A new bylaw on the books in Okotoks could cost residents $250 for idling their vehicles, unless of course the temperature is too hot, too cold or there is a passenger or pet inside the car.
Monday night town council approved a no idling bylaw by a vote of four to two.
The intent is to raise awareness and educate the public as to the environmental impact of unnecessary idling, but the bylaw seems a bit smoggy.
When there are so many exceptions to the rule, its effectiveness can justifiably be questioned.
Essentially, idling is okay under the bylaw if there is somebody in the vehicle.
It could be feasible for a driver to leave an adult passenger or pet in a running vehicle for an hour while running errands, but if the same vehicle were unoccupied it would be a fineable offence.
Proponents of anti-idling bylaws say they reduce pollution and conserve gas.
The environmental impact is the same whether the vehicle is occupied or not, but the rules are different.
The length of time a car can be left running depends on who’s inside, while provisions for temperature outside will add to the difficulty of enforcing the idle-free bylaw.
The idea lends itself to a cartoon image of a bylaw officer standing on the street outside local schools or in shopping centre parking lots armed with a stopwatch and thermometer.
It’s more likely reports will come over telephone lines with upset residents on the other end.
Neighbours will turn against neighbours, complaining about the vehicle next door that has been running for five or 15 minutes. By the time municipal enforcement arrives, chances are the vehicle will have pulled out of its driveway and is long gone.
There is a good chance the bylaw could result in animosity among residents and wasted time for bylaw officers.
If the intent was to educate the public, new legislation was not the right way to go.
People could learn more from social media and advertising campaigns than from being reported by the family next door. Adding a new law to the books may do more to encourage tattling than it does to prevent idling.
