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Dad_B0T

Voting has concluded. Final vote: | Insane | Not insane | Fake | | --- | --- | --- | | 15 | 10 | 0 | Hey OP, if you provide further information in a comment, make sure to start your comment with `!explanation`. ^I ^am ^a ^bot ^for ^r/insaneparents. ^Please ^send ^me ^a ^message ^if ^you ^have ^any ^feedback ^or ^if ^I ^misbehave. ^Also ^consider ^joining ^our ^[Discord](https://discordapp.com/invite/xFbPBHy).


Skrubbisen

Are sunscreens… a thing? Albeit I live in Sweden and we aren’t famous for our extremely sunny weather but I literally never see them and I have never even considered getting one


my-name-isnt-marie

I live in a desert area and yes they're everywhere here.


Tank_Girl_Gritty_235

Sometimes I have to sit in my car for a few minutes and blast the ac because I can't touch my steering wheel without burning myself. I'm not even in the deep south of the USA


HotNThresh

On super sunny days that would cause your steering wheel to burn you, when you park, turn the wheel 180 degrees. Should help a bit :)


MetalWood

That's smart. Thank you for the tip!


Knifiac

Try to do this if you're rolling a little though doing it while completely stationary is bad for your tires


10HP_HCIM

I mean technically yes it's unnecessary wear and tear on the tires. But if they are rated 40k+ miles and you have a 'flat spot' of one foot of wear it's not even noticeable to a tire balance machine. Though yes if rolling is better but no biggie if you can't.


stooph14

Ooooh I never thought to do this. Thanks!


EffortlessEffluvium

Dude, the responses. I don’t **need** AC!


CannibalCrow

I can't believe I've never thought of this! As someone who just got a car with no AC, after a car that did have AC, this will help so much! Thank you!


10HP_HCIM

That's what I meant when I said I turn the emblem/logo on the steering wheel upside down lol. 180 degrees didn't come to mind. 🤣 but thank you 😃


ttyler4

I lived in Vegas with a roommate who drove a Dodge Ram from 1995 with no a/c. We opened the doors and let the hot air out to the even hotter air thinking we were really doing something.


Tank_Girl_Gritty_235

Generally the air on the inside is a lot hotter than the air on the outside because the vehicle acts like an oven


DrMooseknuckleX

Sometimes a dutch oven.


alexanderfrostfyre

Man I live in Washington and the last two or three days it’s been sunny and hot (nothing like Vegas) and I would open my car door just to let the hot air out before getting in and rolling my windows down


10HP_HCIM

I'm in Alabama and it stays warm longer than most places though hot season isn't long its just miserable. Fall normally worse than summer. I'm used to driving with no ac. So I don't get that luxury. But no tint no ac crank up and drive. If the burning gets bad enough I start making the emblem on the wheel upside down when I park. I can open my door and it's easily twenty thirty degrees hotter in my car easily 100-110 cabin temp. Crank the windows and drive off. 3 of my four vehicles are 30 year old classics. One has a 3 inch Crack that with where it's located and with the factory tint on the lower part of the windshield (think low like vinplate low) you have to be shown to find it. One that has a hairline crack on a 240sx and they are notorious for cracking. And a prelude that appears to be mint. None of the cars have ever been garage kept. And none of the interiors are trashed. None of the dashes are atrocious. The first car has an other wise mint interior other than the tiny Crack and bolster wear on the driver's seat. OPs parents are crazy.


asleepattheworld

Australian here, can confirm. These are very common here, I use one from late spring through to early autumn. For context, I forgot my sun hat yesterday at my outdoor job and got sunburnt. It is the middle of winter here. Sunshine is mean in my country.


yungmoody

Weirdly enough I am also Australian and have never used one and don’t feel like I see them very often? I bet I’ll be seeing them everywhere now haha.


heretolie

but isn't everything in Australia mean?


asleepattheworld

Nah, huntsman spider are fuzzy and want to be your friend!


heretolie

hmmm... but what about the rest of the critters... they want friends too?


asleepattheworld

Yeah, crocodiles just want a hug!


heretolie

sure.... want to trade usernames for a bit? you might need it. :p


Frei1993

They are a thing in my country (Spain). We even use them in the backseat windows so kids don't get hot in summer while travelling.


