Defrosting the car

[DustyLee123]

It really winds me up when people leave the engine running for ages, and windscreen wipers going full pelt, instead of just defrosting the car with water/scraper and going.

just get a demister pad/sponge. Takes 2 seconds then you're off.

2 seconds? I've tried demister sponges and it just smears the moisture around and doesn't actually demist the inside of the car. Maybe I just have a shit car?

I used to have an awful car. It wouldn’t demist inside for hours. I had to use the crystal demisting mats and wipe it constantly. Many times I had to leave home and still have to keep wiping at it. My current car is lovely and will sort itself in about 5mins. I was definitely guilty of leaving the old car a long time but this one usually demists while I’m sitting in it. I often don’t even need to scrape
unless it’s particually thick ice/frost.

I have known a couple of people getting their cars stolen by doing this. They should really be sitting in them as it defrosts.

You are however being unreasonable thinking that people can’t make any noise in the mornings

If you use the windscreen wipers for 10 mins to remove the ice you will burn the motor out, stupid thing to do.

Why don't you and others just use a cloth? instead of just adding to our shit air quality.
Loads of specific ones available on amazon etc.

No one i knew in Sweden used to leave their engines running and its a lot colder there.... unless you like paying a fine.

Maybe someone will steal their car, alleviating the problem for you.

Yep, same. Just ended up with so many smears on the inside I couldn't barely see past those either. Had to go and buy special wipes to clean that off!

The chemical/crystal dehumidifiers are not really very effective.

I am waiting for a manufacturer to install an electric one like many people use in their homes - they don't even need to have a collecting bucket like a home one, they can just move the moisture outside.

They could do so while the car is in use so it doesn't have the moisture build up to mist in the first place. What an advert that would be, a non-misting car.

Thats because the inside of your screen is filth or the cloth is, special wipes!!! lol! have you got engine grease on your windscreen?

its illegal to leave engines running in many European countries, how do you think they all manage.

Maybe. But what would you suggest as a solution?
Most people defrosting their car for 15 minutes at 6.30 probably do that because they need the car at 6.45...
Might as well eat breakfast during those 15 minutes.

Although I would be a bit surprised if it took15 minutes for most people. But I´m sure they wished it didn´t take that long as well...

Squashpenguin, parents idling cars are also all manner of wrong

Me too. I can defrost with water etc but the inside will still mist and I won't be able to see to drive unless I run the engine for ages. I can't afford a nicer car that would do this faster... so while yes I'm sure it's annoying for the neighbours in the morning yabu thinking everyone has an alternative option.

I know what you mean I followed an ambulance down my street last week and someone had not parked on the pavement - the ambulance could not get through, luckily it was not a blue light emergency but even so. We have a real issue with one person who insists on parking not just fully on the road but a couple of inches from the kerb which means most people have to reverse up the street onto a main road - its so selfish they really do not care who else is adversely affected.

Give your head a wobble - if i did not park on a pavement i would have to park 1/2mile away as would the other 3000 people living in my area. It has been established many times that in much of the old Victorian Terraced areas there is no option but to park half on the pavement.

I am quite happy to get rid of my car and manage on public transport as long as you are happy to pay the taxes to keep me and pretty much all the other 3000 people on benefits as we would not be able to get to work.

I used to pour warmish water on the windscreen to clear it but that risks cracking the windscreen. And, if it's really cold, it starts t freeze up again.

I have a scraper and have the engine running for about 5 minutes. I hate people who leave their engines running while stationary, but there are no good ways of de-icing your windscreen - you don't need to do it for more than 5 minutes, though.

I don't like the sprays because of the smell.

And can anyone tell me why the windscreens always demist on the passenger side first? Every single car I have does it! Is it because they are designed for driving on the right?

It is not an offence to idle whilst defrosting a windscreen.

Give your head a wobble - if i did not park on a pavement i would have to park 1/2mile away as would the other 3000 people living in my area. It has been established many times that in much of the old Victorian Terraced areas there is no option but to park half on the pavement

yes in some areas there is a need to park (partly) on the pavement (as long as you leave room for a wheelchair to get by). But in most cases there is zero need and people are just being entitled idiots. Pavement parking needs to be banned except where it is expressly allowed. Pedestrians have little enough space as it is, without cars taking up even more of it.

Isn't it? Is there an express exemption?

Lifelessorfinary, you kinda said it really, your street is not really designed for cars, plenty of people in urban areas don't have a car, there is another option

Surely easier to use a de-icing spray? Just needs a bit of planning to buy it first....

its illegal to leave engines running in many European countries, how do you think they all manage.

Maybe instead of scorn and pointed jibes you could instead actually enlighten the people on this thread as to how they manage. Wouldn't that be more helpful of you?

I do this I run out turn car on the run back in to finish getting dc ready. One is severe SEN and can’t be left and it’s the only way I can do it or we would be late

Don't be silly. It's not about educating. It's about belittling and putting themselves on a pedestal of intelligence.

YABU 🙄 there's so many bigger things to worry about than me peeping through the blinds worrying who's got their engine on in the morning. How do you know your neighbour was doing this for 15min? Did you time them? I wish I had this much time on my hands, to be standing at the window with a stop watch, watching who's de-icing their car and how every morning 😂

Not sure how diesel makes it better. It's even more polluting!

@WaxhamSeals

This thread just goes to show that car drivers will try to justify anything antisocial about using their vehicles

Bet you live in an urban area or city with moderate to good public transport.