Mudders?

[Jim L.]

Anybody got a sure fire cure for mudders?

I've got a small group of kids that love to play in the mud and then come to my wash and make a big mess. Sunday is their favorite day, so I tried turning off the bays on Sunday night hoping they would go somewhere else. They just waited until Monday evening.

I know some of them, but how do I stop them short of shutting the wash down?

 

[MEP001]

I know one guy who put up signs in his truck bays that say "$200 fee for excessive mud." He bought and refurbished a wash with two truck bays and was having to pick up five wheelbarrows full of mud off the floor every day. The signs almost completely stopped it. He said he checked with police and they would enforce his fee under shoplifting because it's posted in clear view.

If signs alone don't work, you'll need surveillance video or you'll need to catch them in the act.

 

[pitzerwm]

I put up signs, (see in the library) they worked and when they didn't I kicked butt.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

We have deer and goose hunting season going on right now, and
so many muddy hunters. Almost-i mean it is impossible to deal with, and
washing bays at the 5 washes almost 15 hrs a day. We have
clay soil so fairly difficult to clean up. Signs help a little.
Asking them to help clean up and giving them tokens helps more,
but their version of cleaning is maybe 85%. But better than nothing.
I think the best solution is to have higher prices like mine, so you
are at least making money from them. Good luck in training the
Cave-Man.

 

[kjohnson]

I know one guy who put up signs in his truck bays that say "$200 fee for excessive mud." He bought and refurbished a wash with two truck bays and was having to pick up five wheelbarrows full of mud off the floor every day. The signs almost completely stopped it. He said he checked with police and they would enforce his fee under shoplifting because it's posted in clear view.

If signs alone don't work, you'll need surveillance video or you'll need to catch them in the act.

Anyone know where this is at? I would like to do the same thing. But My law enforcement said that the prosecutors office would like to see how there ordinance reads pertaining this issue. Basically they dont want to do any homework on the issue. LOL

 

[cwguy.com]

Anyone know where this is at? I would like to do the same thing. But My law enforcement said that the prosecutors office would like to see how there ordinance reads pertaining this issue. Basically they dont want to do any homework on the issue. LOL

I think the matter what it will become a civil dispute and go to court. The Police can not demand instant payment.

Also you should add another sign under it saying "$100 reward for turning in excessive mud customer".

 

[MEP001]

It is a civil matter, not any kind of ordinance. The police said they'd help enforce it because it's posted, and they may be able to arrest the person under theft of services if they don't pay it.

 

[Kevin James]

It is a civil matter, not any kind of ordinance. The police said they'd help enforce it because it's posted, and they may be able to arrest the person under theft of services if they don't pay it.

Are you living in la la Land or what! The Police aren’t going to enforce some BS sign that you have on your property unless it’s an ordinance with the ordinance number on the sign. The Police can say all they want but when it comes right down to it they aren’t going to do much of anything over some BS sign.

 

[cwguy.com]

I agree with what your saying Kevin. I'm thinking if you had the sign and brought the person to small claims court on that premious. The judge might side with you? Then the police might help enforce the ruling? I said might.

Mep1 is just saying after all the court stuff the police will help his friend.

 

[mmurra]

We have dealt with this recently. We are a gated "wash all you want." There is a local group of mudders. They have a weekly competition in a adjacent community. Once they found out about WAUW, they flocked in at night when no one was around. What we did:
-Posted a permanent sign "We have the right to refuse service to anyone"
-We have a changeable letter sign that we posted "Mudders banned. We have cameras. We call police"
-I made the wash manager increase his urgency by making him come in and clean the mess on Sunday am until resolved.
-I met with city police chief and explained the problem. He offered to cooperate (they wash at our place). He would arrest any repeater once warned if we would testify / prosecute. We agreed.
-We red flagged this issue as a super high priority. Our people caught two mudders, explained that they would be arrested for trespass once they had been warned.
-We wrote down lic number and description
-We asked them to inform the group that they are risking arrest when caught.
They stopped coming.