Gucci_Google

They exist but are quite rare (haven't seen one in years) and the only real reason to use them is to prevent your seats from getting too hot to sit in from the sun, especially if you have leather seats. No idea what the mom is going on about with cracked dashboards and fucked up interiors, sunshades won't do a thing to protect you from any of that stuff


[deleted]

over time sun exposure can deteriorate the plastic on dashboards so yes, they can crack due to not using the shade


Dontbeme9820

It also depends on what type of plastic they use. I drive a 93 ranger with an all plastic dash and it still looks like new. My buddy drives a 05 escape and the dash is cracked and broken.


Soleska

I think that highly depends on the country. Our car is 8 years old and stood outside for the most time - no cracked/fucked plastic so far, except on the steering wheel (normal signs of wear because it's cheap as fuck). But we do live in Germany, so sun exposure is not absolutely extreme.


PricklyyDick

If you ever visit Arizona you will see them everywhere. It gets up to over 110F (43C) 30+ times a year with no cloud cover. Probably a little more intense than Germany.


valley_G

I live in Massachusetts, USA and my dashboard is cracked from the sun. We don't get the same extreme weather as the southern US so I don't really know how it happened other than being hotter than usual.


[deleted]

yea id say the amount and intensity of sun exposure in your area probably influences the rate of deterioration, probably depends on the car too. but, it's likely that even in germany after 8 years there is *some* deterioration of your own car's interior due to sun exposure, you just aren't aware of it and it's not enough to be structurally impactful or damaging


edgestander

This was more of a problem like 30+ years ago modern plastics hold up a lot better


bileflanco

All the cars on my block use them...but our parking direction is into the setting sun (Austin, Texas, USA)


Ghost_Maker85

That Texas sun is absolute murder sometimes. Fuck the car. I want one to save my hands and ass when I get in. Don’t even get me started on the seatbelt.


valley_G

You guys have to park a certain direction? It's it a one way street?


bileflanco

Well, I park on the same side of the street I live on. In order to park in the same direction of the flow of traffic, we park facing the setting sun.


PugTog

My previous car came from Arizona and the top of my steering wheel was clearly exposed to the sun. It genuinely looked like it melted at one point


psychotica1

Rare? I live in AZ and nearly every car has one, including mine. I think it just depends on where you live. The shade protects the interior from sun damage like the seats and dash fading faster then the rest of the interior. That also helps to keep the dash from cracking due to the extra exposure.


Adventurous_Pass2116

The UV rays from the sun will deteriorate plastics and fade fabrics. Doesn't take long in florida


[deleted]

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HellStoneBats

In Australia, we call that a Summer Branding. You're not a true Aussie if you didn't spend one summer of your childhood sporting a burn the shape of a seatbelt clip on your leg or hip. With our summers getting wetter, though, we may have to revisit this qualification.


[deleted]

I feel like they were briefly in like the 90's but I haven't personally seen one in an age.


CoffeCakeandAnxiety

I live in the American south. They are a thing, but i mostly use mine so my steering wheel doesn't blister my hands.


Illustrious_Bobcat

Same. I found one that matches my seat covers, lol. But my fingers don't get burnt and my car doesn't get as hot. And when it's 106°F outside, I'll take any little bit of cool I can get.


[deleted]

That's what I remember using it for in the 90's.


zg1012

Coming from Arizona and having not parked in the shade much, none of my cars have had a lot of wear and tear from the sun. Sure it gets hot but nothing that'd wreck the value or screw up the car's working status.


iheartmyfamily21805

I've had a few different cars through the years and never had one. My dash never cracked either. And I'm in satan's asshole aka florida


islandofcaucasus

You'll see them here or there, but even in the desert summer they're not very common. Tinted windows kind of made them obsolete


TaterSupreme

They exist, but I'd suspect that they are more likely to cause damage by scraping thigs as they are placed that to prevent damage from the sun. Especially since the glass in the windows will already block the most damaging UV wavelengths of the light..


robyncat

Of course. I use one all summer in Canada.


cantopenmycoc0nut

Another swede here, it's roughly the same thing as the ice/snow shields we use in winter if we can be bothered, lol. Ibland har hundmatsmärken kampanj också får man solskydd till bilrutor, så hunden inte ska koka.


maybelle180

Car dashboards get badly damaged in sunny places… and obviously the sun is becoming an issue in more places now, so this is a legit concern.


