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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that people who don't clear the snow off their cars before driving are ignorant and lazy?

111 replies

MiddleAgedNamechanger · 20/12/2009 21:41

Quite apart from the fact that you can't see their headlights or indicators, when you follow them great lumps of snow blow off their vehicle and land on your windscreen so you can't see either.

TWATS!!

OP posts:
TheBreastmilksOnMe · 21/12/2009 16:23

YABU- The might be running late or just don't have reynauds in their fingers so cannot tolerate the cold. You are being judgemental. Why on earth should it bother you so much?

MarineIguana · 21/12/2009 16:24

I had no idea about all this. I just cleared it off the windows. Sorry! Will know better now.

FolornHope · 21/12/2009 16:26

god oyu lot will rant about anything

AuntieMaggie · 21/12/2009 16:27

you are so NBU

I can't stand that some people just clear a small space on the windscreen and then wonder why they can't see anything and cause accidents!

Hulababy · 21/12/2009 16:27

TBH I am more shocked at how many people don't care and this that is is acceptable to drive off with snow piled up on their car.

This really can be a huge danger and can cause accidents!

As for the "get a life" comments - maybe the OP is more insterested in preserving other people's lives and keeping people safe from injury!

Honestly have people truely not thought how dangerous a whole load of snowing tumbling down in front of your windscreen can be?! At the very least it will cause you to have to break hard and potentially skid in snow and ice. At worst....

juneybean · 21/12/2009 16:33

My brother (Police) pulled someone the other day who hadn't bothered at all since they probably couldn't see out very well! It's like why would you do that!

Have to admit I was zooming along the other day in order to get some snow off my car though lol

Oblomov · 21/12/2009 16:33

never cleared roof. won't be starting now. odd OP. but lazy ~? no, i scraped and scraped, all windscreens . how is that lazy ?

Hulababy · 21/12/2009 16:34

TheBreastmilksOnMe - yes, you are right. I am judgemental about this. I am judgemental as it is a serious danger!

I saw the snow fall onto the windscreen scenario earlier this year when we had snow. It was very scary to watch - and no doubt terryifying for the people inside the car, and for the pedestrains standing close by when the car breaked and skidded towards the pavement they were stood on. It was a close thing and could have been disasterous.

Not having enough time - rubbish!
Not being tall enough - rubbish!
Not being bothered -
Being ignorant to the danger - well, now you are not!

Oblomov · 21/12/2009 16:40

sorry hula, i can't see the danger.
snow ? scrape. but roof ? if there ois snow we should all be driving more slowly and carefully,a nd more distance between us and the car infront anyway.
becasue we need more space for breaking in poor weather.
but snow on the roof does not affect that.
peoples response that Op is too close to the car infront, is of course right.
leave more space.
then you wouldn't need to worry about wether snow ahs been cleared from roof or not.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 21/12/2009 16:47

Just because you can't see the danger doesn't mean it isn't there.

Snow flies off and hits the car behind, even if you are a safe distance away. It is lazy and ignorant not to clear piled snow off your car.

duckyfuzz · 21/12/2009 16:48

standard driveing advice and common sense to clear roof, can't believe people wouldn't

Hulababy · 21/12/2009 16:49

But Oblomov I saw the danger happen right in front of me.

The snow melted lightly. It fell down the drivers window and ended up in his windscreen. His windscreen was covered and he couldn't see. He breaked to stop. It was icy and snowy. His car skidded and headed towards the pavement when some people were walking - heading right at them. The cars behind - who were a proper distance behind also had to break/slow down faster than normal on the ice.

The people in the car could have been hurt.
The people on the pavement could have been hurt.
The people in the cars behind could have been hurt.
The people int he cars ont he opposite side of the road could have been hurt (if cars had skidded and gone their way into them).

Luckily no one was - fortunately the cars behind were far enough behind not to bump - but even at a good distance, when skidding that is often pure luck as you have no control after a bit. Fortunately the kerb was high enough where we are to stop the car from mounting the pavement. Te pedestrains could do nothing - it was just down to luck that day.

It is a danger, honestly, I watched it happen and could see the danger presented.

And really it only takes an extra 2 minutes before setting off to known the worst of it off. It doesn't all have to come off, but common sense surely tells us that driving with a whole pile of car on top of your car is not a good idea - as it has to come off at some point.

Hulababy · 21/12/2009 16:51

It is a danger

Please people, note that this is a danger. It can and does cause accidents. Do you want to be the person responsible for that accident when it is something you can prevent? I don't understand why peple would want to take that risk.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 21/12/2009 16:51

From the AA website

"Clear snow from the roof as well as from windows. Snow piled up on the roof can fall onto the windscreen obscuring your view and can also be a hazard to other road users."

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 21/12/2009 16:52

And just in case you are really stupid How to clear snow off a car

Hulababy · 21/12/2009 16:52

DoesntChristmasDragOn - agree, think it mentions it on most of the driving websites as a known danger. No idea why people can't see why it can cause accidents.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 21/12/2009 16:53

From esure.com "Driving through ice and snow

First of all, make sure you clear snow off the roof of your car before you drive off."

GetOrfMoiLand · 21/12/2009 16:54

Oh my giddy aunt I have seen it all now.

Moaning about snow at Christmas.

Hasn't bloody snowed here yet, when it does I will be shrieking with glee, not banging on about snow on roofs of cars being illegal in Germany.

Don't be so SCROOGY (am watching Muppets Christmas Carol).

Oblomov · 21/12/2009 16:55

when it is icy or snowy , i go out and start the engine. then i scrape the windscreen.
by the time i pull out of the close, most snow has melted already.
isn't that what most people do ? wheres the need to scrape roof ?

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 21/12/2009 16:56

"Clear snow from the roof as well as from windows as this can fall onto the windscreen and obscure your view or fall onto the road and hinder other drivers. You could be fined up to £2,500 and receive three penalty points if the police consider your car a danger to other road users"

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 21/12/2009 16:58

No one is moaning about snow at Christmas, we're complaining about ignorant twats who don't clear their cars of snow.

Hulababy · 21/12/2009 16:58

Oblomov - there was a good few inches on top of my car when I went out earlier. Hadn't melted after car engine had been running a good 5-10 minutes. Hence the need to clear.

Fair enough if it has melted by time you have to drive away. That is different.

But in many cases it hasn't melted and people drive off with a whole pile still there waiting for it to melt and slide down their windows.

Hulababy · 21/12/2009 16:59

Iam not complaining of snow in general (OK, am not keen, but that is irrelevant to this thread) - just of driving with a car piled high with the white stuff.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 21/12/2009 16:59

What melts is the layer of snow in contact with your roof. Which makes the whole sheet of snow unstable and dangerous to road users. And makes it easy to push off with a broom. It takes a minute or two.

MmeherewegoawassailLindt · 21/12/2009 17:04

YANBU

Almost as bad as the idiots who just clear half the windscreen - I have seen a few drivers drive with just a peephole to see through.

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