Does anyone else put their hand on the windscreen when driving through loose chipping

Of course. How else would you stop the windscreen from shattering?

My granny used to do this as a passenger. She never drove in her life. It used to drive me cracked (ironically) when she'd leave fingerprints on the windscreen.

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Of course. How else would stop the windscreen from shattering?

The days when windscreens shattered are long since gone.
All windscreens are laminated these days, they crack, not shatter.

But even on safety glass (which windscreens used to be made of and all other car glass still is) applying extra pressure won't stop it shattering if you hit it the wrong way.
Safety glass is under so much tension and so strong you can hit it with the flat side of a hammer and it won't break. But apply the force at a small point (or near the edge) and it just breaks into tiny bits in a fraction of a second...hand on it or not.

It's called safety glass because the tiny bits won't kill you like ordinary window glass shards would.
It's also called toughened glass because...like I said, it's tough as f%ck

If you look at toughened glass (the rear screen in this pic) through polarised sunglasses, you can actually see the quench marks on the glass.
The quenching introduces the tension that makes it so tough.

I actually still do it. But only if a car in travelling towards my on loose chipping. But if its an old wives tale so be it. I can see the amusing side of it

I do it all the time from a Murphys Law point of view . Believing if I don't , then the windscreen will surely get hit .

Nope. I have never done that nor do i know anyone who does it. Usually i curse and hope for the best as i quickly pass through them..

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I've not seen loose chippings in 20 plus years, no council will allow them on their roads as they will end up with massive claims for damage and death but yes I would when they were there put the hand on the windscreen

Literally just drove on a road that had them yesterday. The “stretch” was far too long for my liking.

Should be done in smaller stages because the car in front of my was taking the 25km/ph signs far too seriously. Had to “crawl” along behind them.

I still find myself doing it, with the initial reason being that the hand will take most of the 'shock' from the chipping hitting the windscreen. Always thought it was a bit dodge, but daddy knows best and all that. Should really stop, but like said above, the first time I don't do this, I'll end up with a shattered windscreen because of Murphys Law. Won't be the fault of my not putting my hand up, as it's not going to help either way, but it's like those times I forget to do the lotto and convince myself I would have won it that time if I had done it.

I don't know about the hand thing. But i know heatwaves can make windscreens crack or make cracks grow bigger.