I used to think about this when I drove a MAN with the washer bottle on the back of the cab. It was a handy source of water to wash your hands and occasionally to make a brew. How about the Greek rock and roll trucker with the new water tank on the back of his cab?
Motorists who do not use screenwash for their windscreen wipers risk getting potentially deadly legionnaires’ disease, according to a new study.
The warning comes after health experts discovered professional drivers were five times more likely to be infected with the dangerous bug, which is found in warm, stagnant water.
Drivers are now being urged to add screenwash to their wiper water after traces of the legionella bacterium were found in one in five cars that did not have the additive, but in no cars that did.
It is feared that around 20 per cent of legionnaires’ disease cases could arise from this type of exposure. The findings come from a Health Protection Agency-led study, which looked at why people at the wheel were more likely to be infected.
Most at risk were found to be those driving a van, people who drive through industrial areas, and people who often had the car window open.
But the “most intriguing” higher-risk group was drivers not using screenwash, which kills off the legionella bug.
The study’s authors said: “Not adding screenwash to windscreen wiper fluid is a previously unidentified risk factor and appears to be strongly associated with community acquired sporadic cases of legionnaires’ disease.”
The report, published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, added: “This simple public health advice may be of worldwide relevance in reducing morbidity and mortality from Legionnaires’ disease.”
Stagnant, warm water is a breeding ground for the legionella bacterium, which causes a potentially fatal lung infection. It is contracted when small droplets of contaminated water are breathed in, and cannot spread from person to person.
Mind, you after reading this study, it could be our secret germ warfare weapon against errant cyclists
Wheel Nut:
I used to think about this when I drove a MAN with the washer bottle on the back of the cab. It was a handy source of water to wash your hands and occasionally to make a brew. How about the Greek rock and roll trucker with the new water tank on the back of his cab?
I have one of those 25 litre jobbies behind my cab, That gets used all the time for brewing up and washing both myself and cups, plates and cutlery when I have a cook up! I should probably be dead by now
Wheel Nut:
Mind, you after reading this study, it could be our secret germ warfare weapon against errant cyclists
Wheel Nut:
I used to think about this when I drove a MAN with the washer bottle on the back of the cab. It was a handy source of water to wash your hands and occasionally to make a brew. How about the Greek rock and roll trucker with the new water tank on the back of his cab?
I have one of those 25 litre jobbies behind my cab, That gets used all the time for brewing up and washing both myself and cups, plates and cutlery when I have a cook up! I should probably be dead by now
As long as you are not inhaling it you’ll be fine.
so when your behind a vehicle who uses their washers and 95% of liquid appears to miss the windscreen and hit the cyclist/vehicle behind them does that mean you’ve become infected and you get dragged out your cab striped naked and washed down by people in yellow suits by the road side
Wheel Nut:
How about the Greek rock and roll trucker with the new water tank on the back of his cab?
A couple of water purification tablets chucked in every week or so should do the trick. Readily available from camping shops or Army Surplus type shops.
I used to have one of those opaque plastic containers behind the cab. Used it for washing up, cleaning teeth (I know, I know!! ), and for boiling up a kettle.
One of the good things about it being opaque was that you could see how green it was getting so as to know when to empty it or chuck in a couple of steri-tabs!!!
Remember seeing a German in Italy once who had a black rubber “bladder” which was hung high up behind the unit, virtually on the roof. He would fill this up with water at the begining of the day and it would absorb heat from the sun being black.
At the end of the day he would then plug in a length of hose with a shower head on the other end, put a small square wooden shower “grate” type thing on the floor and have a ■■■■ hot, but refreshing shower!!
Clever idea really. Im sure todays vehicle manufacturers could come up with something similar!!
Anyway, sorry wheelnut…back to those washer bottles!!
bullitt:
Remember seeing a German in Italy once who had a black rubber “bladder” which was hung high up behind the unit, virtually on the roof. He would fill this up with water at the begining of the day and it would absorb heat from the sun being black.
At the end of the day he would then plug in a length of hose with a shower head on the other end, put a small square wooden shower “grate” type thing on the floor and have a ■■■■ hot, but refreshing shower!!
Clever idea really. Im sure todays vehicle manufacturers could come up with something similar!!
Anyway, sorry wheelnut…back to those washer bottles!!
Don’t worry. I am the worst for derails.
Those cab top showers are a brilliant idea, until after 12 hours of 40’c weather. When you take a shower you end up in casualty having plastic surgery for scalds
Cruise Control:
does that mean you’ve become infected and you get dragged out your cab striped naked and washed down by people in yellow suits by the road side
And to think those poor boys + girls have more than enough to deal with ,
breakdowns , debris , ■■■■■ stops, pie eating , traffic collisions and keeping the byeways clear,
Now you want extra personal service away from the pink fluffy stations
but if thats ones thing , then one can live in hope dear boy , live in hope … just be aware the brush bristles may be a bit harsh
An application of the washers is an excellent way to get someone of your bumper when you’re in the car, especially if there’s insects splattered all over their windscreen
I have had quite a lot of fun with washers over the years, on older motors where the washer nozzle was fixed to the cab, rather than the wiper arm, it was possible to turn the nozzles so that they were pointing straight out to the side & they were independant of the wipers so you could squirt people & there were no tell tale sweep of the wipers to give you away, childish, yes, irresponsible, yes, funny, hell yeah
newmercman:
An application of the washers is an excellent way to get someone of your bumper when you’re in the car, especially if there’s insects splattered all over their windscreen
I have had quite a lot of fun with washers over the years, on older motors where the washer nozzle was fixed to the cab, rather than the wiper arm, it was possible to turn the nozzles so that they were pointing straight out to the side & they were independant of the wipers so you could squirt people & there were no tell tale sweep of the wipers to give you away, childish, yes, irresponsible, yes, funny, hell yeah
You can do that with the rear washer jet on some estate cars and hatch backs … allegedly.
http://www.gelert.com/products/Solar_Shower__.aspx
I have one of these (and a spare in case it splits ), ■■■■■■■ brilliant bit o’ kit.
I used it for the first time on a dark, windy night at Thamesport. Certainly wakes you up !
), and for boiling up a kettle.