 

[kjohnson]

My local law enforcement said without the prosecutors backing, theres nothing he could really do. He mentioned that I might be able to charge them with vandalism.... I was hoping someone else might have had some education on this issue, that would help convince my prosecutor to back me. Thanks....

 

[pgrzes]

I think everyone is barking up the wrong tree!! Only my opinion but nobody else has said it, I cant stand mudders!! BUT They have to be putting $$ into my machine to be putting mud into my bay. Isnt the reason we are in business to collect $$?? I tell my worker its job security for him, yes it sucks to have to clean it up but again its all about the money. I scoop it up with a shovel throw it into the dumpster then wash down the floor, no big deal 5 minutes to clean a bay, that maybe someone put $10-15 into. Dry foam brushing and weep washers **** me off more then mudders. At least the mudders are putting some $ in the slot!! I have only been around for 9 years, but I would bet you will NEVER STOP mudders from washing at your wash. I have learned to deal with it. Again only my opinion, as I get older I am learning more and more to just deal with things that will be very difficult to make as I wish they were. This comment is worth what you are paying for it!!

 

[cwguy.com]

The issue is customer drive offs..... mudders cost you more money then they pay you. Weep water guys..... if no one is waiting on them actually might make you money.... they might attract business. You have 1 extra year on me though.

 

[Randy]

My local law enforcement said without the prosecutors backing, theres nothing he could really do. He mentioned that I might be able to charge them with vandalism.... I was hoping someone else might have had some education on this issue, that would help convince my prosecutor to back me. Thanks....

That is correct without the backing or cooperation from prosecutor’s office the police department’s hands are pretty much tied. I’ve have called out police to my car wash 16 times so far this year for everything from theft to legal dumping, nothing has happened to anyone. We have signs up for just about everything. The police aren’t going arrest anyone for legal dumping, trespassing or much of anything. If you think they are you need good dose of reality, the police will tell you just about anything you want to hear. I’m lucky, the town my car wash is in the police still come out when called, in county and city I live they won’t come out unless it’s a crime against a person, anything else the 911 operator will give you a case number and tell you to go on line and file a police report and that’s the end of it. We don't like mud runners but if your not there 24/7 you can't really stop them.

 

[MEP001]

Are you living in la la Land or what! The Police aren’t going to enforce some BS sign that you have on your property unless it’s an ordinance with the ordinance number on the sign. The Police can say all they want but when it comes right down to it they aren’t going to do much of anything over some BS sign.

I merely relayed something told to me by someone I trust. You obviously don't have the same cops around as he does.

 

[pgrzes]

The issue is customer drive offs..... mudders cost you more money then they pay you. Weep water guys..... if no one is waiting on them actually might make you money.... they might attract business. You have 1 extra year on me though.

Having 7 bays I dont really have a problem with drive offs because of mud. I have come in on a Monday morning with 4 bays covered in mud people will just use another bay. Again I dont like them but they do drop $$. Weep washers dont. I have been seriously been thinking of getting the wobblehead brushes, but that seems like a whole new teaching time. I feel a lot of people will go to use it and leave thinking its broken.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Years ago I posted a yellow sandwich sign (2' x 4') between bays 1 & 2 stating that ALL mudders must use bays 1 & 2 only.
For several weeks we made sure to inform all of them that came in and told them to clean those bays so the next mudder could use it.
We explained that due to customer complaints we had to come up with this plan to try and keep everybody happy.
If the mudders didn't comply we would close down and turn of all the electric to all the bays at 8:00 pm.
I was amazed that nearly all of them complied. Many of them thanked me for having bays for them and even told me that when they were in the wash and saw a mudder go into another bay they would go over and tell them to move to bay 1 or 2.
It isn't 100% but it is A LOT better than it used to be.

 

[Buzzie8]

There is a mud crawl once a year in my area. I put a sign in each bay but also state that my license plate camera will capture their trailer tag. Works great for those who trailer. Still get a few who drive in illegally though but has stopped the mess dramatically.