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 sound, quite frankly, selfish, thoughtless and dangerous. Police have the power to issue a £60 fine and give you 3 penalty points. What if someone had driven into the back of you or knocked you over because you were on foot with moving cars filtering past.

Yup, ageist and chippy to boot.

Yeah it’s not about being perfect, that was a really dangerous thing to do.

Learn from it and hope he didn’t have dashcam/take your reg down and report you.

Well you were lucky you only got a telling off by trilby man. A few years ago someone crashed into the back of my car when snow dropped from their roof to their windscreen and they couldn't see me in front. Hopefully the fine they received and the loss of their NCB when their insurance had to pay out for the repairs taught them a lesson.

There you go @Bowlofhotslop
Now you have "met" someone who had an accident caused by someone not clearing snow from a car roof.

And I’d have uploaded the dashcam footage to the police who could have decided what action your dangerous driving deserved.

I didn't read it like that. I read it as being like one of those comedy characters who shake their fists when something goes wrong in old comedy shows. Often seen sporting a jaunty hat.

@Hoppinggreen no I haven’t, anyone could make any old shit up on here to prove their point or assist in sticking the boot in

Fair enough.

It is also fair enough for people to point out WHY it is important to clear the roof, and @Bowlofhotslop I HAVE seen a cyclist come off their bike due to ice flying off a roof. Luckily not badly hurt , but that’s why I’m being ‘over the top’ about it.

But not wise not to clear it off the roof!

Last year when it had snowed over several days here, I cleared the “snow” off my car roof but left an underlying layer that appeared to be frozen 3 inches solid. I thought it would melt/disperse as I drove. About 10 miles later, as I braked, an ice sheet slid down in one piece over my windscreen. I was in a tunnel where I couldn’t stop, so I had to open the window and haul it off. Luckily no harm done, but it was definitely a day for brown trousers. (I am very careful now).

How does that work on a Defender when you're 5ft tall.....?

I got my 6ft 3 husband to do it.

I'd never drive without clearing the top of the car of all the settled snow. Glad no one got hurt OP.

Where did I say I didn't think I was wrong? Also ...

Where am I mocking his appearance? He did look like a 1970s character. A bit like the man on Mammoth, or Peter Bowles, that isn't mocking, it's descriptive. Maybe he was doing it for Movember.

Or use a broom?

Yes! That's exactly it!

Glad you are ok! I think this is one of those things that you don't realise until it happens - especially as it snows so rarely. It's not easy to clear the car roof either! Lesson learned!

No I am not making it up.

But if I was, surely you could see how it could happen?

Or how it could come off a roof at speed on a motorway and block another drivers windscreen?

The police monitor and fine people for a reason. That is the reason. And this thread demonstrates that many people have bought about it.

Also fair enough… until someone points it out

As other PP and I have done on this thread.

And I didn’t stick the boot in. I pointed out what could have happened.

Christ MN has changed recently. No sense of humour.

And as for worrying about cyclists ... would they really be cycling in heavy settled snow? If so they shouldn't.

At least Trilby Bloke wasn’t driving too close, otherwise he’d probably have bashed into you. Driving too close is my main bugbear - it causes so many accidents.

What does it matter how he looked or why he had a moustache ? You were in the wrong, lucky you did not hurt any one from your stupidity.

Maybe have another read of the thread. I was using your post to illustrate to another poster how their claims of it never happens and people make things up to prove a point may not be accurate.
I was using your post not having a go at you, I actually agree with you

No harm done. Years ago I was driving on the motorway in my cranky old banger and the bonnet flew up and covered the entire windscreen. I had to stop in the middle of the motorway, get out and close it. Luckily it was relatively quiet that day but christ it was terrifying. The car was scrapped after that

I am glad to have the reminder to check my roof for snow before driving off. I haven't had to deal with snow for about 35 years so may not have thought of doing that.