Legality of leaving engine running unattended

[jaffacat]

Can anyone let me know if it is illegal to leave your engine running when your car is unattended? I`m pretty sure it is. The problem I have is that I live in a very small town with one traffic warden and everybody hates her. I have noticed however that when she is off duty and goes to the shop or the bank etc., she leaves her car running. If this is illegal then I can get my own back on her for all the tickets I`ve ever recieved by reporting her to the police. She is employed by the police but they all hate her aswell!

Any advice gratefully recieved.

[Rooster-UK]

Staffordshire Police,

Don’t leave your vehicle with the keys in the ignition at any time, including when you’re loading or unloading shopping or baggage. And leaving the engine running to 'warm up' during the winter months not only risks having the vehicle stolen, it’s against the law. Drivers should always be in control of their vehicles when the engine is running.

 

 

Negligent use of a motor vehicle - Prosecutable

Unattended - engine running or brake not set

Driver not in proper control of vehicle

[Jaynekul]

Wouldnt it be awful if her car was stolen???????????? She wouldnt be covered for a penny

[Jeanjaquessmoothie]

Insurance WILL NOT pay out under any circumstances if you leave the engine running or the keys in the ignition

[buzby]

I'm not aware of any specific offence - although some that do exist and are non-specific could be brought to bear. It would be up to the officer at the scene to decide. As for getting the police to take action against a traffic warden, they might be disinclined. However, if somebody happened to steal the vehicle....

[patdavies]

The offence is "Quitting" and is contrary to the Road Traffic Act

[buzby]

The offence is "Quitting" and is contrary to the Road Traffic Act

 

Which one... 1988?

[patdavies]

The offence is against S42 of the RTA 1988.

 

This section deals with Construction & Use offences.

 

Quitting is dealt with by Regulation 107(1) of The Road Vehicles (Constriction and Use) Regulation 1986 (SI 1986/1078 )

 

Unfortunately the OPSI website only goes back as far as 1987 on-line so I can't link it.

[buzby]

Ta - I was trying to find stats for actual use of this as a prosecutable offence, and I can't discover any percentages!

 

Addendum:

Regulation 107(2)(a). This states that no person shall cause or permit to be on any road any motor vehicle which is not attended by a person duly licensed to drive it unless the engine is stopped and the parking brake is effectively set. Exemptions to the requirements of this Regulation as to the stopping of the engine include a fire brigade vehicle, the engine of which is being used for any fire brigade purpose.

 

The above appears to be the exception that proves the rule - the Emergency services have been given a waiver from the above regulation. But the Traffic Warden's vehicle in the OP probably doesn't cut it!

[Conniff]

Gosh - One would have thought there would be a million people clammering to help a topic like this. (mind, I can't help either, wish I could).

[sequenci]

Insurance WILL NOT pay out under any circumstances if you leave the engine running or the keys in the ignition

 

When I worked for Vodafone, The Boss of our building left their keys in the company car when he went to pay for petrol, suffice to say the car was stolen.

 

How we laughed when we found out.

[stevokenevo]

about 13/14 years ago, i received a fixed penalty for leaving my vehicle unattended with the engine running.

 

I had parked it at the door of the bakers on a saturday morning and ran in to buy rolls for breakfast, a friendly police officer walked by, opened the door and removed the keys, i was standing no more than 3 metres away and watching in disbelief.

 

I remember the charge involved 'leaving vehicle running while unattended/hand brake off'

 

the joys eh.. .. .. ..

[Pinkpegasus]

It is a £30 fine and a non endorseable ticket.

[psc945]

The only way to try and get them for the offence would be

1. To have enough witnesses to counter thier claim it did not happen,

then put in a complaint.

2. Get a traffic warden to book them (Can't see that happening)

3. Get the police to book them (very unlikely. Will just slap thier wrist)

[patdavies]

I would be tempted to make a note of the make, model amd VRM of the vehicle.

 

I would then remove the keys and deliver them to the local Police station - purely as a crime prevention measure of course!

 

Is this a traffic warden (police employed) or a parking attendant (council employed)?

[robert_harper_2000]

I heard there is a telephone number that you can ring when people drive stupidly or I suppose.... leave their engine running

[crash3903]

Insurance WILL NOT pay out under any circumstances if you leave the engine running or the keys in the ignition

 

Surely the keys need to be in the ignition to have the engine running

[Monty2007]

Surely the keys need to be in the ignition to have the engine running

 

The key ignition system could have been bypassed.

 

I leave my car running unattended outside my house on cold mornings as do many people. The risk is it gets nicked.

 

Sounds like you just want to get revenge in this case.

[patdavies]

The key ignition system could have been bypassed.

 

I leave my car running unattended outside my house on cold mornings as do many people. The risk is it gets nicked.

 

Sounds like you just want to get revenge in this case.

 

Nevertheless. it is an offence to do this on the public road.

 

On my drive, I also start the car and leave it to defrost. However, I lock it with the spare set of keys.

[HSBCrusher]

to recap.

 

a traffic warden should be obeying the law.

leaving your car running is not a good idea anyway as it could be pinched.

however, revenge is not a good thing.

[gwc1000]

Can anyone let me know if it is illegal to leave your engine running when your car is unattended? I`m pretty sure it is. The problem I have is that I live in a very small town with one traffic warden and everybody hates her. I have noticed however that when she is off duty and goes to the shop or the bank etc., she leaves her car running. If this is illegal then I can get my own back on her for all the tickets I`ve ever recieved by reporting her to the police. She is employed by the police but they all hate her aswell!

Any advice gratefully recieved.

 

I'm sure someone out there must love her.

[Just~me]

Jaffacat.

 

Do the right thing...next time you see the car running jump in and drive it away....preferably into a river. :) Ha ha ha

 

I can just see the Wardens face chasing you down the road....lol..lol..lol

 

DO IT DO IT DO IT.

 

Just~Me

[Alphagista]

Staffordshire Police,

 

Can anyone comment on whether the laws on leaving a vehicle unattended whilst the engine is running apply to situations where the vehicle is on a private drive or front garden?

[Mossycat]

Can anyone comment on whether the laws on leaving a vehicle unattended whilst the engine is running apply to situations where the vehicle is on a private drive or front garden?

 

On private land it is not an offence, however, any theft claim would still be turned down by the insurer concerned

 

Mossy

[389shell]

Mobile phone footage of this happening oh about 6 or 7 times may do the trick with the local bobbies.