# What is extremely common in TV or movies but almost never happens in real life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2021, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311 "2021-02-06T04:16:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 264
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5289 "2026-03-18T03:02:44Z")
Bad guys with fully automatic weapons. Very very rare. Semi-auto “assault style” are also rare, but do account for like 5% of crimes. Fully auto? You can count them since the soft ban (license and stiff fees) without taking off your shoes. Pretty common back in Capones days, sure. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5290 "2026-03-18T03:24:32Z")
I seem to recall a lot of hand wringing in the 1980s about semi-automatic versions of guns originally designed as full-autos. Supposedly some models were comparatively easy to illegally convert to full-auto fire (the novelization of _The Terminator_ mentions the T-800 “filing off the interrupter pin” of one of his stolen firearms). I do know that legislation got passed mandating that the internal workings of semi-autos had to be non-compatible with their full-auto look alikes (hence an AR-15 is **not** merely a crippled M-16A). And 1986 saw the federal registry closed for new full-autos. > [@DrDeth](#): > > Pretty common back in Capones days, sure Conspicuous enough to become a trope played up by Hollywood forever, but actually the vast majority of gangland shootings were carried out with mundane handguns or occasionally shotguns. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5291 "2026-03-18T03:33:45Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Supposedly some models were comparatively easy to illegally convert to full-auto fire (the novelization of _The Terminator_ mentions the T-800 “filing off the interrupter pin” of one of his stolen firearms). I worked in a gun store in the early 80’s and the number of people that thought you could turn a semi-auto rifle into full auto by “filing down a pin” was really surprising. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5292 "2026-03-18T05:15:19Z")
I don’t think a ban per se, but open-bolt designs like the TEC-9 were easier to convert, and almost everything made these days is closed-bolt. AR-15 is not terribly hard to convert with an auto sear and a drill press, but the penalties and sourcing of the parts are a deterrent. And being auto doesn’t really make it more effective outside of a suppressing fire combat situation. Illegal and legal-because-it’s-not-technically-automatic stuff like FRT and bump stocks are mostly fun ways to waste money on ammo. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5293 "2026-03-18T12:02:26Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Conspicuous enough to become a trope played up by Hollywood forever, but actually the vast majority of gangland shootings were carried out with mundane handguns or occasionally shotguns. The coverage of Bonnie and Clyde might be the biggest reason for the trope. They famously used machine guns and Clyde was very fond of his BAR which is a very impracticable weapon for a criminal. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5294 "2026-03-18T15:04:00Z")
How easy it is to slash a tire or break a car window ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5295 "2026-03-18T15:21:23Z")
When the head of the crime unit posts a picture of the suspect on the wall in their lecture to the team, do they ever really offer something like a bottle of the best whiskey (as an example) to whomever catches the (usually innocent) person? ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5296 "2026-03-18T15:35:13Z")
In British police procedurals, the boss either manages to avoid their round in the celebratory drink in the pub (Midsomer) or hands over some money to avoid having to join in (Vera) A _bottle_ of whisky?! Not over here, with our alcohol duties! ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5297 "2026-03-18T15:59:13Z")
I recently saw an old trope that’s been used in a million TV shows and movies-- a person is arrested, and they’re given the opportunity to make ‘One Phone Call’. It’s made to seem as if something goes wrong, say the person they’re trying to call doesn’t answer, then they’re out of luck. In reality, it differs from state to state, but my understanding (not speaking from experience-- I’ve never been arrested…_yet_) is that a person who is arrested is typically given reasonable opportunities, plural, to contact a lawyer and family members to make whatever arrangements they need to make. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2026, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5298 "2026-03-18T17:52:52Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Conspicuous enough to become a trope played up by Hollywood forever, but actually the vast majority of gangland shootings were carried out with mundane handguns or occasionally shotguns. Sure, but the old Tommy gun was still hardly rare. > [@solost](#): > > In reality, it differs from state to state, but my understanding (not speaking from experience-- I’ve never been arrested…_yet_) is that a person who is arrested is typically given reasonable opportunities, plural, to contact a lawyer and family members to make whatever arrangements they need to make. Sometimes they give you a call from your cell or a landline, but the cells have payphones, or at least they did when we had to inspect some- some 20 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5299 "2026-03-19T02:30:12Z")
didn’t Mythbusters try that on a show? ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5300 "2026-03-19T13:02:43Z")
It doesn’t look like they did. [MythBusters Results - List of Myths and Summaries](https://mythresults.com/#cars-driving) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5301 "2026-03-19T13:12:34Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > How easy it is to slash a tire or break a car window > [@fedman1](#): > > didn’t Mythbusters try that on a show? They did test various ways to break a car window in [Episode 72: Underwater Car](https://mythresults.com/episode72). - **Busted:** Breaking a car window with steel toed boots, car keys, or cellphone. - **Confirmed:** Breaking a car window with a window-breaking hammer or spring-loaded center punch. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5302 "2026-03-19T13:26:51Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > How easy it is to slash a tire or break a car window Both are pretty easy if you have the right tool. Both are extremely difficult if you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5303 "2026-03-19T13:32:24Z")
thanks, my bad, myaging, fading memory recalls a show where a reporter tried to break open a window and failed, ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5304 "2026-03-19T13:55:36Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Both are pretty easy if you have the right tool. Both are extremely difficult if you don’t. I probably should have been more detailed. Film and TV often show people slashing a tire with a knife (possible, but very difficult), and one show I watched recently even depicted a woman doing it in one try with a fountain pen. Car windows routinely get smashed with rocks, hammers or even :gasp: _bare fists_. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5305 "2026-03-19T14:08:06Z")
And they always slash the tire, which as you point out, would be difficult to do with most small knives. However, it would be easy to cut off the valve stem which would serve the same purpose but doesn’t look as dramatic. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5306 "2026-03-19T23:29:15Z")
> [@solost](#): > > - **Busted:** Breaking a car window with steel toed boots, car keys, or cellphone. > - **Confirmed:** Breaking a car window with a window-breaking hammer or spring-loaded center punch. Note: it is _really easy_ to break a partly open window just by pulling (or pushing) the top edge. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5307 "2026-03-19T23:32:49Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Conspicuous enough to become a trope played up by Hollywood forever, but actually the vast majority of gangland shootings were carried out with mundane handguns or occasionally shotguns. I remember a Cecil observation that, turn of the century in Chicago (SDMB’s home town), it was the organised-crime _Swedes_ doing the _dynamiting_ ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2026, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5308 "2026-03-20T00:00:32Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > Car windows routinely get smashed with rocks, hammers or even :gasp: _bare fists_. … OR better yet (YT video of in person head budding a car window) [https://youtu.be/zA5aS6UhFHA?si=Ddgh\_83FAtsRNS7Q33#](https://youtu.be/zA5aS6UhFHA?si=Ddgh_83FAtsRNS7Q33#) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=263) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=265)