Had a bit of a nasty scare the other night. Drove with a pile of snow on the roof. Got as far as the motorway, then it fell onto my windscreen. No problem I thought, I'll just switch the windscreen wipers on and it'll be gone in 2 seconds.
It all compacted so my windscreen wipers couldn't get further than halfway, and there was already snow on the bonnet so my visibility was reduced badly. Had to pull over in a really inappropriate place to clear it. Lucky the traffic was so light, and each car couldn't go much faster than 30mph.
Snow on my roof does not impair my vision. If I was going on the motorway or a 60 road, I would remove it, but otherwise I usually leave it, because it's difficult not to push some of it onto the road. I think it's mostly frozen there, so it's sort of stuck like glue. No chance of that going anywhere on the routes I've took today
Ey? I am thick I know, but it stands to reason to me the snow will slide off the back of the car, not down over the windscreen?
Had a transit van overtake and cut in front of me on the A12 tonight. I really appreciated the big lumps of snow flying back off his roof and hitting my windscreen :thumbsup:
I must admit, it's something I never do myself and something I'd never given it a moment's thought before. But there was a piece on BBC Breakfast last week giving tips about winter motoring and the expert there said that it was illegal to set off with snow still on the roof of the car.
I left my gloves in a hire car yesterday (thankfully, they were turned in and I got them back after I got into work, yay!) and there was no way I was going to clear the top of my car with my bare hands. I sort of need my fingers for typing. Besides, I don't think I got above 5mph for the whole trip, as all the traffic was concentrated on the one major road that had been gritted properly.
Yesterday I saw a young Dad and his 6 year old son come out of their house and straight into the car. Dad was of course talking on his mobile phone.
It was covered in snow, including the windows. He just got in started the engine and switched the wipers on. No attempt to clear the side windows or the back.
He then bumped down the kerb and an avalanche of snow slid from his roof. That poor kid in a car with no vision and a father driving one-handed in icy conditions. I hope they got there in one piece!
Why??! Are they too lazy to do it? Yes, its cold but being 10 minutes or so late for work is preferable to crashing the car because your vision could be impared. Pathetic.
Well I drive forwards and the snow falls off the back, laws of physics...
Well I drive forwards and the snow falls off the back, laws of physics...
That only works with fresh snow.
Once the snow has started to melt then frozen again the following night you end up with an almost solid lump of stuff that's stuck pretty firmly to your car roof.
You get in the car, drive off and put the heater on, heat slowly conducts through the car roof and the ice melts and big chunks of it fall off the back at random intervals.
Sweeping brushes come in handy for us smaller creatures
I really don't mean to sound harsh but, I gotta say, as justifications go that's pretty weak.
If you acknowledge that snow on cars roofs might be an issue then you really have a responsibility to sort it out regardless of whether or not it's hard for you to do.
You get in the car, drive off and put the heater on, heat slowly conducts through the car roof and the ice melts and big chunks of it fall off the back at random intervals.
I really don't mean to sound harsh but, I gotta say, as justifications go that's pretty weak.
If you acknowledge that snow on cars roofs might be an issue then you really have a responsibility to sort it out regardless of whether or not it's hard for you to do.
I was offering a suggestion from one small person to another - not a justification at all. A sweeping brush is the ideal thing to get the snow off the roof.
Why??! Are they too lazy to do it? Yes, its cold but being 10 minutes or so late for work is preferable to crashing the car because your vision could be impared. Pathetic.
Lazy, NO! The snow on top of my car is frozen solid I cant get it off its so thick
It's very embarrasing to be a member of this forum, really. :sleep:
Agree - driving with snow on windscreen yes but on roof? give us a break....unless you are about to drive onto a motorway THEN take the time to brush some off BUT being carefull how you brush it off a i took a brush to an old Black Talbot Alpine and scored the hell out of it, :mad:
I really don't mean to sound harsh but, I gotta say, as justifications go that's pretty weak.
If you acknowledge that snow on cars roofs might be an issue then you really have a responsibility to sort it out regardless of whether or not it's hard for you to do.
