Turning engine off at lights

[Kylie]

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I was in your beautiful country, I loved it very much and parts remind me of home (New Zealand). At the time we were encouraged to cut the engine at lights in Central Bern. Is this still the case ? I just found that rather odd at first.

[UltimaCH]

Yes, it was a recommendation dating back many years and at a time cars didn't have cats and other electronic devices to diminish pollution.
Now they recommend it to cut down emission of CO2 and lower petrol consumption.

What next....

[WelshBoyo]

Turning off your engine is also necessary in any type of Traffic (not just at red lights) and especially in Tunnels, but then that kind of makes sense.

The latest is not to reverse into parking spaces! Yep apparently this causes more noise and more pollution. Seen a few signs in our local supermarket carpark for this one like WTF?

[Roop]

I find the Swiss consumers (well, Swiss Romande, anyway) incredibly hypocritical when it comes to green issues. Seems that being green is all well and good until :

a) It costs them some money, at which point the green option is quickly dropped.
b) It infringes on their choice of owning a car with a petrol V8, of which there are a LOT.

Even the guy at our local déchetterie (recycling centre) when quizzed what happens to our carefully sorted paper, garden waste, etc repliedc "Ah, they just incinerate it".

[ChrisMCoupe]

WelshBoyo said:

The latest is not to reverse into parking spaces! Yep apparently this causes more noise and more pollution. Seen a few signs in our local supermarket carpark for this one like WTF?

I love this Swiss ludicrousy Going forwards into a space (especially with a long bonnet and a tight carpark) will usually require a couple of manouvers to get straight. Reversing in should be one swift manouver. Although maybe the rule was just for women, in that case forwards is best

[AndrewD]

ChrisMCoupe said:

Reversing in should be one swift manouver. Although maybe the rule was just for women, in that case forwards is best

Uh oh! You did see the OP is called "Kylie"? I'm told she takes no prisoners so it was nice knowing you Chris

[ChrisMCoupe]

You had to quote me too, so even a sneaky edit wont save me

[Roop]

ChrisMCoupe said:

You had to quote me too, so even a sneaky edit wont save me

Don't even try to escape in your car as K's is faster

See ya...! Wouldn't wanna be ya...!

[sleep envy]

Roop said:

Even the guy at our local déchetterie (recycling centre) when quizzed what happens to our carefully sorted paper, garden waste, etc repliedc "Ah, they just incinerate it".

not the only country that they do that

the LA are just getting the public into the mindset of sorting refuse until they have the facilities/money to recycle the materials

[ChrisMCoupe]

Roop said:

ChrisMCoupe said:

You had to quote me too, so even a sneaky edit wont save me

Don't even try to escape in your car as K's is faster

See ya...! Wouldn't wanna be ya...!

Don't tell anyone, but i'm actually a scum of the earth, tree hugging, lycra wearing cyclist at the moment as don't have my car here. It's not looking good for me!

Love the 3 door Cossie btw

[JMGS4]

sleep envy said:

Roop said:

Even the guy at our local déchetterie (recycling centre) when quizzed what happens to our carefully sorted paper, garden waste, etc repliedc "Ah, they just incinerate it".

not the only country that they do that

the LA are just getting the public into the mindset of sorting refuse until they have the facilities/money to recycle the materials

Or here where they actually expect us to sort the glass acording to colour. Did that until I saw them emptying it all together in the collection truck. One of the local bin-nazis at the collection station got all uptight and said he'd report me because I refused to sort so I told him that the sorting is done at the galssworks with light barriers so there's no need to sort it at all... that shut the 4ker up!!!

[Kylie]

ChrisMCoupe said:

You had to quote me too, so even a sneaky edit wont save me

I know where u live, try and sleep tonight if u can....

[Kylie]

UltimaCH said:

Yes, it was a recommendation dating back many years and at a time cars didn't have cats and other electronic devices to diminish pollution.

What next....

aha I see, it was about 10 yrs ago I was there, gosh time flys! The whole not being able to reverse into parks is stupid, u have to reverse to get out ??? Don't see the point of that rule.

[Kylie]

AndrewD said:

Uh oh! You did see the OP is called "Kylie"? I'm told she takes no prisoners so it was nice knowing you Chris

no I promise I am a nice girl. Or perhaps I'm just the type yr mother told to avoid

[Fuchs]

I heard that they didnt like you reversing into spaces because when you start up again you might dirty the wall with any dirt that comes out of your exhaust pipe........

[krallicious]

As much as I love Switzerland it is these little rules I will not miss. Having said that I cannot wait to, hopefully, find another job there asap!

[so called]

I seem to think that driving into the parking space requires reversing out and vica versa or am I just being argumentative ? (unless some strange Swiss fairy turns your car round for you while your away).

I used to work in Solothurn and simply ignored these various rules with the apologetic " sorry, I'm English" retort.

[Whitean3]

WelshBoyo said:

The latest is not to reverse into parking spaces! Yep apparently this causes more noise and more pollution. Seen a few signs in our local supermarket carpark for this one like WTF?

My wife said something about this as I reversed into a space in an underground car park at Migros- kind of due to pollution: you're not supposed to do it because the exhaust gasses/soot etc. mark the car park wall. And of course, it's difficult putting your shopping in the boot!

No problem for me- my boot is at the front and I don't care if I leave two beautifully symmetrical exhaust marks on the concrete...

[chandrew]

Of course Roadcraft suggests that you should reverse into a car parking space, as you then get a better view when pulling out (and reversing into a space without other moving vehicles is safer than reversing into potential moving traffic).

But then we live in a country where minor speed infringements where conditions allow are punished severely, but nobody seems to mind when children are standing on rear seats with their torso sticking out of open windows.