wipers on full tilt - in a light drizzle?

SuperGrover

had to cross dublin and back last night in a bit of drizzle.

i must have seen half a dozen different cars with wipers on manic mode. you could nearly see the smoke coming off them.

does anyone here do this and why?

observation here - all those i could make out were women?

what's this about?

Steve

Maybe it's the new 'ugg boots and PJ's'....:D

harry4141

I think its just Nervous Nellies. They sometimes drive at night with their internal light on! They can be spotted by the "ready to pounce" driving position, seat right up under the steering wheel because their little legs can't reach the pedals and face pressed against the windscreen because they wonn't wear their glasses.

Biro

SuperGrover wrote: »

had to cross dublin and back last night in a bit of drizzle.

i must have seen half a dozen different cars with wipers on manic mode. you could nearly see the smoke coming off them.

does anyone here do this and why?

observation here - all those i could make out were women?

what's this about?

Same people who in the country won't put on their full lights when there's nothing coming. Drives me stupid. They're usually doing 40mph, and because they're driving with their dips, I can't see how long the straight is ahead, so I can't overtake. These people just grab buttons and pull them till something happens and leave it at that. THey then pull up at their house, switch off the car with all levers on, and if when the key is out and the door is open something is still happening, they struggle to find how to make it stop cause they learned from before with a flat battery.

superjosh9

My 940 doesn't have adjustable intermittent wipers. It's one of the things that I find a killer.

It has *one* *very* *slow* intermittent speed, a fast speed, and a faster speed.

So if you ever see me doing it, I'm probably cursing. It's one of those things when I stop at traffic lights that makes me look over at other cars with their adjustable speed wipers and swoon. It's gotten to the point that I HATE light drizzle and say come on the heavy rain. Don't even get me started about the in-betweeny stuff...

as you can see, you've really hit a nerve with me here!! indeed, here comes the water works...

Jonty

harry4141 wrote: »

I think its just Nervous Nellies. They sometimes drive at night with their internal light on! They can be spotted by the "ready to pounce" driving position, seat right up under the steering wheel because their little legs can't reach the pedals and face pressed against the windscreen because they wonn't wear their glasses.

Lol. Its true. How does anybody drive with the cab light on??

Wertz

My car has rain sensing wipers, which use a light sensor on the windscreen just behind the overlap of the two blades to detect how much rain is falling on the screen and adjust the speed or frequency of wipe accordingly. Now I've found that in certain kinds of very fine but relatively light drizzle, the sensor gets confused and switches them on full...similalrly with large heavy drops, spaced far apart (though still heavy enough to warrant full speed), the speed may not be fast enough and you have to switch to a manual slection.
I don't know how common rain sensing wipoers are on cars nowadays (mine's 9 yrs old) but I reckon it's this that the OP is seeing...

SuperGrover

superjosh9 wrote: »

My 940 doesn't have adjustable intermittent wipers. It's one of the things that I find a killer.

It has *one* *very* *slow* intermittent speed, a fast speed, and a faster speed.

So if you ever see me doing it, I'm probably cursing. It's one of those things when I stop at traffic lights that makes me look over at other cars with their adjustable speed wipers and swoon. It's gotten to the point that I HATE light drizzle and say come on the heavy rain. Don't even get me started about the in-betweeny stuff...

as you can see, you've really hit a nerve with me here!! indeed, here comes the water works...

it was the 'faster' speed i saw in action last night, as opposed to 'fast'.

i'm not even slagging these people, could be lovely folk, just genuinely curious as to how someone can not be driven mental by driving around with wipers going faster than an olympic table tennis match right in front of their eyes.

