Proposed Idling Law Irks Readers

While Deerfield’s Sustainability Commission further studies ways to control the idling of motor vehicles, citizens wasted no time letting their elected officials know how they feel with comments on Patch.

Much of the commentary was critical and some was constructive but not one person gave a wholehearted endorsement to the idea as of 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Now Patch is giving people another opportunity to voice their opinions with a poll.

The most criticized practice by a number of trustees like and was behavior of school bus drivers both for Deerfield High School and District 109. Readers shared the sentiment.

“District 109 and Olsen Bus Co. definitely need to do something about those idling buses,” Aloha5 wrote. “They sit for many, many hours with their engines running at Maplewood Park....polluting the air for those at the playground and the surrounding homes.”

KT criticized the Board for using the issue to seek monetary gain. The reader sees an infringement on individual rights.

“I am so tired of the Village trying to monitor our behavior for their monetary gain,” KT wrote. “Our personal freedoms are at risk. All the sources of revenue that they create are negative. Change is created through positive communication and action, not by punishing us for waiting for our children to get in the car.”

Steve Shay wants other forms of pollution addresses.

“I would urge the Sustainability Commission to do more research as it will learn that the two major sources of automobile pollution come from tires and from washing your car, as the tread and toxic solvents enter the sewer system and eventually our ground water, lakes and rivers,” Shay wrote. “The idling law would have no effect on these two sources.”

Please let Patch and the rest of Deerfield know what you think. The results will be published Monday. We will publish some comments as well.