View Full Version : New Technological Breakthrough!
It snowed here Saturday night. And today is... lemme see... WEDNESDAY? #So explain to me why some people's cars are still covered in snow, like a damn Abominable Snowman with four wheels!
Just this morning, I saw some lady in a Saturn (yeah I know, you usually don't see MEN driving Saturns) whose back window was 100% covered with snow. If she's waiting for the Spring Thaw, it might be a while. Perhaps she'd be interested in the latest Car Window Maintenance Technology: It's sometimes called a "scraper."
"Scrapers" come in a tantalizing array of sizes and shapes. Some are small and have a handle that fits neatly in the palm of the user's hand. Some are "Extender Units" with long handles, and may be used to scrape windows on larger vehicles. But both work great! I could show you some fascinating "before and after" photos of cars that HAD snow-covered windows, but after using this highly specialized device, one could HARDLY TELL snow had been on the window at all!
Here's another winner: I got behind this lady doing about 30 mph in a 50 mph zone. Looking through her back window, I could see that her windshield was REALLY frosted up. Not sure if she pulled out of her driveway like that, or if it frosted as she was driving. Either way, it was clear (ha ha!) that she had the visibility of Stevie Wonder driving through a heavy fog at midnight -- with his headlights off. So I got to thinkin' -- Would it have really wrecked her day to clear that windshield before driving off? Did it ever occur to her to pull off the road (there were many places where she could have safely done that) and apply a little of the above Windshield Maintenance Technology?
Might be best if we ALL just stayed off the frickin' road until Spring.
Out.
KF0RT
02-02-2005, 06:55 PM
I saw my first carbeque of the season the other day. I guess if scraping it off doesn't work, it can always be melted.
w2wtf
02-02-2005, 08:52 PM
I place an old sheet over the back and front windows the night before, pull 'em off and away you go. Or you can be like my idiot neighbor and pour steaming hot water on your windshield to melt the ice. (watching someone with a 9th grade education trying to melt ice off thier windshield....priceless)
K6UEY
02-02-2005, 09:26 PM
Here in the valley in Northern Kalifornia we do have temperatures down below freezing, but we don't have the problems with snow.
One of the popular schemes the ladies (and some men) have been using is to start the car in the driveway and let it run to warm up while they prepare to leave for work.
Surprising to most,when they exit to get into their vehicle,it is no where to be found http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif .
Thieves have had a bountiful season this winter,I think the city of Sacramento has the proud distinction of haveing MORE auto thefts than any city of this size.
In most cases it was found the cars with the motor running,were not even locked,much too much temptation for even the beginner thief. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
In many of the cases the vehicle was found abandon down town. Speculation was being cold,juveniles did not want to walk so they Borrowed the car to get down town. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
k6pme
02-02-2005, 10:48 PM
Having lived most of my life in the Sierra's I can tell you about snow. Sometimes when you get up in the morning there will 4 feet of the fresh stuff. I usually use a push broom to get it off. And then a shovel to clear the tires, and then put on the chains, and then start on the driveway. If the county hasn't come by when I'm done with the driveway (about noon or so) I stay home. But if I do get out driving is still a wierd since everyone has 4 feet of snow on thier car and it blows off when driving.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Which reminds me, I need to call my brother, he always has good stories about drivers when it snows in MD. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Marylanders, in general, are complete idiots in the snow. In DC, they are even worse.
Hot water to melt windshield ice?? Why not use a hammer to break the ice up? Same end result, and it's quicker.
k6pme
02-02-2005, 10:55 PM
Thats what HE says too! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
What's snow?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
w5klb
02-03-2005, 12:08 AM
Quote[/b] (w3sy @ Feb. 02 2005,15:53)]Marylanders, in general, are complete idiots in the snow. In DC, they are even worse.
You think Maryland is bad when it comes to driving in snow, come drive in Tulsa sometime. Most of them shouldn't even be allowed to ride a bicycle. And traffic enforcement is a joke around here.
wd0ct
02-03-2005, 02:10 AM
Quote[/b] (w3sy @ Feb. 02 2005,15:53)]Marylanders, in general, are complete idiots in the snow. In DC, they are even worse.
Hot water to melt windshield ice?? Why not use a hammer to break the ice up? Same end result, and it's quicker.
Well, you can't use hard water!
KC9ECI
02-03-2005, 02:28 AM
And when it's -15 below, 38 degree water qualifies as hot.
KC9ECI
02-03-2005, 02:30 AM
I should go on to say that one of the kids at work was bugged at being the victim of a practical joke so his revenge was to vasoline the windshield wipers on the pranksters car and throw water on his window as he was exiting the parking lot. Good fortune had it that I caught wind of the revenge and explained the physics of water and glass before he had a chace to buy himself a slightly cracked windshield and a butt whuppin.
W5HTW
02-03-2005, 02:43 AM
A warning, though ...
I had a Bronco II. Good AC and a really good heater. One morning after scraping the windshield I headed for work. After about a mile or so the windshield fogged over. The heater was hot. I switched it to defrost. Yep, it was clearing that fog right off, and even melting the ice over in the corners. BANG! A crack across the entire windshield, from one side to the other!
Thaw your car glass gently and slowly. I had never imagined the defroster was that hot and the windshield was that cold. They didn't mix!
Having had that happen, I began wondering if I was alone in the world. I noticed vehicles with cracked windshields (my truck is one of them.) It is absolutely amazing how many windshields have a jagged line crack about two inches from the bottom and all the way across the car. Defroster crack.
When the temperatures drop below about 20, that defroster crack can a sudden awakening. One trick is to start the engine and immediately put the defroster on. It starts with cold air that gradually reaches ambient temperature then moves on up to hot. Another trick is to use the popular de-icer sprays. But use them very sparingly! And don't spray them onto a really, really cold windshield!
For snow, there is only one way. Broom or special automobile snow brush - in other words, push. Most of those brushes are designed to be easy on the glass.
I keep my Jeep in the garage so icing is not a problem. But for the truck, cracked windshield and all, it remains outdoors, in temperatures that may reach significantly below zero (not wind chill.) Most of the time we don't have enough humidity to cause icing, but sometimes we do. Icing and a temperature of 15 degrees ambient, is a short cut to a cracked windshield.
Ed
K8ERV
02-03-2005, 11:55 AM
I used to live in S. Ky. When it snowed they closed the schools so the kids could play in it. Did not happen very often.
TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo
K8ERV
02-03-2005, 11:55 AM
Quote[/b] (wd0ct @ Feb. 02 2005,19:10)]]
Well, you can't use hard water!
I hear that frozen chickens work better!!
TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo