tin can problems

[Reds]

I have 2 JC WW2.0's. I am in a rural area and about 1/2 of my customers drive pickup trucks. I have a BIG problem with dirtbags who leave trash and beer cans in their truck beds. Last night I picked up 29 cans out of one bay. These cans get laying near the track that the WW runs on. Then the prox switch picks them up and stops the wash. The cans also get squashed right under the front of the gantry where the end of track prox is located and the wash won't run. I get calls from customers all the time about the wash traveling about 2 feet, applying presoak and then "going home". I am thinking about trying to devise some kind of sheet metal shield that woul sweep away the cans like a cowcatcher did on steam trains. Also considering some nasty, negative signage about cleanup fees, lost biz reimbursement, small claims court, etc. I don't like nasty signs, but this is getting out of hand and one of these days if I see this happen there will probably be a fistfight. It makes me furious. I called the state police once because I had the guy on camera and they said that since my equipment blew the cans out of the truck that the guy did not litter or scatter rubbish. This is driving me nuts. Your thoughts on signage or any other way to deal with this problem? I have been sick for 9 months (cancer) and this just adds to the problems that I have to deal with - I have been shut down 6 times this week and sometimes I cannot go to the wash to work on it so I am shut down for most of the day or night. Any thoughts or comments on how to deal with this tin can issue would be appreciated.

 

[MEP001]

I'd make another call to the police and ask if they can prosecute if you have a sign up stating that allowing debris to get blown out of their beds is littering.

 

[RykoPro]

We have problems with cans but maybe not as much since they are worth 10 cent apiece here.

 

[under pressure]

I really like the cow-catcher idea, I have the same issue and have not found any solutions, but that idea seems like a good solution...

 

[briteauto]

Reds,

Sorry to hear you have been sick. I wish you well.

Do you have any cameras at the wash? That along with signage indicating that pickup beds must be cleared prior to washing and that any debris left from an uncleared bed is subject to penalty - could at least give you some legal ground as well as a way to identify the dirtbags.

I know it is a lot - signs and video, but it is a tough problem. The cow catcher idea is great to get the wash running properly, without interruption, but sooner or later, your normal customers will not like washing at a place with crap all over the floor.

 

[cebo]

I'm in the same boat as you. Not just cans. I had a guy cuss me out and say he was not coming back after I gave him his money back and offered 3 free washes. The truck bed had about 2 bales of loose straw that would have been stuck to every wall & crack in the bay plus a pile of dead ducks from a hunting trip. Go figure. My cleanup guy is getting rich off cans. Let us know if you come up with a solution.

 

[Reds]

I have 9 cameras at my wash and 4 more sitting on the shelf that I will install as soon as the weather breaks. I am going to devise a "cowcatcher" out of light sheetmetal and see if it helps. I am also going to have some polite signage made that will put these people on notice that I am serious about this. I will also secure a trash can by my entry arch so that they can deposit their debris in that. I also get a lot of bark much, leaves, and hay but those things don't shut the wash down. Either me or one of my sons are at the wash for a couple hours a day (usually twice a day) to clean it up. I will let you know if any of this works or helps in any way. Thanks for the responses.

 

[ted mcmeekin]

Same problem--we have sign and cameras but still have problems. On our machine, cans don't impede travel but sometimes wedge under gantry and bend photo eye mount for hub scrub. The other day a guy had cans , trash etc.--the guy then complained to my son that cans were hitting his truck--came from the bed of his truck. My son told him that this was his trash then had him help while they threw trash in to his truck.

Ted

 

[Waxman]

I would do some re-engineering on your machine or rail to prevent the problem from recurring. If you count on signs to try and curb bad behavior of customers you're in for frustration in spades.

Maybe do both, but re-engineer first.

 

[classic1]

I also have this problem with my futura. I think the solution is to move your prox switches to the outside of the gantry on the wall side. Raise them up so they are above the height of cans. Then move your home position plate and machine max travel plates to the outside of gantry also and shim up to new height of your prox switches. I was going to put sweeps on mine but I think this would be foolproof and protected well behind the gantry.