Sahara dust and the consequences Run on car washes in Bonn
Bonn · The Sahara dust that fell on Bonn last week has left its mark on many cars. Car washes report record numbers.
The economic stimulus package for car washes came from above. The Sahara dust that fell over Bonn last week not only caused spectacular colour plays in the evening sky, but also left visible marks on many cars. The ADAC, among others, recommended a trip to the car wash, Sahara dust should not remain on cars and garden furniture for too long. After cleaning the car, it should be touched up by hand - on doors and in the interior. "In any case, it makes sense to remove the layer of dust from your car," affirmed Bavarian ADAC expert Alexander Kreipl. Otherwise, visibility is impaired. In addition, the fine dust grains could be burnt into the paintwork by strong sunshine.
The message has been received, with varying consequences. Since Friday, drivers have had to be patient and willing to put up with long waits in front of the car washes. The companies, on the other hand, can be happy about record numbers and handsome revenues.
Sahara dust on cars in Bonn: patience is called for
A short tour on Monday afternoon confirmed the continuing trend. At Top Wash in Wolfgang-Paul-Strasse in Bonn-Dransdorf, about 30 cars were waiting for the longed-for wash at ten past twelve. Many drivers, who found this too time-consuming, turned away in frustration. The obvious question was: How long did you have to wait? "Three minutes to wash yourself," noted a woman who had used one of the four self-service boxes. Good plan. "Yes, isn’t that right," she gloated.
Her neighbour at the after-care by hand calculated, glancing at his wristwatch, "I've been here for an hour and ten minutes. Doesn't help." Patience was rewarded, the white Nissan was, so to speak, beaming with the midday sun. One of the service providers, who was responsible for the manual prewash at Top Wash, did not want to comment publicly on the economic benefit and the amount of work: "I have nothing to say about that. He didn't have to. The pictures spoke for themselves.
Sahara dust on cars in Bonn: More than 4,000 cars since Friday
At Mr. Wash on the corner of Brühler Straße and Bornheimer Straße, there was no self-imposed silence when it came to turnover and effort. It was very, very busy, said Carina Christian, who was in charge of one of the three rows of cars waiting to enter. "It doesn't stop, as you can see," she added, revealing that more than 4,000 cars had been handled since Friday. And no end in sight: "It's not stopping." She seemed pleased.
The development is also benefiting the petrol stations. At Shell on Hermann-Wandersleb-Ring, seven cars were waiting outside the entrance to the car wash on Monday afternoon. Last weekend, during his shift from noon to 8 p.m., the young cashier observed a comparatively endless formation of vehicles jammed like a lindworm from the car wash to the petrol pump furthest away.
The Germans' close relationship with their cars is well known. Abroad, they are often amazed at our emotional closeness to the objects on four wheels. For their cleanliness, people go totally out of their way. And haven’t we heard the word ‚love‘ being dropped in this too?
(Original text: Dietmar Kanthak; Translation: Mareike Graepel)
