Chris Ives sent us this note regarding pollution due to idling vehicles.
A lot of big diesel trucks/diggers/contractor-vehicles in Hudson these days, installing our expensive new water/sewage systems. Do these guys ever think of not idling their stinky engines when they really don't need to? Yesterday and today I myself approached two crews and asked them why not cut the engine if you are waiting. They looked at me as if (A) I came from another planet, and (B) I was nuts to dare ask them.
In Europe you get fined for non-compliance - plain and simple. The Japanese get serious too. At red traffic lights people turn their engines off - until the lights go from red to amber (before green). At stop signs and intersections there are sometimes signs with a pictures of a cyclist or pedestrians enveloped in a cloud of exhaust. There are good scientific, economic, and commonsense reasons - never mind plain old caring for our fellow-citizens and creatures.
