# First gorgeous day, most car windows shut tight. Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 7, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745 "2006-04-07T17:16:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/21 "2006-04-07T18:36:09Z")
Driving around town yesterday, I had the windows down, as did about 1/3 of the cars I noticed. But if I have to get on the freeway, the windows go up. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/22 "2006-04-07T18:39:34Z")
If I put my window all the way down, the second I stop at a light a homeless guy is going to run up and hassle me. If I want to enjoy the fresh air I’ll sit on my porch swing. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/23 "2006-04-07T18:53:29Z")
Never mind the cars, why are so many apartments already using the air conditioner? Especially my upstair neighbors, whose very noisy AC condenser unit is right outside my window?? ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/24 "2006-04-07T18:58:33Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Never mind the cars, why are so many apartments already using the air conditioner? Especially my upstair neighbors, whose very noisy AC condenser unit is right outside my window?? Fresh air haters, I presume. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/25 "2006-04-07T19:17:04Z")
If I’m going slow, I’ll have a window down. Going over 30mph or so makes the wind annoying enough to eliminate any good feelings from the fresh air. Having it open a crack doesn’t feed in appreciable fresh air, and it’s loud. I’ll go with turning up the car vent, it’s still pretty fresh air, is quiet and directable. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/26 "2006-04-07T19:43:13Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > If I’m going slow, I’ll have a window down. Going over 30mph or so makes the wind annoying enough to eliminate any good feelings from the fresh air. Having it open a crack doesn’t feed in appreciable fresh air, and it’s loud. I’ll go with turning up the car vent, it’s still pretty fresh air, is quiet and directable. I always assumed everybody knew, but begin to wonder from these posts. If you like the window down but are annoyed by wind noise, open one (or both) of the back windows part way, and the noise almost vanishes. Of course, this is easier to do in a 4-door. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/27 "2006-04-07T19:50:09Z")
Some cars suffer from wind buffeting. I had a car that couldn’t have any combination of windows down or the air pressure changes would give me a horrible headache. Luckily, my new car doesn’t suffer from this malady and I had my windows down all day, even in the rain. We thought about putting on the AC the other day in our apartment. It was about 85 in our bedroom, but 70 on the first floor. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/28 "2006-04-07T19:55:43Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > \ Toilet paper is cheaper. 🙂 I have a role on my desk that serves to help keep the computer monitor clean, as well as for my nose. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/29 "2006-04-07T20:01:54Z")
For the record, I had the convertible top down last night and this morning, and it was well below 70 degrees both times. I was loving it! I really need to move to colder climes… ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/30 "2006-04-07T20:19:25Z")
The TransAm isn’t real bad with the windows part way down, but the Ranger is pure hell. We finally put those little window visor thingies on the window openings. I was surprised at how much wind was deflected. I still don’t roll anything down all the way, but I can at least stand it to a small degree. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/31 "2006-04-07T21:00:57Z")
Drafts. Hate that. Plus, it’s not window openin’ time until it feels like I’m sitting in a blast furnace. 😃 Ain’t gonna happen up here. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs\_O\_Malley\_s\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Mrs\_O\_Malley\_s\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_O_Malley_s_Cow)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/32 "2006-04-07T21:46:01Z")
1. Allergies 2. The noise factor. Still, windows don’t make a difference most of the time. 3. For many women and some men, hair blowing into your face. I dated a guy with hair down his back _sigh, loved that hair_. He was always swearing he was going to get it chopped off because he could never drive with his hair down and the sunroof and windows open. It would blow in his face. 4. Idiots throwing things in your car at red lights. (I swear, some people had to have been raised by wolves!). ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/33 "2006-04-07T22:00:15Z")
Sorry I don wanna play Isadora Duncan. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/34 "2006-04-07T22:05:47Z")
> [@Indygrrl](#): > > I know, allergies, pollution, etc., but I still can’t fathom how people can resist putting their car windows down on this gorgeous 70 degree day. Please help me understand. I get the day-to-day thing, but we’re talking about the first awesome day of spring! > > So what’s up? What do you mean by the FIRST gorgeous day of the year? I don’t see much of a change in the temperature. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/35 "2006-04-07T22:30:03Z")
