Ever used one of these?

[Napoleon54]

Considering the geographical diversity represented here, and a couple of recent threads, I'm curious how many of you have never had to use one of these. Heck, some might not even know what it is!

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q58/Napoleon54/Brush.jpg

I had to use mine this evening.

[jstreet]

*nods*

I do not miss it.

[clutchy]

yes, I lived in chicago growing up 14 years, from 1980 to 1994.

I miss the snow. It's funny, California is so hot in the summer you can't do anything, kinda like winter in chicago... but atleast you can put on a bunch of clothes and go sledding and stuff.


did you move Ben?

[jstreet]

Nah, I'm still in Virginia, but in my winters here we haven't gotten the kind of ice I used to get in Rhode Island and use that scraper thingy for. That and I don't own a car, at least at this point. I might have to next year.

[clutchy]

are you near Reston with LK?

<---sorry, had to hit 2000

[jstreet]

Congrats! Nope, I'm closer to DC. Within walking distance of the Iwo Jima statue I vaguely remember you mentioning.

[ShawnLee]

Congrats on 2000! I don't have a car here in Korea, but I'd use it if I did.

[InfiniteNothing]

Considering the geographical diversity represented here, and a couple of recent threads, I'm curious how many of you have never had to use one of these. Heck, some might not even know what it is!

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q58/Napoleon54/Brush.jpg

I had to use mine this evening.
I'm still a little ify on what it is.

[zippyjuan]

Looks like a really cheap barbecue scraper.

[Airencracken]

Looks like a really cheap barbecue scraper.

:stupid: That was my first reaction, but I think its a windshield ice remover thingy.

[clutchy]

thanks Shawn, I never thought i'd make it here...


btw you Cal kids are funny.

[riskykougra]

:gle: ...I have two of those and I used to have a lil handheld one for those extra special, mind numbing cold days when I had to use one on the inside of the windows but it broke....gawd why do I live here again?:disa:

[Jeffbx]

I buy those by the dozen. Couple in the back seat, handful in the trunk, maybe one or two dangling from the rear view mirror.

Once you have the experience of having to scrape your windshield with a credit card when it's 20 below, you find it wise to be better prepared.

[yippiekiyeh]

It's something that I've seen people use on TV but never personally have I needed to use. Looks handy though :)

[cheapie]

I buy those by the dozen. Couple in the back seat, handful in the trunk, maybe one or two dangling from the rear view mirror.

Once you have the experience of having to scrape your windshield with a credit card when it's 20 below, you find it wise to be better prepared.

:heh: you know it. i actually had to shovel 7-8 inches off the car this morning before i could use the scraper. :gle:

[mcs328]

I use it all the time in the winter.

[Napoleon54]

Something else I'm curious about: do people in warm climates put remote starters in their cars? Do they have a use other than to warm up the car when it's cold out?

[WhiskeyPapa]

You can use them to cool your car in the summer. I'm going to assume that's not as popular, since a good air conditioner can cool down a car in a few minutes, while it can take up to 15 minutes to warm up a car in sub-zero weather.

[cadetevon]

It's funny, California is so hot in the summer you can't do anything,

I've lived in San Diego most all of my life, save the time I spent in the US Army (Virginia, Georgia, Germany, South Carolina and a couple others) and I don't think I've ever experienced summer heat here that would keep me from doing things.

Mostly it's pretty temperate here. :shrug:


BTW, congrats on 2,000! :cheers:

[BigJon]

Dude! This is no place to be posting pictures of your sex toys!

Kidding.. :P I have to use one of those every friggin' winter. Although with the van now...I'm seriously considering one of the new ones with the extendable neck as I currently have to lay on my hood to reach the windsheild.

[Markel]

Although with the van now...I'm seriously considering one of the new ones with the extendable neck as I currently have to lay on my hood to reach the windsheild.
My wife had lost her scraper, so she bought one of those deluxe models for our van.

[gwilks98]

Yeah, I use mine, but only a few times each season. it's a necessity, but I can't complain to you Michigan and Chicago posters.

[ray]

It's funny, when I moved to California I made sure to put one of those in the trunk of my car. I haven't had to use it yet, but better safe than sorry when I do need to use it!

