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Washing cars in the housing estates

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  • 03-03-2010 7:43pm
    #1
    php-fox
    Registered Users Posts: 168 ✭✭


    A neighbour of mine washes his car regularly in our housing estate. Big hose, soapy water all results in the road being covered in dirty water where people walk, children play and so on.
    I wondering is it legal to wash your car like this on a public road in front of people's houses? Isn't that water toxic or contains harmful chemicals?

    What can I do to stop him from washing his car in front of my house. (He won't listen to my requests)

    Thanks.


«13

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    #2
    smellslikeshoes
    Registered Users Posts: 3,354 ✭✭✭smellslikeshoes


    Sounds like a big overreaction to soapy water to me.


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    #3
    muppet26
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭muppet26


    ah please!


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    #4
    php-fox
    Registered Users Posts: 168 ✭✭php-fox


    I am not overreacting.
    Besides, car washes were built for a reason. So they have proper drainage.
    The reason I am asking, is because I am from abroad, and if the police catches you doing that in my country, you'll get a nice big fine.
    So, I am wondering is it the same here, or is it perfectly legal?


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    #5
    muppet26
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭muppet26


    ok well you could check this with the local city or county council depending where you live as they own the road outside your house afaik.


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    #6
    time lord
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭time lord


    Ther are no bye laws against it in any county I know of except during water shortage periods.
    As far as I know its not against any law or a more relevant statement would be any law that is enforced that is.


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    #7
    kravmaga
    Registered Users Posts: 1,946 ✭✭✭kravmaga


    php-fox wrote: »
    A neighbour of mine washes his car regularly in our housing estate. Big hose, soapy water all results in the road being covered in dirty water where people walk, children play and so on.
    I wondering is it legal to wash your car like this on a public road in front of people's houses? Isn't that water toxic or contains harmful chemicals?

    What can I do to stop him from washing his car in front of my house. (He won't listen to my requests)

    Thanks.

    You dont own the road outside your property so legally yes your neighbour can wash his car there.

    Its not a criminal offence in this country


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    #8
    CantGetNoSleep
    Registered Users Posts: 7,225 ✭✭✭CantGetNoSleep


    You probably need to chill out a little bit, all is coming off the car would usually be washing up liquid and a bit of muck


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    #9
    evercloserunion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,889 ✭✭✭evercloserunion


    In which country does this land you a fine?


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    #10
    Gran Hermano
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,330 ✭✭✭Gran Hermano


    evercloserunion wrote: »
    In which country does this land you a fine?

    My understanding is it's a rule in parts of Germany.


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    #11
    Hagar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,793 ✭✭✭✭Hagar


    When in Rome...


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    #12
    s_carnage
    Registered Users Posts: 2,672 ✭✭✭s_carnage


    People are getting stranger by the day.

    Next there will be something about a bird $hit on my car, can it be put down???


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    #13
    legatti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 75 ✭✭legatti


    php-fox wrote: »
    I am not overreacting.
    Besides, car washes were built for a reason. So they have proper drainage.
    The reason I am asking, is because I am from abroad, and if the police catches you doing that in my country, you'll get a nice big fine.
    So, I am wondering is it the same here, or is it perfectly legal?


    That """ From my country attitude" is YOUR problem right there
    if you dont like it move.. simple.. and before you start on me i have only lived in Ireland for 19 months myself but you DONT come to another country and start comparisons, why bother coming here?
    its not illegal, but you lack of a life and too much interest in your neighbours business could be :rolleyes:
    thanks for making me laugh though!! your pettyness has made my day cheers :)
    :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

    oh just as a after thought.. define ""my country"" i bet you dont actually "" own "" that either LMFAO:eek:


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    #14
    Jumpy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,606 ✭✭✭Jumpy


    legatti wrote: »
    if you dont like it move

    This is a very ugly attitude by the way. Its a common irish saying now that should never be said.
    Regardless how much of an overreaction the OP is, this saying is very typical of the "ah sure it will be grand" attitude that has the country in bits.
    By all means hassle the OP about how silly it is to complain about washing cars in the driveway is, but dont start this "If you dont like it **** off" crap.