> [@Mrs O'Malley's Cow](#): > > 1. Allergies > > 2. The noise factor. Still, windows don’t make a difference most of the time. > > 3. For many women and some men, hair blowing into your face. I dated a guy with hair down his back _sigh, loved that hair_. He was always swearing he was going to get it chopped off because he could never drive with his hair down and the sunroof and windows open. It would blow in his face. > > 4. Idiots throwing things in your car at red lights. (I swear, some people had to have been raised by wolves!). But it’s 5:00, you’ve been cooped up for eight hours in front of a soul sucking computer, the sun is shining and you are first in line at the red light. You wouldn’t roll that sucker halfway down for a minute? 😉 And why didn’t he just put it in a braid? That’s what the biker dudes do with their long hair. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs\_O\_Malley\_s\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Mrs\_O\_Malley\_s\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_O_Malley_s_Cow)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/36 "2006-04-08T01:48:09Z")
> [@Indygrrl](#): > > But it’s 5:00, you’ve been cooped up for eight hours in front of a soul sucking computer, the sun is shining and you are first in line at the red light. You wouldn’t roll that sucker halfway down for a minute? 😉 > > And why didn’t he just put it in a braid? That’s what the biker dudes do with their long hair. I understand, I understand. But I (and my friends) have had things thrown in and at our cars. To me it is a paranoia thing. I have had too much bizarre things happen to roll the windows down. One of the big reasons he wanted to get his hair cut was that he had to have it in a ponytail all the time. It would get hot and sweaty underneath in the summer time and would flap in the wind. He would end up chewing his hair if he tried to eat with it down. _sigh_ I still have wonderful memories of that hair. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs\_O\_Malley\_s\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Mrs\_O\_Malley\_s\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_O_Malley_s_Cow)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/37 "2006-04-08T01:57:29Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > If I’m going slow, I’ll have a window down. Going over 30mph or so makes the wind annoying enough to eliminate any good feelings from the fresh air. Having it open a crack doesn’t feed in appreciable fresh air, and it’s loud. I’ll go with turning up the car vent, it’s still pretty fresh air, is quiet and directable. Now, I will do the car vent thing. That is ok. Still fresh air but I get to keep the car cigarette butt free (I don’t smoke so guess where they come from). ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/38 "2006-04-08T02:06:36Z")
> [@Indygrrl](#): > > But it’s 5:00, you’ve been cooped up for eight hours in front of a soul sucking computer, the sun is shining and you are first in line at the red light. You wouldn’t roll that sucker halfway down for a minute? 😉 I’m not cooped up in front of a soul-sucking computer, but the windows in my room at work don’t open, so when I leave work and it’s a nice day, I put 'em down. If I’ve had my benedryl. Gotta ward off that pollen. It was raining and chilly and nasty when I went in this morning, and warm and balmy and sunny when I left, so I cranked down all the windows, blasted the radio and cruised home. It felt great. If I drove home on the Beltway, I’d leave them up. Too noisy otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/39 "2006-04-08T03:54:37Z")
Consider yourselves lucky… we have no spring in this part of the country. There’s only two seasons here: Summer and Not Summer. It rains more in summer and you get lighting storms all the time, but aside from that, there’s no difference between the two. I tend to have the car windows down at night when I drive, but during the day I keep them up so I can hear the radio, not suck in exhaust fumes, and so on. On the other hand, if I’m driving in the country, I usually have the window down, because I don’t have to worry about exhaust fumes from other cars etc. Like **OpalCat** , I’m not a huge fan of the heat. I grew up in the South Island of New Zealand, where it snows in winter and 15 degrees celsius was a “Warm Day”. I _NEED_ airconditioning to function during the summer here, and winding down the windows on a hot day only has the effect of causing hot air to blow into the car, defeating the entire point of having Air Conditioning or even winding the window down in the first place… ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745/40 "2006-04-08T05:24:14Z")
Truthfully, sometimes I forget. We go so long with cruddy weather that when it finally turns up nice I forget that I can roll down my windows. But driving home last night, I did open up the moon roof (and turn on the heat because I’m a wimp) – the cool night air was fresh and sweet. Then, of course, this morning I forgot again and drove to work with the windows rolled up. :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-gorgeous-day-most-car-windows-shut-tight-why/351745.md?page=3)