill · #12 01-09-2009, 08:19 PM

We have a bylaw like that already, though I *believ* it's 2 minutes. The city didn't descend into anarchy over it. I think that, if people didn't leave their cars idling needlessly, we wouldn't need such laws. It's a small gensture for the environment, even if it seems like a huge bite out of our liberties or some other such nebulous concept.

209x50 · #13 01-09-2009, 08:20 PM

So then the drive through at Timmies will cease to exist?

#14 01-09-2009, 08:21 PM

So they should go ticket the photo radar lady here in town as shes out there for 10 hours a day with her truck running the whole time....cheezed me off when she was out there Christmas eve.

huntinstuff · #15 01-09-2009, 08:25 PM

If a vehicle idling is noisy, the Noise Bylaw covers that.

I can't see how they can enforce an idling bylaw.???? If anything, our Mayor should be charged. He is idle most of the time

TheClash · #16 01-09-2009, 08:28 PM

i have no idea how they will enforce it...and seems silly to me...however i have a neighbor that is fond of 2-3 hour idles..summer, winter spring and fall....with any and or all of his vehicles....including sitting on his motorbike for an hour or so and revving the engine over and over again.....never drives anywhere..just revs it..then shuts it off after 30 mins or so...weird...

sparky660 · #17 01-09-2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxeMan

If we were to have a bylaw for everything that contravened common sense we would need a bylaw book as thick as the yellow pages. You can't legislate common sense and that's what they are trying to do. Where does it end though?

When will it end? When people are able to think for themselves, realize how their actions effect others and respect others rites. It will never come to that so the bylaws and laws will be more and more.

sparky660 · #18 01-09-2009, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheClash

i have no idea how they will enforce it...and seems silly to me...however i have a neighbor that is fond of 2-3 hour idles..summer, winter spring and fall....with any and or all of his vehicles....including sitting on his motorbike for an hour or so and revving the engine over and over again.....never drives anywhere..just revs it..then shuts it off after 30 mins or so...weird...

The majority of the enforcement will come from the public reporting infractions and by patrolling high traffic areas like the tim hortons line up. Dammit, Tims is making me a criminal

LongDraw · #19 01-09-2009, 08:41 PM

In the long run this will lead to an increase in Municipal taxes. They don't have enough bylaw officers now. They will need more at the call center as well. I would like to know how many laws/bylaws have been introduced in the last 10 years compared to ones repealed?

Our elected officials do one thing really good. Spend our money on useless crap that results in making governmet bigger.

honda450 · #20 01-09-2009, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky660

When will it end? When people are able to think for themselves, realize how their actions effect others and respect others rites. It will never come to that so the bylaws and laws will be more and more.

So I guess you like ever move you make monitored by some form of gov't? Bet you voted for Taliban Jack.

LongDraw · #21 01-09-2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 209x50

So then the drive through at Timmies will cease to exist?

Toronto is fighting with Tim Hortons as the do gooders on TO council want a bylaw there to ban paper cups.

In Calgary one of the azzhat council members want to ban plastic bags.

It never ends with what they think of...

AxeMan · #22 01-09-2009, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LongDraw

Toronto is fighting with Tim Hortons as the do gooders on TO council want a bylaw there to ban paper cups.

In Calgary one of the azzhat council members want to ban plastic bags.

It never ends with what they think of...

Our azzhat's in Edmonton have talked about this plastic bag ban too. They spent a bunch of money on a campaign about it.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/st...latic-ban.html
I'm telling you, soon it will only 3 squares of toilet paper allowed per crap.

Tundra Monkey · #23 01-09-2009, 09:12 PM

Man you guys must live out in the stix!!!!

We've already got it in place up here

No crap by the way......yup.....I drive a diesel

Check out espar heaters all you diesel guys.....they rock

tm

duffy4 · #24 01-09-2009, 09:27 PM

What is an "asshat"? I can not even imagine what one would look like and how one would wear it.

220swifty · #25 01-09-2009, 10:00 PM

My fuel, my choice.

Red Deer, as mentioned, is doing it with city vehicles but exempting the bus fleet. When i cleaned the bus barns out a couple years ago, they pulled the whole surplus fleet (30-40 buses) out of the barn and left them ALL idling while we did the job (10 hours)

Shows me they give a ****, when they burn that much diesel behind a fence, but put on a green face when they are on TV

AxeMan · #26 01-09-2009, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duffy4

What is an "asshat"? I can not even imagine what one would look like and how one would wear it.

From the slang expression having one's head up one's ass, thus, wearing the ass as a hat. The term is extended to people who are clueless or bumbling, who don't understand what is going on.

asshat.jpg

sparky660 · #27 01-09-2009, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 220swifty

My fuel, my choice.

I wouldn't want to fight the ticket if this is all I had for ammunition.

GeoTrekr · #28 01-09-2009, 11:24 PM

For every truck not running for more than 3 minutes....

There will be a smoke stack in China running for 24 hours.

TheClash · #29 01-09-2009, 11:42 PM

the answer is not in banning plastic bags but going to a soy or corn based one that biodegrades after a certain amt of time in a compost or in water would help. i kno wmy yard gets filled with them each chinook.

but that also brings up the issue of using a food source for plastic products etc....

birdhunter99 · #30 01-09-2009, 11:46 PM

I for one am sick of "asshats" in diesel trucks. The noise and stink of idling diesels is obnoxious. Last summer I even saw a jacked up tricked out truck idling for over an hour in the mall parking lot in July. I guess it was too hot and the little wanker wanted to leave the A/C on. Someone like that needs a big fat ticket as they obviously have too much money anyway. You can cry all you like about your "freedom" to idle your truck

but when you subject me needlessly to the noise and fumes you can bet I will call you in and enjoy every minute of watching you get written up