Engine running!

plainsie

Can anyone please tell me how long a person can leave engine running (Legal Limit) My neighbour keeps his motorbike engine running for 30 minutes at a time every time he starts bike up. I have to close windows and get washing in because of smell. Thanks

babyshoes

I am not aware of a legal limit, but your local environmental health officer should be able to help you, as it seems that it is a nuisance to you.

vaio

Bikes don’t like running from a cold start but I’ve never had one that took more than 5 mins to warm up enough to be drivable.

I can’t think there would be a legal limit but the normal noise pollution/nuisance laws would apply.

Why does he say he needs to run it for so long?

Kilty_2

123

The Driver and the Environment. You MUST NOT leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road. Generally, if the vehicle is stationary and is likely to remain so for more than a couple of minutes, you should apply the parking brake and switch off the engine to reduce emissions and noise pollution. However it is permissible to leave the engine running if the vehicle is stationary in traffic or for diagnosing faults.

Highway code...

vaio

yep, but that's not the law and, being a bike, it's unlikely to be on the public road

anewman

It's his petrol he's wasting. At least your neighbour doesn't ride up and down the pavement and spin around tearing up public grassed areas and beep the horn repeatedly at 3am on his doorstep because his gf turfed him out after an argument yet again.

There's no legal limit on running the engine, there was talk by one council of fining people if they left their engine running while not moving - not sure if that went ahead or not. It is supposedly illegal to leave your engine running with the vehicle unattended on the public highway (so this would include pavement and roads) but I've never heard of anyone being charged for it.

It is impinging on the enjoyment of your property (by sending fumes through your windows). I'm sure if every time the wind blew in their direction and they had their washing out you set bonfires off in your garden they'd complain. I assume you have already tried to discuss the issue with the neighbour?

Tigsteroonie

I wonder if it's a short-term behaviour or likely to continue?

OH recently sold his bike on eBay but (due to insurance issues) the buyer couldn't collect for almost two weeks. Because we wanted the bike to perform well when the buyer eventually turned up, OH started the bike twice a day and ran it for 10-15 minutes each time, in our drive. Must say that I couldn't smell anything fume-wise, and we did explain the reason to both sets of neighbours, just in case the noise was bothering them.

Kilty_2

vaio wrote: »

yep, but that's not the law

Oh, I was under the impression when the Highway Code says you MUST NOT do something that it is based upon law, usually the Road Traffic Act?

I agree with the public road thing though...

mikey72

Have you spoken to him, and asked him not to do it?

plainsie

vaio wrote: »

Bikes don’t like running from a cold start but I’ve never had one that took more than 5 mins to warm up enough to be drivable.

I can’t think there would be a legal limit but the normal noise pollution/nuisance laws would apply.

Why does he say he needs to run it for so long?

Never asked. He's not very approachable.

plainsie

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

I wonder if it's a short-term behaviour or likely to continue?

OH recently sold his bike on eBay but (due to insurance issues) the buyer couldn't collect for almost two weeks. Because we wanted the bike to perform well when the buyer eventually turned up, OH started the bike twice a day and ran it for 10-15 minutes each time, in our drive. Must say that I couldn't smell anything fume-wise, and we did explain the reason to both sets of neighbours, just in case the noise was bothering them.

He's been doing it for at least a year. You sound like nice neighbours to have. Thankyou