Staying alert has become an essential modern survival skill. People often move through life on autopilot, distracted and rushed—until a small detail snaps them back to attention. In recent years, a simple trick has surfaced in various places, from South Africa to the U.S. Drivers get into their cars, start the engine, and hear a strange crackle from the front passenger side. When they check, they find an empty plastic bottle wedged under the tire—a low-tech distraction tactic meant to get them out of the car and off guard.
