The weather is getting warmer (at least it is here, anyway) and some days are just calling out for you to drive around with the windows down, or the A/C on high.
But, not at the same time.
Or, is it?
If I get in a hot car, I may roll the windows down for a bit for until the car cools off, and then I'll roll them back up and turn on the air conditioner.
However, it bugs me when people turn the air conditioner on full blast while the windows are down.
I know air conditioners in the car aren't common in some places, but if you have one, are you one of those people?
Busy Girl is, and I can't believe I'm raising one of them ;)
There's still hope, though. I'm going to tell her she'll have a learner's permit forever if she keeps doing that.
I have no real reason, other than my inner old codger yelling, "What?! Are you trying to air condition the whole neighborhood?!", and the potential waste of gas, however incremental it might be.
What say you? Are you one of those people who drives around with the AC on and the windows open?
*********
Mother's Day gift idea: Got a Great Photo? Turn it into art on a FREE 8" x 12"canvas! (aff)
Enter for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card from Springpad
Recent Entries on Busymom.net:
- Dorm room planning, or not quite a college mom blog
- Summer's here
- Baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and Renfest
- Sing. Fly. Mate. Die.
- What do cicadas sound like?
Generally no, I don't. But I have. :) But just once when I was visiting home in Florida. I wasn't ready for the humidity.
Got to admit, this time of year I'm with Busy Girl...it's just too pretty not to roll the windows down and open up that sunroof! But if if I get a little too warm I crank up the air...(and I also turn up the radio too loud) Hey, what can I say, life is short.
98% of time I don't, the couple of time I did it was unintentional. I actually got hotter, I was wondering how with a/c on, until I realized a window is open. As soon as I closed it, the car got cooler again.
With my new car, I've been "one of those people" simply because the air conditioner blows like crazy and sometimes I get cold.. I would turn it off, but then I get whining from everyone else in the car, so I open the sun roof and just let the sun beat down on me to warm me up while the AC keeps everyone else happy.
I hate it when I get in someone else's car and they don't roll the windows down to let the hot air out, and they immediately turn the AC on high but it's blowing hot air on you until the compressor gets a chance to start running. Gah.
Guilty. But not when the temps are 90+. Sorry, gotta side with Busy Girl this time.
I live in Southern Mississippi and it gets pretty hot here. Just going into the store and coming out the car is so hot when we get in that we cannot even touch the seat belt. When I switch on the A/C it takes a few minutes before actual cool air is coming out of the vents. I roll down the windows until the A/C is blowing cool air. Especially when my daughter was a baby, I didn't want her to melt.. I don't think it is wasteful, because the Air isn't actually cool for a few minutes. It isn't like I am letting the cool air blow out the window. As soon as I feel the cool air coming out of the vent the windows go back up.
Actually it uses more gas to roll the windows down than it does to use the AC. The car is areodynamic based on the windows being up.
"It's a little known fact" Cliff Clavin.
I think I was channeling a fight I had with my mom more than 25 years ago. My oldest is 19 and it was very hard for me to let her go off and drive on her own. So many things are out of my control. I am so not ready to let go.
Hey, Busy! Looong time, no chat! Actually, depending on the day, I too, can be Busy Girl, which is kinda funny, cuz the one in our family who balks at that is Girl 1 (our eldest!) - who will be the one to turn the entire planet forever green! Ha! Anyway, when I do that, it's because I truly want to enjoy the beautiful day, but I'm totally perimenopausal, so I'm sweating. Basically, I'm psycho... :-)
Lovely reading you again. We had a tough year. Took a break. I'm back.
Best,
Molly
I had a very good friend who drove her convertible with the top down and the a/c going full blast!
I just popped by to say Happy Birthday Busy Baby Toddler Preschooler Elementary student. Why is it I can't remember your birthday but I always remember his?
I'm too cagey and grumpy to abide by both, but if I had to choose I would go with windows any time.
I am, however, folically challenged, and since my wife is not, it messes her hair up.
We use the AC.
I wasn't raised to be. On the rare occasion that my parents used the car A/C (or for that matter, the rare occasion that we OWNED a car with A/C) we wouldn't have dared open the windows. I never considered why. Now that I'm an adult and pay my own bills, it seems very decadent to me. And I like it.
motherklunkers.com
My father owned a car dealership when I was growing up. When I turned 16, I drove my convertible all around town with my top down, A/C blasting. One day I pulled into the dealership and all the guys who worked there that I was friends with were laughing at me for that and told me how wasteful it was.
For some reason I came to the conclusion that you must receive a bill for the A/C like at home and that is why it is so wasteful. When I asked my mom when the bill was going to come for it you should have seen her face. I have not lived that one down 20 years later...