Motorists have been captivated by a “pump and shake” trick to free frozen doors and hoods.
US car expert @RoadsideGenius took to TikTok to explain to his followers the step-by-step method to ensure that sub-zero temperatures don’t interfere with their trip.
The simple hack will be music to the ears of many Brits who have been battling frozen vehicles before their trips to work and school in recent days.
Yesterday Britain shivered through the coldest January night in five years and the coldest of this winter so far.
Temperatures dropped to well below freezing as flurries of snow hit parts of the UK.
American car expert. @RoadsideGenius revealed the step-by-step method to unlock your frozen car door or hood, and all you need is an inflatable lock bag
Dalwhinnie in the Highlands recorded -14°C (6.8°F), while Edinburgh and Newcastle experienced sub-zero temperatures of -7°C (19°F) and -6°C (21°F) respectively. .
The big freeze made this night the coldest of this winter so far, surpassing the minimum temperature of -12.5°C (9.5°F) recorded at Altnaharra in Sutherland on 3 December.
The Met Office also issued an amber weather warning for 3pm today and 6pm tomorrow in north-west Scotland.
Sharing the handy winter tip, the content creator said, “I’m going to show you a trick you can do to get the hood up.”
He then took out an inflatable blocking bag and gently placed it in the small space on the hood of his frozen car.
Taking his time, the TikToker steadily pumped the bag until the hood made a distinctive “pop” noise.
He explained: ‘Now we can go in and find some kind of latch! I’m sure you have one that everyone has.
The cold trick can also be applied to car doors that have frozen over.
Viewers responded to the comments expressing their gratitude, with one writing, “You taught me something lol.”
According to the content creator, gently place the lock bag in a gap between the hood or door of your car and gently inflate the device until you hear a distinctive “pop” sound.
RoadSideGenius joked: “Knowledge is power.”
However, not everyone was happy with the trick, as one follower, who didn’t have a blocking bag, asked for alternatives.
One woman asked, ‘Ok, I don’t have one of those (inflatable blocking bag) and it’s -40. You have something else?’
The content creator jokingly responded: ‘Break the window.’
However, a frozen door or hood isn’t the only challenge for motorists embarking on a cold morning commute.
Frozen car windows can be a real challenge when you’re in a hurry to leave the house in freezing weather.
There are countless ways to melt ice from your windshield; However, drivers should be careful as they could be fined £80.
In an attempt to get rid of ice, many drivers increase the temperature of their car to melt it; However, this would be a big mistake.
Leaving the engine running while the car is not moving is also known as “idling” and violates rule 123 of the Highway Code.
The rule details: “You must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave the engine of a vehicle running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stopped on a public road.”
Users took to the comments to thank the content creator for the advice, while others were frustrated that the method required an inflatable blocking bag.
It also stipulates that the engine must be turned off if the vehicle has been running for more than a couple of minutes to reduce emissions.
But it is not against the rules to have the engine running when traffic is stopped or when diagnosing vehicle faults.
Idling to get rid of ice would break the law, more particularly Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1998, and could therefore land you a hefty £80 fine.
Failure to pay the fine within 14 days could also result in a £40 fine on top of the existing £80 fine.