just letting tractor idle - probably a dumb question

[TMGT]

I'm with you. The reason is comfort of the driver at someone elses expense. During cold weather they can jump into a already warm vehicle and during hot weather they can jump into a already cool vehicle, that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it

It's getting pretty rare to see an OTR idling the main engine for long periods or overnight these days, typically they use APU's (auxiliary power units) to run the A/C, heat, electrical etc. and keep the main engine warm.

As for emergency vehicles, it comes down to the power required to keep everything working, unless manufactures start putting in large aux. batteries to power the additional equipment they're stuck running the engine.
And yes some is comfort, but unless you've been sitting in a car with a bunch of gear and a balist vest on for hrs on end in the summer, you may not understand.

Sure could be bad if you needed the police or EMS and they can't respond when you need them because their battery is dead trying to save a couple $'s in fuel.

 

[PILOON]

"The EMS and police have good logical reason ........"
Yep police claim that they need to keep batteries fully charged as their equipment draws so much current ??? , everything is solid state now days!

By law here in Quebec we are regulated to 15 mins idle subject to fines, but that applies only to taxpayers and not gov't and LEO's.
But it is not a tax grab it is to protect the environment, yes gotta start some where--

Just like plastic pollution, ban drinking straws but allow plastic water bottles.
(Joe public will never afford to fight straw laws but big water bottlers will hire an army of lawyers to fight bottle laws)

Then we come to fossil fuel, who uses more oil, the cars or the plastic industry? Be interesting to know the facts.

 

[Diggin It]

By law here in Quebec we are regulated to 15 mins idle subject to fines, but that applies only to taxpayers and not gov't and LEO's.
But it is not a tax grab it is to protect the environment, yes gotta start some where--

Same thing with laws against driving while cell phoning ... 'some exceptions apply'.

 

[PILOON]

Same thing with laws against driving while cell phoning ... 'some exceptions apply'.

As a pilot I assure U that a person can handle a cell phone and drive.

Pilots handle (usually) 2 radios, change frequencies often all while monitoring a dozen instruments and looking out for traffic plus landing gear, flaps etc.
At a busy airport the pilot probably changes frequencies as much as 6-8 times all while completing all the other functions. OK, larger A/C have a co-pilot but loads of single engine A/C have all the same electronics as an airliner and are flown solo.
Now I ask how many mid air collisions are there?

 

[Deere Dude]

As a pilot I assure U that a person can handle a cell phone and drive.

Pilots handle (usually) 2 radios, change frequencies often all while monitoring a dozen instruments and looking out for traffic plus landing gear, flaps etc.
At a busy airport the pilot probably changes frequencies as much as 6-8 times all while completing all the other functions. OK, larger A/C have a co-pilot but loads of single engine A/C have all the same electronics as an airliner and are flown solo.
Now I ask how many mid air collisions are there?

I'll use that one in court. Hopefully the judge is a pilot.
.
I know that for me any distraction decreases my survivability. Just answering and talking on a phone will put me in a trance where I can drive 50 miles and be oblivious to things around me much more than if I am focused on driving only. Forget texting or fiddling with and reading the radio controls.

I can glance down for a second or two but with the quick response of cars nowadays I find myself going left or right towards the yellow line or the rumble strips.

The closing speed of a car is generally at 130 MPH in the back roads and I need to keep an eye on him also.

Maybe that is what happened to Diamond Pilot, playing with to many gadgets.

 

[falfrenzy]

As a pilot I assure U that a person can handle a cell phone and drive.

Pilots handle (usually) 2 radios, change frequencies often all while monitoring a dozen instruments and looking out for traffic plus landing gear, flaps etc.
At a busy airport the pilot probably changes frequencies as much as 6-8 times all while completing all the other functions. OK, larger A/C have a co-pilot but loads of single engine A/C have all the same electronics as an airliner and are flown solo.
Now I ask how many mid air collisions are there?

How many car/truck drivers have a "Ground Traffic Controller" looking out for them when near a congested traffic area, and provide exact instructions on how to "drive" to safely park their car/truck at their destination?

Thats just one example of the myriad of differences.

Apples and oranges man.

 

[JWR]

... the myriad of differences. Apples and oranges man.

I agree. There are people who can probably operate a cell phone safely (just talking) while driving, especially where they have hands-free connections to the car radio. But those idiots doing text messaging while driving are literally criminally negligent. Distracted is distracted. There are certainly degrees -- texting on the worst end and hands free voice on the other end but distracted is distracted and it clearly causes accidents and sometimes deaths. No way around it.

Another counter point to the airplane and automobile analogy: the airplanes are not 30 feet apart doing 70 mph foolishly tailgating, switching lanes for no good reason missing other cars by a few feet , running 6 abreast on the beltway, etc. The standard for vertical separation in the air is 1000ft and on same-level aircraft separation can be labeled a close call measured in miles or fractions of miles -- not a few feet. Then there is the NEED for the radio contact. In aircraft it is absolutely essential. In the car -- heck it did't even exist until a few short years back yet -- on the order of 100 years after cars went on the roads -- it never was essential and is not now. A huge % of the voice traffic in cars via cellphone these days is meaningless drivel and trivia, not 'Needed' communications.

Bad analogy.

 

[WM75Guy]

EMS vehicles carry medications which have to be stored in a narrow temp range, 59 degrees F to 86 degrees F. The Texas Dept. of State Health Services regulations require the EMS vehicle to be climate controlled at all times, therefore it stays running when out of the station. The vehicle HVAC system runs when parked in the station, that is why you see them plugged in to a shoreline. Also all portable electrical equipment such as the cardiac monitor has to have a backup power supply, usually spare batteries on a charger, on board the vehicle. There are administrative fines or suspended provider licenses for not having the meds stored in a climate controlled environment or spare charged batteries.

 

[deserteagle71]

EMS vehicles carry medications which have to be stored in a narrow temp range, 59 degrees F to 86 degrees F. The Texas Dept. of State Health Services regulations require the EMS vehicle to be climate controlled at all times, therefore it stays running when out of the station. The vehicle HVAC system runs when parked in the station, that is why you see them plugged in to a shoreline. Also all portable electrical equipment such as the cardiac monitor has to have a backup power supply, usually spare batteries on a charger, on board the vehicle. There are administrative fines or suspended provider licenses for not having the meds stored in a climate controlled environment or spare charged batteries.

^ This.
Back in the day when I was on an ambulance crew it was mandatory that if the vehicle was not plugged in to shore power then it had to run. Not just idle - the alternators would not put out enough power at idle to keep the batteries charged and the engine running - but at fast idle. Each ambulance was equipped with an "Idle Controller" to keep the rpm up enough to keep the batteries charged. I can speak from experience that it is VERY embarassing to ask bystanders for a jump start because we allowed the batteries to run down, especially in an emergency situation.

 

[JWR]

Police Cruisers are not carrying temp controlled meds...nor are long haul trailer trucks (unless they have separate refrig engines...)

Even in the ONE seemingly justified EMS medicine temp case there are a LOT of ways to deal with those issues that do not involve thousands of hours of engine run time.