How NOT to Remove Ice from Your Windshield

Have you ever seen someone about to do something stupid, but because you were paralyzed by disbelief, there was nothing you could do?

I have been asked a few times if I know how to deal with icy cars in the winter. As a matter of fact, we do get frozen windshields in Louisiana, so I am well versed in ice scrapers. However, this is not a story on the proper way to de-ice your glass.

Nay...It is a story on what NOT to do when you find your automobile glazed in winter.

When I was probably about 16 years old, we had an actual winter that involved some sleet/ice/snow/freezing rain. One morning, I was in my driveway scraping the ice off of my windshield so I could drive to school. Where I was standing, I had a perfect view of my across-the-street neighbor's driveway, which is where all of the action of this story takes place.

I heard her door open and close, so I looked up and saw her walking carefully to her car. In her hand was a pitcher of water that I could tell was very warm by the steam wafting from the top. As she raised her pitcher to the top of her windshield, I could hear a voice inside my head screaming "NO!!! DON'T DO IT!!! STOP!!!" Of course another voice in my head, who is an evil bastard, was saying, "Let's see how this plays out maybe it won't be so...

CREEEEEAAAAAAK-----SNAP

...bad."

This poor woman had just poured hot water on frozen glass. If you're not familiar with the laws of thermal dynamics, let me explain that this is not a good idea. It can cause your windshield to basically explode, but because it's safety glass, it just puts millions of cracks everywhere...and then you get to buy a new windshield.

That morning at 6:45 AM, my neighborhood was filled with shreaks and profanity. I can only hope that my story prevents someone from making the same mistake. Stick to the scraper.