Why must you idle?

all i have is a 200 watt inverter. i plug my laptop, my digi-cam battery recharger, and cell phone into it. most of the time, it's my laptop that's plugged in. my laptop requires an inverter like that because the smaller ones won't even power it.

 

I drive a 2003 T2000 and I love it. I sleep like the dead so nothing wakes me.

 

Good question REDD! Good answer too. I only idle when it's absolutly necessary for me to be comfortable enough to get my rest.

The battery charge excuse is weak in my opinion...I have a refrigerator, TV/DVD, Computer, Two cell phones and so on. Something is always using power in my truck and I only need to start it for battery charging after about three days.

I'm in a rest area on top of Donner Pass right now with the truck shut off and there's 3 or 4 other trucks here idling. The temp is about 70 and there's a nice little breeze blowing and I'm very comfortable and it isn't costing me a cent.


You hit the nail on the head though...Most company steering wheel holders don't care!

 

Some of us "company steering wheel holders" DO CARE: about the environment, about the amount of fuel we're costing our company, and perhaps MOST importantly the noise level we have to endure in order to be comfortable.

I have no AC appliances in my truck, so idling to support voltage conversion/battery charging is not an issue for me. The only thing I have running 24/7 is a Coleman® cooler (and it is [usually] off on weekends).

If outside temps are between 35-65 (perhaps even up to 75 under the right circumstances), you will not find me idling. If outside temps are >=75... I will be idling, w/ac on high. I can NOT sleep in hotter temps. Just the way I'm built.

I have no problems sleeping in temps down to 20, for 8-10 hours (w/no idling). I've a really thick coat of winter blubber, and cold doesn't bother me very much at all.

My problem was w/company policy: Temps # 15 or below we (company) require you to idle # 8,000rpm. Okay, fine; I got no problem w/that. You send me up into the cold, frozen, north country for 3 weeks. I do what you ask, but keep in mind... I'll be across the street in a nice, cozy, warm, motel room. Yes, I'll walk across the street and check on our truck a couple times a day, just to make sure it's still there, and still running (as per co. policy).

The part that gets a little fuzzy to me is where you (the company) wants to "fuss" about "high" idle times. WTF? YOU left me there in the "tundra", what was I supposed to do?

You wanna me to turn it off? Fine w/me; just gimme the go ahead. I'll do it, but I don't wanna hear no "fussing" when you gotta pay for the "jumper truck" on a road call.

It's just whatever you (company) want me to do, but don't fuss to me about idle percentage... cause guess what?!? I don't give flying-flap!

This truck I'm driving around is yours... true. BUT, I've got the rent paid! This is my home, and I'm not gonna have a heat stroke in it, nor do I plan to freeze my buns off in it.

 

The last truck i drove was a black Pete 379. when the temps were right the truck was off and a fan by one of the vents blowing cool air from the vent, however when i was where it was 114 degrees i ran the truck and stayed cool, and when it was cold i ran to stay warm, and yes it was a company truck.

 

This issue is why you will see my truck, and others, parked on on-ramps, over to the side in truckstops, anywhere where there is less of a chance someone else will park next to me. It's not that I can't back into a hole (been driving for almost 20 years, I've backed up a few times), it's that I don't want some idiot parked next to me, fast idling, when the temp is great for NOT idling.

Two other things I hate are reefers (I'ved pulled them, so I know they have to run when they have to run, but why, when there are 100 open spots, do you have to park next to a truck that is not running?), and those #### trucks equipped with "back-up beepers". Those are like a friggin' alarm clock going off! I hate the sound of my 4-ways when I am backing, those "sissy-beeps" would drive me crazy!

 

Why must you idle?


Because I'm a 53 year old woman in the grip of menopause with hot flashes and I was sitting in a truck in 115 temp. It was either idle or go kill some man. That answer it for ya?

 

I used to idle my truck for a little bit in decent weather. But I had a T.V. and a game system. The batteries could't give me enough juice to fire them up. Five minutes of idleing with everything on, and I could shut the truck down and game for hours. Hey, I sat alot. I was driving for Werner at the time, what do you expect?

Two hours seems to be a bit ridiculous if it's not real cold, or real hot. I've been all over the Empire state, and in moderately warm temps, I was always more comfortable just opening a window or two. But that's just me.