Why do people fold out their windshield wipers while their car is parked?

I come from a snowy place where this is sometimes necessary in the winter so that they don’t freeze to the windshield. But I see this all the time in the middle of the summer everywhere in japan. Why would you need to do this?

8 comments
  1. From I came from (I came from a tropical country), people fold out their wipers during very hot days to prevent the wipers’ rubber blades becoming hard and stiff due to constant contact with the very hot windshield… Considering you said you see the same behavior during very hot summer I think it’s probably for the same reason

  2. During winter it’s to keep them from freezing to the windshield and tearing.

    During summer it’s to keep them from melting to the windshield.

    The rest of the year it’s just habit.

  3. My theory is they don’t want to scratch the window screen with all of the yellow sand and volcanic ash that is in the air here…

    Or they think the wiper blades with melt and warp, who knows!

  4. I saw this in an indoor parking garage in Shibuya and am equally confused. In snowy areas when parking outdoors lifting the blades is a matter of great debate but indoor parking garage? No clue

  5. i live in Tokyo and don’t see this being practiced. Don’t believe this is everywhere in Japan

  6. Crows (or other birds? i don’t know) love to eat wiper rubber. Folding wiper is a solution for unknown reason.

  7. Just got my wiper blades replaced at my dealer and the told me to do it to make them last longer.

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