I have never seen this until recently. What are the pros and cons? What is the purpose? I must admit that in some of my old neighborhoods, those wipers would have been snapped off by unsavory characters.
Less freezing to the glass at first start up. Also serves as an obvious visual reminder for you to make sure they’re free before ruining your wiper motor.
When I put an anti-frost cardboard on my windshield I stop the wipers halfway to help hold it on.
( clean off all the snow first , do not depend on your wipers to handle that first swipe, even if it is the down stroke. )
Are you Frank Zapppa’s child? If not, find another name.
You can lift your vehicle’s wipers off the windshield when a rain or snow storm approaches if you wish to. Or you may leave them on the windshield. It’s up to you.
Why would unsavory characters care more about wipers straight up than wipers on the windshield?
If you’re expecting freezing rain or sleet, it keeps the wipers from getting really stuck to the windshield. For regular snow, I don’t find that it makes that much difference.
A problem I’ve seen doing this and why I also use cardboard and halfway stop, is that the freezing rain/snow sometimes gets into the exposed spring that holds the blade onto the windshield when you leave it up. This limits it’s ability wipe as well til warm. Not many times, but enough that I’d use another strategy. A real pain when this happens.
You must be Jimmy Buffett’s child ? Big Mac (mc-cheese bugger in paradise)…if not, find another name. 
Hmmmmmmmmmm…
I wonder if a “boot” cut from a piece of 700C inner tube and a few tiny zip ties would protect the springs and the articulated joint from getting iced up.
I like the idea, but at 70 mph, when wipers have a hard enough time functioning properly within their own design limitations, I wouldn’t feel comfortable adding to the problem. But I’m going to keep it in mind for my tractor cab wiper. Thanks
Glad I could help.
I’ve used these 700C “boots” before. I modified the mechanicals that turn the chute on my snowblower (so I could remain standing) by using metal rods and ratchet U-joints from the tool store. I greased up the U-joints and encapsulated them in 700C “boots” with zip ties. It works perfectly…even after 6 years.
Looks like I put one on the tractor snow blower chute u-joints tomorrow as well. I’ve got 6 bikes hanging over head and plenty of tubes to cannibalize. You’ve created a monster!!
Have a beautiful holiday…everyone.