Why put bag on car mirror when traveling alone

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

Table of Contents Show

What does a plastic bag on a car mean?
How do you put a plastic bag on a car window?
Is using the back mirror necessary?

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.

What does a plastic bag on a car mean?

It could be that someone is having a heart attack, or possibly they were headed to the hospital for the birth of a child, and they aren't going to make it. If you see people in the vehicle, and there's a white towel or plastic bag tied to the mirror, you may want to call 911 and tell someone what's happening.

How do you put a plastic bag on a car window?

From inside the car, place the plastic garbage bag over the hole in your window and hold it tight to affix the bag to both sides of the window frame. Put another layer of duct tape around the window frame for reinforcement. Test the hold from outside the car by tapping on the plastic-covered window.

Is using the back mirror necessary?

Your side and rear-view mirrors are among the most important safety features on your vehicle. Without them, you would only be able to view a fraction of the roadway at a time and your odds of a collision would skyrocket.