Well, it was my fault for parking away from the other cars in the morning at school. Anyway, there was one of those huge street cleaners cleaning the empty parking lot next to mine. I thought he wouldn't go to where I was because students were coming in. He did and drove the massive machine next to my car! Did my car get sandblasted? Can the spinning brushes shoot dirt at speeds that can damage my paint? Do those machines spray any kind of chemicals while cleaning the streets or lot?

I have no idea why the school had a cleaner come in during school days and at a time when students were coming in. The guy could at least had some consideration.

If my recollection is correct, they actually use a combination of fiberglass and steel wool for brushes and constantly 'shed' that stuff (along with debris) at high velocities. Painted surfaces within thirteen feet are routinely destroyed. Also, the street 'cleaner' uses a mild-PH sulfuric acid, which (incidentally) is the exact same paint stripper they use at the MBZ factory. It also melts OEM tires.

I'd wash your car RIGHT NOW! Or at least go and have a look at it to see if there was any damage...

hehehe

PLEASE tell me you're kidding! Right? I'm serious--that just makes me more paranoid!

If I recall correctly, I remember reading in the news that there was actually a person caught in one of those machines and he died of injuries caused by that bristles or something of that matter. Those brushes they use are hard.

Cossie: notice the "hehehe". What are you going to do, lock your car up in a garage and not use it? It's *only* a car (even if it IS a benz)...

The way I see it: those brushes look like they turn pretty slow. I would think that the cars and trucks in front of you at any given time are hucking more-damaging debris at you. Plus, because you have eyes you can visibly tell if your car has been sandblasted. You'll notice 1) a lack of paint and 2) that gleaming metal look.

And unless you live in New Jersey, Florida or some other environmentally-unfriendly place I'd doubt that they'd spray anything toxic or non-bio-degradable on the city's streets and parking lots. I would think that would cause thousands of lawsuits to occur (if you find that they DO in fact use harsh chemicals call me - I'd gladly lick a "clean" street to make a few mil in damages).

Then again, I'm from California. To help your paranoia: think of your car as 'disposable' and know that every mile you drive is one mile closer to your car's death. Feel better?

I remember picking up steel brush parts from my street way back when I was a kid. They look a bit like a slightly thinner oil dipstick, maybe a foot long.

The only way I could see the power sweeper doing damage is if it would kick up a rock, small pebble, roofing nail, screw, diamond ring, or other debris from the parking lot, or if it were to launch one of the steel bristles into your paint.

Remember, companies pay to get their parking lots swept like this, so if they did grievous damage to everyone's cars it would hurt their business. You don't say what kind of car you have; I'm sure if I had a brand new CL55 I'd be very very paranoid too.

__________________
Bob Roe
Lehigh Valley PA USA
1973 Olds 88, 1972 MB 280SE, 1978 Datsun 280Z, 1971 Ford T-Bird, 1972 Olds 88, 1983 Nissan Sentra, 1985 Sentra, 1973 230.6, 1990 Acura Integra, 1991 Volvo 940GLE wagon, 1983 300SD, 1984 300SD, 1995 Subaru Legacy L wagon, 2002 Mountaineer, 1991 300TE wagon, 2008 Murano, 2007 R320CDI 4Matic 52K, some Hyundai, 2008 BMW 535xi wagon, all gone... currently
2007 Honda Odyssey Touring, 2014 E350 4matic

I had my old car parked next to a street when a cleaner came by. I etched my paint; looked like it had been attacked with acid rain. They got the WHOLE car. Anyway, I called the state department and they paidm for me a new paint job. About $8000 worth.

__________________
http://www.larryblunk.com/sig.jpg

Why didn't you check your car right then and there. Also I don't think that the company would be using dangerous chemicals near a school. Beside why even use H2SO4 to clean streets, can't one use just regular brushes. come to think of it I have seen the Street cleaners leave a wet pavment after passing. Why would MBZ use Acid to strip paint? I don't know why they must take paint of anyway, and woulden't they use a Base so it doesn't dissolve the metal.

__________________
"Damn the torpedos, four bells full speed ahead"
-Admiral Farragut




-1987 300E Smoke Silver
-1997 S320 Black on Black
-Soon To be E55 AMG
-27 foot Grady White Offshore Sportfish.

Alright, somebody is in Chemistry =) lol Knowing any state department, they may be tempted to throw some 10M HCl in there to get rid of those oil spots. No, seriously though, I think a lot of places use a mild acid to strip paint. A strong base can still dissolve metal... see what a egg does on your roof for a couple of days =)

__________________
http://www.larryblunk.com/sig.jpg

I don't think that they would throw some 10 mole Hydrochloric acid on a street to get oil stains out. Maybe a mild soultion of 3 mole or so would provide for a mild cleaing action. Keep in mind all acids will react with metal, some stronger than others, however the bottom line is that they eat metal. A strong base such as NaOH will take paint off without harming metal. Oh and I think 10M HCL would eat through concrete. 10 mole HCL is some strong stuff, however if the state department is going to go that far why don't they just spray some 18 mole H2SO4, and see what happend then.

[Edited by CaptAlex300e on 12-06-2000 at 05:00 PM]

__________________
"Damn the torpedos, four bells full speed ahead"
-Admiral Farragut




-1987 300E Smoke Silver
-1997 S320 Black on Black
-Soon To be E55 AMG
-27 foot Grady White Offshore Sportfish.

So how is your car. Is it alright, is the paint ok, is the metal ok.

__________________
"Damn the torpedos, four bells full speed ahead"
-Admiral Farragut




-1987 300E Smoke Silver
-1997 S320 Black on Black
-Soon To be E55 AMG
-27 foot Grady White Offshore Sportfish.

Captain - relax - you can put your HS chemistry book away now. J-o-k-e. They put (only) water to keep the dust from sweeping down.

Here's a real ghastly one though: about ten years ago, up around Truckee, California the local county was trying to come up with a solution for road ice other than salt (which was killing the nearby trees and foliage) and actually tested cattle piss on a small portion of road as an alternative. The proponents stated that it has some kind of natural de-icing quality to it (break out your HS biology and chem books again).

Imagine driving through THAT. Needless to say the program was, to the total dismay of the tree-hugging greens, discontinued on the basis of protest (though it DID work remarkably well).

Not H.S books In your freshmen year of college you must take a multitude of classes, indeed a mix of literature, science, history, math, biology etc. Out of my own intuition I took quite a few more than mandated. That is where I learned most of my Chem. However since I'm planning on a law major or economics major , I won't be seeing much more science anymore I didn't have to break out any books for that, because I have a great memory, and don't have to study for any test that are not very advanced. It is possible that the Uremic acid in the "cow piss" may be a natural de-icing agent.

__________________
"Damn the torpedos, four bells full speed ahead"
-Admiral Farragut




-1987 300E Smoke Silver
-1997 S320 Black on Black
-Soon To be E55 AMG
-27 foot Grady White Offshore Sportfish.

I wouldn't know - my degree repetoire consists of journalism and international business...