[Nija]

It's something that I've seen people use on TV but never personally have I needed to use. Looks kinky though :)

:stupid:

[oblongmelon]

I haven't had to use mine yet..FYI I always keep one on the front porch so that if it snows I don't have to dig through the snow on my car to open the door to get the one in the car out..and the best thing to clean windshields off of ice is old expired credit cards or store cards..they really really work great!

[ufcrusher]

Its a sasquatch scratcher....right?

Seriously, last time I whipped it out in central florida people looked at me like I was crazy....until they realized that I was scraping off the frost.

[clutchy]

Congrats! Nope, I'm closer to DC. Within walking distance of the Iwo Jima statue I vaguely remember you mentioning.


huh crazy! yeah I lost my wallet there 3 hours before my plane took off... nice guy called and met and returned, wouldn't take my money either...


I really enjoyed the east coast, you guys live in a great part of the country!

[clutchy]

I've lived in San Diego most all of my life, save the time I spent in the US Army (Virginia, Georgia, Germany, South Carolina and a couple others) and I don't think I've ever experienced summer heat here that would keep me from doing things.

Mostly it's pretty temperate here. :shrug:


BTW, congrats on 2,000! :cheers:


true enough, San diego is quite different than the inland craphole... we hit 113 this summer maybe hotter and it was like that for atleast a month or 2... ridiculous.

San diego is uh, slightly different. :)

[Airencracken]

<----- <3's Triple Digit Temps

[jstreet]

It snowed tonight in DC. I think because of this thread.

[InfiniteNothing]

<----- <3's Triple Digit TempsToday?

[Airencracken]

I wish.

[kimchicowboy]

It snowed tonight in DC. I think because of this thread.
it did? i don't see anything out my window this morning. i heard flurries were coming though.

my friend's from mississippi and she told us that a store down there sold those brushes before. yes, in MS. she goes to visit her mom and her mom asks "what are these things? brooms for midgets?" all serious. hahaha. that was hilarious.

[jstreet]

Yea, it was just flurries. I was coming back from a work happy hour and the temp dropped to 25 with 30mph winds (I couldn't discern this at the time, I looked it up ;p). Snow flurries started, windchill was at about 15, and considering it was 75 and sunny a week ago today, I wanted to die, lol.

[DarkFury]

Personally, I use one that has a telescoping snow broom on one end and an ice chipper/scraper on the other end.


Pushing snow off of the tailgate is a pain.. but leaving it on there and creating a "white cloud" when I drive is dangerous.

[guiseppewv]

I know what one of those things are and, hopefully, here in Hawaii I won't have to worry about using that this winter. :)

[Jihforce]

I didn't know those things existed until I moved to Rochester NY in 98...then i became very well acquainted with it. But Alas, the "good" times had to end.

[Kevster]

btw you Cal kids are funny.

:heh: I had to use one a few weeks ago here in No. Cal when the dew froze on my windshield when I was still staying at my parent's house during the week. You do get cold temperatures in California, but you have to go up in elevation first.

[avlena]

*nods*

I do not miss it.

:stupid: my parents liked to send me and my brothers out first, to warm up the car and scrape all the ice & snow off for them. :shudder: I prefer to leave those memories buried, and enjoy my warm weather instead!

[clutchy]

:heh: I had to use one a few weeks ago here in No. Cal when the dew froze on my windshield when I was still staying at my parent's house during the week. You do get cold temperatures in California, but you have to go up in elevation first.


hehe, true enough. :)

[Houdini]

You can use them to cool your car in the summer. I'm going to assume that's not as popular, since a good air conditioner can cool down a car in a few minutes, while it can take up to 15 minutes to warm up a car in sub-zero weather.

:stupid:

I've considered installing one in my car just for that purpose. No fun being in a car when the outside temp is 100+ and the inside is much, much more (damn greenhouse windows.) But if you hold down the "unlock" button on my key for 5 seconds, it rolls down the windows and opens the sunroof, so after a few mins you can get in and it's at least outside temp. And yeah, I do lock it after everything's open, as I have a nifty ultrasonic motion detector inside. :)

[clutchy]

:stupid:

I've considered installing one in my car just for that purpose. No fun being in a car when the outside temp is 100+ and the inside is much, much more (damn greenhouse windows.) But if you hold down the "unlock" button on my key for 5 seconds, it rolls down the windows and opens the sunroof, so after a few mins you can get in and it's at least outside temp. And yeah, I do lock it after everything's open, as I have a nifty ultrasonic motion detector inside. :)


heh, my nissan does that. It's really helpful on those hot hot days.