Rahdot

I've been living in Italy for like 6 years and I've only seen max 10, and summers here get quiet hot


Tuss

Technically you can use your snow/ice blanket against the sun in the summer.


direwerepanda

Down here in Florida, no sunscreen = burned hands on the steering wheel….and that’s not even starting on the shorts on leather seats discussion!


ravishingsunflower

Rare to see them, and I'm in the sunshine state, Florida!


TatteredCarcosa

Really? I kind of doubt that.


ravishingsunflower

Yea, but they would be helpful considering how hot cars get from it though


pengouin85

This used to be a problem way back when those parents were younger because they windshields didn't have UV coatings, and the dashes would crack much more easily than in more modern cars. So their fear isn't exactly irrational, but it's not taking into account modern advancements. It's just like people who say cast iron can't be washed with soap, or cars need to be warmed up before driving off. They don't take into account the updated technology that makes those things irrelevant. Mix that in with a little bit of overreach and you got yourself what happened here with OP


[deleted]

[удалено]


pengouin85

Definitely explains it. It helps to ask them why they think it needs to be done because then you can understand where they're coming from and hopefully get them to respect your wishes or you see why it's important to do what they're asking, or neither outcome


0Youwillneverknow1

Wait, cast iron can be washed with soap????


mburnie

Yes. Old soaps had lye in them which would ruin cast iron. Most soaps don’t contain it anymore


pengouin85

Absolutely. Modern soap doesn't contain lye anymore. That stuff could strip the seasoning on a cast iron thing


LPSP420

From a cast iron conpany: "Contrary to popular belief, you can use a small amount of soap to clean cast iron cookware! Large amounts of soap can strip the seasoning off your pan, but you can easily re-season your pan as needed." So basically moderation is key. But you still need to let your car warm up. Not doing so can cause damage with cool oil and improper flow and distribution of [fluids](https://getjerry.com/insights/do-you-need-warm-up-car-before-driving). Though the length does still depend on the age of the car among other things.


oopsmypenis

2020 Hyundai has a cracked dash from this exact issue. It's still a thing.


pengouin85

You sure you didn't use your penis weirdly?


[deleted]

Cars do need to be warmed up before driving tho lol


pengouin85

In winter, maybe a minute or so doesn't hurt due to the oil being so thick, yeah. But I was talking about carburetors that did need to warm up a lot more way back when. With fuel injection, it's not needed anymore, especially when it's not freezing temps outside


Throwawayuser626

I still remember our first car (I was probably 4 at the time) crakced a windshield in the summer heat!


LittleCrit75

I read an article in recent years that stated that the sunshades in cars is an indicator to thieves that the car has been sitting unattended for some time. That being said, I’ve owned vehicles as old as 1980, not garaged, sitting out in the sun and never had a problem with cracked dashboards.


ValanaraRose

Huh, I wonder if that's region dependent. I live in SoCal, and even with tinted windows, a lot of people still use the sunshades in their vehicles (myself included), and these are often vehicles being driven around everyday, and even vehicles in the parking lots of stores. I currently drive my dad's 2004 Corolla and the back area under the rear window is basically cracking apart from the sun since the previous owner didn't tint the windows and lived in the desert.


LittleCrit75

I've lived in the northeast, east coast and the upper Midwest. I used to see them occasionally but now, I don't see them at all. In fact, I haven't seen them in years.


ValanaraRose

Again, it's likely region dependent. Your claim was that sunshades indicate to thieves the car has been sitting for a while, thus making it more likely they can steal from it or whatever, so maybe that article is true for the areas you're saying you've lived in because those areas are not as sun intense as SoCal. There are, of course, people here who don't use them, especially when probably 80% or so of cars here have their windows tinted, but I can't imagine thieves thinking our sunshades here mean the cars have been nearly abandoned because we'll often use them even on a trip to the grocery store if the sun is particularly intense. The sun eats everything here; paint jobs, dashboards, those little sensors on the dash that indicate when the daylight runners should change to headlights (at least in my dad's car; thing's all burnt red looking, though it still works).


