Victorian police are cracking down on street windscreen washers who operate on city intersections due to safety concerns, Courier Mail reports. Should these squeegee-totting panhandlers be banned altogether?
Your car is supposed to be a sanctuary — it’s one of the reasons we waste money on petrol, road tolls and general wear-and-tear instead of taking the train or bus to work. However, this privacy is quickly shattered when you approach a red light flanked by guys armed with buckets and squeegees. Tch, eh?
Usually, a simple shake of the head is enough to deter them, but there have been reports of windscreen washers acting aggressively when drivers refuse their services.
“We have had reports of them hitting cars with their squeegees, verbal abuse . . . one of them spat on a car,” Richmond Police Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Alexander told the Courier Mail. “For the older community, they can get really intimidated and it affects their perceptions of safety.”
A $70 fine currently applies for soliciting contributions or employment on the road, but is this enough of a deterrent? We’d like to get your thoughts on windscreen washers: are they something you encounter on roads regularly? Do you find their presence tolerable or deeply annoying? Let us know in the comments section below.
Victoria Police cracking down on illegal street windscreen washers [Courier Mail]
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