I saw a guy i my neighborhood drive dwn the street this moning with his head out the window like a freaking dog because his windshield was still al frosted up
People who don't defrost their windshields and the ones who leave snow piled up on top of their cars drive me nuts. It's dangerous. Plan ahead to take care of that shit or be a little late to work. Don't put everyone else at risk.
I never leave snow piled up, but I HAVE done the window driving thing before. Just like once or twice because I was already running so late. Believe me... I was NOT proud of myself. AND it was fucking COLD with your head hanging out the window!
If you have snow on your car, brush off your headlights and taillights. Scrap the snow off of your roof and hood of your car. If you have ice and/or snow on windows, clean them ALL.
Yes. I want one but I'd have to walk out to where I could see the car and then back in to my apartment and I'm convinced someone would steal it. My current strategy is to leave a little after DH does. If he has to scrape his car off he's nice enough to do mine too.
Post by aliceinfairyland on Nov 14, 2012 10:14:08 GMT -5
In high school, my wise father let me drive half the winter with no heat or defrost. Even after I scraped, it would fog back up and freeze. Driving with your head out the window is not fun.
Post by BettyBookWorm on Nov 14, 2012 10:38:43 GMT -5
What is the best way to get the ice off the windsheild? My mom used to heat a little bit of water in a pan on the stove and use it. Then I read or heard somewhere that that can make your windshield crack or break.
I have an ice scraper, but that is miserable and not time effective. I resorted to using heating pad water bottle and just letting it sit in one spot. Then I scraped. Any tips? We aren't even into really cold weather, but we had a freeze recently.
What is the best way to get the ice off the windsheild? My mom used to heat a little bit of water in a pan on the stove and use it. Then I read or heard somewhere that that can make your windshield crack or break.
Extreme, abrupt changes in temperature will break glass. So, you are correct in that you shouldn't pour hot water on a frozen window.
I just start the car, put the defrosters on high and start chipping away... old fashioned style. I get the side windows first so by the time I'm done with those, the back window and windshield are mostly taken care of by the defroster. Frost is easy, it's the thick ice that takes some patience.
Some people use de-icer fluids (rain-x sells one) that you spray on the windows and it melts the ice so you don't have to scrape. I don't use them, but they're out there.
H refuses to allow me to have a remote started installed. Because I drive standard. And he's terrified that I'll leave the car in gear (which I DO tend to do) instead of neutral and my car will ram into the back of our garage.
Post by MixedBerryJam on Nov 14, 2012 10:58:59 GMT -5
My biggest winter pet peeve is drivers who scrape about a 12" x 12" square of back window, and just enough of the side windows to see the mirrors. They're also the people who clear their windshields with the wipers. Please, just clear the whole damn vehicle (including the roof, which is just going to blow onto the person behind you on the highway) while the heater kicks in.
Yes. I want one but I'd have to walk out to where I could see the car and then back in to my apartment and I'm convinced someone would steal it. My current strategy is to leave a little after DH does. If he has to scrape his car off he's nice enough to do mine too.
Remote starters don't work that way.
A car started with a remote starter can't be stolen unless the keys are actually in the ignition and turned. The steering wheel is locked and if either the gas pedal or the brake pedal is pushed without the key in the ignition and turned, the car turns off.
H refuses to allow me to have a remote started installed. Because I drive standard. And he's terrified that I'll leave the car in gear (which I DO tend to do) instead of neutral and my car will ram into the back of our garage.
He has a point. ::hangs head in shame::
I don't drive a standard but I'm sure the remote starter wouldn't even work if the car were left in gear.
Post by starrieskies on Nov 14, 2012 11:48:41 GMT -5
I invest in spray de-icer every year, but rarely use it. I am that person who runs outside to start the car in their pj's and then gets dressed. (We live in a very rural area, so having the car stolen hasn't been a big concern.) By the time I'm dressed and I have DS ready to go, the car's usually nice and toasty warm, and the windows are clear. I have on rare occasions been reduced to scraping my windows with a credit card, but even then, I make sure they are clear.
Yes. I want one but I'd have to walk out to where I could see the car and then back in to my apartment and I'm convinced someone would steal it. My current strategy is to leave a little after DH does. If he has to scrape his car off he's nice enough to do mine too.
Remote starters don't work that way.
