• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Wellesley Square
  • Deland, Gibson Insurance Athlete of the Week
  • Camp
  • Private schools, sponsored by Riverbend
  • Business index
  • Contribute
  • Eat
  • Schools
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Kids
  • About us
  • Events
  • Natick Report
  • Seniors
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters to the editor
  • Live government meetings
  • Raiders sports schedules & results
  • Fire & police scanner
  • 2023 Town Election
 
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Idling in Wellesley could now cost you $15

September 1, 2020 by Bob Brown 7 Comments

The Wellesley Board of Selectmen on Monday approved an amendment to the town’s traffic regulations to include an anti-idling violation that would mirror a state rule but result in a $15 ticket rather than a $100 fine. This would in theory make it more palatable for cops to ticket idlers (or initially, give a warning) in a way that is more educational than punitive.

“That’s not to say if somebody deserves the $100 ticket they won’t get it,” Wellesley Police Chief Jack Pilecki told the Board of Selectmen.

The proposal was brought forth in July by Pilecki and a couple of the town’s sustainability movers and shakers.

no idling sign schofield school
Schofield Elementary School idle-free zone

 

The town will launch an educational campaign before the new ticketing would go info effect. Anti-idling warnings will be printed out, similar to those given for all-night parking violations.

There might be some exceptions to the rules, such as vehicles that need to keep their engines running (possibly refrigerated grocery trucks).

Wellesley has been discouraging people from idling their vehicles in town for years now, whether it’s at schools, supermarket parking lots or the Recycling & Disposal Facility. Signs warning against idling have been installed at the schools, where cars waited in long lines pre-COVID-19.  Students giving out flowers and flyers have pleaded with those in line at the middle school to stop idling in the name of human and environmental health. The Natural Resources Commission has installed signs near its properties to ward off idling, as it emphasizes that vehicle exhaust has been linked to increases in allergies, asthma, cancer and other conditions among children.

You can catch the brief discussion about this new rule at about the 1-hour, 20-minute mark of the Wellesley Media recording of the Board of Selectmen meeting.


  • Subscribe to Swellesley’s daily email
  • Please consider contributing to Swellesley to sustain our independent journalism venture
print

Filed Under: Environment, Police

Comments

  1. Susan Morris says

    September 1, 2020 at 5:22 pm

    Bob & Deborah – thanks for writing about the new idling traffic regulation. Your mention of it brings attention to the issue which is really helpful. And Phyllis & I appreciate being referred to as “a few of the towns movers and shakers” 🙂

    Reply
  2. Carol says

    September 1, 2020 at 6:38 pm

    This idling issue is a good thing. What I’d like to see now is for the illegal turning off of Rt16 into the Whole Foods parking lot. There are numerous signs indicating DO NOT ENTER and POLICE TAKE NOTICE. I have yet to see anyone get ticketed for making this illegal turn. I can’t count high enough for the number of times I have driven by there and almost got totaled due to some idiot making this illegal turn from both directions on Rt16. Does the right person have to be injured or killed due to this before that exit is closed or reverse puncture grids are installed to stop this.

    Reply
  3. Carol says

    September 1, 2020 at 6:44 pm

    When will the illegal turning off of Rt16 into the Whole Foods parking lot be stopped? There are numerous signs indicating DO NOT ENTER and POLICE TAKE NOTICE. I have yet to see anyone get ticketed for making this illegal turn. I can’t count high enough for the number of times I have driven by there and almost got totaled coming through the light due to some idiot in front of me jacking up on the brakes or cutting me or others off crossing traffic to make this illegal turn from both directions on Rt16. Even cutting across Rt16 to go to or coming from the Mobil station. Does the right person have to be injured or killed due to this before that exit is closed or reverse puncture grids are installed to stop this? That place is a fatality in the making.

    Reply
  4. M Geyer says

    September 2, 2020 at 7:44 am

    I object to you referring to our town’s wonderful police as cops. Really hit a nerve with me!

    Reply
    • Bob Brown says

      September 2, 2020 at 12:05 pm

      Thanks for bringing this up. I’d be surprised if Wellesley police find this term offensive since they use it themselves for events such as their annual “Coffee with a Cop.” Meanwhile, I won’t be offended if I’m referred to as a hack rather than a journalist.

      Reply
  5. John Jones says

    September 3, 2020 at 8:48 am

    Does no idling apply to “cops” in Swellesley? They seem to be the biggest offenders of this rule.

