KY Motorists Should Ignore the ‘Water Bottle on the Tire’ Myth

I credit social media with giving me a couple of valuable pieces of information regarding water bottles. I took heed when I learned why you shouldn't keep full ones on your dashboard on a hot day; they can work like a magnifier of the sun's heat which could lead to a fire in extreme cases.

And years ago, someone suggested freezing water bottles and then rolling them under tired, achy feet. Trust me, it feels wonderful.

But now there's a two-fold issue at hand with regard to another life hack/urban myth involving water bottles. Again, social media is the culprit, but I'm falling for it. For one thing, I questioned what I was reading, and, for another, I did my homework and didn't just accept the posts at face value.

I'm going to show you what I mean by "two-fold," but I gotta be honest. This is very confusing. In this video from Octo Knows, you'll see a series of life hacks, all of which are legit...until the end. At the 7:16 mark, he explains how car thieves use this action to steal your vehicle. In practically the same breath, he ALSO explains how placing one there would prevent it. SMH...

Here's the second part of this "two-fold" conundrum. There are also social media warnings and Internet headlines that suggest you should immediately call the police if you see one on your tire. But these folks prove that what we're being warned about doesn't really happen.

The sound of that bottle crunching is supposed to get the driver out of the car, but the woman here proved what I've thought all along. She couldn't hear it, and I didn't think it would be audible from within the vehicle either. She also looks like someone who has infinitely better hearing than I have. Plus, Chapel Hill Tire indicates there is no evidence this has ever happened. Sounds like we have some influencers just trying to get clicks, doesn't it?

Bottom line...it seems highly unnecessary to put a water bottle on your tire. Also, I've never seen a tire with one on it.

Life hack DEBUNKED.