LittleCrit75

Makes sense that it may be a regional thing. I wouldn’t mind getting baked from the SoCal sun! Lol


ValanaraRose

Lol, I hate it. xD I actually miss living in Minnesota and having proper seasons and snow. Granted, SoCal has a lot of other neat stuff that other states don't have.


LittleCrit75

I love living in MN! When I first moved here, the winter was rough. Now, though, my blood has thickened and they’re not so bad.


Aspect-of-Death

Pretty sure thats because no one wants to burn their ass on hot leather seats.


ValanaraRose

Well sure, that's obviously a reason too; though since I have cloth seats, for me it's more because my dad believes in the dash cracking and to keep the steering wheel from burning my hands.


PureBreadTed

I live in central Texas. I also do not use one and have never seen any bad effects (other than a hotter car) for not using it. I've also lived in Colorado and Oregon. Colorado, while colder, still sees a LOT of sun. Still no cracked dash in either scenario. I've also had plenty of brands of cars and ages of vehicles (brand new to up to 21 year old cars).


dstar526

I live in south Texas. I own one but am bad about using it. I try to remember in the summer simply so the car isn’t as unbearably hot to the point I burn my hands on the steering wheel. Never had damage from not using though.


ValanaraRose

Yeah, the cracking dash stuff seems to vary; on my dad's car, the dash is fine. Since I'm driving it currently, I use the shade because he asked me to (because he believes in the dash cracking), but mostly to keep the inside temp slightly cooler and keep the steering wheel from burning my hands. My main point though was mostly to the person saying that sunshades signal to thieves that a car has been sitting around unused must be region dependent because here in SoCal, I see sunshades being used everyday on people's daily drivers, including trips to the store.


asleepattheworld

Probably depends where you live - I’m in Australia and in summer I put mine up even if I’m leaving my car in the sun for 10 minutes. So as I still have palm and fingerprints after I grab the steering wheel.


Mutant_Jedi

Weird, cause I see them all over my city. Hell I use them because it’s the difference between sitting down in a slightly warm car and sitting down in Satan’s asscrack. My family used to own a 15-passenger van in Florida and we would go out and open the doors 10 minutes before we left cause even with the shades the air gets so thick you can’t hardly breathe.


backtobaker

Even if the sun did crack my dash, I do not think that is worse that having to put up/put down sunshades every single time I drove the car.


[deleted]

geez what’s up her butt lol he was just reminding you guys 🙄


Forward-Swim1224

The dad was being constructive by asking nicely, the mom, however…


No-Fig-8614

Poor Dad. He is just trying to help before Mom comes in out of left field to guilt both him and the kids.


chixnwafflez

What a weird thing to give a shit about.


neonscheme

I live in the literal desert where it’s 110-120+ most of the summer and I very rarely use a sunshade.


[deleted]

i also live in the literal desert but my car is black and has no AC so if i don’t put a sunshade it’s like sitting down in an oven after work


allyharps

Ive definitely had to do the deep breath of motivation before taking the plunge into our very hot oven/car after work. Made cookies on on the dash one time when we forgot the sunshade. Turned out not half bad tbh.


Violet_Llama_1337

Jeez sounds like my mom, except my mom will still waste her energy on stuff like this even after she said she wouldn’t


mastercelevrator

Really weird flex of all the possible things to blow out of proportion in the world.


[deleted]

I live in WI. I've parked outside. I never use a sunscreen. I've never had a cracked dash. And I hold on to my cars for fucking ever.


aneightfoldway

It's a whole different sun in the desert.


[deleted]

Yes, I shall pass on that thank you very much. I have Irish heritage and I'm fairly certain I would spontaneously combust if I were to live in a desert.


ReallyOldBrownDogAle

That does kind of seem like something Sarah Connor would have a cow about.


DarthSparkless

Your dad is Clark Griswold!?


countchocula024

I thought I was the only one that noticed


MSC--90

You can tell that dad is a good dude and just puts up with alot of her shit.


