Can a wood toothpick really cause a flat tire?

) June 21st, 2010

Went to a restaurant to eat. came back out and one tire was completly flat on my car. man at the tire shop said the flat was caused by a toothpick. a toothpick? how can this happen, when all four are steelbelted tires? had any strange flat tire events?

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4 Answers

A straw can go through a telephone pole if a hurricane wind is strong enough.
The combination of intense speed and the right angle could allow a toothpick to go through the rubber on a tire.

But the most likely way a toothpick can flatten a tire is maliciously if someone uses the toothpick to hold the air valve stem open.

anartist (14813

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I had a flat tire from just a piece of plastic. Like about a ½in. wide by about 3in. long piece of what appeared to be part of a pop bottle. It went in the sidewall, so I was unable to get the tire repaired and had to buy a new one! I was really surprised that a little piece of plastic could do that.

knitfroggy (8982

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