New York City doesn't do this for "even the slightest infractions at all times".

The idling regulations are based on real harm, and the reporting requirements include things like recording video to prove that the car you're reporting didn't start idling in the last 5 seconds, but has, in fact, been doing that for 3 minutes or longer, or 1 minute or longer adjacent to a school.

More info here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/environment/idling-citizens-air...

You have to actually submit a 3:01 (or 1:01) minute video as part of the report for that to be actionable.

And, yes, I would really, really want to live in a society where unnecessary idling is not allowed. And if I was living next to a street corner where that happens regularly, I would be on that street corner recording videos any time I'd have free time, and more, if I had babies, who are especially vulnerable to air pollution, living with me.