Misadventure #1: Blurry Windshields

August 14, 2014. I was excited to ride Getzy on my way home. It rained earlier, so Getzy is soaking wet. I turned on the wiper to remove water from the windshield. Unfortunately, it the water doesn't seem to get off. So I grabbed a piece of cloth, wiped the windshield, and it got better. I also wiped the wiper blades, thinking it could just be dirty.

As I left the parking, it rained. Just enough to make Getzy's windshield wet again. I tried using the wiper, and it just made it worse. It forced me to stop by in a nearby gas station because the windshield was so blurry that I couldn't see anything anymore. I asked a gasoline boy to clean it and gave him a tip. Luckily, the rain did not continue so I was able to go home safely. It also did not rain the following day so I was safe.

I researched online on why it happened on Getzy. Here are some of the things that I found out:

1. The windshield itself is dirty. Chemicals from everyday use already formed build-ups that could not be wash away by water.

2. The wiper blades are dirty.

3. The wiper blades are already worn out.

4. The inside part of the windshield dirty.

Here now are the solutions that I've found:

1. Wash the windshield with mild soap and/or use a chemical which can be found in the market that is specifically formulated to clean the windshield.

2. Clean the wiper blades.

3. Replace the wiper blades.

4. Clean the windshield from the inside of the car.

On the third day, I decided to wash the windshield with soap, in the absence of specifically formulated chemicals. I was thinking that it could solve the problem as I had to bring Getzy to a long drive and it could rain.

I also tried washing the wiper blades. But is seems that the rubber in the wiper blades are already deteriorating. No matter how much I wipe it, there were still black marks left in the cloth. So I just tried my best effort to remove the dirt from the wiper blades.

After cleaning the windshield and the wiper blades, I tried using the wiper to remove the excess water. To my amusement and dismay, Getzy's windshield was still blurry. It seems that the wipers were not able to serve its purpose. That's when I finally decided to go to an auto shop and buy a new set of wiper blades.

I got the wiper blades at around Php 260 for the 14" blade; and Php 320 for the 22" blade. I replaced them as soon as I got back to the car. When I tried it on, they worked really well.

And as if I knew it would happen, rain poured later that day as I was driving with my friends from a wedding we attended in Cavite.

I guess that's one of the things I've learned from scouting: to be prepared always.

Here are Getzy's last words for this post:

"Goodbye, blurry windshields! Hello, happier and safer adventures!"