There’s A Law In New Hampshire That Restricts You From Heating Up Your Car In Winter

We like to think you can get away with quite a few things here in New Hampshire. We wear flannel when we should probably be dressed slightly nicer and we have a certain way of talking that allows us to take some (ahem) liberties with the English language. But we just learned that there's one thing we've done our whole lives that we'll probably start thinking twice about! If you love hearing about weird laws in New Hampshire, get ready for a doozy.

Every year we look forward to winter with a mix of excitement and dread. It's often impossible to tell what the season might hold and the fear of freezing temps is enough to make us consider a move.

While we do love the fun activities during a New Hampshire winter, views like this one make the season feel long and arduous. When we look outside to see our cars buried beneath snow, going outside to start the car a few minutes early is a natural part of our routine. Especially considering so many of us have remote starters. But a New Hampshire law has us thinking twice about that now.

New Hampshire law (Env-A 1100) puts a limit on how long a car can idle. Idling is defined as an "engine that is burning fuel without performing work."

Most of the weird laws in New Hampshire don't impact our lives too much. For instance, when was the last time to you wanted to have a picnic in a cemetery. That's illegal, but we're happy to avoid it.

The goal is to help reduce local pollution and the impact idling has on the environment as a whole. The good news is that we do have some leeway. Unlike in some other states, New Hampshirites can idle for a period of time depending on the temperatures outside.

If the temperature is above 32º F you can legally idle for 5 minutes. Between –10º and 32º F you can idle for 15 minutes. And if temps are below –10º? Well, then you just go out there and idle for as long as you'd like. But, while you won't be ticketed, it's always nice to remember those around you and the environment.

Idling can be tempting when faced with the prospect of getting into a cold vehicle, but consider a few facts.

First, idling isn't actually a great way to warm up your engine. The best way to do this is to drive the car. Second, depending on the size of your engine 10 minutes of idling will uses the same amount of fuel as traveling five miles!

There are impacts environmentally, too. Each gallon of gas that's burned is equal to about 20 pounds of carbon dioxide which contributes to climate change.

An alternative to idling is simply not using your car! How about getting to your destination on foot and enjoying the scenery of the state?

You can learn more about the law and how long you are legally allowed to idle your car here. What are some other weird laws in New Hampshire that you might be guilty of breaking? Let us know in the comments because there's a good chance quite a few of your neighbors are breaking them too!

Now that you're thinking about car trips, we have a great one for you to put on your list. Franconia Notch State Park completely transforms every winter and its frozen beauty is unforgettable! Forget the weird laws in New Hampshire for a while to enjoy some of the great outdoors!