Clean off your car

[Elspeth]

We'd probably need a full-size broom for the f250, though.

Push broom is what we used today on the hubby's F150. It was nice to get out. The standing water sucks. Side streets aren't great but it is getting better.

And the number of idiots who didn't clean off their cars was insane. I wanted to shot darts at them with notes saying clean your dam cars off. This was snow storm was a lot worse since we have a lovely ice layer. It is holding everything together.

[Sakka]

that also assumes that the cops care.

nothing against LEOs but ... i've seen some cities where I think they wouldn't give a crap... mainly because almost every car on the road was doing it.

i'm not saying it justifies driving like that but... that could overwhelm them.

I KNOW the local law enforcement doesn't care. I have stopped keeping track of how many cars I have seen with just part of the windshield cleaned (every other window just packed with snow) drive past a cop car, and the cop did absolutely nothing.
And it wasn't a situation of cop going in opposite direction. They were either parked on the side watching traffic go by, or being passed by the snow bandit car.

[greek_jester]

a push broom is your friend....

I did have one that I used for that purpose, but unfortunately the handle broke. Guess I'll have to get another one, but we've had a stupidly warm winter this year. It's nearly the end of January, & we've only had one minor frost

[pitmonkey]

http://www.king5.com/video?id=137796108&sec=548902

The WSP stated that here it is not illegal to have the snow and ice on the top of your car but if it causes damage you could be responsible.

[blas]

I miss having a garage.

What I hate the MOST is when it's snowed and you go as gently and peacefully as you can to open your door to not get any snow on the inside......and holy hell there it goes all over your seat! And if you do it too fast, oops, there's a mess too.

[mattm04]

Due to a roof rack it is difficult to get all the snow off, but I always make sure all windows are clear and at least no big chucks will fly of the roof.

The worst I have ever seen was a car that must have sat during several of our larger snow storms last year. It mus have had between two and tree feet on the roof, 6-8" on the hood and a portion of the windshield cleared off. When the stopped at a light the whole pile skid forward. When I passed them in the opposite lane the were standing outside the car dumbfounded how that could have happened.

[BrenDAnn]

Just stopping by this thread to note that I tried the push broom trick some of you mentioned and it took me literally just seconds to clear my car off. All of my car. It should be noted I am all of five feet tall, so this idea really helped. Much thanks to whoever mentioned it!

[wolfie]

Some jurisdictions (such as New Jersey) are now making it mandatory to clear off snow.

Fun fact #1: OHSA prohibits working more than 4 feet off the ground without either a safety railing or fall-stop gear.
Fun fact #2: The roof of a semi-trailer is more than 4 feet off the ground, and is not equipped with either a safety railing or anchor points for fall-stop gear.

This means that it is both mandatory and prohibited to clear the snow off the top of a semi-trailer.

[dalesys]

This means that it is both mandatory and prohibited to clear the snow off the top of a semi-trailer.

Yep, OSHA's been sniffin' at Crotch-22 again.

[Geek King]

Some jurisdictions (such as New Jersey) are now making it mandatory to clear off snow.

Fun fact #1: OHSA prohibits working more than 4 feet off the ground without either a safety railing or fall-stop gear.
Fun fact #2: The roof of a semi-trailer is more than 4 feet off the ground, and is not equipped with either a safety railing or anchor points for fall-stop gear.

This means that it is both mandatory and prohibited to clear the snow off the top of a semi-trailer.

Mount a snowblower on a man-lift that can reach the top of the trailer. You should be able to clear loose snow fairly easily. Maybe an ice breaker on a reach pole for large amounts of ice?

[dalesys]

One warning about using push brooms to clear snow off your vehicle:

The push brooms I've used have braces going from 6-9 inches up the handle out to the broom head about 3/4 of the way to the ends.

Very often, these braces are clamped to the handle with fairly long bolts, whose ends will do a great job of ruining your paint job, if they touch it.

Two preventatives:
(1) Usually they are assembled one pointing up, one down. Reverse the one pointing down, so only the heads are pointing towards your car.
(2) Wrap them with duct tape or electrical tape, to shield the sharp/hard edges.

[Jetfire]

I miss having a garage.

What I hate the MOST is when it's snowed and you go as gently and peacefully as you can to open your door to not get any snow on the inside......and holy hell there it goes all over your seat! And if you do it too fast, oops, there's a mess too.

That's why you open the passenger doors and not the driver doors. So any snow that gets in is on the side you aren't sitting in at least. But yeah, that inside snow storm you get opening the doors after a snow storm are always 'fun'.


I don't drive myself, but when I do drive, or have a vehicle after a storm, I do my best to make sure it's as clear as possible before going anywhere; both windows and the tops.

[Bella_Vixen]

Sorry you were behind me. *hides*

Good thing I you.

[Pixilated]

Er ... guilty ... *koff*

I figure it keeps the tailgaters well back ...

[EricKei]

Sounds like the laws here (and likely elsewhere) that mandate the usage of windshield wipers and headlights (full lights, not parking lights, and not Brights unless you're in a rural area) when it's raining, no matter how slight....Well-intentioned, but never, EVER enforced. The only use for them that I can think of is as something to tack on to an existing ticket during a rainstorm.