Bag on car mirror traveling alone

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

A white towel or bag means the car isnt abandoned… 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.

Claim:

Table of Contents Show

So should you put a Ziplock bag on your car mirror while traveling alone?
Are they any situations where having a Ziplock bag on your mirror is useful?
TL: DR
What does a bag on the front of your car mean?
What does a white bag on a car mean?
How do you travel in a car with a mirror?
What does a bandana on a car mean?

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

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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.

Why indeed? Of all the car-related questions we’ve come across, this one sure was a curve ball. But we’ve seen some folks driving around with Ziplock bags and plastic bags on their car mirrors. Why are they doing that? We find out.

It was sometime at the end of 2020 that online advertisements started appearing with the picture of a Ziplock bag on a car’s side mirror. The ad hailed the benefits of putting a Ziplock bag over car side mirrors, especially when traveling alone!

People who clicked on this were redirected to all sorts of random websites. It was essentially clickbait, and readers were taken to long slideshow articles. Regrettably, it was all for naught. None of the sites actually explained why a Ziploc bag should be attached to a car’s rearview mirror.

So should you put a Ziplock bag on your car mirror while traveling alone?

An emphatic- No! Not unless you want to go ahead and let everyone and their aunt know you’re traveling alone. There are practical and sensible reasons to cover your mirrors with plastic bags. Announcing to the world that you are all alone is most definitely not one of them.

No one seems to know the origin of this urban legend, but it is definitely not something you should undertake if you are on a solo trip. Unless, of course, you are camping in the winter and want to keep your mirrors in pristine condition.

To be very, very clear, putting a plastic or Ziploc bag over your mirrors will not prevent any break-ins, mugging, or other criminal intent, period.

We will give you some of the explanations why some folks who think this a “life hack” do so. But, remember, this is only to illustrate the sheer absurdity of such thinking.

To prevent the leakage of glass cleaner and other cleaning solutions when traveling!
A burglar may use the mirror to determine whether you have valuables in your car and then break in to steal them.
Reduces glare from the headlights of cars behind you.
When parking to take a nap, it blocks incoming light from light poles or other sources.
Conceals objects that may fall into your vehicle while you are driving. (What even?)
Avoid reflecting the sun’s rays and getting sunburned
Keeps dirt and debris from collecting on your mirrors
Keep the sunshine out.

Websites recommending “putting a plastic bag on car mirror while traveling alone” rarely provide convincing reasons why this is a good idea.

Those headlines are nothing more than clickbait to entice you to visit their sites to view adverts. There’s no logical reason to cover your mirrors with a Ziploc bag when you’re by yourself.

There are legit reasons for covering your mirror because of weather conditions, but be cautious when doing so.

But remember that covering your mirrors with plastic bags while driving is against the law in most jurisdictions since you are required by law to have a clear field of vision.

Are they any situations where having a Ziplock bag on your mirror is useful?

Keeping snow and ice off your side mirrors is the only real benefit of this technique. You’ll appreciate the significance of this tip if you came of age before the advent of heated side mirrors in the average car. It will save you some effort and keep the mirror from freezing and cracking in the winter.

However, this is not a problem if you are the driver. Both snow and ice have a poor ability to cling to moving surfaces. And no, covering your side mirrors with a bag won’t prevent thieves from peering in to check whether you’ve hidden any cash or valuables inside your vehicle.

If someone really wanted to peek in your side mirror, they could just use one of the other six windows on your car, which are all much larger.

When parked, some RV users take this precaution so that birds won’t land on their mirrors and mistakenly identify themselves as threats. Birds have a habit of picking at themselves in the mirror. Their beaks are so keen that they could shatter a mirror. You can avoid this by placing a bag over the mirror. It’s important to note that this is only done while the RV or automobile is parked and not in motion.

TL: DR

You must be aware of state regulations and rules of the road before getting behind the wheel. You must also make sure that your side mirror is spotless. This helps you clearly see what’s happening in the car’s immediate vicinity. You can adjust the side mirrors, so they don’t reflect any light, eliminating the glare but not compromising your field of view. It is okay to put a Ziplock bag on your side mirror only if you are parked and want to keep snow and ice off your mirror. Having a Ziplock or plastic cover on your mirror while driving alone makes no sense other than letting everyone know you’re alone and vulnerable.

Here’s more info on top-rated airport parking, the best parking spots in your city, the most affordable auto insurance for your car, and top-rated car washes near you.

What does a bag on the front of your car mean?

SOMEONE MIGHT NEED HELP In some instances, people will tie something white to their mirror if they are having a medical emergency or some other type of emergency where they can't get help any other way.

What does a white bag on a car mean?

A white towel or bag means the car isn't abandoned… 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.

How do you travel in a car with a mirror?

Securely wrap the mirror. Add ample amounts of bubble wrap if you want your mirror to be as safe as possible. After you wrap the mirror with bubble wrap, you can add an extra level of protection with moving blankets. These padded blankets will reduce the chance of breakage or damage to your mirror.