Crows target park and ride in York
Discussion
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/north_yorkshire/3591629.stm
Car park crows strip wiper blades
Motorists are counting the cost of hungry crows at a York park and ride who swoop from the sky and strip the rubber from windcreen wiper blades.
Driver John Foster says he has lost six sets of wiper blades after the airborne raiders targeted his car.
A spokesman for the RSPB said the birds are attracted by the taste of a component in the rubber.
Motorists have been advised to coat their wipers with aluminium ammonium sulphate to keep the birds at bay.
Blades replaced
Mr Foster, of Green Hammerton, near York, said he was "absolutely staggered" when he found out the feathered fiends were behind the wiper mystery at Askham Bar park & ride in York.
He said it took several weeks, and a few sets of new wiper blades on his Ford Mondeo, before he realised what was happening.
"I got into the car one night and was driving home when I realised the rubber was coming off the passenger-side wiper.
"So I had the blades replaced and three weeks later the same thing happened again.
Oh yes, we know about it. It's crows and we've got them on video
Park & ride attendant
"I thought the blades were faulty and had them replaced, but after about three sets I thought...this is not on".
But the avian culprits had not escaped without leaving a trail of evidence.
"I was walking back to my car one evening and noticed four or so bits of rubber on the ground and I thought...this just isn't me is it?
"So I went to the park and ride office and the guy said, 'Oh yes, we know about it. It's crows and we've got them on video'."
Mr Foster, who works in the complaints department of insurance giant Norwich Union, said he was dumbfounded: "I was staggered. I just couldn't believe it, I thought it was vandals."
He has had to replace six sets of wiper blades at £16 per set - a total cost of £96.
"Apparently a man is coming with a trap to catch the crows," he added.
Car park crows strip wiper blades
Motorists are counting the cost of hungry crows at a York park and ride who swoop from the sky and strip the rubber from windcreen wiper blades.
Driver John Foster says he has lost six sets of wiper blades after the airborne raiders targeted his car.
A spokesman for the RSPB said the birds are attracted by the taste of a component in the rubber.
Motorists have been advised to coat their wipers with aluminium ammonium sulphate to keep the birds at bay.
Blades replaced
Mr Foster, of Green Hammerton, near York, said he was "absolutely staggered" when he found out the feathered fiends were behind the wiper mystery at Askham Bar park & ride in York.
He said it took several weeks, and a few sets of new wiper blades on his Ford Mondeo, before he realised what was happening.
"I got into the car one night and was driving home when I realised the rubber was coming off the passenger-side wiper.
"So I had the blades replaced and three weeks later the same thing happened again.
Oh yes, we know about it. It's crows and we've got them on video
Park & ride attendant
"I thought the blades were faulty and had them replaced, but after about three sets I thought...this is not on".
But the avian culprits had not escaped without leaving a trail of evidence.
"I was walking back to my car one evening and noticed four or so bits of rubber on the ground and I thought...this just isn't me is it?
"So I went to the park and ride office and the guy said, 'Oh yes, we know about it. It's crows and we've got them on video'."
Mr Foster, who works in the complaints department of insurance giant Norwich Union, said he was dumbfounded: "I was staggered. I just couldn't believe it, I thought it was vandals."
He has had to replace six sets of wiper blades at £16 per set - a total cost of £96.
"Apparently a man is coming with a trap to catch the crows," he added.
This has just started happening to my parents by the SE coast.
I hadn't even heard of it but a quick search showed it has been happening for some time.
My Dad now has to cover his front and rear blades as he often comes out to find the rear rubber laying on the floor all chewed up!
I noticed someone else on here was having the same trouble and they did this...
I hadn't even heard of it but a quick search showed it has been happening for some time.
My Dad now has to cover his front and rear blades as he often comes out to find the rear rubber laying on the floor all chewed up!
I noticed someone else on here was having the same trouble and they did this...
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff