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Rant: Clueless Populace

Discussion in 'Environmental Discussion' started by SageBrush, Jun 17, 2011.

  1. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    I live in the SW United States, and it was hot today. 100F in the shade, and no relief until 8pm. I parked at Harbor Freight (a tools store) facing southwest, opened the windows for ventilation, and put up the heat shield. Then I looked around and realized not one other car had cracked the windows or put a shield. One truck was parked with the engine running.

    Next up was Lowes, only this time I wondered through a better part of the lot. One car was parked southward and had a heat shield; all the other cars were set for maximum greenhouse effect.

    Expensive, wasteful, uncomfortable, damaging -- you name it, my locals are yokels. And it is not as if one has to be able to add or subtract to avoid being this stupid.

    Keep this in mind the next time a survey purports to show the 'greening' of America.
     
  2. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    We love you too Sage.:rolleyes:
     
  3. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    100 in the shade and no shade? I would have left the car in Ready, windows closed, screen OFF, Park. Lock the doors with the mechanical key.

    I remember back when the Highway Patrol first got air conditioning in their cars. Some people thought air conditioning was too much of a luxury to provide every policeman with it. On the other hand, the thought of dealing with a policeman who just got out of his oven temperature cruiser carried the day...
     
  4. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    +1, I want cops to be so comfortable that they don't want to stop and get out of their car to talk to me.
     
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  5. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    K9 cars have special features and electronics added (including a temp alarm) to make sure the dogs don't get overheated. If you ever see a CHP Crown Vic K9 car, notice the louvered vents in the hood - it is so the car can idle for extended periods with the AC on.
     
  6. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    There's no such thing as common sense. If sense were common, more people would have some.
     
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  7. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    But in fairness? People have a right to treat their legally parked car any way they want.

    In the summer, I try to remember to use my heatshield, and crack my windows for numerous reasons. To protect the interior, keep the internal temperature of the cabin down, and only one of the reasons is because I know that also when I return to the automobile and actually drive...I can use less resources cooling down the vehicle.

    It seems to me if someone decideds or forgets to place a heatshield and crack a window, in an empty car...the only real "crime" would be if they return, get in the vehicle and then roll down the windows and blast the air conditioning to rapidly reduce temperature....

    You can decide, to suffer a little..and let the vehicle cool down slower....burning your hands and butt...is a real good way for this general populace to learn to use a heatshield.

    If I forget...and I admit I have forgotten on occasion, I will often upon returning to my vehicle open all the windows, and doors and simply wait a few minutes...the vehicle is not as "cool" as it may of been had I remembered to use the heatshield and crack the window but neither am I driving off in the rolling equivalent of the 7th circle of Hell....

    My use of a heatshield is probably admittedly more with a desire to protect a mostly plastic interior from UV damage than it is to avoid the greenhouse affect within my vehicle.

    Admittedly also? I live in the NW...so blasting hot days of Devils Anvil like sun are also rare....So the periods when I feel I have to routinely use a Heatshield are also usually well defined and rare..
     
  8. Corwyn

    Corwyn Energy Curmudgeon

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    Really? Even if it pollutes my air? And Sagebrush's water? And melts glaciers that flood your house? And uses fuel that could feed starving people?

    Besides, it isn't about rights. It is about stupidity.
     
  9. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    I don't use a heatshield or anything. But I dont used HVAC at all in my car. When I get in, I roll down the windows and drive. The only time the AC is on is when it needs to defrost and even then there has only been once that the fog came back after wiping it away so I actually needed to use it...
     
  10. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    You should run your AC at least once a month for couple of minutes. It's good for the seals.
     
  11. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    But that will lower my mpg by like 0.0001%! :D
     
  12. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Do it when you are going downhill and need more braking than regen will give you.:D
     
  13. MJFrog

    MJFrog Active Member

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    Along with the seals, it's good for Otters, Manatees, and Sea Lions too. And if you set it at Max, the Penguins like it as well!

    :yo:
     
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  14. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    I can't get my wife to use the sun shield. I like to use it for fear the panel electronix might get fried. Maybe if I tell her better MPG...
     
  15. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Yes, and to avoid a debate over exactly how much polluting of air or melting of glaciers a legally but unrunning, parked vehicle without cracked windows and a sunshield is likely to create...

    I'd say in general society allows a degree of freedom in the form of potential stupidity. It's not illegal to park your empty car without a sunshield nor with the windows uncracked...

    I avoid it. I recommend both actions. But what is the alternative? Laws making it illegal?

    Do you really want automobiles with self cracking windows and sunshield useage alarms? Would you really want a world where you could return to your vehicle to find a ticket for "Not placing a sunshield in your windshield"?
     
  16. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Common sense is indeed very common, it's just not the fountain of wisdom that some like to think it is.

    "Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen."

    --Albert Einstein (attributed)
     
  17. dbcassidy

    dbcassidy Toyota Hybrid Nation, 8 Million Strong

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    How about laws making stupidity and lacking common sense illegal?

    This could be a new source of revenue for state and the federal governments!!!

    Just think, this could be a new way to balance the budgets and deal with reducing the deficits!!

    DBCassidy
     
  18. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    Cute... really cute. :D
     
  19. Corwyn

    Corwyn Energy Curmudgeon

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    How about a culture which ridicules such idiots? Laws aren't the only way to get things done.
     
  20. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    To paraphrase R. Heinlin, "One man's common sense is another man's belly laugh"