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    #15
    pirelli
    Registered Users Posts: 2,876 ✭✭✭pirelli


    legatti wrote: »
    That """ From my country attitude" is YOUR problem right there if you dont like it move.. simple.. and before you start on me i have only lived in Ireland for 19 months myself but you DONT come to another country and start comparisons, why bother coming here?

    I don't agree with legatti telling someone to "move" over something so petty. Although i think he might be thinking along the lines fo respecting a countries culture and traditions which might allow a more broad comment like the one legatti is making. However this thread has little to do with customs and traditions. It is more to do with saftey and hygiene and poor practices.

    I agree with the Op: Washing a car in say an esate car park where children play might be an issue. There are many places you can wash a car with proper drainage that remove these chemical and toxins leaving parking areas cleaner and safer.

    There are so many toxins and chemical that are released during a car wash and to do this soley in a parking areas means that either dirty cars sit parked and are only clean by virtue of spoiling the roadside and car park. It seems like a vicious circle.

    I hae no problem with people waxing polishing and other work on their car but heavy scrubbing does release a huge amount of sludge. If someone dumped a bucket of this concentrated you would freak out. This sludge is dangerous and very toxic.

    Many people might not know this but cats are very sensitive to toxins and many will make a cat very ill if not kill them. It's just not a healthy practice. The goverment could easily work with our garages to provide cheaper cleaning services which would encourage people to wash their cars at garages providing additional income.


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    #16
    Johnny Utah
    Registered Users Posts: 2,157 ✭✭✭Johnny Utah


    Ah pirelli, your posts are always good for a laugh!

    Now, I'm off to wash my car.....:eek: :D


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    #17
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,946 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    pirelli wrote: »
    I don't agree with legatti telling someone to "move" over something so petty. Although i think he might be thinking along the lines fo respecting a countries culture and traditions which might allow a more broad comment like the one legatti is making. However this thread has little to do with customs and traditions. It is more to do with saftey and hygiene and poor practices.

    I agree with the Op: Washing a car in say an esate car park where children play might be an issue. There are many places you can wash a car with proper drainage that remove these chemical and toxins leaving parking areas cleaner and safer.

    There are so many toxins and chemical that are released during a car wash and to do this soley in a parking areas means that either dirty cars sit parked and are only clean by virtue of spoiling the roadside and car park. It seems like a vicious circle.

    I hae no problem with people waxing polishing and other work on their car but heavy scrubbing does release a huge amount of sludge. If someone dumped a bucket of this concentrated you would freak out. This sludge is dangerous and very toxic.

    When washing a car you are washing all the ROAD dirt off it. The only thing added to this is a detergent and water. Are you saying that the road in a housing estate with cars driving on it has different dirt then a road outside a housing estate? Or that the water people are using, which they get from their tap, is dirty?


    Many people might not know this but cats are very sensitive to toxins and many will make a cat very ill if not kill them. It's just not a healthy practice. The goverment could easily work with our garages to provide cheaper cleaning services which would encourage people to wash their cars at garages providing additional income.

    Why should perfectly healthy people be "encouraged" to support garages? There are a few places that already provide car washing facilities and they are getting use, but mainly from people who can't get a hose from where they live to where they want to wash their car.

    Next you'll want people to stop cooking at home to help restaurants as the smells from other peoples cooking sickens you or your cat.


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    #18
    pirelli
    Registered Users Posts: 2,876 ✭✭✭pirelli


    Del2005 wrote: »
    When washing a car you are washing all the ROAD dirt off it. The only thing added to this is a detergent and water. Are you saying that the road in a housing estate with cars driving on it has different dirt then a road outside a housing estate? Or that the water people are using, which they get from their tap, is dirty?
    .

    Am I saying that tap water is dirty...? Where did I say that.

    I am not saying the road in a housing estate has different dirt on it then road outside a housing estate.

    Are you standing on your head eating "half price" headshop gear when your reading this?


    As this is a legal forum lets look at the legality of washing your car.

    Heavy scrubbing and removal of sludge from under the car wheel rims and heavy scrubbing under the engine and under the under side of the car will produce a sludge.

