Southeast Asia is a 'melting pot of cultures', they say.
What people don't tell you is that you'll probably break multiple sweats by just standing outside. Yes, not only is this region a proverbial melting pot of diverse people and customs, it's also the physical embodiment of a perpetual (hot and steamy) sauna session.
That's what you get when your country is situated on (or near) the equator, of course. Nothing you can do about it. But this also means that the things we use everyday (like our cars) have to be purpose-built to withstand our tropical-equatorial climate. And speaking of cars, some Southeast Asian 'hacks' we come across make you question if they're really necessary or not.
Up or down?
Browsing through Reddit, I came across a peculiar question posed by an Australian tourist in the r/Malaysia subreddit: Why do some cars have their windscreen wipers up like this (pictured below) in Malaysia?
IMAGE: u/sarebot18 / Reddit
"On holidays from Melbourne, Australia and we noticed some cars have their wipers up but most don’t," the Reddit user states. "My 11-year-old wanted to know if there was a reason for this?"
Firstly, I think we can all appreciate an inquisitive kid.
Secondly, prior to doing my research for this story, I too had no damn clue why some drivers do this. At one point in my life, I probably did this as well, out of societal pressure (or from know-it-all self-proclaimed 'car-guy' uncles).
According to the vast majority of responses in the comments section, some drivers in Malaysia put up their windscreen wipers to prolong their lifespan and 'prevent' them from warping due to the intense equatorial heat and sunshine the cars are exposed to when parked outside.
I can almost feel the heat radiating from this photo. IMAGE: Jeremy Bezanger / Unsplash
"Some Most believe the equatorial sun heats up the windscreen. Thus, may slow bake and reduce the lifespan of the rubber component of a pair of wipers," shared Redditor u/joebabana, adding that it's "another way to tell [that] the car will be parked there more than four hours".
Sure, this makes a lot of sense to the layman, I suppose. But after diving deeper into the topic, it's not as black-and-white as it seems – alluding to why most people don't (and probably shouldn't) bother putting their windscreen wipers up at all.
Putting your wipers up does help 'slow' the natural warping process in tropical climates. But there are better ways to deal with it.
You see, while you think you may be doing your wipers a favor by keeping them up while your car is parked, the difference it makes is actually negligible.
And surprise, surprise, your windscreen wipers will warp even when you're driving – unless you're constantly driving at such great (basically illegal) speeds that the wind is enough to cool them down. But we know that's virtually impossible.
IMAGE: u/dennison / Reddit
Some proponents of the upright-wiper habit say this 'preventative' measure also stops dust and other small debris from collecting on your windshield, but this is simply untrue. Even while your wipers are up, they can just as well collect tiny particles in the air that eventually build up over time, potentially causing a scratched-up windscreen upon use.
So how do you actually preserve the longevity of your wipers? Well, if you're lazy, you're not gonna like this. But if you care about saving money on a replacement pair of wipers, a little effort goes a long way:
1. Clean your wipers regularly, not just when you get your car washed.
2. Clean your windscreen regularly, also not just when you get your car washed. You can easily do this the next time you fuel up at the gas station.
3. Park in the shade whenever possible.
If you do come across a friend, colleague, or loved one who insists on putting their windscreen wipers up when their car is parked, just use the arguments I laid out in this story – don't make them feel stupid of course, unless they deserve it. ;)
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