Parking Lot Water Bottle Trap: Busting the Michigan Car Myth

You've seen the ad or at least one of its variations: "Always Put a Bottle on Your Parked Car's Tire," "Jam A Bottle In Your Parked Car's Tire When Traveling Alone," or "NEVER Get in Your Car If There's a Bottle on Your Car's Tire When Traveling Alone." I've seen fake new stories that claim finding a bottle on your tire is foretelling that you're a target for kidnapping or human trafficking. So, Michigan motorists, let's dig in and separate the myth from reality as we clear up the confusion about the infamous "bottle on your car tire" viral ad.

The Clickbait Orgin's of the "Bottle On Your Car Tire" Stories

The whole thing started as an ad that sucked you into clicking on it with the promise of a revolutionary car-hack reveal. Instead, it took you to a 50-page, life-sucking, pop-up-fueled gallery that never once paid off on how putting a water bottle on your tire was beneficial. It was a clever ploy to draw readers and tally up page views and ad revenue. It worked.

The Carjacking Myth

Back in 2018, a similar rumor circulated that criminals were jamming plastic bottles into your car's wheel well. But why? According to Chapel Hill Tire, the myth goes that the crunching or popping noise the bottle makes when you put it into motion will make you stop, get out, and look for what made the noise. Then—BAM—your car would be stolen, you'd be carjacked, kidnapped, or worse.

It sounds terrifying, but don't go Flex Sealing or welding your doors shut quite yet. According to Snopes.com, there are zero credible reports of this actually happening.

No Michigan, It's Not a Tire Hack

But what about the hack? Is there really an automotive trick that involves putting a water bottle on your tire? Well, the myth goes something like this: if you put a plastic bottle between your tire and the sidewall, it somehow benefits your tire's health. According to Snopes, unless your tires are severely dehydrated, there is zero truth to this.

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The only places you should put an empty plastic bottle are in the trash or in Michigan's dog-slow bottle return machine so you can get your dime back.