Public Service Announcement

Who knew?

What I did know, is that I have been warned over and over again to be careful of using car the wash in the winter.  Why? Because your doors could freeze shut and you would be unable to get into the car the next day.   This has been drummed into my conscience by every Wisconsinite each winter.

And yet...during the winter, even Fern, my hippie Kia Soul, looks pretty darn ragged.  Salt and grim cover her beautiful flower decals and boulders of ice and muck stick to her underside and rub against the tires.  This can't be good.

So I thought.   And pondered.  And happened upon what I thought was a brilliant idea.  So brilliant I wondered why I never heard of it.   I discovered a way to avoid the ice between the door jams - so simple, really, just dry the inner doors as you leave the car wash.

All that hot air blowing on the car - like a giant hair dryer - can be put to use to dry the inner door jams.  Right? right.

Feeling so smart and rather full of myself, I entered the local car wash after a particularly mucky bout of snow.  I sat, smugly during the bubble and scrubble part.  And then as I began my exit, ever so slowly I eased into the blow dryer part.

And when I got to the door area, ready to launch my brilliant idea - I opened my car door and LAUNCH indeed!! Yikes!

Did you know the hot air is a vacuum and NOT the least like a hair dryer?
Not only did the suction from the pump yank my door wide open but thankfully I had my seat belt on or I would have been torn from my vehicle and sucked up to the top of the vacuum.

As it was, my muscles from my right arm, across my chest and down to the tips of my left fingers were strained as I clung to the door to avoid losing that part of my car.  Say good bye to my hat.  At least I kept my glasses on.

Struggling, I closed the car door.  Took a deep breath.  And thought:  "Well, that was something.  Who knew?"  I wonder if there is a sign at the beginning of the car wash that says: "Don't open your doors during the time you are in the wind tunnel"?

So if you didn't know....now you do.
No wonder I hadn't heard of this "great" idea before.
Feel free to thank me for this bit of wisdom.

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