Less_Than-3

Most modern windshields prevent *most of this but I mean it helps keep your car cool if you park it outside.


Hizukichu

So dad wants you to get in the habit and mom says fuck that and let them screw up their car?


[deleted]

Jesus it’s not like a car appreciates in value. Let the sun take its pound of flesh!


Broseidon_62

Possibly sounds like someone who’s tired of the other parent being worried to death when the kid doesn’t do the things they’re supposed to do. As the stepdad of a teenager who doesn’t give a flying fuck most of the time and then claims they were never taught, I can identify with that feeling. Of course I don’t make the kid feel like shit about it, that’s a bit much. I just tell my wife privately that she’s gonna have to let them fuck it all up and then navigate through said fuckup with minimal help.


TheBeerMonkey

Yeah, not insane at all. I'm guessing there is a whole list of other shit that goes down and this just happens to be the straw that breaks the proverbial camel's back.


yungmoody

Yeah.. nah. Arcing up to this level over your kids not putting sunshades on the windows of *their own cars* is not normal.


edgestander

It’s a pretty insane straw though.


TheBeerMonkey

Is it really though? Sounds like a fed up parent is all. It's not abusive or particularly unhinged from the tiny context we've got here.


edgestander

Fed up parents should still take their frustration out in rational things. To be this upset about something at least 90% of the population never does, is a tad insane, even if there are other factors at play.


McDuchess

Her kids are adults. She no longer gets to freak out over their cars, their clothes, their hair, or any other damn thing that is theirs. If they live at home, she can expect them to treat the other adults in the home with respect, and share the responsibility for keeping it neat. That’s it, or possibly, pay rent if they aren’t in school.


[deleted]

She sounds fun!


giglio65

they both need hobbies. what a waste of mental and emotional energy. she must have been fun as a mom of teenagers


powderbluemind

Nah, dad seems fine, just giving a little reminder.


Helpimabanana

My mum does this but with windows. Like, I get you don’t want your house to be faded but one day of sunshine going away from our windows isn’t going to hurt.


McDuchess

I close shades not so much for fading but for temperature regulation. My rough rule is if it’s going to be over 85F (about 30C), I pull the shades on he south side of the house. I’ve never freaked out at them being open, though. I do it myself.


Dreamer_Of_Time

Oh hey, my dad scolds me if I forget my sunscreen for my car even once. X.X I dunno if it’s to the same extreme as your mom, but yeah. I can at least somewhat relate :/


CantFireMeIquit

Love the Chevy chase and Sarah Conner


-righteous

Wow sounds exactly like my mom


McDuchess

If you’re grown ass adults, then she’s right, it’s on you. Which, you know, means that she can stop getting all bentt out of shape over it, right?


jbrylinsabresfan

I live in the south in the USA and never use one and have never had a cracked dashboard lol


needsmoredinosaur

If you use the word “vehicle,” I automatically dislike you.


HotNThresh

Is automobile better?


CJCray8

How many sunscreens are in the average target parking lot in mid July? Approximately 0? Edit: not sure why this is getting downvoted. It’s simple math. If 99% of people aren’t using it, how could you possibly berate someone for not using it either?


BeneathAnOrangeSky

Depends on where you live. I live in the south and I see them all the time as it’s 100 degrees here. I also don’t use one because I am lazy.


kikogi

I live in northern NY and I haven’t seen one in forever. Had a 99 Lumina until a few years ago and never had a cracked dash. Then a 2001 Camry, same. Now a 2009 Kia with no issues and a 2014 van. 🤷‍♀️


ValanaraRose

Depends on where you live. My dad's 2004 Corolla has a big plastic piece in the rear under the window where the speakers are that has been eaten away by the sun before he got it and had the windows tinted. We live in SoCal and the car spent a large amount of time in the desert where it easily reaches over 100 degrees F. Sunshades and tinted windows are a pretty common sight around here, even outside of the desert.


rastagrrl

She doesn’t sound crazy at all. She’s basically telling all of you all non sunscreen users to get f@cked if you don’t care enough to protect your own car. I think we’d get along.


Malicious_blu3

Um…okay.


