What are people thinking???

[pgrzes]

Well I guess its one of those things that you know will eventually happen. I installed my Washworld High Velocity 19 months ago and things couldnt be better. That was until this past Saturday. It was a grey overcast day, so I decided to hang around home with the wife, glanced over to the ipad, which I keep my cameras on and I see a service truck with a ladder rack on it and asphalt rakes sticking straight up pulling into my auto, at which point I began yelling at the ipad. Well he of course bought my $5 cheapest wash and proceeded to rip apart pretty much everything when the machine hit the rack and stopped. Aside from pulling the unit off the rails, it was on the stops!! Pulled the standalone dryer out of the floor, bent the center dryer unit to the point burned up the starter, and destroyed the producer. Prox's, gearboxes, rollers etc?!?!?!?!? It took 3 days to get unit running again, its very noisey but working for now. Thankfully I know who it is and they are saying they will take care of it!!! What would you do??I have video if anyone knows how to put it on here let me know. I dont want to publicly post it, YET!!

[video=youtube_share;TrbwYovlSTY]http://youtu.be/TrbwYovlSTY[/video]

 

[MEP001]

Upload it to Youtube and use the "Insert video" button to post it.

Had something similar happen about a year ago, DVR was acting up and didn't get video of what actually happened, but it was obvious that something overheight entered the bay, and when the machine hit the truck trying to wash it they panicked and tried to drive out forward instead of backing out. They ripped one of the two arms almost out of the machine and bent or broke pretty much everything. Fortunately insurance covered the repairs and most of the down-time.

 

[cdreed06]

Wow! So is your insurance going to pay or is the guy going to? Looks like he tore up just nearly everything. So sorry that happened. Worst thing to happen to our automatic was someone tried to pull a race car on a trailer through it and tore up the door frame.

 

[MEP001]

I forgot to mention that I didn't want to have this happen again, so I replaced the hanging PVC pipe that was the clearance bar with a solid 4x12 to block the entrance so something overheight can't get in the bay at all. I check it every day for scrapes just in case.

 

[washnvac]

WOW---that got my blood pressure up just watching it! I see guys in these big trucks attempting to use my autos all the time, but fortunately they hit the clearance bars.

I guess big truck= small brain. Common sense would dictate that they should wash these in a s/s bay. What an idiot.

 

[soapy]

I would contact your insurance company and give them all his information. Then they can go after him for the damages and you will get paid quicker.

 

[pgrzes]

I just spoke to Washworld. My idea is to install a breakaway height bar in the doorway that is on a shutoff switch. If hit will shut wash down and turn on the backup light. The shutdown part is easy, the backup light is not, but I would think should be easy for them to program. If they knock out the brakaway bar it will fall on there vehicle and hopefully they will stop and try to sue me!!!!
The vehicle that hit it has given me there insurance info, well see how willing they will be to pay what its worth!!!

 

[Greg Pack]

Ouch!

I just had an idea pop in my head. Make a breakaway bar made of an 8 ft florescent lamp. The explosion and little glass shards would get the driver's attention. Used 8 ft lamps could probably be had for free.

 

[sparkey]

I just spoke to Washworld. My idea is to install a breakaway height bar in the doorway that is on a shutoff switch. If hit will shut wash down and turn on the backup light. The shutdown part is easy, the backup light is not, but I would think should be easy for them to program. If they knock out the brakaway bar it will fall on there vehicle and hopefully they will stop and try to sue me!!!!
The vehicle that hit it has given me there insurance info, well see how willing they will be to pay what its worth!!!

Good luck with that. My experience with washworld is they will make no program changes for the customer. I have called several times with issues I would like to see changed. They fall on deaf ears.

 

[mmurra]

We use the breakaway used florescent 8" lamps from our laundromat. They work great as they explode and get their attention. Works for us! Mark

 

[JGinther]

We use the breakaway used florescent 8" lamps from our laundromat. They work great as they explode and get their attention. Works for us! Mark

This seems weird to me... Isn't there a liability problem here? Seems like one of those things that sounds really good when you've had a couple of beers, but later the reality of the mess and liability ruins it...
We make each of ours out of pvc fence pieces that pop out when you hit them and fall on your vehicle. Seems to work better than the hanging little pipes that bump out of the way...

 

[gearhead]

How about ultrasonics placed at the max height level at entrance of bay that trigger an audible and visual warning or instruction to back up dumbass. Sorry. Maybe a little over the top.

 

[mac]

At the very least, I would have him sterilized. Don't need people like that contributing to the gene pool.

 

[seattleguy]

That was painful to watch.

 

[cleaning up mud]

I have heard washworld is great for customer service? SO I guess not.

 

[pgrzes]

I have heard washworld is great for customer service? SO I guess not.

No, they are very good. Just sometimes suggestions go by the wayside, and I think that sometimes troubleshooting is just a parts swap attempt. They are very accessible and know the equipment well.