Don't leave vehicle running

[MossRoad]

Tragic story.

Thanks for sharing as its very good advice. My best friend growing up had a brother-in-law that got out of a running skid steer. He was standing between it and a pile of dirt using a hand shovel and the skid steer moved forward and pinned him to the dirt pile with the bucket right about waist height. He died in a helicopter on the way to the hospital leaving behind a wife and several kids. That story has stuck with me. Always shut off your vehicle if at all possible if you have to leave the operator's station. Use your parking brakes and make sure its always in good running order.

 

[turnkey4099]

<snip>
My truck is a manual but the other car is an auto. I use the parking brake all of the time because with a manual you have too. Good habit to have engrained.

Feel sorry for the family and friends.

Later,
Dan

??? Just curious but why does one _have_ to use the parking brake for a manual? every one I have had, and have, can be parked with the tranny in gear. Not a good practice though. Is there something new in the newer vehicles? Or did you mean "with the engine running"?

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

What can happen when leaving a vehicle running: Spokane, Washington last spring (may have been last fall), guy leaves truck running to warm up, 20 something old juvenile delinquent steals, man sees him leaving, fires one round which kills perp. Case still going through the court process as he is claiming self defense as he thought the kid was pointing a gun at him (kinda hard to do while driving away). Latest update a few weeks ago has defense trying to get all his statements made at the scene barred from the case.

Spokane has a city ordinance making it illegal to leave an unattended vehicle running due to the prevalence of auto theft under those circumstances.

Harry K

 

[jmurray01]

I admit I leave my engine running a lot of the time but with a manual it is of little risk, but with an Automatic it can prove fatal, as it so sadly has.

The man's family has my most sincere prayers.

 

[jmurray01]

Sounds like it was either a manual in neutral, or, he left it in gear by mistake. I have been known to do that when distracted. Though, I usually realize by the time I get out as the truck is already moving...

If it was a manual in neutral surely it wouldn't have killed him? I could be wrong about this, though.

 

[buickanddeere]

All kinds of drivers have left an automatic transmission vehicle in drive or reverse and left the vehicle because it was stopped.

 

[hawkeye08]

What can happen when leaving a vehicle running: Spokane, Washington last spring (may have been last fall), guy leaves truck running to warm up, 20 something old juvenile delinquent steals, man sees him leaving, fires one round which kills perp. Case still going through the court process as he is claiming self defense as he thought the kid was pointing a gun at him (kinda hard to do while driving away). Latest update a few weeks ago has defense trying to get all his statements made at the scene barred from the case.

Spokane has a city ordinance making it illegal to leave an unattended vehicle running due to the prevalence of auto theft under those circumstances.

Harry K

The ordinance does not apply to private property such as the driveway the truck was parked in. If it had been on the street, then your comment would have applied.

 

[dmccarty]

??? Just curious but why does one _have_ to use the parking brake for a manual? every one I have had, and have, can be parked with the tranny in gear. Not a good practice though. Is there something new in the newer vehicles? Or did you mean "with the engine running"?

Harry K

:laughing::laughing::laughing: Well I meant what I said, I always use the parking brake when I get out of the truck. Now, it might have been a weeeee bit clearer if I had added that I use the parking brake when I get out of the truck, or tractor for that matter, and leave the engine running and the tranny in neutral. When I really park the truck, I set the parking brake and leave it in reverse gear per the manual so the truck cannot move. I thought you set the parking brake and then put the truck in gear to keep pressure off the transmission if on a hill. I have been doing that for so long I have forgotten WHY I have been doing it. :laughing::laughing::laughing: I bet you set the brake and then put it gear in case the tranny gets put in neutral.

Later,
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

If it was a manual in neutral surely it wouldn't have killed him? I could be wrong about this, though.

One would think it would be unlikely but if the car was on a hill and it started rolling, there is quite a bit of mass in even a small car compared to a puny human. You would THINK one would hear the car moving even on pavement, but maybe not, depending on background noise. It would be a big mistake to try to physically stop the rolling vehicle by standing behind it but I could see someone trying.

Later,
Dan

 

[Coyote machine]

What can happen when leaving a vehicle running: Spokane, Washington last spring (may have been last fall), guy leaves truck running to warm up, 20 something old juvenile delinquent steals, man sees him leaving, fires one round which kills perp. Case still going through the court process as he is claiming self defense as he thought the kid was pointing a gun at him (kinda hard to do while driving away). Latest update a few weeks ago has defense trying to get all his statements made at the scene barred from the case.

Spokane has a city ordinance making it illegal to leave an unattended vehicle running due to the prevalence of auto theft under those circumstances.

Harry K

If it were my driveway I would have claimed the perp was intending to cause me bodily harm, threat of deadly force use, ( the truck) to run me down, and I fired in self defense. Castle defense. Case closed.:thumbsup: