Most are familiar with the random nail in a tire. However, what many are not used to is what happened to one Redditor on their way home from work.
Perplexed by an object that flattened their tire, they posted several images on Reddit, asking, "Can anyone identify this thing that gave me a flat?"
The first picture shows a broken white, glass tubular object. The next two images show the tire's damage — a hole in one of the treads.
Reddit users responded quickly, and one person identified it right away: "That's the inner chamber from a vape cartridge."
It may be small and harmless at first glance, but it's tough enough to go straight through rubber.
Sounds like a rare event, right? Unfortunately, it's not. In another story, a driver found an object in a tire that also turned out to be part of a discarded vape device. Same kind of discovery, different car — a reminder that this debris doesn't just disappear once it's tossed.
These examples point to a bigger problem — one that's becoming harder to ignore.
Disposable vapes are piling up along curbs, in parking lots, and across roadways where cars regularly run over them.
They are not just unsightly; they can damage tires and add to the growing waste problem. There are also health concerns related to vaping.
Other Reddit users shared similar stories.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 One wrote, "I just pulled one of these out of my tire today."
Another, who works in the auto industry, said they once removed a working vape part from a tire and added, "I have no clue how it penetrated."
Small choices can make a difference. Choosing reusable or plastic-free options when possible helps reduce the amount of debris that ends up in streets and parking lots — and lowers the odds of a very unexpected flat tire.
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