Sweeping brushes come in handy for us smaller creatures
Where the hell am I going to get a sweeping brush from when I'm not outside my house? It's not going to fit in the car. How precisely do you two expect me to sort it out?
Where the hell am I going to get a sweeping brush from when I'm not outside my house? It's not going to fit in the car. How precisely do you two expect me to sort it out?
DONT use sweeping brush on new car! scores the hell out of it (see above post)
Where the hell am I going to get a sweeping brush from when I'm not outside my house? It's not going to fit in the car. How precisely do you two expect me to sort it out?
Most would even fit in a Ford Ka so it sounds like you're just making excuses.
Most would even fit in a Ford Ka so it sounds like you're just making excuses.
WHAT? What kind of sweeping brush are you talking about? The only way I can imagine fitting a sweeping brush in my car is to have it poking between the seats to the windscreen.
Edit: And I've just checked, my car's dimensions are smaller than that of a Ford Ka except for the height.
WHAT? What kind of sweeping brush are you talking about? The only way I can imagine fitting a sweeping brush in my car is to have it poking between the seats to the windscreen.
Edit: And I've just checked, my car's dimensions are smaller than that of a Ford Ka except for the height.
OK, I'll bite. Just what kind of car do you have that makes it impossible for you to reach the roof that is actually narrower than a Ford Ka?
Comments
It all compacted so my windscreen wipers couldn't get further than halfway, and there was already snow on the bonnet so my visibility was reduced badly. Had to pull over in a really inappropriate place to clear it. Lucky the traffic was so light, and each car couldn't go much faster than 30mph.
Had a transit van overtake and cut in front of me on the A12 tonight. I really appreciated the big lumps of snow flying back off his roof and hitting my windscreen :thumbsup:
http://www.oocities.com/televisioncity/2511/littletank.jpg
Same here! I clean off all I could reach, and as another poster said, it was far too dangerous to carry the steps down the icy drive way!!
Did see several cars where they had only used the wipers on the windscreen. All other windows and lights completely covered!
It was covered in snow, including the windows. He just got in started the engine and switched the wipers on. No attempt to clear the side windows or the back.
He then bumped down the kerb and an avalanche of snow slid from his roof. That poor kid in a car with no vision and a father driving one-handed in icy conditions. I hope they got there in one piece!
Well I drive forwards and the snow falls off the back, laws of physics...
God only knows how you must drive.
That only works with fresh snow.
Once the snow has started to melt then frozen again the following night you end up with an almost solid lump of stuff that's stuck pretty firmly to your car roof.
You get in the car, drive off and put the heater on, heat slowly conducts through the car roof and the ice melts and big chunks of it fall off the back at random intervals.
Sweeping brushes come in handy for us smaller creatures
I really don't mean to sound harsh but, I gotta say, as justifications go that's pretty weak.
If you acknowledge that snow on cars roofs might be an issue then you really have a responsibility to sort it out regardless of whether or not it's hard for you to do.
Which still won't impair my vision...
I was offering a suggestion from one small person to another - not a justification at all. A sweeping brush is the ideal thing to get the snow off the roof.
Lazy, NO! The snow on top of my car is frozen solid I cant get it off its so thick
Agree - driving with snow on windscreen yes but on roof? give us a break....unless you are about to drive onto a motorway THEN take the time to brush some off BUT being carefull how you brush it off a i took a brush to an old Black Talbot Alpine and scored the hell out of it, :mad:
Where the hell am I going to get a sweeping brush from when I'm not outside my house? It's not going to fit in the car. How precisely do you two expect me to sort it out?
DONT use sweeping brush on new car! scores the hell out of it (see above post)
Most would even fit in a Ford Ka so it sounds like you're just making excuses.
WHAT?
Edit: And I've just checked, my car's dimensions are smaller than that of a Ford Ka except for the height.
:rolleyes: For heaven's sake, I'm not talking about a yardbrush and I guess you've never taken your car through a car wash then?
OK, I'll bite. Just what kind of car do you have that makes it impossible for you to reach the roof that is actually narrower than a Ford Ka?