Snow Chunk Nomenclature

February 23, 2008 2:36 PM

What do you call those chunks of snow that accumulate on automobile fenders behind the wheels?

I wonder if there are regional or colloquial names for these chunks. I can't remember that aspect of my Montana childhood clearly enough to recall if this phenomenon had a name, slang or otherwise.

posted by Tube to writing & language (21 comments total)

"Car patties" - slightly north of Montana, but basically synonymous with "cow patties", mainly used when they melt a little and fall off.
posted by jkaczor at 2:42 PM on February 23

Snow smegma
posted by bjork24 at 2:55 PM on February 23

I always called 'em car boogers.
posted by Lucinda at 3:05 PM on February 23

Fenderbergs.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 3:09 PM on February 23

I call them "oh crap" but it's probably not their name because they do not respond to it. Then I kick them.
posted by hexatron at 3:44 PM on February 23

Snow Poops.
posted by nursegracer at 3:48 PM on February 23

In Indiana, in my family at least: car boogers.
posted by web-goddess at 4:09 PM on February 23

Fenderbergs, for those of us who remember Rich Hall, NNtN, and Sniglets.
posted by bondcliff at 4:09 PM on February 23

Street Santorum?
posted by jimbotex at 4:23 PM on February 23

also used car boogers growing up in Minnesota.
posted by MillMan at 4:24 PM on February 23

"Tire turds" also rolls nicely off the tongue.
posted by nebulawindphone at 5:35 PM on February 23

Let me end this now...there is no official term..... !!!
posted by HuronBob at 6:35 PM on February 23

We always called them fenderbergs in Montana.
posted by matty at 6:39 PM on February 23

"Kickies" because my partner loves to kick them off of our cars.
posted by davey_darling at 8:54 PM on February 23

bumper boogers
posted by timsteil at 8:59 PM on February 23

Fender boogers, in Detroit in the 1960's...no idea what they call 'em now, since I live in a much warmer place.
posted by motown missile at 9:13 PM on February 23

Never have I ever heard anyone address these things by any specific name.
[and the majority of my life has been spent in the winter]
You guys are all nuts.
posted by Acari at 10:56 PM on February 23

I never had a name for them specifically, but "snow turds" is a phrase I came across in a book and have been happily using since.
posted by the luke parker fiasco at 11:28 PM on February 23

'car shit'.
posted by cmyr at 6:58 AM on February 24

Like Acari, I've never heard these things called a specific name and I grew up in Northern BC, so if there was snow-related concept that needed naming, we probably named it. On the other hand, I don't think y'all are nuts, and I think 'car patties' is the best of the names listed.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:09 AM on February 24

Thank you. I like the term "Fenderberg".
posted by Tube at 10:48 AM on February 24