Is it just my SS wash, or...

[KleanRide]

...do any other owners have a problem with people parking and hanging out in your wash bays and not washing?

They've patterned me and my helper and they know we are rarely there in the evenings. That's when they drive in, park, and just F%$@*ing sit there! Doesn't matter if others are waiting, they are totally oblivious. I keep asking myself what kind of joy could one possibly find just hanging out in a car wash? It infuriates me when I turn on my cameras and see cars loitering on dry pavement in my wash bays.

It never happens when we are there because we run them off, including the elderly lady last week at 9am that we found sitting in her truck watching Pornhub on her phone.

Anybody else have this problem? Everybody?

WTF is wrong with these people?

 

[1carwash1]

Is your router/modem password protected? How about the neighboring business?

 

[KleanRide]

Yep, that was one of the first things I checked. No free WiFi in range.

 

[soapy]

Put up a no Loitering sign with the local code and have the police patrol for a while and run them off.

 

[Dan-Ark]

Pump pit water to a sprinkler head in the ceiling that you can turn on with your phone. Maybe then they will need to wash! could also help with bucket washers LOL.

 

[KleanRide]

Pump pit water to a sprinkler head in the ceiling that you can turn on with your phone. Maybe then they will need to wash! could also help with bucket washers LOL.

Now we’re talking!

 

[KleanRide]

Put up a no Loitering sign with the local code and have the police patrol for a while and run them off.

Signs are there and the cops have way bigger fish to fry in our ‘hood

 

[Randy]

We have the same problem with people hanging out at the car wash, parking in the bays at all times of the day and night. Self-serve car washes are kind of a magnet for these types of people. The only way to stop it is to be there 24/7, but that’s impossible. You name it and I’ve seen it on video at the car wash. It’s like these people don’t have much of a life, we can’t get out of the car wash fast enough and these people want to just hang out, geez get a life. KleanRide what town are you in? We've had a few of the finer folks trespassed, that's helped some

 

[KleanRide]

KleanRide what town are you in?

San Antonio

 

[Earl Weiss]

I heard some operators have speakers they can access remotely. Perhaps you can install these and then broadcast a warning.

 

[OurTown]

I heard some operators have speakers they can access remotely. Perhaps you can install these and then broadcast a warning.

We have thought about this before and like the idea. Earl do you know how they did it or what kind of an interface they had? You would probably want be able to broadcast for each bay and not the whole car wash although even that would be nice. I'm assuming these people think this is a place to do whatever they want in their cars without thinking they can be seen.

 

[soapy]

Randys brother has his washes fenced and he has a company come in at 10 pm to close the gates and reopens in the morning for a small fee. He said it did not effect business and kept the folks off his property at night.

 

[mjwalsh]

We have thought about this before and like the idea. Earl do you know how they did it or what kind of an interface they had? You would probably want be able to broadcast for each bay and not the whole car wash although even that would be nice. I'm assuming these people think this is a place to do whatever they want in their cars without thinking they can be seen.

Back in about 1982 or so along with our first set of cameras we installed a Talk-a-Phone system. It consisted of 4 two way PA horns. It is still functional but now that I have more employees than back then I find is less needed.

I remember one time a middle aged guy parked after washing just outside of the south side of the specific indoor bay. It was about 10° F outside ... sun was shining though. Long story short ... I asked him simply to "close the door". When I dropped what I was doing & did the needed door closure to stop wasted heat & potential freeze up ... he said he was going to report me for "verbally abusing him" over the PA horn. I am not making this up!

 

[DiamondWash]

Nelly's Security just released Active Deterrence Camera with strobe light and audible and with pre-recorded messages, I included the link below.

Nelly's Security Active Deterrence Cameras

 

[mjwalsh]

Diamond,

Not good enough. There should be with along with that solution a photorealistic animated screen that comes to life showing their potential squished consequence because of their activity.

Just make sure it is not categorized as a sign ... i just read thru some sign stipulations for some jurisdictions ... that do not allow signs to be animated!

 

[mac]

So just out of curiosity, did you happen to get contact info on the old lady watching porn?

 

[DiamondWash]

So just out of curiosity, did you happen to get contact info on the old lady watching porn?

LOL!!!!!

 

[KleanRide]

So just out of curiosity, did you happen to get contact info on the old lady watching porn?

She wasn't my type

 

[Jeff_L]

I've considered (planning in my head) putting a occupancy sensor, siren, message board, and strobe light in each bay. If it senses an object in the bay and the meter hasn't been on for a certain amount of time, run the siren, strobe, and scroll a message across the board to either start the bay or exit so others can use it.

 

[Zal]

Loud 1950's era country music for a few minutes at 15 minute intervals If you are running a pump it wont bother you. Might not work in Texas