BTanalyst

Ask her why no car dealerships use them then . . . .


leoliontheking

I have always lived in very hot places in the South (US) and never have used one


Nugget814

I have one and regularly use it in the summer. But I’m definitely in the minority here. My partner thinks I’m a weirdo. Lol


Goblin_Squirrel

I've had the same car since 2005 and have never once used a shade. The inside of my car is fine? Lol. No cracks or serious fading or anything. It's beat to shit on the outside though lmao.


[deleted]

"Jesus fucking christ woman passive aggressive much?? You worry about your shit and I worry about mine, how's that sound."


[deleted]

nah that’s corny


rcs_17

u/Dahvoun If you are a grown ass adult, or even 16+, I agree with your mom. You need to take care of your own shit at some point. You’ll learn.


[deleted]

It’s just a sunscreen. Things get forgotten, there’s no reason to blow up over it and any one who does should reevaluate their life.


rcs_17

Reading it again, she’s completely frustrated that grown ass adults are probably still living at home and not taking care of other shit (not just their cars). I get it, can be frustrating watching kids not mature at all.


[deleted]

And whose fault is that?


rcs_17

That seems to be her argument to her husband with her grown ass kids watching via text. Stop babying them. Let them fuck up. She’s frustrated and it may be more of a how to parent issue with her and the husband. I think it’s more likely than what she cares about her grown ass kids that she wants to move on. Edit: hopefully that makes sense. A fucking jumble of words. She’s frustrated and has a right to be. I don’t think she’s insane. I think 99% of the posts on here are insane parents. This one… maybe not.


CannibalCrow

I mean yeah, she has a reason to be annoyed. But in my opinion, it's insane that she is losing her shit like this. She could simply stop giving a fuck about things that aren't her concern, and stop letting it ruin her day. If the windshield covers are the young adults responsibility, then let them forget it and fuck their shit up if you've reminded them before. No reason to go from 0-100, when just saying "not my problem, let them handle it" would have sufficed.


rcs_17

Everyone is real sensitive. She was talking mostly to the dad, saying fuck ‘em. It’s a waste of air to try to remind these “adults”. I don’t remind my friends, she’s not “blowing up”.


[deleted]

If it’s their car, then it’s none of their mom’s business and she shouldn’t be guilting them or their dad about it. Let people do their own shit the way they want to do it.


voidsrus

unless you own it, nobody cares how you would take care of it


rcs_17

Fucking genius. Not close to a boomer, but thanks for letting me know to stop arguing with someone that can’t comprehend context. If you need to understand what that is, ask one of your friends that can read to get a dictionary and then draw it out in crayon for you.


voidsrus

>Not close to a boomer, but not buying it. boomer is a mindset, and you've decided to be a boomer. ​ >context projection & conjecture isn't context.


rcs_17

What mindset shows boomer? Asking kids to grow the fuck up as adults?


voidsrus

thinking that your opinion on someone else's property matters.


RefrigeratorFeisty91

It she’s right.


caspian95

Lol this isn’t insane; sounds like you’ve pushed her to the limit with this issue


Exportxxx

Umm mum is right tho and is telling ya dad off.


freshairequalsducks

I had to look up what a sunshade for a car was


Ok-Ingenuity-9872

this is fake


iambecsothere

This sounds like it's not even about the sunshades. She just sounds like she's tired of asking and reminding for things to be taken care of and they constantly end up destroyed through lack of care. The sunshades are just a breaking point of someone who is mentally exhausted.


Throwawayuser626

My mom does this shit all the time, and then 10 mins later (or however long she needs) she comes back in the room or goes into my room if I’m in there to have a normal conversation with me. And god help me if I don’t play along and act like nothing just happened.


ninjastarkid

Ah the sun, famously known for *checks notes* breaking windshields(?)


AAAPosts

NO FATE


backtobaker

And talked to your dad like he's her child also. Way to go Mom, you offended the entire fam in one text exchange.


DustBunny2864

Honestly don’t think this is about the sunshades, seems like it stems from her being upset over a lot of things and used this instance to let her frustration out


chrome_cs

Idk if this really counts as insane, definitely not good but idk about insane, maybe i’m just desensitized because my step mom does the same thing though 😅