Seattle Windshield Pitting Epidemic
Encyclopedia
The Seattle Windshield Pitting Epidemic is a phenomenon which affected Bellingham
, Seattle
, USA, and other Washington communities in April, 1954; it is considered an example of a mass delusion. It was characterized by widespread observation of previously unnoticed windshield
holes, pits and dings, leading residents to believe that a common causative agent was at work. It was originally thought to be the work of vandals but the rate of pitting was so great that residents began to attribute it to everything from sand flea
eggs to nuclear bomb testing.
Originating in Bellingham in March, police initially believed the work to be vandals using BB gun
s. However the pitting was soon observed in the nearby towns of Sedro Woolley and Mount Vernon
and by mid April, appeared to have spread to the town of Anacortes on Fidalgo Island
.
Within a week, the news and the so-called "pitting epidemic" had reached metropolitan Seattle. As the newspapers began to feature the story, more and more reports of pitting were called in. Motorists began stopping police cars to report damage and car lots and parking garages reported particularly severe attacks.
Several theories for the widespread damage were postulated:
By April 15, close to 3,000 windshields had been reported as affected.
Finally, Sergeant Max Allison of the Seattle police crime laboratory stated that the pitting reports consisted of "5 per cent hoodlum-ism, and 95 per cent public hysteria." By April 17, the pitting suddenly stopped.
The "Seattle Windshield Pitting Epidemic" as it is called has become a textbook case of collective delusion
(not "mass hysteria" as reported). Although natural windshield pitting had been going on for some time, it was only when the media called public attention to it that people actually looked at their windshields and saw damage they had never noticed before.
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
, Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, USA, and other Washington communities in April, 1954; it is considered an example of a mass delusion. It was characterized by widespread observation of previously unnoticed windshield
Windshield
The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...
holes, pits and dings, leading residents to believe that a common causative agent was at work. It was originally thought to be the work of vandals but the rate of pitting was so great that residents began to attribute it to everything from sand flea
Sand flea
Sand flea may refer to:* Talitridae* Sandfly* Mole crab* Chigoe flea...
eggs to nuclear bomb testing.
Originating in Bellingham in March, police initially believed the work to be vandals using BB gun
BB gun
BB guns are a type of air gun designed to shoot projectiles named BBs after the birdshot pellet of approximately the same size. These projectiles are usually spherical but can also be pointed; those are usually used for bird hunting. Modern day BB guns usually have a smoothbore barrel, with a bore...
s. However the pitting was soon observed in the nearby towns of Sedro Woolley and Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon, Washington
Mount Vernon is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,743 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the county seat of Skagit County...
and by mid April, appeared to have spread to the town of Anacortes on Fidalgo Island
Fidalgo Island
Fidalgo Island is an island in Skagit County, Washington, located about north of Seattle. To the east, it is separated from the mainland by the Swinomish Channel, and from Whidbey Island to the south by Deception Pass...
.
Within a week, the news and the so-called "pitting epidemic" had reached metropolitan Seattle. As the newspapers began to feature the story, more and more reports of pitting were called in. Motorists began stopping police cars to report damage and car lots and parking garages reported particularly severe attacks.
Several theories for the widespread damage were postulated:
- Some thought that a new million watt radio transmitter installed by the NavyNavyA navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
was producing waves that caused physical oscillations in glass; - Some believed it to be the work of cosmic rays;
- Some reporting seeing glass bubble form right before their eyes, believing it to be the work of sand fleas;
- Some attributed it to a shift in the Earth's magnetic field;
- Others blamed supernatural phenomena such as "gremlins."
By April 15, close to 3,000 windshields had been reported as affected.
Finally, Sergeant Max Allison of the Seattle police crime laboratory stated that the pitting reports consisted of "5 per cent hoodlum-ism, and 95 per cent public hysteria." By April 17, the pitting suddenly stopped.
The "Seattle Windshield Pitting Epidemic" as it is called has become a textbook case of collective delusion
Delusion
A delusion is a false belief held with absolute conviction despite superior evidence. Unlike hallucinations, delusions are always pathological...
(not "mass hysteria" as reported). Although natural windshield pitting had been going on for some time, it was only when the media called public attention to it that people actually looked at their windshields and saw damage they had never noticed before.