SuperGrover

Wertz wrote: »

My car has rain sensing wipers, which use a light sensor on the windscreen just behind the overlap of the two blades to detect how much rain is falling on the screen and adjust the speed or frequency of wipe accordingly. Now I've found that in certain kinds of very fine but relatively light drizzle, the sensor gets confused and switches them on full...similalrly with large heavy drops, spaced far apart (though still heavy enough to warrant full speed), the speed may not be fast enough and you have to switch to a manual slection.
I don't know how common rain sensing wipoers are on cars nowadays (mine's 9 yrs old) but I reckon it's this that the OP is seeing...

unlikely on late 90's micras and puntos, but fair enough.

often wondered about those automatic wipers (well, not often, i do have other interests in life besides wipers!), sometimes wondered, do they have an override to manual?

Wertz

Mine do anyhow....the first selection on the stalk is auto, next is slow wipe, next is fast mode.
I always thought, yeah, what a pointless device but I've become very attached to them especially on the motorway, like for instance when passing a truck throwing up a lot of spray, or even on a backroad for when an oncoming vehicle throws spray/mud onto you briefly...the split second it saves you having to wipe manually could be enough to spot or avoid a hazard, especially whilst doing m-way speeds in already poor visibility...

Creamy Goodness

this warrants a thread? christ if they want to burn out the wiper motors let them, doesn't really concern me tbh.

Guy:Incognito

Wertz wrote: »

My car has rain sensing wipers, which use a light sensor on the windscreen just behind the overlap of the two blades to detect how much rain is falling on the screen and adjust the speed or frequency of wipe accordingly. Now I've found that in certain kinds of very fine but relatively light drizzle, the sensor gets confused and switches them on full...similalrly with large heavy drops, spaced far apart (though still heavy enough to warrant full speed), the speed may not be fast enough and you have to switch to a manual slection.
I don't know how common rain sensing wipoers are on cars nowadays (mine's 9 yrs old) but I reckon it's this that the OP is seeing...

My Xantia has rain sensors and so does the missus 05 scenic. I find it works really well on both to the point where since I got my car in april and she got hers in Feb neither of use have bothered with the manual settings at all.

Same as the OP I do notice a lot of cars with the wipers doing their best to flip the car in very light rainfall.

It's another stupid little thing that bugs me. I think I have issues mind.

On a related note, I really like the auto lights on the missus car, coupled with the electronic handbrake and push button start. At night in the rain you literally just sit in pu sh the button to start and pull off. No turning on lights or wipers and no dropping handbrakes. Cruise control makes motorway driving really effortless. Next one will be an auto though.

Anan1

Have to agree about the rain sensing wipers - I don't have them in the Forester, and I really miss them. They're a dealer-fit option, and they'll be going on at the next service.

E92

+1 on rain sensing wipers - I find them to be fantastic and you can usually adjust the sensitivity on them too to suit your preference.

Robbo

I'm of the opinion that there's a large number of drivers out there that have very little idea of what half the switchgear in their cars actually does. The kind of person who drives around built up areas with their parking lights and front fogs on at the same time.

Wertz

Robbo wrote: »

IThe kind of person who drives around built up areas with their parking lights and front fogs on at the same time.

You mean during the day or during hours of darkness?

Robbo

Wertz wrote: »

You mean during the day or during hours of darkness?

With this kind of wazzock, any given hour of the day.

_Kaiser_

Yes I see this a lot myself - generally smaller hatchbacks with women peering over the wheel. :rolleyes:

My own Passat has 4 different intermittent wiper speeds, constant and fast modes so I've plenty to choose from but generally stick to the minimum actually needed.

Wertz

Robbo wrote: »

With this kind of wazzock, any given hour of the day.

Aye, but in fairness, it's somewhat forgivable during daylight hours...annoys the hell out of me being blinded by cnuts driving with foglights on at night, especially those in urban settings with no main beams on...

Cionád

superjosh9 wrote: »

My 940 doesn't have adjustable intermittent wipers. It's one of the things that I find a killer.

Ah the Volvo,

[ dont mean to go off topic but..]

How many mpg you getting with it and is it estate or saloon?

