A motorist's miserable day on the road has sparked a wave of frustration online — and renewed anger over a growing form of litter many people say has gone too far.

In a post shared to Reddit's r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit, a driver described pulling over in cold, wet weather after their tire suddenly blew out. The culprit, they discovered, wasn't a nail or shard of glass, but a discarded disposable vape lodged straight through the rubber.

The post quickly gained traction as users reacted to the image and the circumstances. 

"Disposable vape punctured my tyre in cold, damp, rainy weather," the driver wrote. "Nothing much to add." 

The accompanying photo shows the vape embedded deep in the tire — a striking example of how everyday litter can turn into an expensive and dangerous problem for drivers.

While the moment is infuriating on a personal level, many commenters pointed out that it reflects a much bigger issue. Disposable vapes have become a common sight on sidewalks, medians, and roadsides, despite containing plastic, electronics, and lithium batteries. Once tossed, they don't just create visual clutter — they can damage tires, spark fires, and contribute to long-term pollution.

Similar incidents have popped up before, including cases where cyclists and drivers shared photos of vape pens puncturing tires or becoming lodged in wheels, underscoring how widespread the problem has become. 

Beyond the inconvenience to drivers, the waste adds up quickly. Disposable vapes are rarely recycled properly, even though they contain plastic casings, circuit boards, and lithium batteries that require mining and energy-intensive processing. 

When tossed on roadsides or sidewalks, they can leach toxic chemicals into soil and waterways, pose fire risks, and contribute to the growing problem of electronic waste. Their increasing presence in neighborhoods has led many people to call for tighter regulations — or outright bans.

Commenters on the post didn't hold back. 

What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment? $200 or more 💰 $100 💸 $30 💵 I'd only do it if someone else paid for it 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"They need to ban these," one wrote, criticizing the amount of lithium wasted only to end up on the ground. 

Another said they were "actually impressed it didn't catch on fire," highlighting safety concerns. 

A third commenter added a community perspective: "I cut grass for a city in the summer and the amount of vapes I find on the grass medians every day is insane."

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