Windscreen Damage
Submitted: Monday, Jul 25, 2005 at 10:01
ThreadID:
25024
Views:
2183
Replies:
9
FollowUps:
1
This Thread has been Archived
chump_boy
Something my old man taught me....
He always said to put a hand on the windscreen when a car was approaching on a dirt road, as this would stop the screen cracking if a
rock was thrown up(something about absorbing the vibrations).
Is there any truth in that? I know he never had a cracked windscreen, only a few chips here and there.
Cheers,
Chump
Reply By: pjchris - Monday, Jul 25, 2005 at 10:53
Monday, Jul 25, 2005 at 10:53
The 'theory' behind this was that it slightly dampened the resonance in the glass and would 'stop' it from breaking.
However...this applied only to bleep terglass windscreens, and even then some studies showed that stiffening the glass actually made it more likely to bleep ter rather than less, although this would obviously vary from car to car and 'screen to 'screen due to size, shape and thickness variations.
In a modern car with a laminated screen I doubt you would achieve anything by putting your hand on the screen except to leave a large greasy print to clean off...
Peter
AnswerID:
121894
Reply By: ev700 - Monday, Jul 25, 2005 at 11:15
Monday, Jul 25, 2005 at 11:15
Given that some might wish to gesticulate with one hand (a friendly wave to the considerate chap speeding in the other direction), an OH&S issue could arise if the remaining hand is used to hold the windscreen.
Of course there are some who always have one hand continuously engaged elsewhere but they are probably the ones who are speeding in the other direction, throwing up a hail of stones.
Slowing down will lessen the risk of breakage and we all have a vested interest in promoting this as a common code of courtesy.
Can't expect trucks to go slower on gravel - it's against their religion to drive below the speed limit. - Easy guys, just taking the mickey ;-)
AnswerID:
121899
Reply By: joc45 - Monday, Jul 25, 2005 at 12:18
Monday, Jul 25, 2005 at 12:18
I remember lots of people who did the hand trick years ago, but fortunately, I think most people today have seen the light. Leaning forward at an awkward angle with one hand on the windscreen, while caning it along a loose gravel road didn't seem to me a clever idea.
There was also a device sold around that time which comprised a suction cup on the inside of the windscreen, anchored by a rod back to the dashboard. Claimed to offer similar protection to the windscreen as the hand-on-windscreen trick. Haven't seen them for a long while. Message there somewhere, I'm sure.
Gerry
AnswerID:
121910