I've got a 940 estate thats a lovely car but not being used at all at the moment but I'm on a tight budget and a 2.3 litre tax bill as well as an inferior to 46mpg fuel bill is the dealbreaker...


also on topic, maybe these ppl have just come out of a downpour and have not realised the new conditions (might be a good song on the radio and they got distracted :rolleyes: )

Berty

Jonty wrote: »

Lol. Its true. How does anybody drive with the cab light on??

I cant, I can barely do anything when mine are on. I changed mine to multiple extreme white LED's bulbs. When I switch them on at night the windscreen becomes a mirror they are so bright.

Steve

Robbo wrote: »

The kind of person who drives around built up areas with their parking lights and front fogs on at the same time.

Either that or they're just ignorant assholes that are doing it on purpose because they believe their car is actually a jet fighter and goes at 7 million mph when they turn them on.

Wishbone Ash

I tend to be the complete opposite - I use intermittent when I should really have the regular wipers on.

Biro wrote: »

Same people who in the country won't put on their full lights when there's nothing coming. Drives me stupid. They're usually doing 40mph, and because they're driving with their dips, I can't see how long the straight is ahead, so I can't overtake. These people just grab buttons and pull them till something happens and leave it at that. THey then pull up at their house, switch off the car with all levers on, and if when the key is out and the door is open something is still happening, they struggle to find how to make it stop cause they learned from before with a flat battery.

You must know my father in law.

As well as the above, he uses parking lights at night on rural roads unless he sees another vehicle and he won't 'indicate' unless there is someone behind him (to save the battery).

Jonty wrote: »

How does anybody drive with the cab light on??

Those of us who drive buses have to get used to it! The windscreen becomes a huge mirror in which passengers and their movements can be observed!

Esel

Wertz wrote: »

..I've become very attached to them ... on a backroad for when an oncoming vehicle throws spray/mud onto you briefly...

Wouldn't they just smear mud all over the screen in that scenario? I don't have them, but can't imagine them being a lifesaver tbh.

I heard that a car with wipers on when it's not raining gets a 'fish eye' from the Gardaí, on the chance that it might be stolen.

towel401

esel wrote: »

Wouldn't they just smear mud all over the screen in that scenario? I don't have them, but can't imagine them being a lifesaver tbh.

I heard that a car with wipers on when it's not raining gets a 'fish eye' from the Gardaí, on the chance that it might be stolen.

fish eye?

Gary ITR

I could have been one of them, my wiper stalk is horlixed. Waiting on a new one i have on order

Steve

esel wrote: »

Wouldn't they just smear mud all over the screen in that scenario? I don't have them, but can't imagine them being a lifesaver tbh.

I heard that a car with wipers on when it's not raining gets a 'fish eye' from the Gardaí, on the chance that it might be stolen.

I heard that too -connect all the wires till it starts ftw...

Esel

towel401 wrote: »

fish eye?

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fisheye

Wertz

Usually the only time you get mud splashed is when it's raining and the windscreen's already wet so would wipe off straight away...if it smears just pull the stalk for spray.

You know it occured to me that what the OP might be seeing are people that don't know how to clear the interior windscreen from fogging, then not being able to see out in the light rain and thinking that the trouble is on the outside so putting on the wipers full blast. Or perhaps on older cars the stalk selections might be worn and it goes from either OFF to FULL but nothing in between...or maybe they just don' know there's an in-between...

Whilst we're vaguely on the topic >.> has anyone ever used that nano windscreen treatment? Gimic or worth the money?

Esel

Nano windscreen treatment

pred racer

Wertz wrote: »

My car has rain sensing wipers, which use a light sensor on the windscreen just behind the overlap of the two blades to detect how much rain is falling on the screen and adjust the speed or frequency of wipe accordingly. Now I've found that in certain kinds of very fine but relatively light drizzle, the sensor gets confused and switches them on full...similalrly with large heavy drops, spaced far apart (though still heavy enough to warrant full speed), the speed may not be fast enough and you have to switch to a manual slection.
I don't know how common rain sensing wipoers are on cars nowadays (mine's 9 yrs old) but I reckon it's this that the OP is seeing...

+1
mine is exactly the same.