History Main / RoadsideWave

As you might expect and as several unfortunate saps can attest to, this is TruthInTelevision. However DoNotTryThisAtHome - in many jurisdictions deliberately (or even accidentally if you could have avoided doing so) driving through puddles to soak pedestrians can get you cited under "driving without due care for other road users" statutes.

* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Lois gets splashed on by Alexis Radcliffe, her rival who constantly beats her for the award for best piano student. What's worse, the street next to Lois is puddle-free, so Alexis has to stop a few feet behind her, pull a bucket of water out of her car ([[CrazyPrepared which she apparently keeps just for these sorts of situations]]), and empty it into the gutter next to Lois, thereby producing a puddle through which she can drive.

* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Lois gets splashed on by [[NoNameGiven the woman that constantly beats her for the award for best piano student]]. What's worse, the street next to Lois is puddle-free, so her rival has to stop a few feet behind her, pull a bucket of water out of her car ([[CrazyPrepared which she apparently keeps just for these sorts of situations]]), and empty it into the gutter next to Lois, thereby producing a puddle through which she can drive.

* ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex'': Rex and Noah get splashed by the DrillSergeantNasty's jeep during the crosscountry run in "Basic".

* Dr. Kelso had a CrowningMomentOfAwesome when he exacted his vengeance on Carla with this in ''Series/{{Scrubs}}''.

* ''Film/TheRaven2012'': When Poe exits Hamilton's carriage, he immediately splashed as the carriage passes through a puddle as it drives away.

* In the ''Series/KYTV'' episode "Hot Crimes", Mike Channel repeatedly ends up on the receiving end of splashes thrown up by passing lorries. After a while he tries standing as far away from the road as possible, which doesn't help.

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** A running gag involved Ryoga walking along and getting splashed by something. Could be a car going by, could be someone tossing used washwater out of a window, could be (and often was) an old woman watering her plants via ladle. Since cold water turns him into a pig, this was milked for all the humor value possible.
** [[GenderBender Ranma him, er, herself]] often gets this treatment.

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* One the 'peeves' confronted by Ali Babble in the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' story "Ali Babble and the Fourteen Peeves". He hauls the driver out of his car and hurls him bodily into a puddle.
* A ''ComicStrip/{{Scamp}}'' story has Scamp getting completely covered in mud by a car splash, which gets him confused for a puppy that looks exactly like him, but brown. After escaping, he promptly finds a water puddle and waits for another car to go by in order to wash off.
* In ''ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable'' #200, Bob tries to persuade Shiela to give Brian a ride to Crutch's game. Shiela instead drives through a puddle, soaking Brian and leaving him standing on the side of the road.

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* This happens to Susie exactly [[RuleOfThree three times]] in the ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'' episode "Chains" after ripping up a ChainLetter. The last time, ''[[MindScrew there wasn't even any mud in the area.]]''

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* Opening credits to ''Series/{{Manimal}}''.

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* Mentioned in one verse of The Streets' "It Was Supposed To Be So Easy," as the singer waits in line for the ATM.

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* ''ComicStrip/{{Zits}}'': Happens to Jeremy and Sara in one strip as they discover that walking in the rain is not nearly as romantic as the songs make it sound.

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* Skinner in ''WesternAnimation/{{Ratatouille}}'' gets hit by one right as his HumiliationConga is nearing its peak.

--->''He might do!''\\
''(If he weren't so splashy!)''

** In the MickeyMouse short ''Mickey's Delayed Date'', Mickey tries to hail a taxi, but the taxi passes him and hits a puddle. Luckily, Mickey stretches himself and hides behind a lamppost to avoid getting wet.
** In the WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} short ''Motor Mania'', Goofy, playing {{jerkass}} motorist Mr. Wheeler, intentionally does this to a pedestrian. As Mr. Wheeler laughs at his misfortune, another car passes him that causes water to [[LaserGuidedKarma splash right into his car]].

* Happens to Arthur early in ''Literature/SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish''.

* Done as a MeetCute in the opening scene of ''ThatTouchOfMink'', with Doris Day getting splashed by a limo carrying Creator/CaryGrant.

As you might expect and several unfortunate saps can attest to, this is TruthInTelevision. However DoNotTryThisAtHome - in many jurisdictions deliberately (or even accidentally if you could have avoided doing so) driving through puddles to soak pedestrians can get you cited under "driving without due care for other road users" statutes.

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* In ''Literature/{{Longarm}} and the Man-Eaters, Longarm gets soaked by a wagon running through a puddle just after he has been cursed by a local ''brujo''.

* The opening credits to ''The Ted Knight Show'' were all about this trope. The main character, Roger Dennis (Knight), ran a classy escort service, and the whole opening credits sequence is about him [[DoomedNewClothes dressing meticulously]], getting manicured, finding the right boutonniere, and otherwise thoroughly dandifying himself--only to get get mudsplashed on a streetcurb by a passing New York City cab.

* In the MickeyMouse short ''Mickey's Delayed Date'', Mickey tries to hail a taxi, but the taxi passed him and hits a puddle. Luckily, Mickey stretches himself and hides behind a lamp post to avoid getting wet.

* Opening credits of ''Series/SexAndTheCity''. Quite satisfying, as the uber-selfish and vain central character is the recipient.

* The opening credits to ''The Ted Knight Show'' were all about this trope. The main character, Roger Dennis (Knight), ran a classy escort service, and the whole opening credits sequence is about him dressing meticulously, getting manicured, finding the right boutonniere, and otherwise thoroughly dandifying himself--only to get get mudsplashed on a streetcurb by a passing New York City cab.