How often do you use the defroster on your car in the summertime?
Just during rainstorms, right?
Well, for the past two mornings — both of which have been sunny here in Houston (where I’m working this week) — I’ve turned on the front and rear defrosters in my rental car since I couldn’t see out of the front or rear windshields.
Both mornings, I found it concerning when my front windshield didn’t clear after a few minutes. The only thing I could do to navigate on the highway was to keep the windshield wipers on, at a speed I’d typically use for a moderate rainfall, the entire drive. Every time the wipers squeaked across the windshield — from trying to eradicate wetness that was no longer there — I’d turn the wipers to intermittent. Seconds later, the front windshield would fog again and I’d have to speed up the wipers. Was something wrong with my rental car?
At lunch, I sat around a table with several curriculum coaches. We were talking about the weather, so I recounted my morning drives and asked, “Is this a Houston thing or a faulty rental car thing?”
There was a resounding “Houston Thing!” response from the coaches. Apparently, it’s so hot and humid in the mornings that one needs to turn on the defrosters to clear the windshields. Like me, they told me it’s easy to clear their rear ones, but not the front windshields. That’s when two of them shared a tip with me: crank up the heat in the car (even though it’s already hot outside), open your windows so you don’t faint from the heat, and turn on the front defroster.
My mouth dropped open. “Really!??!”
Apparently, that’s the only thing that will work.
Pennsylvania has its fair share of high heat, elevated dew points, and humidity in the summertime, but nothing like this has ever happened to me before! For some reason, something different happens to cars in the Houston summers.
Guess what I’ll be doing when I find my front windshield fogged up tomorrow morning?
Raising Literate Humans 
On one hand, a funny parochial phenomenon; on the other hand, humidity that oppressive is no joke! Under these circumstances — best wishes for safe travels with excellent visibility.
Thanks! My windshields were clear on my final morning there. That was an unexpected treat!
I love it when we can learn something new. You will probably never use that tip after this week, but is it a metaphor?
It might be…
It’s a phenomenon we deal with in Indianapolis sometimes, too.
Wow!
Ah, new ways to understand visibility… or perhaps a metaphor about getting uncomfortable in order to (eventually) be able to see better… or maybe just a comment on the blasted humidity! May today’s drive be clear.
It was clear on my final day there since I left about 90 minutes later to go to the airport. So maybe it’s also a slice about timing.
How interesting. It’s always the little tips that make all the difference when thinking of the foggy windshield and life in general. One small adjustment and somehow we can see again. I love your slice for getting me looking for some small thing to clear up my foggy glasses.
Turn up the heat on those glasses! 😉