So, VT and Ma have passed laws making it legal to break the windows of any car containing an animal in danger, well, we now have two prii in the driveway so that summers we can travel with the dogs, the prii are great, just leave them on with the air conditioning running and the dogs are safe and comfortable, but now some wingnut is going to be a problem sooner than later, I'm suggesting priuschat offer window stickers for sale that are rather professional looking and state that the animals are safe, and the car is running, "don't harm the car"
In cold States like yours & a couple of our former states, many people in the wintertime leave the motor running just so they can make sure the car will be running when they get back to it. Otherwise after a while - and a low 12v battery -it might not even start - Not so in MA? .
General Laws: CHAPTER 90, Section 16A Running the air conditioning is an associate power need other than movement, no? I suspect you could argue that keeping the 12 volt battery charged is also such an associate power need, but if you failed in that argument, the logic is likely that you should fix your crap if it's not able to stay running in winter.
Best practice: park in shade leave windows down enough for air or dogs on secured leashes with windows all the way down Some busy-body did call the police when our BMW was plugged in, under parking garage shade, and windows down to just 1-2 inches. Our dogs are terrified of the 'glass' that seems to move on its own ... to them. With our BMW i3-REx: getting out of car turns it off ... unless the seat belt remains buckled if dogs are in locked car, the alarm system detects their motion and the alarm goes off removing the key while car is on has not been tested, yet Bob Wilson
i don't think modern cars need to be left running to keep the 12v from dying, but we only get down to single digits for short periods of time, and rarely below zero. maybe there are accommodations for states with serious cold. i believe the law is to reduce air pollution. when i was a kid, everyone left their car running except when parked for a few hours or more.
wait .... the REx has a mechanical key ? I've never looked inside at either of the 2 REX's we have @ work - but what with carbon fiber tech & all - I'd have never guessed old mechanical key tech. Does the ICE start with a prius-like MG arrangement? .
Never a good idea to leave your pets in locked car with AC on. Systems break and you could lose your dogs very quickly. I read every yr. about a sheriff's deputy losing his k-9 DOG because the AC quit working. How would you feel?
I'd feel horrible if something happened to my silver lab. If it were my wife's yappy little Chihuahua .... I might have mixed feelings .
