Gritters + Tesla windscreen + ouch

[Cardo]

We recently took a trip up to the NEC and just our luck we encountered gritters on the motorway both on the way up and back down again. I appreciate there is a need to grit to prevent the roads from freezing up, but how on Earth are you meant to deal with them on the motorway? As you’re approaching you can already tell the gritters are out as vehicles kick up a load of the grit. Then when you catch up with them, how on Earth are you meant to get past them without being pebble-dashed? Both times as I tried to nip past them it sounded horrific as the grit was flung at the car.

As it’s sunny, today, I’ve been out to have a look at the car and our windscreen is absolutely covered in tiny chips. There’s a couple of slightly bigger ones, however fortunately they’re still relatively small and not directly in front of the driver. I don’t know whether all these tiny chips were caused this weekend, but certainly our windscreen is absolutely pock-marked. I don’t recall previous cars being like this, but then I don’t think I’ve encountered as many gritters, in the past.

The car is ceramic coated, but clearly hurling rocks at the car is somewhat above the design spec. Any ideas or thoughts on this? Are your windscreens covered in impact craters? Is there some special method to getting past a gritter without looking like you’ve been in the wars?

Edit - Pah, messed up the title. That should’ve been = Ouch!

 

[Medved_77]

You need to hang back and pass swiftly when safe to do so. Minimise the amount of contact time between the salt/grit and your bodywork.

Any damage incurred is a matter for your insurance company, the council operating the gritters won't be liable though, so you'll need to consider how this impacts your premiums.

PPF is useful on the bodywork in this situation, but given the relative rarity of encountering gritters, is just a bonus of having it installed for other reasons, and not a justification for the cost.

 

[MrBadger]

The car is ceramic coated, but clearly hurling rocks at the car is somewhat above the design spec.

Pretty much anything tangible other than water is above the design spec of ceramic coating for protection. As above, ppf is the route for that.

 

[init6]

I think OP was asking about the windscreen which would certainly make for an interesting PPF install

I've encountered gritters many a time and not noticed any damage. Of course if you want to protect your car, don't overtake. I've often sat back waiting for a much wider part of the road to overtake rather than risk the theoretical prospect of damage.

 

[lowtek]

The car is ceramic coated, but clearly hurling rocks at the car is somewhat above the design spec.

Ceramic coating won't prevent damage, think of it as just a long lasting wax.

 

[ewoodrick]

We recently took a trip up to the NEC and just our luck we encountered gritters on the motorway both on the way up and back down again. I appreciate there is a need to grit to prevent the roads from freezing up, but how on Earth are you meant to deal with them on the motorway? As you’re approaching you can already tell the gritters are out as vehicles kick up a load of the grit. Then when you catch up with them, how on Earth are you meant to get past them without being pebble-dashed? Both times as I tried to nip past them it sounded horrific as the grit was flung at the car.

As it’s sunny, today, I’ve been out to have a look at the car and our windscreen is absolutely covered in tiny chips. There’s a couple of slightly bigger ones, however fortunately they’re still relatively small and not directly in front of the driver. I don’t know whether all these tiny chips were caused this weekend, but certainly our windscreen is absolutely pock-marked. I don’t recall previous cars being like this, but then I don’t think I’ve encountered as many gritters, in the past.

The car is ceramic coated, but clearly hurling rocks at the car is somewhat above the design spec. Any ideas or thoughts on this? Are your windscreens covered in impact craters? Is there some special method to getting past a gritter without looking like you’ve been in the wars?

Edit - Pah, messed up the title. That should’ve been = Ouch!

The way that you handle them? First, if you don't absolutely have to be on the roads, don't.

Second, stay way clear of them.

Third, even after they are gone, don't get on the roads unless you have to. And if you have to go out, be ready to be pelted with leftovers that other cars are throwing up at you.

This has nothing explicit with a Tesla. It happens with every car.

