Windshield wipers have an associated reservoir full of wiper fluid. This stuff runs out, or the reservoir breaks,or it freezes. A nuisance. Cars also have a reservoir of gasoline, or (hopefully in the very near future) ethanol. If this has run out or broken, the dirty windshield is not a problem because you are not moving.

I propose the wipers take fluid from the gas tank for window cleaning. In addition, gasoline is a great solvent, wont freeze, and will remove sticky asphalt and greasy bugs better than water. Ethanol probably would be better still.
-- bungston, Feb 02 2006

Have you experimented with using gasoline on a dirty windshield? It should be easy enough to test this idea. Also, why not add an igniter to light the windshield on fire? Lowriders would love it.
-- Cube, Feb 02 2006


I like this - "Hey!! Your windscreen's on fire!!" - "Yes, I know"
-- hippo, Feb 02 2006


I already use ethanol (well Meths) in my screen wash, jsut diluted a bit. A funnel to catch rainwater to help with dilution would be good.
-- oneoffdave, Feb 02 2006


FISHBONE! BOOOOOO!
-- Jscotty, Feb 02 2006


Are you completely out of your mind? Spray gasoline on the windshield? Spray gasoline on ANYTHING?!
-- pigonthewing, Feb 02 2006


//gasoline is a great solvent// and will probably strip the paint off your car.

Ethanol diluted with water would work best for this application, but most ethanol fuels also have gasoline mixed in.

In all, not the best idea.
-- discontinuuity, Feb 02 2006


One small spark for man, one great fire for mankind.
-- DesertFox, Feb 02 2006


I like this idea a lot. Sure its polluting, sure its probably bad for your car, but a flaming windshield beats all. bun.
-- sninctown, Feb 02 2006


I'm with pretty much everyone else on this - it severely needs a pilot light. Something gets on your windshield? Torch it into oblivion! You edit a pilot light into this idea and I'll come back with a croissant (assuming I haven't forgotten about it by that point... so...... you've got about 2 minutes. I suggest you hop to it!)
-- Joolin, Oct 29 2009


This would be great in those animal parks where the monkeys are allowed to strip off car parts - with a source of ignition, you could flamethrower the little sods.
-- coprocephalous, Oct 29 2009


Bring on those irritating buggers who want to wash your windscreen at traffic lights ....... MUHWHAHAHAHAHA !
-- 8th of 7, Oct 29 2009


Good point [8th] - they all seem to have cigarettes dangling from their mouths.
-- coprocephalous, Oct 29 2009


I once designed a cigarette lighter for my car that worked using a split from the fuel line and a spark from the ignition to create a six inch flame that emerged from the dashboard.

I was pricing up the parts I would need to order when it occurred to me that this might just be one of those silly ideas best not realised.
-- wagster, Oct 29 2009


[+] but you might want to protect the rubber seal on the windshield... oh and "windows rolled up"... well... yours at least.
-- FlyingToaster, Oct 29 2009


This would make that embarrassing wipers-instead-of-flash moment after you've been cut off driving a new car just that bit more inflaming. [+]
-- shudderprose, Oct 29 2009


"Let's burn some rubber ......"
-- 8th of 7, Oct 29 2009


//cigarettes dangling from their mouths// It's almost impossible to light gasoline using a lit cigarette.
-- spidermother, Oct 30 2009


True, but it's worth a try, shirley ? Besides, if the washer nozzles are set to produce a spray rather than a jet, there will be enough vapourisation to give a chance of flash-over.
-- 8th of 7, Oct 30 2009



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