    This sludge contains the following toxins all controlled under the hazourdous waste act:

    Lead and other lead based chemicals
    Gear box Oil
    Engine Oil
    Asbestos
    alkaline manganese
    cadmium
    petroleum
    heavy metal
    monomethyl-dibromo-diphenyl methane
    Hydraulic oils
    anti freeze

    This is just a small list of what is in that sludge. It is collected from the waste from other vehicles and machiney equipment on roads in wet and dry conditions and stored throughout the underside of the car in mounds of hardened sludge.

    It would seem that if i owned a carpark of a very large apartment complex and a drainage system was my reponsibility then i would be violating the hazourdous waste act should i encouraged people during the summer to wash - heavy scrubbing- of their cars.

    Collectively from all the waste of people scrubbing cars the effluent of the above contaniments would be more than likely exceed the legal limit allowed to enter and collect in the drainage system. In fact some of the above waste is illegal period to be allowed run in an open drainage system no matter how tiny a quantity.

    It is obviously ok to give your car a light exterior wash but the removal of hard packed sludge and dirt should be done under the hazardous waste act and that is why garages should provide such a service. I am sure that is why many countries regulate the hazardous effluent from vehicles.


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    #19
    Maximilian
    Legal Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 5,400 Mod ✭✭✭✭Maximilian


    legatti banned for a week.


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    #20
    CantGetNoSleep
    Registered Users Posts: 7,225 ✭✭✭CantGetNoSleep


    Maximilian wrote: »
    legatti banned for a week.
    That will give him plenty of time to really scrub all that dangerous muck off his car and leave it on the street


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    #21
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    pirelli wrote: »
    ...heavy scrubbing under the engine and under the under side of the car will produce a sludge.

    Who is taking about that? Even if someone did that theres no way they'd do it on a regular basis, even if they did, the car would hardly be dirty because it was washed so often.
    pirelli wrote: »
    ...It is obviously ok to give your car a light exterior wash ...

    How do you know that isn't what the OP is talking about?


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    #22
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    pirelli wrote: »
    ...Many people might not know this but cats are very sensitive to toxins and many will make a cat very ill if not kill them. It's just not a healthy practice. The goverment could easily work with our garages to provide cheaper cleaning services which would encourage people to wash their cars at garages providing additional income.

    Cat waste is the great risk. Ban them instead.


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    #23
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    time lord wrote: »
    Ther are no bye laws against it in any county I know of except during water shortage periods.
    As far as I know its not against any law or a more relevant statement would be any law that is enforced that is.

    What are the rules/laws in a water shortage. I have no idea if we are still in one, I've heard nothing about it for a month or more.


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    #24
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,973 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    php-fox wrote: »
    car washes were built for a reason
    Yes.... to make easy money from lazy people by providing a crap service with worn brushes and dodgy chemicals to aid the destruction of the vehicle's finish.

    I'll continue to wash my car myself - thank you!


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    #25
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    Apparently people can be alergic to the chemicals used in the car washes.


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    #26
    pirelli
    Registered Users Posts: 2,876 ✭✭✭pirelli


    BostonB wrote: »
    Who is taking about that? Even if someone did that theres no way they'd do it on a regular basis, even if they did, the car would hardly be dirty because it was washed so often.



    How do you know that isn't what the OP is talking about?

    Don't Bring this down to how a car is washed normally.

    It's the laws effecting the effluent from the washing of a car. Whether you just run some water over the paintwork or whether bob scrubs the underside of the engine and wheel rims is irelevant. It is in the event you do create waste. If you don't then its irelevant.

    The OP may be addressing the laws about water usage or airborne chemicals commonly used for cleaning cars that may be harmful or most likely the effluent from washing a car that may be harmful. However essentially it concerns water waste and that is the are i am focused.

    Since you mention chemicals cause allergies then you should be mindful these chemicals may still be on the car from its last car wash when you run water over it particuarly if you live in certain warm climates.


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    #27
    fuelinjection
    Closed Accounts Posts: 458 ✭✭fuelinjection


    My faith in humanity has just dropped 200 points after reading this lunacy.


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    #28
    Cunsiderthis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 471 ✭✭Cunsiderthis


    pirelli wrote: »
    ...There are so many toxins and chemical that are released during a car wash ... heavy scrubbing does release a huge amount of sludge. If someone dumped a bucket of this concentrated you would freak out. This sludge is dangerous and very toxic.

