# Would a single gunshot deflate a modern automobile tire? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 9, 2025, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-single-gunshot-deflate-a-modern-automobile-tire/1025534 "2025-12-09T00:07:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-single-gunshot-deflate-a-modern-automobile-tire/1025534/21 "2025-12-10T16:00:15Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > I’m not sure I have ever seen someone so angry, and so ineffective about it. Ahhh… I can feel some of your satisfaction even now. 👍🏽 ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-single-gunshot-deflate-a-modern-automobile-tire/1025534/22 "2025-12-10T16:02:38Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > But because we were quite vindictive teenagers, we removed the valves. If I understand you, you’re referring to the core, the pin within the stem of the valve. I’m aware of a similiar incident and it should come as no surprise it was also conceived by teenagers. During a large adult party with 100(?) visiting cars, a pair of neighborhood teens removed the valve cores from tires and disabled like 12 cars. I wasn’t involved but knew the perps and the party host family though they didn’t know each other. The dumb kids got their hands on a valve tool and it just happened the party next block occurred around the time they figured out how to connect it to a power drill. I can confirm it was purely a crime of teenaged boredom, stupidity, and lack of mechanical outlets but completely without motive or consideration of consequences. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-single-gunshot-deflate-a-modern-automobile-tire/1025534/23 "2025-12-10T16:27:35Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I can confirm it was purely a crime of teenaged boredom, stupidity, and lack of mechanical outlets but completely without motive or consideration of consequences. Hey, a quintuple pleonasm! Very rare nowadays, nice to see one. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-single-gunshot-deflate-a-modern-automobile-tire/1025534/24 "2025-12-10T17:08:34Z")
Nm, sorry. The cores, yes. But we call them valves in my part of the world. The bits that have a bit of rubber attatched and took like a pepper shaker on top. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-single-gunshot-deflate-a-modern-automobile-tire/1025534/25 "2025-12-10T19:25:40Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Hey, a quintuple pleonasm! Very rare nowadays, nice to see one. Had to look it up, but this could be my new favorite word. > ple·o·nasm > > /ˈplēəˌnazəm/ > > noun: **pleonasm** > > 1. the use of more words than are necessary to [convey](https://www.google.com/search?num=10&client=firefox-b-1-d&sca_esv=d44b221d688bac1f&q=convey&si=AMgyJEsXYQ0NEcQTt8SssuuWcU5mdjsYGXjwM5B-KASYmIYdB2H2xrlnx7M203M2-pMd9gB7T-gJyPl6N8J_rgfrQ86mYuWU4w%3D%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjUv5SK37ORAxUhlGoFHVopO60QyecJegQIFhAQ) meaning (e.g. **see with one’s eyes** ), either as a fault of style or for emphasis. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-single-gunshot-deflate-a-modern-automobile-tire/1025534/26 "2025-12-12T00:46:42Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Did tires back then still have inner tubes? Some did, and still do. I have a 1969 MG. Back then, the state of the art (or maybe just the style) for lightweight wheels was to make them with wire spokes like a motorcycle wheel. The result was that the rim wasn’t air tight because of all the spokes poking through it. It needs an inner tube just like a bicycle tire would. Rather than four or five lug nuts, the way most car wheels are attached to their hub, mine has a single large nut on the center. Taking it off requires a large key, like a skate key, and a heavy, lead mallet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-single-gunshot-deflate-a-modern-automobile-tire/1025534.md?page=1)