h a l f b a k e r yPoint of hors d'oevre
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Car manufacturers have for many years discouraged the
average driver from poking their head around in the engine
compartment. They cover large parts with plastic shrouds
and service intervals have crept up. The mechanically
uninterested driver can now ALMOST ignore the whole
compartment, except
for the washer fluid.
When that runs out, the worried driver is now immediately
out of their comfort zone, with sweaty palms they thumb
through the manual looking for the hood/bonnet release.
They pop it and with trepidation move to the front of the
car, it's loose, but wait... still attached! After 5 minutes of
trying to deadlift the thing open they give up and drive
around with a dirty windscreen and a half open engine
compartment. A week later, their mechanically-inclined
friend shows them how to completely open the
hood/bonnet and demonstrates how to carefully add 500ml
washer fluid to the brake reservoir. With electric cars,
reasons to open the hood/bonnet will be even fewer.
This could be avoided, simply put the washer fluid refill in
the driver's side door-jamb. A hole and clear notice will be
visible when the door is open. On the door, a neoprene
seal mates up with the hole and seals it when the door is
closed. Since there should be only a limited number of
scenarios where the car can slosh it's washer fluid around
while the door is open* this solution will work just fine.
*The feature will be introduced as a detail in the most
recent Bond film. James drives the latest model off a cliff,
pops the door and parachutes to safety, while washer fluid
streams from the open fill port, describing a glycol-
enhanced parabola to the burning wreck below.
Rolls Royce Door Umbrella
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9KJh0y54O1w
[xenzag, Oct 13 2020]
[link]
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Many current vehicles also have a wiper/washer for the
rear glass, so putting the reservoir midway back makes
doubleplus sense. |
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There is much that can be built into car doors....
see link. The actual idea here is a bit too sensible
for my taste re being halfbaked, but maybe for
some that makes it even better, so the poster can't
lose. |
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The dashboard of the car is usually made from some
sort of moulded plastic. I would like this moulded
plastic to be the actual windscreen washer fluid
reservoir and to be made from transparent or
semi-transparent plastic so you can see the level at
a glance. You would fill it up (as per [bs0u0155]'s
excellent suggestion above) via the door jamb and
then you'd see the fluid sloshing about within the
dashboard. |
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Surely the average amount of washer fluid used between scheduled service could be calculated, multiplied by 150% and then the reservoir made that side? Then the fluid could be refilled at the same time as the oil is changed, tyres replaced and ashtray emptied? |
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Having a fluid-filled dashboard would qualify as a collision
safety feature, shirley? |
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That would rather depend on the fluid. |
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Gasoline, HTP, RFNA, Bromine, Mercury ... there are any number of things that are a liquid at the sort of temperatures and pressures humans routinely maintain inside their vehicles which would represent spectacularly poor choices in the event of an accident. |
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You've presumably thought as far as "water" or "aqueous gel" as your liquid, but not far enough to phrase your question concisely enough to avoid having the other options drawn to everyone's attention, along with your inadequacy. |
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Do you feel humbled and humiliated now ? |
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An ethanol-based sanitising gel would not only provide an energy-absorbing cushion, but if designed to rupture on overpressure would drench the occupant(s) in germicidal spray. Of course, if there was an ignition source, that might be quite bad, and if their were open wounds and the gel got into them the screaming would be spectacular, but other than that the putative casualty would already be partially protected from infections by the time the emergency services arrive. |
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And if you're in some remote spot where the emergency services aren't going to arrive any time soon, if at all, then you could drink some of the gel, partly to help ease the pain (if any) and partly to act as a minor tranquilizer as you peer out into the gathering dusk in which you may be able to make out the shadowy shapes of gathering carnivores ... |
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10 Prostrate self on floor
20 Bang forehead on floor
30 Yell, "Not Worthy! I'm Not Worthy!"
40 Go to 20 |
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<Checks countdown timer/> |
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Good, [what], you may stop now. |
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Go to [blissmiss], who will apply a soothing unguent to the affected part YOUR FOREHEAD YOU DIRTY-MINDED LITTLE SOD and add a protective pad of gauze and a bandage and finally "kiss it better" AND THAT'S STILL YOUR FOREHEAD, NOT ANY OTHER BITS. |
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Trump will kiss it better if you go along to one of
his retardo rallies. He says he'll kiss anything. |
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Even you ? His standards are low, but not that low, shirley ? |
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"I'd rather kiss a Wookiee !" |
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<checks DIRTY-MINDED LITTLE SOD in handy English-English
dictionary. Ah, yes. That. Shambles off> |
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[xen] To be kissed by Trump or sniffed by Biden, that is the
question. Do Brits have these same issues? |
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//Do Brits have these same issues?// We have other concerns. Trump would simply be sectioned if he lived in the UK, then left in a padded room filled with rattles and blow up dolls. |
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//"water" or "aqueous gel" as your liquid, // |
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would car crashes be more survivable if the car were
flooded and the occupant using SCUBA gear? I mean, you're
not going to get the same high speed head-steering wheel
interactions, fires are dramatically minimized, but would
impacts be worse, like blast injuries? |
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//if the car were flooded// Filling the car with water that was gradually brought to a boil would be quite effective in deterring thieves, unless they were mostly vegetable matter. (like 8th for example) |
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// mostly vegetable matter. // |
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Mostly mineral, actually. Very little vegetable material. |
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// left in a padded room filled with rattles and blow up dolls. // |
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He could have the room next to yours. |
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You can show him how to play with his rattle
without always throwing it out of the pram. We'll
even provide you with your own blow up doll in the
form of a large inflatable carrot with a little
Melania face painted on it. |
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//throwing it out of the pram//
That's pretty much "Trump SOP", isn't it? [8th of 7] would
have to go far beyond "showing" to undo the many years of
ingrained behaviour... |
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