‘Puffing’ During an Artic Blast is Illegal in Texas
(Tyler, Texas) - It is cold across East Texas. It's especially cold as we head out to make our commute to work each morning. No one likes to sit in the car for a few minutes with our teeth chattering waiting for the cab to heat up or the window to defrost.
A common practice is to go outside a few minutes before leaving to let the car warm up before heading out. This allows time for the window to clear and to have a nice comfy cab to sit in after getting blasted by the cold air outside. Thing is, there is a way that doing this can net a misdemeanor charge and fine in Texas.
"Puffing" is Illegal in Texas
The common practice of letting out vehicle warm up without us inside the car is called "puffing." This is in reference to the smoke that can come out of the tailpipe due to the warm air of the engine hitting the cold air outside. While it does make that morning commute a little more comfortable, it is illegal in Texas.
I'm going to preface this by saying that your local police department is not driving through neighborhoods looking to see if someone is warming their car up without them inside it just to write a ticket. However, if you do leave the keys in your vehicle, leave it unlocked and go back inside to let it warm up and someone steals your vehicle, that's where the fine could be written up.
Punishment for "Puffing" in Texas
It is a Class C misdemeanor and a $500 fine if you leave your car running, unlocked and unattended (nbcdfw.com). So yes, if you stop at a convenience store, hop out of your car and leave it running to go inside and grab a soda and someone steals your vehicle, you could get a ticket.
The best thing to do is to either have automatic start installed on your vehicle or just wait inside your vehicle for the few minutes it takes to warm up the engine and/or clear the windshield before leaving.
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