 

[Whyone]

As has been noted above, you are mistaken if you think ceramic coating is going to reduce the risk of stone chips.

To minimise the risk of stone chips from gritters common sense suggests you minimise the number of stones hitting your car. Simply hold back from the gritter and any following cars and don't overtake!

 

[Irata]

I am always disappointed why science has not yet created a gritter that evenly spreads the grit level with the road, rather than fire it off in all directions at high velocity including the verge.

Obviously I do recognise the importance of gritting, just that I've sure there can be an improved design. I've been a pedestrian when one has gone by and it felt like being stung multiple times.

 

[Adopado]

I am always disappointed why science has not yet created a gritter that evenly spreads the grit level with the road, rather than fire it off in all directions at high velocity including the verge.

Obviously I do recognise the importance of gritting, just that I've sure there can be an improved design. I've been a pedestrian when one has gone by and it felt like being stung multiple times.

There does seem to be some variability. I've definitely seen low level spreaders but some others do seem to fire the stuff everywhere. There's also a variation in what they are chucking out ... ranging from relatively soft salty slurry (phew) to what appears to be mostly crushed rock (OMG). If in doubt hold back folks!

 

[qwickshot]

Not sure this is really a tesla relate problem. There are only a couple of manufacturers that actually make windscreens and a tesla screen isn’t really any different to any other car in terms of its resistance to stones.

My old cars screen was original and it was peppered in little tiny chips when it came to me. It’s just life I’m afraid.

 

[MrBadger]

OT but the gritters do a fantastic job.

We have had to regularly use the roads in the very early/late hours of the day (one of the first and/or last cars over the stretch) this year and the quality of the roads at these times have, unless been affected by other issues such as flooding, been exceptional even on more minor roads that you think may not have had quite as good coverage (everyones roads will be different, but for us only residential side roads seem not to have had the 'full works'). They can not cover everything, such as flooding (ie burst pipes, flooding fields) as one 4x4 driver found to their cost, so care is still needed especially for the unexpected such as a frozen section, but roads otherwise remain very drivable. I was expecting roads to be a no go at silly o'clock but certainly around these parts, not the case even with snow around.

It must be like painting the Forth Rail Bridge, a constant effort this time of year. A great effort that probably very few give second thought to as unless you happen to drive past a gritter, or have to drive on the roads outside more normal hours, driving on clear roads is just be one of those things that magically happen.

 

[M1tch]

There isn’t really anything you can do apart from park up at home and never use your car. Scandinavian countries use salt water which is much more effective but our country uses the cheapest, least effective option for everything but pays more money for it.

Ceramic coatings are going to have zero effect. Yea they are hard coatings but they are atoms thick so not stopping a ball of rock at 70mph. It’s like those glass phone protectors that claim to be hammer and drill proof. Would you put a 1mm thick piece of glass on your shiny new phone and hit it with a hammer?

Last weekend a lorry side swiped a load of cones and lights as the highways wombles as had closed yet another motorway! It showered my car in bits of broken plastic. Luckily I don’t think there is any damage - non that I can see anyway. Thankfully I somehow missed all the battery packs!

 

[ewoodrick]

There isn’t really anything you can do apart from park up at home and never use your car. Scandinavian countries use salt water which is much more effective but our country uses the cheapest, least effective option for everything but pays more money for it.

Ceramic coatings are going to have zero effect. Yea they are hard coatings but they are atoms thick so not stopping a ball of rock at 70mph. It’s like those glass phone protectors that claim to be hammer and drill proof. Would you put a 1mm thick piece of glass on your shiny new phone and hit it with a hammer?

Last weekend a lorry side swiped a load of cones and lights as the highways wombles as had closed yet another motorway! It showered my car in bits of broken plastic. Luckily I don’t think there is any damage - non that I can see anyway. Thankfully I somehow missed all the battery packs!

I'm in the Southern part of the US, so snow isn't a big deal for us most of the time. But when it hits, it can be disastrous.

