Snow on the car?
Discussion
Followed a number of commuters down the A404 this morning, each followed by a comet-like tail of snow dislodging from their roofs. All very pretty, but I couldn't help but think there was a police-initiated campaign a few years ago, declaring it an offence to drive off to work in something more closely resembing an igloo than a VW Golf - as the following plume can easily obstruct the view ahead.
Was this just an informational exercise? Presumably only extreme cases are going to get pulled... mainly those vehicles being driven using a letterbox-sized area on the windscreen? Or is it a specific offence?
Was this just an informational exercise? Presumably only extreme cases are going to get pulled... mainly those vehicles being driven using a letterbox-sized area on the windscreen? Or is it a specific offence?
The offence of 'Glass not as prescribed' will be used for the letterbox viewers...who have scraped the smallest amount of ice from their windscreen.
It's only a non-endorsable offence, but I ticket EVERY driver with such a screen..
As for the huge amount of snow on car roofs; no real offence, i'm afraid to say. The only possible one, would be 'vehicle in dangerous condition' but the test is subjective and unlikely.
It's only a non-endorsable offence, but I ticket EVERY driver with such a screen..
As for the huge amount of snow on car roofs; no real offence, i'm afraid to say. The only possible one, would be 'vehicle in dangerous condition' but the test is subjective and unlikely.
Good positive policing again Gary. The number of numpties who drive with the windows totally opaque is amazing. The last three weeks here have been snowy and minus temps, down to -18 at night and my car lives outside, so I get up 10 minutes earlier to start it up and clear all windows before moving off.
eunosroadster said:
Would a vehicle covered in snow and ice, with chucks breaking off round every bend not be a hazard to other road users and pedestrians and thus fall under the unsecured / dangerous load type of thing.
>> Edited by eunosroadster on Tuesday 22 February 11:57
see my post at 11:22
(Wibbly lines; many years ago...)
My father cleared all the windows on the car, but left the snow on the roof. Drove out the drive, down the road to the first roundabout, and braked.
A complete blanket of snow slid forward off the roof, obscuring the whole windscreen.
Lesson - clear the whole lot, it only takes 2 mins.
My father cleared all the windows on the car, but left the snow on the roof. Drove out the drive, down the road to the first roundabout, and braked.
A complete blanket of snow slid forward off the roof, obscuring the whole windscreen.
Lesson - clear the whole lot, it only takes 2 mins.
Driving in Germany years ago, I had a similar thing. Snow had fallen overnight, thawed then refroze. Unbeknown to me, my artic trailer had a dip in the roof material. I went round a roundabout, and a sheet of ice about 6 foot by 6 foot, and 6 inches thick in the middle, flew off. I suppose the only reason I saw it, was because I was driving a right hand drive. The crash it made when it hit the ground was frightening. Thank god there was noone underneath it. It got me thinking though, how the hell would I get rid of it every morning?. Climbing up there with a spade or something would be asking for it, and I'm not always able to get inside the trailer to push it off from inside (sealed up).
A dilema for sure.....
Phil
A dilema for sure.....
Phil
MilnerR said:
How difficult is it to throw some old towels over the front and back windows and then peel them off next morning?
You can buy car covers for £50 which seems a lot cheaper thn T-boning somone 'cos you can't see out of your side widows!
Round here, they'd pinch your towels!
Size Nine Elm said:
(Wibbly lines; many years ago...)
My father cleared all the windows on the car, but left the snow on the roof. Drove out the drive, down the road to the first roundabout, and braked.
A complete blanket of snow slid forward off the roof, obscuring the whole windscreen.
Lesson - clear the whole lot, it only takes 2 mins.
Should have been obvious;
Davel said:
The problem is getting the snow just to stick to your number plates and not melt when the weather improves!
Just what I was thinking yesterday during the blizzard. I almost thought it worth taking a trip past the Nottingham SPECS at 80.
Luckyly the weather conditions made that too dangerous so I thought better of it
philthy said:
Driving in Germany years ago, I had a similar thing. Snow had fallen overnight, thawed then refroze. Unbeknown to me, my artic trailer had a dip in the roof material. I went round a roundabout, and a sheet of ice about 6 foot by 6 foot, and 6 inches thick in the middle, flew off. I suppose the only reason I saw it, was because I was driving a right hand drive. The crash it made when it hit the ground was frightening. Thank god there was noone underneath it. It got me thinking though, how the hell would I get rid of it every morning?. Climbing up there with a spade or something would be asking for it, and I'm not always able to get inside the trailer to push it off from inside (sealed up).
A dilema for sure.....
Phil
You can lose your license in Germany and Switzerland for this, especially if anyone is endangered. I've had 30cm square chunks of ice flying off a truck hit and go straight through my bonnet leaving a jagged hole 20cm square (cheapo froggy plastic bonnet)... belgian truckie lost his license and had a huuuuge fine for endangering life... I thought I'd had my chips......
Same applies to cars with "roofracks" of snow, driving with a vehicle in a dangerous condition, 12 points 2500 euros fine........
as is driving without winter tyres on snow....as the crashed GB busdriver will find out to his "benefit"...
incorrect tyres 3 points per tyre = 12 points all at once.....
some things that they DO get right over here!
cmsapms said:
As for the huge amount of snow on car roofs; no real offence, i'm afraid to say. The only possible one, would be 'vehicle in dangerous condition' but the test is subjective and unlikely.
Can't you get them for 'unsecured load'?
Only if they are delivering it to the Eskimos..
JMGS4, It frightened the life out of me. It must have weighed at least 200 kilos, thank god there was noone there for it to land on. After this lesson, I used to try and dislodge it, by reversing (in a yard, or other safe area), then whacking the brakes on. More usually though, it came forward when I checked if there was any still up there. It makes a hell of a din when it hits the back of the cab !!
Phil
Phil
philthy said:
Driving in Germany years ago, I had a similar thing. Snow had fallen overnight, thawed then refroze. Unbeknown to me, my artic trailer had a dip in the roof material. I went round a roundabout, and a sheet of ice about 6 foot by 6 foot, and 6 inches thick in the middle, flew off. I suppose the only reason I saw it, was because I was driving a right hand drive. The crash it made when it hit the ground was frightening. Thank god there was noone underneath it. It got me thinking though, how the hell would I get rid of it every morning?. Climbing up there with a spade or something would be asking for it, and I'm not always able to get inside the trailer to push it off from inside (sealed up).
A dilema for sure.....
Phil
2 Trucks this morning pulled onto the M40 from the Handy Cross r'bout. Both with 1/2 a building on them. ANd on the building a lot of snow. They got to about 30 and 4 lanes of traffic stood on the brakes as you couldn't see more then 10 ft infront
But I was thinking...how would they clear that...the load wasn't exactly safe to climb up!
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