[Houdini]

BTW, what are the power costs like in the N.E. right now re: heating oil or whatever? Around summer here especially, we're gouged with prices including "fuel-adjustment-factors" that are often 100% or 140% that of the actual Kwhr costs. You'll get a bill explaining your consumption, the price for each KwHr, your total price, and then some arbitrary (changes each month) factor that is multiplied by your cost and added to effectively, at a minimum, double your power bill (and I'm talking from say, $90 for a 1 bedroom to $180+ sometimes.)

The explanation is that we're charged that much more (evidently the def of 'fuel-adjustment factor' as explained by a long discussion with sommeone at Entergy a couple of years ago) to subsidize those in the Northeast to defray the costs of heating homes in the winter. However, I can't find any evidence of any of you guys in Yankeeland subsidizing my mucho $$$ summer power bills when people COMMONLY die of heatstroke, etc., and temps are commonly 100+ with 80% humidity.:spock:

[Showtime]

Something else I'm curious about: do people in warm climates put remote starters in their cars? Do they have a use other than to warm up the car when it's cold out?

My friend uses it for the AC and because he can.

It actually feels like it's been getting cooler in CA the last few summers. This past summer only had a few really hot days and if you're close to the beach there's usually a cool breeze good for 10- 15 degrees. But if you are thinking of moving here, it is hot as hell, there is heavy traffic until 10PM, there is traffic on the weekends and crime is very under-reported. :halo:

[ShawnLee]

My friend uses it for the AC and because he can.
It actually feels like it's been getting cooler in CA the last few summers. This past summer only had a few really hot days and if you're close to the beach there's usually a cool breeze good for 10- 15 degrees. But if you are thinking of moving here, it is hot as hell, there is heavy traffic until 10PM, there is traffic on the weekends and crime is very under-reported. :halo:
Earthquakes. Don't forget the dangerous and scary earthquakes. And the judgmental LA people. High taxes, poor education, etc.

Don't move to So Cal! But, do feel free to visit, use your tourist money, and all that good stuff. OC is always lovely (unless you want to move here, then it sucks).

[guiseppewv]

BTW, what are the power costs like in the N.E. right now re: heating oil or whatever? Around summer here especially, we're gouged with prices including "fuel-adjustment-factors" that are often 100% or 140% that of the actual Kwhr costs. You'll get a bill explaining your consumption, the price for each KwHr, your total price, and then some arbitrary (changes each month) factor that is multiplied by your cost and added to effectively, at a minimum, double your power bill (and I'm talking from say, $90 for a 1 bedroom to $180+ sometimes.)

The explanation is that we're charged that much more (evidently the def of 'fuel-adjustment factor' as explained by a long discussion with sommeone at Entergy a couple of years ago) to subsidize those in the Northeast to defray the costs of heating homes in the winter. However, I can't find any evidence of any of you guys in Yankeeland subsidizing my mucho $$$ summer power bills when people COMMONLY die of heatstroke, etc., and temps are commonly 100+ with 80% humidity.:spock:

I don't think I have ever had my winter costs subsidized. :shrug:

Here in Hawaii, the cost per kwh, right now, is ~$.23+. In Maryland the cost per kwh in the summer time was ~$.12 per kwh.

[guiseppewv]

My friend uses it for the AC and because he can.

It actually feels like it's been getting cooler in CA the last few summers. This past summer only had a few really hot days and if you're close to the beach there's usually a cool breeze good for 10- 15 degrees. But if you are thinking of moving here, it is hot as hell, there is heavy traffic until 10PM, there is traffic on the weekends and crime is very under-reported. :halo:

Showtime - Rush hour here on Oahu starts at 5 am. The 5 to 7 inbound lanes to Honolulu are jam packed and moving at about 30 mph or they are in complete gridlock....at 5 am. Morning rush hour ends around 10:30 or 11:00 am. Evening Rush hour starts at 1:30 or 2:00 and ends after 8 except on Friday and then it ends around 9. Luckily I go against traffic and leave for work at 5 am but even still my drive home takes me around an hour and a quarter.....and the island ain't big enough to have that long of a commute.

