Why do cars on side of freeway have bags in window?

[nanette1985]

I never heard of this - I'm in NJ. Don't remember this from growing up in Ohio, but that was back when dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Back in Ohio we called them sacks, not bags.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: bignateyk
It's a sign that the driver knows there is a problem, plans on returning to the car, and does not need any assitance.

It lets other drivers know that the car isn't abandoned. More importantly, it llets other drivers know they don't need to pull over to assist the other driver.

And, that's what was explained to me by the state police when I neglected to put a bag in the window. I asked, "do you really have a big problem with people abandoning cars 5 miles from the closest exit, then walking off into the woods?" It made no sense to me - maybe I've been wrong all my life to assume that when a car is unoccupied on the side of an interstate that it's broken down.

 

[ObiDon]

i've never even heard of this, but i live on the west side.

 

[Hyperlite]

I see this all the time, and i figured that's what it was. thanks.