larrybadger
Expert Expediter
"Wiper Tag"
Lead article brings back memories of when I was pushing snow for a living here in western Michigan. We get a goodly share of the white stuff, both from normal systems coming through and lake-effect off Lake Michigan. I am reminded of a morning when I was traveling on U.S.131, a north-south highway notorious for icing over. Here I am driving it from one job to another when I decide to play "wiper tag" between the elements, my wipers, and me. Well, as the article states is how I started this round, arm out window grabbing wiper blade assembly as it nears hand...etc. Well, was going well, until on one grab the entire blade assembly came off in my hand. So here I am driving in a nasty snowy/ice condition, with the wiper arm creating a nice scratch into my windshield, while at the same time playing a not-so-gentle scratchy melody. I have to leave them on so I can have some visibility of the side of the road, and am reaching out trying to use my ice scraper to clear enough of a patch so I can see enough to pull over; which in itself is not a pleasant thought to have to do on a major highway, in a snow/ice storm. Needless to say, I now take the time whenever safely possible to pull off and clean everything instead of playing the game of "wiper tag". And while we're on the topic of wipers, can anyone explain to me why it is that when wipers start wearing down they always seem to do so right in the direct path of vision, instead of at the ends or somewhere else? So you have this perfectly clean windshield, with a 2-3 inch wide arcing path of blur right in front of your eyes.
Larry Badger
Plainwell, Michigan
Lead article brings back memories of when I was pushing snow for a living here in western Michigan. We get a goodly share of the white stuff, both from normal systems coming through and lake-effect off Lake Michigan. I am reminded of a morning when I was traveling on U.S.131, a north-south highway notorious for icing over. Here I am driving it from one job to another when I decide to play "wiper tag" between the elements, my wipers, and me. Well, as the article states is how I started this round, arm out window grabbing wiper blade assembly as it nears hand...etc. Well, was going well, until on one grab the entire blade assembly came off in my hand. So here I am driving in a nasty snowy/ice condition, with the wiper arm creating a nice scratch into my windshield, while at the same time playing a not-so-gentle scratchy melody. I have to leave them on so I can have some visibility of the side of the road, and am reaching out trying to use my ice scraper to clear enough of a patch so I can see enough to pull over; which in itself is not a pleasant thought to have to do on a major highway, in a snow/ice storm. Needless to say, I now take the time whenever safely possible to pull off and clean everything instead of playing the game of "wiper tag". And while we're on the topic of wipers, can anyone explain to me why it is that when wipers start wearing down they always seem to do so right in the direct path of vision, instead of at the ends or somewhere else? So you have this perfectly clean windshield, with a 2-3 inch wide arcing path of blur right in front of your eyes.
Larry Badger
Plainwell, Michigan