A car started with a remote starter can't be stolen unless the keys are actually in the ignition and turned. The steering wheel is locked and if either the gas pedal or the brake pedal is pushed without the key in the ignition and turned, the car turns off.
What is the best way to get the ice off the windsheild? My mom used to heat a little bit of water in a pan on the stove and use it. Then I read or heard somewhere that that can make your windshield crack or break.
Extreme, abrupt changes in temperature will break glass. So, you are correct in that you shouldn't pour hot water on a frozen window.
I just start the car, put the defrosters on high and start chipping away... old fashioned style. I get the side windows first so by the time I'm done with those, the back window and windshield are mostly taken care of by the defroster. Frost is easy, it's the thick ice that takes some patience.
Some people use de-icer fluids (rain-x sells one) that you spray on the windows and it melts the ice so you don't have to scrape. I don't use them, but they're out there.
I use de-icer fluid, and I LOVE IT. I think it's rain-x, but I'm not sure. It's in a yellow aerosol can. I haven't scraped a windshield in years.
Remote starters do work on manual transmission cars. DD wanted one for Christmas one year so that's what we planned to give her. We walked to the place that installs them and it's much more expensive for manual transmission than for automatic. If I remember right, she asked about having it taken off of that car if she sold it and they told her they wouldn't be able to (that might be faulty memory) so she opted for blue tooth instead.
The one winter I lived in Central Texas, I ended up having to scrape my windshield with a floppy disk that had been random floating around my truck. (Just after thumb drives came out, and were still expensive.) It was also the only time I ever skidded on ice driving, and then got back to my apartment and fell on the steps.
Growing up in a place where winter = put on a hoodie with your flipflops and jeans did not serve me well in the survival skills department.
H refuses to allow me to have a remote started installed. Because I drive standard. And he's terrified that I'll leave the car in gear (which I DO tend to do) instead of neutral and my car will ram into the back of our garage.
He has a point. ::hangs head in shame::
I thought you were always suppose to park a manual in gear either first or reverse, but normally first, unless it is a hill then it depends on the direction of the incline??? First truck I owned even said so in the owner's manual. The force to move it while in gear is much greater than the force needed to move it if it is neutral.
Eta I just checked our state's drivers' manual it says park in gear too
"Always park in the direction that traffic moves. Make sure your vehicle cannot move. Set your parking brake and shift to “Park” if your vehicle has an automatic shift, or to “Reverse” or “First” if your vehicle has a manual shift. If you are parked on a hill, turn your wheels as follows:"
On topic. I love my heated windshield wipers & deicing fluid for times I'm not parked in the garage.
I hate getting snow out of basket style roof racks and under the cross bars.
How does this work? Don't you have to depress the clutch while you're starting? I always thought remote starts only worked on automatics.
Like I said, I don't even know how to use it!
The short story of my car is guy (well, actually the guy's wife) won it on a radio contest. The radio station put extras in the car, including the remote car starter. When guy sold the car to me, he said he called the place who installed the starter, got directions, and tried it out. It killed the battery. He didn't try it again.
In the almost 6 years I've owned this car I haven't tried it. I should just take it somewhere and ask "how do I work this thing" but I'm dumb.
I know part of the directions included having to park it in first gear, but that's all I remember.
And, for the record, I park my car in neutral with the parking break on. It's how my daddy taught me, lol.
How does this work? Don't you have to depress the clutch while you're starting? I always thought remote starts only worked on automatics.
Like I said, I don't even know how to use it!
The short story of my car is guy (well, actually the guy's wife) won it on a radio contest. The radio station put extras in the car, including the remote car starter. When guy sold the car to me, he said he called the place who installed the starter, got directions, and tried it out. It killed the battery. He didn't try it again.
In the almost 6 years I've owned this car I haven't tried it. I should just take it somewhere and ask "how do I work this thing" but I'm dumb.
I know part of the directions included having to park it in first gear, but that's all I remember.
And, for the record, I park my car in neutral with the parking break on. It's how my daddy taught me, lol.
I park mine in first or reverse with the parking brake on. I don't technically need the brake all the time but it's a security thing.
For remote starters I think you have to be in first. They don't work very well though. MH works at Best Buy and when he was in sales he was in the car stereo / GPS area. He said the manual remote starters are hard to get right according to the install bay.