Whether you are going to rock/sand or salt/brine tends to be driven by the particular situation. Salt/brine (dissolved salt) isn't that great in really cold temperatures. So if it is well below freezing the only option tends to be rock/sand. Salt/brine just lowers the melting point and works well when the snow is occurring near the freezing point. If it's 0 out and snowing, brine will drop the freezing temperature a couple of degrees and melt on the road.

Salt vs brine has become a big deal because salt (not dissolved) is about as bad as rock/sand (Maybe that's why they call it rock salt)

 

[yessuz]

We recently took a trip up to the NEC and just our luck we encountered gritters on the motorway both on the way up and back down again. I appreciate there is a need to grit to prevent the roads from freezing up, but how on Earth are you meant to deal with them on the motorway? As you’re approaching you can already tell the gritters are out as vehicles kick up a load of the grit. Then when you catch up with them, how on Earth are you meant to get past them without being pebble-dashed? Both times as I tried to nip past them it sounded horrific as the grit was flung at the car.

As it’s sunny, today, I’ve been out to have a look at the car and our windscreen is absolutely covered in tiny chips. There’s a couple of slightly bigger ones, however fortunately they’re still relatively small and not directly in front of the driver. I don’t know whether all these tiny chips were caused this weekend, but certainly our windscreen is absolutely pock-marked. I don’t recall previous cars being like this, but then I don’t think I’ve encountered as many gritters, in the past.

The car is ceramic coated, but clearly hurling rocks at the car is somewhat above the design spec. Any ideas or thoughts on this? Are your windscreens covered in impact craters? Is there some special method to getting past a gritter without looking like you’ve been in the wars?

Edit - Pah, messed up the title. That should’ve been = Ouch!

had same thoughts and experience. only difference - got paint chipped near front left light...

 

[Paul72G]

Invisible Windscreen Protection Film – Clearplex UK

Invisible glass protection film for automotive windscreens - Clearplex UK

clearplex.co.uk

 

[The_Cable_Guy]

tesla paint seems very thin/soft compared to other brands i've own, car is only 3 months old with 2.5k miles and has 4-6 noticable stone chips on it already.

dread to think what its going to look like after a year or so.

 

[init6]

tesla paint seems very thin/soft compared to other brands i've own, car is only 3 months old with 2.5k miles and has 4-6 noticable stone chips on it already.

dread to think what its going to look like after a year or so.

It's not as soft as the Alpha Romeo I had and when polishing seems to be quite hard.

 

[yessuz]

OT but the gritters do a fantastic job.

We have had to regularly use the roads in the very early/late hours of the day (one of the first and/or last cars over the stretch) this year and the quality of the roads at these times have, unless been affected by other issues such as flooding, been exceptional even on more minor roads that you think may not have had quite as good coverage (everyones roads will be different, but for us only residential side roads seem not to have had the 'full works'). They can not cover everything, such as flooding (ie burst pipes, flooding fields) as one 4x4 driver found to their cost, so care is still needed especially for the unexpected such as a frozen section, but roads otherwise remain very drivable. I was expecting roads to be a no go at silly o'clock but certainly around these parts, not the case even with snow around.

It must be like painting the Forth Rail Bridge, a constant effort this time of year. A great effort that probably very few give second thought to as unless you happen to drive past a gritter, or have to drive on the roads outside more normal hours, driving on clear roads is just be one of those things that magically happen.

jesus, there's been 3 nights with temps below 0 this year... it will not freeze even without gritting.

all northern Europe uses salt water/brine whatever you call. and only spread sand with low spreader when needed.

in my 15 years of driving in winter, never ever I had issue with gritter spreading *sugar* on my car. only in uk

 

[init6]

jesus, there's been 3 nights with temps below 0 this year...

Maybe in your part of the world.

 

[yessuz]

Maybe in your part of the world.

well, I am in Midlands. Mr badger is in surrey.

you are in scotland, so that does not count