Drive-Throughs Of Mass Destruction!

IdleThis!
Lotusland


The most eclectic and eccentric Great Auntie Bertha asks a most excellent series of questions:

Vancouver has a bylaw that limits idling one's car to no more than 3 minutes.

How many tickets could bylaw enforcement issue if they just stood at drive-through windows?

How much more CO2 do we release into the air every time we use the drive-through window instead of parking the vehicle and going inside to purchase our fast food and drink?

Is it really faster to use the drive-through? How would the environment benefit if all drive-through usage ceased?


Which got me to thinking about this time the girls and I pulled into the parking lot of the Arcata California Motel 6 late one summer evening not so long ago.

After we checked in I walked across the street to the local Carl's Jr so that I could pump my kids full of hormones and antibiotics (just this once!) while they watched old Cosby Show re-runs on that TVLand thing (just this once or twice!).

I mean, there was no reason to re-fire up the VW (not-so)Microbus with the canoe-on-top just to go across the street to the all-night drive through, right?

Wrong.

Because when I walked up to the empty window they refused to take my order.

It was against security regulations to serve hamburgers to ambulatory amblers I was told, repeatedly, before they finally threatened to call the local constabulary.

While it was never made clear to me whether or not this edict came from Homeland Security, I could not help but wonder if it had more to do with discouraging homeless people than curtailing the activities of terrorists and/or gangbangers.

Regardless, I'm with GAB when she says:

I will never use another drive-through. I challenge all who read this to make the same commitment. Our environment deserves it.


'Nuff said, eccentric or otherwise.

OK?



.