TURN IT OFF ALREADY



OK, enough already. Fitzgerald’s Bicycles is ready to stop going easy on our customers. There are certain behaivors you can get away with elsewhere… but not here! TURN OFF YOUR BIG ASS TRUCK (or any other vehicle you drive) when you come to our shop. I don’t care if you’re just “running in”. When have you ever been able to get in and out of Fitzgerald’s all that quickly anyway? What do you think this is, Starbucks? And if we see you leaving your car running while you “just run in” for your heartless, corporate, killing the local coffee shop orange moca frappachino half caf we’ll give you a hard time too! Get off your high horse and read the Quiz below…

Car Idling Quiz
Q1. Idling is good for your vehicle because it warms up the engine and keeps it warm. True or false?

FALSE: Idling can actually be hard on an engine because fuel doesn’t undergo complete combustion, and some fuel residues condense on cylinder walls.

Q2. Idling is needed on cold winter days to ensure that all of the vehicle’s parts are warm. True or false?

FALSE: Many components of the vehicle – including the wheel bearings, tires and suspension system – will warm up only when the vehicle is moving. You need to idle no more than 30 seconds to get the oil circulating through the engine.

Q3. Using a block heater helps an engine warm up quickly, which means less fuel consumption and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. True or false?

TRUE: Block heaters can be a fuel-saving device because they heat the engine block and lubricants. This means that the engine will start more easily and reach its peak operating temperature faster. A block heater needs to be plugged in for only a couple of hours (instead of overnight) to do its job.

Q4. It’s a good practice to shut off the engine (except when in traffic) when your vehicle is going to be stopped for more than:
10 seconds
3 minutes
8 minutes

More than 10 seconds of idling can use more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it.

Q5. Restarting my car many times, rather than letting it idle, is hard on the starter and other parts. True or false?

FALSE: Studies show that restarting the engine many times has little impact on components such as the battery and the starter motor