    ...The goverment could easily work with our garages to provide cheaper cleaning services which would encourage people to wash their cars at garages providing additional income.

    I've never see a car being which has been subject to "heavy scrubbing", and as someone who has often cleaned my own car I have never found any amount of "sludge" let alone huge amounts of it. If someone "dumped" a bucket of sludge it's unlikely I'd freak out, and why this is relevant to someone washing their car seems unclear.

    Really, it's just a guy washing his car, and the water and washing up liquid (that is usually the extent of the chemicals to which you refer) runs off down the nearest drain.
    pirelli wrote: »
    This sludge contains the following toxins all controlled under the hazourdous waste act:

    Lead and other lead based chemicals
    Gear box Oil
    Engine Oil
    Asbestos
    alkaline manganese
    cadmium
    petroleum
    heavy metal
    monomethyl-dibromo-diphenyl methane
    Hydraulic oils
    anti freeze

    This is just a small list of what is in that sludge.

    Talk about over exaggeration. I've rarely read such apparent lunacy on a boards post.

    With my serious hat on, I would ask for your evidence that, when I wash my car, I am releasing all those substances which you claim are definitely contained in your sludge. Have you a scientific study or two where some boffins have gone around after people have washed their cars in housing estates and tested for the list of chemicals you claim are all included in your sludge.

    As I've never seen any sludge after I wash my car, I'll not hold my breath waiting for evidence. I'm torn between whether the above quotes are meant to be humourous, or the product of a confused mind.


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    #29
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    pirelli wrote: »
    Don't Bring this down to how a car is washed normally.

    Why not. Because thats what we are talking about. Not someone pressure cleaning engine bays and underbodies which is what you are talkng about.
    pirelli wrote: »
    It's the laws effecting the effluent from the washing of a car. Whether you just run some water over the paintwork or whether bob scrubs the underside of the engine and wheel rims is irelevant. It is in the event you do create waste. If you don't then its irelevant. .

    Well you made the distinction earlier, now you're saying theres no difference? You're not even consistent with your own comments.
    pirelli wrote: »
    The OP may be addressing the laws about water usage or airborne chemicals commonly used for cleaning cars that may be harmful or most likely the effluent from washing a car that may be harmful. However essentially it concerns water waste and that is the are i am focused.

    Actually the OP didn't mention water wastage and neither did you before now.

    The laws vary from country to country, some its because theres a water shortage and others because of enviromental concerns. Which is a bit daft since when it rains, it washes off the car onto the road anyway. So few wash cars themselves (especially in Ireland) so the water wastage and enviromental impact must be tiny. Some do it for other reasons like not doing it on some days and times of the day, same way they limit when you can put washing out.

    pirelli wrote: »
    Since you mention chemicals cause allergies then you should be mindful these chemicals may still be on the car from its last car wash when you run water over it particuarly if you live in certain warm climates.

    But we're not in a warm climate so thats another completely irrelevant point. If someone washes the car themselves it won't have these chemicals on it. If more people can't wash cars themselves they'll go to car washes, and get these chemicals on their car. Which then gets washed off when it rains. So thats worse.

    The solution to water wastage is water charges. But of course that will push people to car washes and more chemicals.


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    #30
    CamperMan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,835 ✭✭✭CamperMan


    have they got a better car than you?? :D:D


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    #31
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    php-fox wrote: »
    A neighbour of mine washes his car regularly in our housing estate. Big hose, soapy water all results in the road being covered in dirty water where people walk, children play and so on.
    I wondering is it legal to wash your car like this on a public road in front of people's houses? Isn't that water toxic or contains harmful chemicals?

    What can I do to stop him from washing his car in front of my house. (He won't listen to my requests)

    Thanks.

    If builder leave a road in a mess (mud stones) I think (I could be wrong) they have to clean it. Maybe theres something in that, you could try.

    I think your over stating the dangers of water off a car, its not much different to rainwater running off a car, other then theres soap in it, and the dirt from the road, which is already on the road. Besides hes doing it wrong soap in the water causes streaks, you don't need it. Kids shouldn't be on the road, and people shouldn't be walking on the road that much. Perhaps the layout is different and it is a problem. What do they do on a rainy day?


This discussion has been closed.
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