Why Put a Bottle on Your Tire When Parked? 4 Reasons

Have you ever seen a parked car with a plastic bottle on the tire? What motivates drivers to act in this manner?

So why put a bottle on your tire when parked? There are several reasons such as protection from freezing bolts and nuts or avoiding the wheel from jamming.

Learn more by reading on!

Why Do Drivers Put Plastic Bottles on Tires?

Due to the bitterly cold temperatures, drivers frequently place plastic bottles on tires. Examine the following reasons why they do this:

1. to Avoid the Wheel from Jamming

This is how trailers operate. The plastic bottles allow drivers to see if the wheel is beginning to burst.

They cannot see this because of how long the trailer is unless the plastic bottle is used as a sign.

2. Protection from Freezing Bolts and Nuts

The cold weather can cause the bolts to freeze. The plastic bottle can prevent the tire from crackling or bursting.

3. Replacement for Lost Cap

The objective is to ensure the movement of the tires is safe. It may be used to replace broken caps.

You can keep the brakes from breaking down.

4. Wheel Protection from Theft

The thieves cannot simply remove the wheel through the plastic bottle.

Plastic Bottles Used by Thieves to Steal the Car

Plastic bottle tire-stuffing extends beyond drivers to include thieves. They make use of them to steal the car.

It serves as a prop to hold the plastic bottle. As the driver begins to move the car, it will divert their attention.

The crunching sound the plastic bottle makes may cause the driver to halt and exit the vehicle. The thief will then enter the vehicle to steal it after that.

To avoid this thing to happen, you should do the following:

• When getting out of the car, always shut the door.
• Own a car alarm that can alert you to a potential thief’s presence.

What Should You Do If You See a Water Bottle Wedged in the Wheel Well?

What should you do if you find a bottle of water on your car?

Even though it doesn’t seem like this trick is used very often, it could still happen at any time. In addition to other sources, the staff at WCRZ advises doing a quick walkaround of your car and dialing 911 if you do happen to see a bottle.

That way, if something does happen, you’ll already be calling the police to report it.

Another suggestion is to quickly check your car every time you get back in it, such as after going to the store or the mall. Keep the car locked while you do this.

In this manner, if car thieves have already targeted your vehicle, they are likely to refrain from making any attempts if the vehicle is still locked.

How Often Does This Type of Car Theft Happen?

Our research suggests that the water bottle scam is a urban legend that has been spreading online for a while. We nevertheless believed that it would be wise to inform drivers about it just in case. After all, someone must have considered it, and it seems like a plausible ruse that might succeed on unwary targets.

But there are some issues with the overall concept. The water bottle trick relies on the assumption that the driver will get out and investigate the enigmatic noise, which isn’t a given, as That’s Nonsense notes. The trick also heavily relies on the assumption that the car thief will be prepared to wait however long it takes for the unwitting victim to return to their vehicle, which could take hours.

That is probably not going to happen, in reality. These days, though, you can never be too cautious, so do yourself a favor and keep an eye out for your car as much as you can when you’re out and about. Whether it’s a myth or not, you might become the next victim of the water bottle car theft scheme.

Read More: Why Are Glass Bottles Better Than Plastic Bottles?

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