Place Bag On car Mirror Alone

Q: What does a plastic bag on a car mean?

A white towel or bag means the car isnt abandoned… You dont want to keep driving and risk damaging the engine, so you pull over. If you have roadside assistance, you can call that company and tell them that your car needs to be towed. It might take several hours until the roadside assistance workers can arrive.

Putting a Ziplock bag over a car mirror has a legitimate purpose.

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What does a plastic bag on a car mean?
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Origin

Since at least December 2020, online advertisements have displayed a picture of a Ziplock bag covering a car’s side mirror. The ads appeared to promise a handy trick for drivers:

The ad read: “Put A Ziplock Bag Over Your Car Mirror, Here’s Why.” Another claimed: “[Pics] Always Place A Plastic Bag On Your Car Mirror When Traveling Alone, Here’s Why.”

They led to websites such as Livestly, Free Hub, The Delite, and others. Readers who followed the clickbait ads were led to lengthy slideshow articles. Unfortunately, it was a waste of time, because the stories never ended up mentioning why a Ziplock bag should be put on a car mirror.

Instead, the articles listed household “life hacks.” One of the articles continued for more than 90 pages. For example, one piece of advice was about pouring vinegar on bread. We previously reported on the subject. Another trick was about pouring dish soap down drains. We covered that as well.

Other advice included purported uses for pot handles holes, rear-view mirrors, and aluminum foil packaging.

While the ads were misleading, there is a legitimate reason to put Ziplock bags over a car’s side mirrors. In 2016, the website for home improvement guru extraordinaire Bob Vila recommended the trick to keep ice and snow from collecting on the mirrors in cold weather:

Ice is one of winter’s hazards—both on the road and on your car. It’s always best to park in your garage or covered carport to prevent ice from forming on your windshield and rearview mirrors. But for those who are stuck with parking en plein air, here’s a clever trick. Just open up a few Ziplock bags and slip them over your mirrors. The plastic covering will keep most of the ice and snow from sticking, making those frigid mornings way less frustrating.

This advice about Ziplock bags on car mirrors might remind some readers of another story. We previously reported about zip ties purportedly being attached to car mirrors, homes, and mailboxes. According to the hoax, the zip ties marked targets for sex traffickers.

Snopes debunks a wide range of content, and online advertisements are no exception. Misleading ads often lead to obscure websites that host lengthy slideshow articles with lots of pages. It’s called advertising “arbitrage.” The advertiser’s goal is to make more money on ads displayed on the slideshow’s pages than it cost to show the initial ad that lured them to it. Feel free to submit ads to us, and be sure to include a screenshot of the ad and the link to where the ad leads.

A friend told me that putting a plastic bag over your sideview mirrors keeps people from breaking into your car. But why? Is that even true? Why do people put a plastic bag on a car mirror?

Answer provided by

Honestly, there’s some clickbait out there with that recommendation, but the only legitimate reason to put a plastic bag on a car mirror is to keep ice from forming during an ice storm. Obviously, you wouldn’t do this while driving, but if you’re parked outside and know there’s going to be icy rain (and you don’t have heated mirrors), it’s a good trick.

When it comes to preventing car break-ins (by supposedly obscuring the view of your backseat from passersby), the advice is questionable. By putting the bags on your mirrors, you’d likely just attract more attention!

In addition to researching the validity of car hacks you’ve heard about, you should also do some research when it comes to your current car insurance premiums.

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What does a plastic bag on a car mean?

A white towel or bag means the car isn't abandoned… You don't want to keep driving and risk damaging the engine, so you pull over. If you have roadside assistance, you can call that company and tell them that your car needs to be towed. It might take several hours until the roadside assistance workers can arrive.

Why do people put mirrors on back of cars?

The rearview mirror is very important for a driver and passenger's safety. Drivers can easily keep a check on the traffic around them and prepare for any potential danger. For example, motorists can see a fast car approaching from behind through the rearview mirror.

Should you fold your mirrors?

Side mirrors should be folded in when driving a car through a car wash. This is especially the case for large cars or trucks, as the car wash machinery could hit the side mirrors, damaging them in the process. Most automatic car washes require the car owner to fold in the side mirrors to avoid any potential damage.