To think pouring water on your icy car is just selfish?

[7hup]

Just fell on my face outside a neighbour who must have done this early morning.

So a stream of ice running across the pavement to the road which I didn't see

I fell hard. Am OK but if I were elderly or more fragile I could have bad injuries.

At least salt the pavement after!

When you get a new car, get a Ford. I love my heated windscreen! That plus de-icer is a godsend.

If people cause the pavement to ice over and someone slips, can they be sued?

Think these people were using a water cannon rather than a kettle.

89p for a scraper in B&M and it works a treat.

Much better than hot water. DH used to do that before I converted him. I found the hot water method counter productive anyway because unless your careful it just ices over again in a very thin layer that is a bugger to scrape off.

OP, they can't salt the pavement after, but shouldn't be pouring hot water to freeze for people to fall.
There was a case near us where somebody sued a household who had salted, they fell, were hurt and sued.
General advice from council is do not sal for this reason.

How does your one fix on? Does it have straps or anything that go underneath the car

Mine has straps that hook on to the gap that is on the hub cap at the top on each wheel - I have a bad back too but don't bend down really to do them because it is on a bendy strap and is quite a big hook. There are four hooks - one for each wheel to stop it flapping around in the wind or from flying off.

Takes me about 1 minute to put it on at night to walk round and do both sides and seconds to take it off in the morning as, after you unhook the first two, you can just whip it off! Always feel a big smug driving off whilst others are still scraping their cars but I know that's mean!

Does it also have magnets, Kitty?

The pub on my street has hanging baskets that are watered automatically overnight. I went jogging this morning and yes - right over on my arse on a veritable river of ice.

I live in an area which is also snow and icey most of the winter. We have had around 40cm of snow so far today.

Nobody uses water or de-icer. I'm not sure de-icer is even sold, I haven't seen any. We aren't allowed to wash cars on drives with any cleaning products either incase it contaminates the local water so i assume not.

We also aren't allowed to leave engines running to de-ice car.

As mentioned by others, a cover on screen of some sort either bought or cardboard will do. Then scrap car windows with ice scraper, and use a brush for any loose snow. Try and park at least on the side of road near a wall, or fence if there is one to reduce wind chill.

Regarding pushchairs - if you need to use a 'normal' pushchair in the snow. Attach a few regular cable ties around the wheels so the spikey bit is on the outside. Its only a temporary measure, but ideal for grip when you only get a couple of days snow. Cut off when finished.

@Inapreviouslife not really concerned about someone stealing it. At the very end of a small countryside cul-de-sac. The only way to get to my car would be to pass me at the front door where I am putting said kids shoes on.

I live in an area which is also snow and icey most of the winter. We have had around 40cm of snow so far today.

Similar here. In 11 winters I've yet to feel the need to use water or de-icer to clear a windscreen. My drive is slippery enough from compacted snow without adding water to the equation.

Yes, my dp does it and I go mad everytime, it's just laziness and selfish because obviously it's going to freeze again!

YANBU. On the estate where I used to live, people would park on the wide, shared cycle path/pavement instead of on their parking spaces 5 steps away and would always do this! The walk to school was fun...

Re living by the sea, DH has reported that he slipped twice going down the hill and twice coming back up on the school run this morning

@Nanny0gg I read the entire thread waiting to see someone mention heated windscreens! Best invention ever, never thought Id love a Ford but my god I never want another brand of car (Just need a heated steering wheel now, DH says you can't fit them retrospectively 😭)

Would love to see how the job centre reacted to me packing in work because it's icy and I don't fancy adding a broken arm, damaged spine, hip or shoulder to my list of medical issues. (I have ended up flat on my back before thanks to people washing/deicing their cars that way).

A friend slipped on exactly the same last winter and needed three months off work due to the amount of surgery on her arm. She had travelled a whole two doors down from her house on her way to work.

I walk in the main road when it's like that. Drivers aren't keen on me doing it, but it's a damn sight safer than trying to walk uphill on ungritted pavements where idiots have slung a load of water over the place.

Kelper I have a heated steering wheel. Its what made me buy my car. It's amazing.

I hear you kelper!
I want a heated steering wheel so badly!

De-over damages your windscreen over time. Just get a scraper it takes minutes.

@kekper I think you can get heated steering wheel covers....I love the quickclear heated screen. I had a mondeo with heated screen and heated seat, oh my!

There's no damage to windscreens with de-icer but they can cause problems with paintwork and rubber seals etc, so use sparingly and accurately.
Don't be tempted to use your wipers too soon - you can damage them if they are still frozen, or you're wiping over rough ice.
Engine idling (even if you're behind the wheel) can be an offence, but a couple of minutes is usually enough to start melting the ice enough to scrape away, or better still, scrape first, then warm the windscreen up and scrape the rest.
Don't drive off with a 'porthole' - it's dangerous and you can get nicked for it! (that said, you car will warm up quicker once actually driving, and the engine is working more, and getting hotter quicker.

Okay, I haven’tRTFT, but Canadian here. It’s time I shared the secret to surviving winters in properly cold places: an ice scrapper. Like this www.geekbuying.com/item/X66-2-in-1-Car-Snow-Brush---Ice-Scraper-390889.html.

I cannot think of anyone in Canada who doesn’t have one permanently in their car. It will scrape ice from your windshield and windows, and remove snow from your car in minutes.

I still remember my complete astonishment the first time a Brit mentioned de-icing their car with water - or even scotch! WTF. I had literally never heard of that before moving to the UK, and I was born in a place that gets colder than Mars.

Your neighbour is inconsiderate.

When you get a new car, get a Ford. I love my heated windscreen! That plus de-icer is a godsend

Although it made my windscreen crack! I don't bother using it now. However, even with the hot air it defrosts in about two minutes unlike my other car which takes about 10 - so I use a scraper

I used to use lukewarm water on the windscreen (in the drive) but find a scraper is better and it doesn't freeze again.

I do that with warm water on our own drive, but I would never do it anywhere people would walk.

Another vote for heated windscreens here! Surely it’s not only Fords that have them though? I get in mine, put the quick defrost on, which puts all the blowers on full heat and also heats the windscreen and back window. Takes around 5 minutes so I put the seat heater on and chech Facebook or something. If I’m in a hurry, I take the scraper to the side windows and off I go.

When I traded in my ford for a new car last year I asked the dealer and he said only Ford had the patent for the Quickclear .
Don’t know if other makes have something similar under a different name but citroen’s definitely don’t .
I miss it so much !

I always used to use a credit card to scrap it off for this reason, Hope you’re ok.
My husband does this!