Idle Free City

Took a walk in our beautiful city today.  Sunny, warm.  The beach.  The mountains.  Gosh, there really is no better location for a city in the world.  As I have said many times I feel on vacation here.  This beauty is mostly natural beauty.

In an effort to avoid obliterating this scene with too thick a yellow/brown veil the City of Vancouver passed a by-law stating that idling a car for 3 minutes or more is prohibited.  It has been in place since July 2005.  Recently signs have been posted around the city reminding people of this by-law.  The city also states on its web site that 10 seconds of idling uses more gas than restarting your engine.  All good reminders to its citizens and visitors.  

Today on my walk in the beautiful city I saw two individuals breaking this by-law.

1) Greenish Crown Victoria.  Parked facing north to take in the mountain view.  Inside a police officer sits.  He is writing?  Typing?  Not sure.  I walk by and notice his car's engine is running.  I don't think much of it and continue my walk.  Fifteen minutes later I walk by again, in the opposite direction.  The engine is still running.  He is still typing, reading, writing...whatever.  He has not moved.  The windows are open.

Now, I don't know whether police are exempt from this by-law.  I have seen police cars go up one way streets, park on the wrong side of the road, etc.  All for good reasons.  But here I wonder why is the law being broken?  Are they supposed to keep the car running so that they can make a quick start when they get a call?  Does it take that long to start?  Are they afraid the cars won't start?  

The police are supposed to be our role models and model citizens.  So...obey the by-laws and turn that blasted engine off.  Stop polluting.  Or....be out there partrolling the streets while polluting.

2) I walk a few more metres and see a Land Rover parked.  Again facing north, allowing the occupant to face the mountains and enjoy the view (funny coincidence that, eh?).  It is one of the newer models.  There is a woman in the car, alone.  The car is running, the windows are closed.  She has the sun visor flipped down and is applying blush on her cheeks with one of those fluffy brushes.  In the space of a few minutes I have another example of someone who is wasting energy.  I guess one needs to keep cool to apply makeup. Wouldn't want that beige/rose powder to run down your cheeks along with your sweat now, would you?

While I do believe that there are more people shutting their engines off since this by-law was passed and, more importantly, advertised, there are still many that choose to spew into the air.  The by-law is making a difference....but to those two individuals I witnessed today (in the case of the cop maybe, rather, the organization he works for) it clearly did not make a difference.

Hopefully that yellow veil will not be too thick in twenty years time.  If it is at least those two individuals will not be parked facing north to take in the view....because by then it will be too late.