    Reply
    • Bob Brown says

      September 3, 2020 at 9:16 am

      I actually raised that question when we first wrote about this. There are exceptions to this rule, and they will be spelled out. Chief Pilecki told me: “We are asking our officers to shut off the cruiser engine when possible and practicable. There are a few issues with this. The computers in the cruisers time out and shut off after a certain amount of time, as does the radio they use to communicate with dispatch. And clearly if they are running radar it can be problematic to have to start the cruiser when you are trying to get out into traffic and stop someone.”

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisements:

Linden Square, Wellesley
 
EXPLO, Wellesley

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Advertisements

Wellesley Square, Wellesley Merchants
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Beacon Hill Athletic Club, Wellesley
Fay School, Southborough
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Wellesley Theatre Project
Volvo
Cheesy Street Grill
Mature Caregivers
Admit Fit, Wellesley
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Most Read Posts

  • Sign up now for summer camp in Wellesley (and beyond)
  • Before you dump that box of Pokémon cards at the Wellesley Give & Take...
  • Live music coming to Wellesley's Lockheart Restaurant
  • State to Wellesley: Not so fast on mediation over school contract
  • Rep. Peisch to address 1 of the great mysteries: How our laws are made

Upcoming Events

Feb 3
Featured Featured 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sara Campbell winter warehouse sale

Feb 4
Featured Featured 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sara Campbell winter warehouse sale

Feb 4
10:30 am - 12:30 pm

League of Women Voters of Wellesley public meeting with State Rep. Alice Peisch

Feb 4
11:00 am - 12:30 pm

The Massachusetts Legislative Process: How Our Laws Are Made

Feb 4
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

The Wellesley Choral Society concert: “Music from the Silver Screen”

View Calendar

Popular pages

  • Wellesley’s 2023 Boston Marathon charity runners
  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads

Recent Comments

  • Raiders2002 on Wellesley educators walk out of school as contract negotiations drag on
  • David B on Does Wellesley need a new traffic light? Slow down before you drive to any conclusions
  • LADY WELLESLEY on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Peggy Heffernan on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Beth Dublin on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue

Links we like

  • Danny's Place
  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (24)
  • 2023 Town Election (3)
  • Animals (428)
  • Antiques (49)
  • Art (592)
  • Beyond Wellesley (52)
  • Books (376)
  • Business (1,558)
  • Camp (11)
  • Careers/jobs (53)
  • Churches (82)
  • Clubs (236)
  • Construction (300)
  • Dump (131)
  • Education (3,190)
    • Babson College (252)
    • Bates Elementary School (18)
    • Dana Hall School (36)
    • Fiske Elementary School (11)
    • Hardy Elementary School (47)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (46)
    • MassBay (57)
    • Schofield Elementary School (26)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (2)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (11)
    • Upham Elementary School (35)
    • Wellesley College (613)
    • Wellesley High School (996)
    • Wellesley Middle School (204)
  • Embracing diversity (84)
  • Entertainment (815)
  • Environment (773)
  • Fashion (144)
  • Finance (15)
  • Fire (173)
  • Food (358)
  • Fundraising (641)
  • Gardens (164)
  • Government (607)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
    • 2022 Town Election (15)
  • Health (866)
    • COVID-19 (203)
  • Hikes (6)
  • History (400)
  • Holidays (440)
  • Houses (162)
  • Humor (47)
  • Kids (867)
  • Law (8)
  • Legal notices (10)
  • Letters to the Editor (73)
  • Media (72)
  • METCO (4)
  • Military (13)
  • Morses Pond (109)
  • Music (581)
  • Natick Report (30)
  • Neighbors (280)
  • Obituaries & remembrances (86)
  • Outdoors (656)
  • Parenting (63)
  • Police (778)
    • Crime (395)
  • Politics (555)
  • POPS Senior Profile (10)
  • RDF (7)
  • Real estate (344)
  • Religion (138)
  • Restaurants (340)
  • Safety (155)
  • Scouts (2)
  • Seniors (127)
  • Shopping (163)
  • Sponsored (6)
  • Sports (1,013)
    • Athlete of the Week (12)
  • STEM (108)
  • Technology (165)
  • Theatre (397)
  • Town Meeting (23)
  • Transportation (240)
  • Travel (17)
  • Uncategorized (1,244)
  • Volunteering (350)
  • Weather (179)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (281)
  • Wellesley Holiday Gift Guide (2)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (20)

© 2023 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login