Umbrellas: Is There a Proper Way to Stay Dry
Rain: The Beginning
As the rain approaches, the hand on the umbrella grows firmer. Destination area, the car in the parking lot. The umbrella is opened and clicked, the handle is gripped firmly in the hand, and the umbrella canopy is held above the head as you make your way to your car.
Once to the car, a few problems arise:
- umbrella is wet
- umbrella is open
- umbrella needs to be closed
- you get wet closing umbrella
- you get wet getting into car
- you have to put wet umbrella in car
- umbrella is wet
- umbrella drips water into car
- you are still wet
The Umbrella: It's Features, Advantages and Disadvantages
The umbrella is designed to open with a sliding device. On the umbrella that I had, there was a metal button on the rod and a sliding ring that had the bows for the umbrella attached. As you released the ring and pushed it upwards, it would get to the spot where the umbrella was fully erected and would snap into place.
Later, when you needed to close the umbrella, you would press the metal button and the bows would release and the umbrella would fold neatly close to the metal rod.
The concept works wonderful when the umbrella is dry. But, with a wet umbrella, you must back into the open car, and release the open umbrella. Hopefully, it cooperates. However, when the umbrella has been used in a rain storm, the umbrella will shake the water off deliberately as you snap the button. Then, as you pull the ring mechanism towards you, your arm, being inside the umbrella, gets water poured onto it.
So. The thought is: what did I gain by using the umbrella? I'm wet. The umbrella is wet. My car seat is wet. My possessions are wet.
Umbrella's Fold and Store Nicely but Not When Wet
Once home, a person needs to open the umbrella and place it, open, where it can dry off.
Which loosely translates to it dripping onto whatever you choose to place it on while it dries.
Again. What have I gained by using an umbrella?