Please God Don't Crack My New Windshield
I've been driving around this morning with a shiny new windshield. It was cracked for the last couple of years, compliments directly of a semi-truck without mudflaps, and sometimes I think indirectly of a Higher Power intent that I not be overly enamored with a nice car. Of course I know such is not true. I think. But it is uncanny how many times rocks have cracked the windows of my vehicles. Long ago I met a dump truck on a road in Michigan that tossed a rock into my windshield. In anger I made a u-turn with the intent of chasing the guy down. I never caught him, which was probably lucky for me. I remember, one time, driving a couple of hours to salvage yard to purchase a replacement window. Arriving home, carefully I sat the delicate glass on the carpet. Then turning, accidentally I overturned the chair. Yep, it cracked my $75 windshield into a thousand pieces. And the proprietor was not interested in providing a free replacement.
Likely it is illegal and could be dangerous to drive around with a cracked windshield. But I'm cheap. Finally I set aside sufficient funds and called for estimates. It was not nearly as expensive as I thought. Here is my review of the folks who did the work,
H&A Mobile Auto Glass . So, I guess, now I am an officially published author!
I have a question about tipping. Do you tip a guy who puts a windshield into your car? I thought about it, and finally decided it would be nice to make the offer. But I only had $4 in my pocket. So, a secondary question: Is it better to give a cheap tip, or nothing at all? He was professional and gracious, and received the tip without a smirk. Afterward, while inspecting the work and admiring my new windshield, I noticed the installer also had adjusted the hinge on my hood, allowing it to close at a more fitting angle. I had wondered how to fix that for some time.
Well, I guess I should have also given him the two extra quarters in my pocket?
09.19.09 (12:17 pm) [
edit]
posted by:
bawdy (
reply)
post date:
09.19.09 (12:38 pm)
If you are satisfied with the work and the guy was cordial and efficient, there's nothing wrong with tipping. I'm sure most don't for a service such as windshield replacement though, so I bet anything is appreciated.
posted by:
auntconi (
reply)
post date:
09.19.09 (8:46 pm)
I do not think it is illegal to drive with a cracked windshield, unless it is in your direct line of vision ... at least that is what I've been told.
You seem to have a bit of bad luck with windshields, even in your living room or den ... what a shame about that one!
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
09.20.09 (7:56 am)
I got this new van (new to me, anyway) about a month ago, now. The very first day I got it, I got a nice little star-shaped crack right in the center of the windshield. My rapidly traveling pebble wasn't delivered to the glass compliments of a truck, (as does usually seem to be the case), but instead from a kid in am old Monte Carlo, who decided peeling away from the stoplight outside the high-school parking lot he'd just exited would be impressive to someone or other.
Me? -Not impressed.
posted by:
barnabus1 (
reply)
post date:
09.20.09 (6:57 pm)
I've had a windshield crack when it was hot out and I had the windows rolled all the way up...THEN they told me to leave them open a crack on hot days!!
posted by:
auntconi (
reply)
post date:
10.07.09 (8:45 pm)
Hey, PD ~ how is the windshield doing?
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
10.09.09 (7:35 am)
Hey, where the heck is a new post?
posted by:
auntconi (
reply)
post date:
10.12.09 (8:08 pm)
Yes ... what about your 'walk in the park' posts...
posted by:
Isaac (
reply)
post date:
10.17.09 (6:56 pm)
Hello, Sorry to hear that, Pastor.
posted by:
Lavarock (
reply)
post date:
10.24.09 (12:43 pm)
First, for those with small chips, there are easy fixes that may cost nothing. My insurance company paid for it as I remember. A guy comes by with a truck and squirts stuff in the crack (clear epoxy) and it all but disappeared.
As for tipping, I do, but I am in a unique position. I grow coffee (somewhat expensive coffee) and it is ot a big deal to give someone bag of freshly roasted coffee.
Also, out here in Hawaii, a hearty "mahalo" (thank you) also suffices in many cases. Oh sure, some money or coffee would also be nice, but many people here know each other.
I set up a guest with a cab ride and as I went out to make sure they got into the cab alright, the cab driver came over and shook my hnd and said "Thank you for fixing my daughters computer." It was then I realized that years ago, his daughter had a computer with a virus. I cleaned it for no charge and never met the daughter or father. It had all been done through a friend, but the guy remembered my name, years later.
I live on a big island in a small world :-)
