# Police officers leaving their cars turned on **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 31, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-officers-leaving-their-cars-turned-on/617405 "2012-03-31T19:23:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-officers-leaving-their-cars-turned-on/617405/21 "2013-10-09T04:18:26Z")
> [@realBKW](#): > > No time wasted starting the car but more importantly no risk of NOT being able to start the car… A properly maintained car starts every time, consuming ~ 2 seconds. If through inadequate maintenance it won’t, failure to start is by no means the only failure mode. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-officers-leaving-their-cars-turned-on/617405/22 "2013-10-09T10:29:35Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > A properly maintained car starts every time, consuming ~ 2 seconds. If through inadequate maintenance it won’t, failure to start is by no means the only failure mode. IME, as an aircraft mechanic, A properly maintained car is **more likely** to start then an inadequately maintained one. Maintenance IS important, but it does **NOT guaranty** that the car will start. I agree that inadequate maintenance causes all sorts of failures and should be avoided at all costs. Now if my Family is in need of a LEO, I want them there **NOW**! I do not care about the fuel costs. Police cars can idle for 24/7 as far as I am concerned. IMHO, emergency personnel should not have to worry about fuel costs. I say this as a US taxpayer. Some things are priceless. Having Fire and Police protection are two of them. I say this as a fellow who often is out of range of both of these. I live far enough out that it may take one to three hours for either one to get to where I am. In most cases that will be to late. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-officers-leaving-their-cars-turned-on/617405.md?page=1)