[clutchy]

Showtime - Rush hour here on Oahu starts at 5 am. The 5 to 7 inbound lanes to Honolulu are jam packed and moving at about 30 mph or they are in complete gridlock....at 5 am. Morning rush hour ends around 10:30 or 11:00 am. Evening Rush hour starts at 1:30 or 2:00 and ends after 8 except on Friday and then it ends around 9. Luckily I go against traffic and leave for work at 5 am but even still my drive home takes me around an hour and a quarter.....and the island ain't big enough to have that long of a commute.


ever considered a bicycle or a scooter?

[Showtime]

ever considered a bicycle or a scooter?

he probably has to take the highway.

[clutchy]

he probably has to take the highway.


bummer... there were scooters on the "highway" in maui, I've never been to oahu though.

[Napoleon54]

BTW, what are the power costs like in the N.E. right now re: heating oil or whatever? Around summer here especially, we're gouged with prices including "fuel-adjustment-factors" that are often 100% or 140% that of the actual Kwhr costs. You'll get a bill explaining your consumption, the price for each KwHr, your total price, and then some arbitrary (changes each month) factor that is multiplied by your cost and added to effectively, at a minimum, double your power bill (and I'm talking from say, $90 for a 1 bedroom to $180+ sometimes.)

The explanation is that we're charged that much more (evidently the def of 'fuel-adjustment factor' as explained by a long discussion with sommeone at Entergy a couple of years ago) to subsidize those in the Northeast to defray the costs of heating homes in the winter. However, I can't find any evidence of any of you guys in Yankeeland subsidizing my mucho $$$ summer power bills when people COMMONLY die of heatstroke, etc., and temps are commonly 100+ with 80% humidity.:spock:

I've been a life-long NEer, and I don't believe I've ever paid any sort of adjustment factor or subsidization charges to help with cooling in the summer or heating in the winter.

I think heating is easier for the infrastructure to deal with than AC 'cause AC use causes such a huge drain on the electrical grid during the daytime hours. Heating doesn't use nearly as much electric so I don't understand their rationale for your surcharges. :spock: Fuels (oil and gas) can be stored up for use during peak times and thus don't suffer from the same bottlenecks as the electrical grid which has to generate its supply in realtime.

One thing that most fuel suppliers will do is to estimate your yearly usage and distribute the total cost evenly throughout the year to avoid absurd costs in the winter. (ex. pay $60 per month for 12 months, versus $20 in the summer months and $200+ in the winter months). Most people do subscribe to that kind of payment plan, but I personally prefer to pay for what I actually use when I actually use it and just bite the bullet in the wintertime. :shrug:

[Houdini]

I've been a life-long NEer, and I don't believe I've ever paid any sort of adjustment factor or subsidization charges to help with cooling in the summer or heating in the winter.

I think heating is easier for the infrastructure to deal with than AC 'cause AC use causes such a huge drain on the electrical grid during the daytime hours. Heating doesn't use nearly as much electric so I don't understand their rationale for your surcharges. :spock: Fuels (oil and gas) can be stored up for use during peak times and thus don't suffer from the same bottlenecks as the electrical grid which has to generate its supply in realtime.

One thing that most fuel suppliers will do is to estimate your yearly usage and distribute the total cost evenly throughout the year to avoid absurd costs in the winter. (ex. pay $60 per month for 12 months, versus $20 in the summer months and $200+ in the winter months). Most people do subscribe to that kind of payment plan, but I personally prefer to pay for what I actually use when I actually use it and just bite the bullet in the wintertime. :shrug:

Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me either. When I called Entergy a couple of years ago about it, after a $75 bill multiplied by a "fuel adjustment factor" made my bill about $160, they said it was to offset costs of heating oil, etc., in the North. And that was during the summer. And I have a relatively small 1-br apartment. And that's with only running the AC when it's really hot, turning off lights, etc. I mainly called because (I know it's grid based, etc.) most of southern LA's power is provided by a few nuclear plants. I couldn't see how the price of nuke fuel could vary so much each month. :shrug:

Then again, my winter bills usually run around $50 or so, and I almost NEVER use my heater (electric.) I sleep rather well when it's cold. So I kinda think Entergy is just gouging me. It's been a real problem since Katrina, as they've been trying to recoup their losses, but this has been going on for many years.