Hi, I’m a new poster here. First of all let me make it clear that this post is NOT about our Honda Insight but from what we have seen, about SUV’s and Crossover’s. Both my husband and I have been seeing this particularly odd practice online and in our neighborhood. We will see vehicles (so far it has been only SUV’s or Crossover’s that we have noticed) parked and next to each tire there is a bottle of water. Sometimes it is a gallon at each tire or it’s a personal sized water bottle (16.9oz) at each tire. I have tried searching the internet for help but all I see are urban legend type posts that talk about carjackers “marking” the cars they are going to steal by placing a water bottle on the tire, underneath the wheel well. I will attach a picture of a vehicle that I saw like this on YT. I have no idea why this is done, and I’ve been seeing it more and more. I would appreciate anyone’s advice on what this phenomenon is and why they are doing it. Thank you in advance.
PS: I would like to attach a picture of what I am talking about but I haven’t figured out how to upload a picture. If I figure it out, I will edit the post.
Edit: I added a photo showing what I am talking about.
I have not seen or heard of that practice. Perhaps your local law enforcement or local newspaper has some idea of the reason for this.
If you find out, please post back.
I’ve heard of wedging an EMPTY water bottle between the tire and the fender - and supposedly the reason is to alert the driver that someone attempted to steal the car. (The bottle drops if the car is moved!)
Perhaps this post is about someone who didn’t do it right?
Side note: I still don’t understand why thie empty bottle thing will make a difference.
Now that I’ve had time to think about it, I have seen this done around prized shrubbery in yards and I have been told that the reason is to keep animals from relieving themselves around the plant. I can’t say for sure if it works at all.
Just a thought,
It seems like this is a private home. I see there is water in the bottle’s so they won’t blow away. the only thing I can think of is that they are using the bottles as a parking space markers. they pull in between the bottles so they know there is enough space for another car to park next to them.
A person in the neighborhood leaves gallon water bottles in his driveway. I’ve never seen a car parked there but they could be spaced so that they would be next to wheels.
Could just be learned behavior. Hard to break. No one remembers why. I put stuff by the car that I want to make sure to remember to take with me. Well who knows? I heard the expression today of “dumb as a plate”.
I might try that though as a training method to get the wife to park the car over a little bit so I have room to get mine in. Maybe hang one from the ceiling but kind of tacky. On the other hand I’ve broken three mirrors on the side of the garage backing out, so maybe an early warning water bottle hanging from the ceiling might work. I stock mirrors now.
I dunno but I saw lots of epoxy floors in tan and gray. I was all set to have mine done for the $5000, but due to the peeling, just decided against it. Can’t do stamped unless you pour a new slab. Looking at tiles instead.
The vehicle pictured is a Toyota Fortuner (SUV based on the Hilux), so I’d guess it’s in Asia or Latin America.
I’ve also never heard of water bottles around the tires, but some sort of car thief trick wouldn’t surprise me, though I don’t really see how it would work as pictured. (The scheme described in the article had the bottle wedged in the wheel well so the driver would hear it.)
It really makes no sense so I’ll give you a nonsensical answer. The water bottles are placed by each tire just in case somebody gets thirsty while cleaning and/or working on a tire.
The truth is, I agree that some people are completely misinterpreting the water bottle / carjacking myth. That’s the only answer I could come up with but then again it might be something involving space aliens…
