I only idle the engine to avoid any physical discomfort; either too cold or too hot. I don’t see why I should suffer.
If it’s too hot or humid for me to sleep then the truck idles and the A/C keeps me cool. In winter if it’s going to drop below -18c during the night, I idle, if it’s really windy out and the night heater can’t cope then I idle the truck, when I use my microwave, I idle the truck, when I wake up I start the truck as soon as my feet hit the floor, by the time I’m dressed and have made a coffee, filled out my log book etc, the engine and all its fluids are nice and warm and ready to start working hard.
I pay for my fuel and I don’t have a problem with the extra cost involved in staying warm/cool or generating electricity when I’m using my microwave or coffeemaker, my central heating, air conditioning and electricity at home are not free, so there’s no difference as far as I’m concerned.
I have another truck and I wouldn’t expect my driver to do any different to what I do myself, I asked him to idle only when necessary and I trust that he does. I’d rather pay a few quid for a bit of diesel than have a driver in a bad mood because he hasn’t had a good night’s kip and I’d definitely rather pay for a night’s Idling than a call out to start a truck with flat batteries, especially as boosting these modern engines can cause all kinds of trouble to any of the myriad of sensors and assorted electronic crap they have fitted these days.
^^ the voice of balanced reason
A lot of these foreigners parked up are Euro-trampers and live much the same kind of life on the road as long-haulers. When I was on long-haul work it was not uncommon to be parked up for two or three days or more awaiting customs clearance, back-loads etc. On slack days I did what most long-haulers did (do) and run the engine up once a day for an hour at approx. 800 rpm. Generally, I set it at a sweet spot that didn’t create vibrations.
In addition, I used to disconnect things that would run the battery down, such as the door switch that activates the cab lights. My priority was being able to start. After that, my main concern was the night-heater if it was winter. My golden rule was to stay within whatever I thought the battery could cope with; and if that meant not listening to the radio or running the cab fridge, so be it. There’s no excuse to have the engine running all night when drivers are trying to sleep.
On hot nights you get people running the engine for an hour here and there to keep the air-con going. I can’t see the point of that because as soon as you switch the A/C off, the heat of the engine warms the cab up again so you forced to switch it all back on again an hour later to run the A/C.
Unfortunately, the self-contained cab with its in-house entertainments has IMHO helped to create a generation of self-centred workmen who no longer give a stuff about anyone else sharing their truck park. Watching a back-log of Coronation Street is the priority now; not sharing a meal with the driver parked next to you, no matter where he hails from. One can only hope that a ■■■■■■■■■ of old school drivers will keep the goodwill flowing. 
Robert
robert1952:
Unfortunately, the self-contained cab with its in-house entertainments has IMHO helped to create a generation of self-centred workmen who no longer give a stuff about anyone else sharing their truck park. Watching a back-log of Coronation Street is the priority now; not sharing a meal with the driver parked next to you, no matter where he hails from. One can only hope that a ■■■■■■■■■ of old school drivers will keep the goodwill flowing.Robert
Unfortunately Robert, the drivers of yester year don’t exist, going into an old transport Café 20+ years ago was an education, and allways entertaining, but unless its someone I know, or work with, and can bare being in the company of for more than 5 minutes, I gives cafes or truckstops a swerve. These muppets are so up themselves, and regurgitate the RDC bs they hear, and expect you to be impressed, when in fact, you sit there wondering how long it takes to make eggs and chip, and more importantly, how quick can you eat it.
Heard it all before now get out of My face, you don’t know Richard Branson personaly, you’ve not had cones put around your truck on a bay(unless at an ice cream factory) you weren’t first to late for the Herald, you weren’'t in the SAS, you didn’t have a ■■■■■■■■■ with Abbey Clancy and Hayden Panettiere 
, but can I have their numbers, or what ever else you think I’m that gullable to believe 
Now Robert, do you really want to spend time with this type of character
I get tired when you find a good spot in the truck services,there are plenty of spaces but you will allways get another hgv pull up beside you and sit there with his/her engine running,i pull in for maybe some shut eye [15 to 30min]or just sit and read a paper,or just some peace and quiet from the sound of the engine,but guarantee another driver will allways pull up and sit with his engine running on idle,i know what it is,its a conspiracy against me ,they wait for me to pull up and then move from another space and park beside me, lol
truckman020:
I get tired when you find a good spot in the truck services,there are plenty of spaces but you will allways get another hgv pull up beside you and sit there with his/her engine running,i pull in for maybe some shut eye [15 to 30min]or just sit and read a paper,or just some peace and quiet from the sound of the engine,but guarantee another driver will allways pull up and sit with his engine running on idle,i know what it is,its a conspiracy against me ,they wait for me to pull up and then move from another space and park beside me, lol
I get it too. Pull up at a set of lights and some git pulls up right beside you. You’re right, it’s a bloody conspiracy !
Freight Dog:
bazza123:
ajt:
mike68:
It does an engine no good whatsoever to leave it idling, before or after use, an engine will never warm up unless it is under load and modern oil will protect a spinning turbo when the the engine stops, as has been said look at the handbook.You often see club plant pot having a 45 with the engine running.
A modern engine does not need warming up but of course a engine will still warm up from cold if idling. Look at your temperature gauge on your car go up the longer it idles.
The issues agaisnt idling are for environmental reasons, pollution and effecting mpg rather than engine wear.
As for cooling a Turbo, I think the reasons are more about lack of lubrication by oil not flowing through it if the engine is cut before the Turbo has coolled.
People here are using idling to charge the battery. This shouldn’t be a issue if the batteries are fine and a better way to do it is just check the voltage on the dash when using electrical items.
The turbo cooling subject was discussed on here before at some length. To my mind, two minutes seems far too long - the turbo isn’t turning at 400,000 rpm lol. Surely 20 seconds or so should be enough? Freight Dog what about jet engines? I’ve seen videos of helicopters landing and then immediately switching off.
Evidence for it seems to be apocryphal “we’ve always done it that way”. I wonder what a turbine engineer would say??
I know on the railway for years people let locomotives tick over all night - they were running for days on end, especially in winter, as there was a worry they wouldn’t restart! Many places now have a shut down rule to prevent pollution.
On the GEnX, 3 mins at idle thrust. 6 mins if used idle-up reverse on touch down. It’s not to do with oil cooling on the engines. It’s to allow uniform radial cooling of the N1 and N2 rotor shafts to avoid a bow. 3 mins is all it takes to uniform them down after 11 hours followed by some reverse, and they’re very very large turbofans
Ok thanks for that. Eleven hours! Fuel consumption must be massive! 
This post brings back memories, I parked on Toddington services one night in a plastic duck (AKA OLD ERF) the day heater was crap because there were so many holes in the front and the night heater never worked, used to drive along with a blanket over your legs lol, but when stationary the heater warmed the cab up lovely so when I parked up I left it running for a bit but fell asleep, woke up the next morning engine still running and not a soul was parked anywhere near me lol
eddie snax:
Now Robert, do you really want to spend time with this type of character
robinhood_1984:
Parked up last night in Quebec and it was -24’c. Started my diesel generator and it seemed to be keeping up with the temp and blowing warm air in to the cab so I turned the main engine off. Woke up some time in the night and the outside temp had dropped below -30 and the bloody generator was blowing in rather cold air. Wish I’d left the engine running now.
The generator does a great job of keeping the motor from freezing and keeps the batteries 100% charged etc but when it gets that cold it struggles to generate enough heat for a comfortable nights sleep.
pffff than nowt try parking on top of shap in winter