I caused chaos on the road this morning

[FrancisQuoynt]

Chucked it down with snow overnight and my car was covered in snow. I cleared the windows and drove off to go to work. I got to a roundabout where you can turn left, go straight on or turn right (as you do on roundabouts, I was going straight on) and there was an avalanche on the windscreen. I'd forgotten to clear the roof. It covered the windscreen and the wipers were jammed and I couldn't see a bloody thing.

I had to stop the car and get out and clear it off the windscreen. I was in the left lane, so anyone going straight on or right could still get by. A man behind me with a moustache and a trilby hat on started honking and shaking his fist because I had delayed him by about, ooh, 90 seconds.

Feeling a right fool. Trilby Man looked like someone out of a 1970s sitcom.

You are supposed to clear the roof for this reason!

However no major harm done.

So you randomly stopped on the entrance to a roundabout, to clear your windscreen, I can see why he was annoyed.

That's why you must always clear your roof. It can be really dangerous if you don't.

What does that mean? It's a saying I've never heard before, and google doesn't have any answers.

I get that you made a mistake but I hope you realise how lucky you were neither you nor anyone else were hurt as a result.
Really silly and dangerous

Autocorrect fail for Clear the Roof?

She could hardly have carried on driving. Hardly 'chaos' though. More like one frustrated driver who was in a hurry. To be fair, I think it's illegal not to clear your roof of snow for precisely this reason. What if it had happened on a motorway in the fast lane?

It can also break your windscreen if all the snow on the roof of your car slides down onto the windscreen at once like that, you were lucky it didn't do that!

Well it could have been a lot worse, you could have been driving at speed, lesson learned. The police stop people who haven't cleared their roof, ours post about it on social media.

I've edited my but looks like my phone autocorrect decided to randomly change every word I wrote

Or shoot off the back and injure a cyclist

If it had been the police behind you it could have been a £60 fine rather than a shaken fist!

@FrancisQuoynt you're that rare Mumsnetter who not only makes a mistake but admits to it too!

Tbh I had no idea that you needed to clear the roof until a few years ago. I have a squeegee thing on a long pole now that's super handy. I'm glad you're ok and that you survived the embarrassment too!

So instead of accepting you were wrong and could cause a serious accident you prefer to mock the man appearance

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/winter-driving/is-it-illegal-to-drive-with-snow-on-your-car/#:~:text=Even%20if%20you're%20only,run%20in%20with%20the%20police.

A man behind me with a moustache and a trilby hat on started honking and shaking his fist because I had delayed him by about, ooh, 90 seconds.

Feeling a right fool. Trilby Man looked like someone out of a 1970s sitcom.

Exactly this - what does it matter what he was wearing?

No big deal. You were wise to stop and clear the windscreen. Put it down to Male Super Driver Syndrome (I’m married to one with this unappreciated feature) which evaporates when said males have had a drink and need a lift. Have a good day.

But also seems to think it was funny

We all make mistakes and forget to do stuff.

But it isn’t funny OP. Instead of your trilby man who you mock, the snow could have flown off and caused a cyclist to go under a lorry.

Yes, people do this when they're embarrassed as a way of managing their emotions. It's not a moral failing. I don't imagine that the OP would have voluntarily posted this thread if she really thought it was no big deal.

Now my post looks crazy LOL!
I'm going to say to somebody 'you're supposed to charge the rod or the reason' today and see what they say - it did genuinely seem like some kind of proverb or idiom.

Oh the drama on this thread. Honestly OP, we rarely get snow, its not unheard of that people forget or dont think to clear the roof so dont let the perfect princesses on here bother you.
I would have stuck my finger up and him and called him a twat - I cant wait for the responses to that on here!

Some people need their licences taken off them. Absolutely basic to clear your roof of snow. Extremely dangerous not to.

It’s not a hilarious anecdote and I don’t understand why the man’s headwear or facial hair are relevant.

And I hope that you would have been in a position to do that rather than calling an ambulance for him or vice versa.

ha people on here are so over the top. I live in a pretty snowy area and hardly anyone clears the roof, never seen or heard of any accidents, fines or lengthy prison sentences as a result