So, it just snowed, but it is above freezing today. I went through the car wash once earlier this year with snow on the car, and the workers did a lot more work than usual, spraying and moving the snow off the top of the car before I went through. Which was nice because I didn’t have to do it.
Is it rude to go through the car wash with snow on your car or is that part of the service provided by the car wash?
EDIT: For more context, the car wash is right down the street from where I live, so by going through, I’m removing the snow so I’m NOT driving around with snow on the car.
I’m also removing a lot of snow before leaving the driveway, but not getting 100% off.
Seems like the consensus is that driving with dangerous amounts of snow on a car is not ok, but few people have addressed the carwash portion of the question.
EDIT 2: I think I’m gonna go in and ask the workers today what they think.
EDIT 3: Didn’t have time to go to the carwash today, will have to ask later.
If an employee needs to do more work than they normally would, give them a tip and a thank you. Judge tip based on how much effort/time required. If you don’t have cash for a tip, clean the car off yourself before going.
I don’t go to sit down restaurants unless I can afford to tip 20%, so I usually don’t. I can afford the monthly membership, but I’ve never seen anyone tip there. Did not expect this question to become a referendum on tipping at carwashes in the USA.
I put in another comment, they have more people scheduled to work the sprayers on busy snowy days. It also moves so fast idk how you are supposed to tip – you don’t really roll down the windows at any point either, or you mess up their process and/or get wet.
Well, the question was if it’s rude. Whether or not it’s rude depends on whether or not you should be tipping and whether or not you do.
Sounds like you’re fine. I would just go, maybe try to chat a bit with the attendants to see if they are miffed for future reference.
me reading this thread as a Floridian
Q: can I go thru the carwash with gators still on the car? :P
Not only is it dangerous to leave snow on your vehicle and drive (just running the engine and turning it off can thaw and refreeze into ice chunks), it is in many places illegal to do so. Get a longer snow brush and clear your vehicle properly.
As someone who used to work carwashes for a few years, I don’t really give a shit, it’s my job and I get paid by the hour. If I wasn’t rinsing off your car I’d be rinsing the next one, and if there wasn’t one to rinse then I’d be cleaning something in the wash bay or something, and tbh I’d rather clean cars than the wash bay.
As a driver, that’s kinda dangerous, even if it’s only for a short distance. It’s only a few seconds to brush off the snow, it takes barely more time than scraping the windshield.
Here’s my routine: with my arm brush off enough snow around the door that I can open it without any falling inside, start the car, turn on defrost, efficiently push snow off the car with broad strokes (I’m not getting every flake, but anything you could make a snowball out of, you know?), scrape windshield and if necessary mirrors and other windows I need to see out of. By now it’s been a couple minutes and you’ve at least given your engine the chance to warm up a little bit, which you should do in the winter anyway.
You are a piece of shit the moment you leave your driveway without cleaning snow off your car.
the car wash is automated, it won’t care
it won’t wash your car as well, though
My main goal is to get salt off the bottom.
EDIT 2: I think I’m gonna go in and ask the workers today what they think.
Ya, you are rude. Don’t do that either. Just stop. Remove the snow before you leave the driveway. It is unsafe for you and everyone around you on the road. Also, in general, yes, making someone do extra work above and beyond what is being offered, at the same price, is a rude thing to do. By your description they “did a lot more work than usual” - did you pay them a lot more money than usual?
Well usually when you go through, the person with the sprayer maybe spritzes the car for a split second, and sends the car through. On the snowy day, the carwash place had two employees stationed there with sprayers, and they were much more thorough spraying the car. That’s why I thought maybe this is something they are prepared for, and factor into the membership.
I pay $35 for unlimited car washes a month, only in the winter, so no I didn’t pay any more. It is kind of a lot, but I do it to try to keep the bottom of my old car from rusting from all the salt. And I count it towards entertainment too because the carwash has lots of colorful lights and stuff, and I listen to Plantasia real loud in the car as I go through.
It seems like you’ve already decided that I’m an asshole, though.
Just clean your damn roof off. It’s not that hard.
This is nostupidquestions, not insulttheOP.
Google a “Sno Brum” and get yourself one.
For the benefit of others:
$24.95I have something like this with soft grips from both sides and a removable scraper. A game changer if you live in snowy areas.
Legality, courtesy and customs aside, I would not risk cracking my windshield/windows by going through a liquid water car wash with anything frozen on my car.
The heat from your defrost is more likely to crack your windshield than their washers. That shit blows out some hot ass air when you have it cranked to full heat. I really doubt the water touching your windshield is warmer than 120f. Probably not even 100f if it’s outside.
If its more work than tip more than usual.
Just buy a leaf blower if you’re that lazy. Works infinitely better and will be cheaper after a year or two of snow.
Plus you can use it to dry your car after washing it in addition to any host of uses.
if the snow can be blown off with a leaf blower, it wasn’t snow that would be any bother to the employee or a hazard to other drivers
it’s ice that’s dangerous to other drivers, and heavy snow/ice that is harder to wash off
Yes, it is. It’s absurdly rude because in order for you to get there, you would’ve had your driven with all that Snow on that car.
And people who drive with a bunch of snow on their car are assholes. So rest assured that today you were that asshole.
You are driving the car though, even if it’s just down the street, that’s not a great move: Knock the snow off before you get onto the road, even if it’s a short trip.
In my state you’re legally required to remove the snow from your car before driving, because it’s a danger to the people around you. So I think it’s rude.
This.
You shouldn’t set off with snow or frozen chunks still left on your car. If you brake and it slides forward it can obscure your view, or when you get up to highway speeds it can fly off and damage whoever is behind you.
Please be considerate of others and don’t do it :)
I’ve laughed a number of times watching a car stop at a light or stop sign only to have the entire contents of their snow covered roof slide down the windshield completely obscuring their view. Like had to put flashers on and get out to clean.
As a sidenote to things flying off, if you’re in an area that’s had snow, ice, or even just freezing temps, stay far back from any semis pulling a trailer. Guarantee that they don’t get up there to remove what’s there, and large chunks of ice can not only do damage to a following car, it could be lethal. It is absolutely the responsibility and even maybe the legality of the truck driver, but that doesn’t help the dead.
As a semi driver, I can confirm that pretty much everything to do with the vehicle is legally the driver’s responsibility, including times when it’s unreasonable. Snow and ice on top of the vehicle is one of them. Yes, I know how this sounds but those trailers we pull don’t come with ladders or anything and we commonly have to park up in the middle of nowhere, so also consider it from the angle of “How the fuck do I get up there to get rid of sheet ice?”
I passed a police car on the interstate a few weeks ago in Kentucky that had its windshield smashed out by snow/ice flying off the top of a semi. The amount of damage was impressive and scary.
As others have said: the rude part is driving with snow on your car in the first place. It can be dangerous to others.
