North Lincolnshire motorists could be wasting fuel and risking fines in cold weather, research shows
Motorists in North Lincolnshire who are using their car engines and heaters to de-ice windscreens on freezing mornings are wasting fuel and risking fines, according to research.
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An iced-over windscreen in Scunthorpe
A survey by Halfords has found eight out of ten drivers admit to regularly letting their car engine idle in order allow the warmth of the vehicle's interior to melt ice and snow during cold snaps.
The car accessory and garage operator estimates that the practice sees over £9 million worth of fuel squandered every day across the country – £54 million since the big freeze began last week.
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Drivers who sit out on the street with the engine idling may also be unaware that they are risking a potential fine of £20 under government anti-pollution laws.
Halfords commercial director, Paul McClenaghan, said: "It may be very tempting to wait for the engine and heater to clear your windscreen, rather than walking around the car using an ice scraper and de-icer spray to do it properly.
"However, drivers who do this are literally burning money in terms of the cost of wasted fuel.
"Drivers using this method of defrosting have also probably not cleared their head or tail lights and may be tempted to set off without allowing the screen to clear fully if they are short of time – both of which pose a danger to other road users and may be breaking the law."
Clearing car windows properly with the right tools takes minutes, yet police across the country have again been forced to warn motorists about setting off with only a small area of windscreen cleared – often referred to as 'porthole' or 'pillar box' vision.
The Halfords study found that the average owner defrosting their car in this way spends four minutes with the engine and heater on in order to clear the ice and snow - during which time the car had used up to a third of a litre of fuel.
One in eight of the remaining drivers (12 per cent) admitted to using a credit or store card to scrape away ice, which could easily scratch the windscreen, while one in five continued to use boiling water despite the potential risk of cracking the glass.
13 Comments
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by Steve_Lincoln
Sunday, February 03 2013, 12:39PM
“It costs less in fuel to allow an engine to idle for 5 minutes and clear your screens than you would spend in de-icer products that don't work as well now as they did 10 years ago!”
by IT_MAN
Friday, January 25 2013, 8:01PM
“My mate has and old 1999 Renault Laguana which has electric heater fitted in demisters so don't need time to warm up, never heard of these before but seems a good idea, I know some do heated front screens. Remember the days when a small uube with heater was fitted into radiator hose, plugged into mains so could be switched on by time switch, car all warm saved warming up engine so less wear. Used to also be a trickle charger like an ignition coil connected to battery, just plug a mains lead into it at night. What happened to all these ideas they were good.
I believe it is Volvo that can have a 13a socket in car connected to a 240v mains input socket in grille so a fan heater can be put in car to warm up car and clear screens, I expect it is used more over there as colder winters.”
by englander61
Friday, January 25 2013, 4:49PM
“You see taxi drivers all over town with engines running even before the cold weather came none of these where fined , Yes pick on people that drive round looking out a little hole they have cleared out of the front of car windscreen , But complement people who have taken the care to clear all the car windows .”
by SnowBoundDN15
Friday, January 25 2013, 4:37PM
“"Risk a fine of £20 for leaving an engine running" - yet another law that will remain unpoliced and not acted upon!”
by Stixxx
Friday, January 25 2013, 3:56PM
“I'm LOADED, & can afford to burn fuel for my own safety, so Halfords & ST, keep yer nose out!”
by JohnJohn2011
Friday, January 25 2013, 2:26PM
“Just a bit of a scare story really so Halfords can sell more of or try to get rid of more stock of de-icer and plastic snow scrapers before spring time. Any how, how can an old plastic credit / store card damage a car windscreen more than a new plastic ice scraper bought from Halfords at as some will say at a vastly inflated price compared to Asda or Aldi? I also thought a diamond or some metals could only scratch or cut glass? As some have just said it is not advisable to drive a vehicle unless all windows are clear from mist / steam / frost or snow, and to clear mistiness from the inside screens you need warm air circulation caused by the running of the engine thus making warm water for the heater radiator. More so a cold engine should not be revved hard (especially turbo engines) until the oil has had a chance to warm slightly around all the important workings of the engine. If you also check the council information regarding idling engines it clearly states that a vehicles engine can be left ticking over with the operator in charge if for the purpose of air conditioning / heating and ventilation purposes for keeping occupants warm and screens clear to name but few, that is why you see so many council operated / owned vans & trucks parked up with engines idling keeping their occupants warm whilst reading their papers when they are on a break. The main thing is try to be with your vehicle at all times when warming it up. The worst people as far as safety to others are concerned are exactly those people who scrape a patch on there screen and then start their car and drive off oblivious to the surroundings.”
by Mozart
Friday, January 25 2013, 12:31PM
“All commentators on the subject in question ought to be well aware that the lunatics took over the asylum a long time ago (and Halfords & the ST)”
by leonidas
Friday, January 25 2013, 12:13PM
“JOB VACANCY:- A position has arisen for 10,000 government employed idiots, preferably foreign as we dont want to hurt any1s feelings, to stand on the streets of britain during these cold snaps and place yellow fine stickers on the windscreen of hard working brits trying to get to there jobs or take children to school with clear windows and without freezing. PAY:- whateva u want we'll just make up a new tax for the people to recover it anyway.”
by Hazzers
Friday, January 25 2013, 11:34AM
“Another national news story given a local spin”
by DFlated
Friday, January 25 2013, 9:48AM
“Good advice - don't warm your engine up, drive off misted up inside and mow down a pensioner on a crossing because you couldn't see them. You couldn't make it up could you. I can see someone getting sued over this, Halfords as well as the ST for making it public. Perhaps the ST and this idiot doesn't realise that the biggest problem is on the INSIDE of the car for which you need warm air to clear.”