Windscreen Washers!

Adamskii

The other day I was cycling back from work through traffic over taking we're it came to a stand still like every day. Over about a mile stretch I overtook the same car quite safely several times. I passed her, she passed me etc. No problems, until it came to the fourth time she overtook me. She was obviously having a 'bad day' or something because she gave me a soaking with he windscreen washers!

I wasn't really that bothered by her actions, in fact I found it quiet funny. I did wonder what the point was however as I overtook her again and disappeared into the distance.

Has this happened to anyone else?

schlepcycling

Presumably she wasn't aiming her washers at you, she was just washing her windscreen and has badly adjusted washers and you got hit by the spray. On my occasional drives to/from work in the winter it's not uncommon to have my windscreen 'washed' by the washer jets from the car infront which just direct a jet of water straight over the intended windscreen and onto mine.

graeme_s-2

My girlfriend frequently gets me with the washers either as I'm about to get into the car, or when I'm in the passenger seat with the window down. She just forgets that it gets anything other than the windscreen. In your case it was probably the same thing, she probably just didn't realise that it would hit you.

Adamskii

I have a feeling she did it deliberately as she moved across me and knowing I’d be behind her gave me squirt from the washers. And yes, not much of it went on the windscreen, more of it went in my face!

Gussio

I had this happen to me once before. Stationary traffic and I was waiting behind and to the left of a sh1tbox old rover populated by chavs. It amused them greatly that the jets were perfectly positioned to give me a good soaking. Because of the gridlock there was nowhere for me to scoot away to in safety, otherwise the car door might have been inadvertently booted in. Luckily it was just water, presumeably because they were either too stupid or too poor to use screenwash. I laughed it off while seething inside.

ScottDougall

I have had this too - I find it really funny because if you think about it they must have spent time re-adjusting their washers - its so unbelievable childish it never fails to make me road with laughter...

misterben

ScottDougall wrote:

I have had this too - I find it really funny because if you think about it they must have spent time re-adjusting their washers

Not necessarily true. I've had a couple of cars that have come with washers that miss the windscreen by default.

ScottDougall

true or not its still a funny method of attack...

imagine trying to do it - and how you would feel...

obviously 99% of car drivers are fine, safe and able to share the road with others - that 1% and certifiable - I would include premeditated windscreen washer scoosher attacks on cyclists as openly certifiable behaviour whether they aimed the thing one Sunday on their driveway or not !!!

DavidTQ

misterben wrote:

ScottDougall wrote:

I have had this too - I find it really funny because if you think about it they must have spent time re-adjusting their washers

Not necessarily true. I've had a couple of cars that have come with washers that miss the windscreen by default.

When I was young and stupid I went to the hassle of rigging a second washer jet system to my mk2 Escort with jets mounted in the bonnet facing forwards and to the side. What it is to be 18

Mind you I have been known to deliberately get people (normally my wife or my brother) as they get in or out of the car even now Im older

Ive had cars where Ive had to adjust the jets to actually work right and hit the screen at a decent workable position. Heck knows exactly what makes them go out in the first place.

nwallace

Reminder to self: Fix badly adjusted offside washer jet...........

I have in the past received enough water from a leading vehicle to wipe my windscreen.

Any blockage or even just water pressure can put the washer jets out as they are just little ballpoints with a hole in them for water to exit.

The perfect adjustment tools are paper clips, RBL/EHFS Poppy pins and sewing pins.

I've also recently discovered that fuel lines and filters should be checked for any crap left by previous owners botched repair jobs. Found 10cm worth of sellotape in fuel pipe and the carburettors fuel filter. After 4 years of use it was finally enough to make the thing stop going.

mea00csf

know someone who when "got" by windscreen washers that were obviously aligned on purposes, caught up to them at the traffic lights, said nothing, got water bottle out and squirted it through the open drivers window. Wish i'd seen it, especially since he's an awesome cyclist and would have burned them off in the traffic

misterben

mea00csf wrote:

know someone who when "got" by windscreen washers that were obviously aligned on purposes, caught up to them at the traffic lights, said nothing, got water bottle out and squirted it through the open drivers window. Wish i'd seen it, especially since he's an awesome cyclist and would have burned them off in the traffic

Marvellous

Adamskii

I'll try that in the summer. The alternative would be to catch them up and gob on their window, although that’s not very nice is it?!