History Main / PopTheTires

* In ''Film/RoadHouse'' Dalton keeps multiple spare tires in the trunk of his car. He is used to having disgruntled bar patrons put holes in his tires and prepares accordingly.

** Played straight and subverted in ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies''. Bond drives over his own {{Caltrop}}s (to be fair, he didn't have much choice) after flattening the tires of his pursuers, and then promptly activates a mechanism that seals up the holes and reinflates the tires in seconds flat!

** Played straight and subverted in ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies''. Bond drives over his own caltrops (to be fair, he didn't have much choice) and promptly activates a mechanism that seals up the holes and reinflates the tires in seconds flat!

* A more effective variation in ''Film/TheAccountant''. The title character has a .50 Barrett anti-material rifle powerful enough to disable a vehicle by punching a hole in the engine block ([[TruthInTelevision Which is actually the Barrett's intended purpose]]). He takes out first the bad guys' vehicle, then when a mook tries to flee in the pickup owned by his hostages he disables that one as well.

* ''Film/GunCrazy'': Laurie shoots out the tyre of their stolen getaway car when they abandon it. Bart later shoots out the tyre of a police car that is chasing them.

* In ''Film/MadMax 2'' (aka ''The Road Warrior'') Wez shoots his wrist-mounted crossbow at the tires of the Mack truck supposedly carrying the precious fuel. Since it's such a huge and powerful vehicle, and has multiple wheels, it doesn't accomplish much. The truck keeps on going despite the flattened tires.
* Similarly in ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'', where the dual wheels and spiked hubcaps of the War Rig means this tactic is ineffective. However it's a plot point when Furiosa manages to do this to Nux's car's front left wheel, hoping it would slow him down or make him crash. Nux responds by telling Slit to move Max (who's chained to the front of the vehicle) to the back as counterweight, so he only has to rely on the right wheel for turning and balance. This gives Max an opportunity to escape.

* In ''Film/TheRoadWarrior'', Wez shoots his wrist-mounted crossbow at the tires of the Mack truck supposedly carrying the precious fuel. Since it's such a huge and powerful vehicle, and has multiple wheels, it doesn't accomplish much. The truck keeps on going despite the flattened tires.

* ''Series/TheProfessionals''. During the filming of a car chase in "Everest Was Also Conquered", a tire blew out on the stunt car. The producers decided to ThrowItIn and filmed an additional scene of the VillainOfTheWeek shooting out the tire to put an end to the pursuit.

* A more effective variation in ''Film/TheAccountant''. The title character has a .50 Barrett anti-material rifle powerful enough to disable a vehicle by punching a hole in the engine block. He takes out first the bad guys' vehicle, then when a mook tries to flee in the pickup owned by his hostages he disables that one as well.

* A more effective variation in ''Film/TheAccountant''. The title character has a .50 Barrett anti-material rifle powerful enough to disable the engine block of a vehicle. He takes out first the bad guys' vehicle, then when a mook tries to flee in the pickup owned by his hostages he disables that one as well.

* A more effective variation in ''Film/TheAccountant''. The title character has a .50 Barrett anti-material rifle powerful enough to destroy the engine block of a vehicle. He takes out first the bad guys' vehicle, then when a mook tries to flee in the pickup owned by his hostages he disables that one as well.

* A more effective variation in ''Film/TheAccountant''. The title character has a .50 Barrett which can disable to engine block of a vehicle. He takes out first the bad guys vehicle, then when he tries to flee in the pickup own by his hostages
* ''Film/{{The Assignment|1997}}'' (1997). During the CarChase in Libya, the stolen taxi driven by the protagonist has a tire burst, which then shreds and falls off the rim which distorts under the strain.

* In ''ComicBook/CombatKellyAndHisDeadlyDozen'' #2, Jay Little Bear shoots the tyre of a German armoured car with an arrow.

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[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/PlayerUnknownsBattlegrounds https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pubg.jpg]]]][[caption-width-right:350:I think the car's supposed to be moving when you do it...]]

* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'', [[http://images.ucomics.com/comics/ga/1998/ga980410.gif in one strip]], slashed the tires on a donut truck in order to eat its contents.

* ''Anime/GhostInTheShellSAC2045''. In the ActionColdOpen of the pilot episode, a Tachikoma does a more effective version by blasting off the entire front wheel of a technical.

* In the short-lived series ''{{Series/Drive}}'', Wendy is tasked with killing Ivy. She decides to keep Ivy's team from going anywhere by shooting out one of their tires. After they discover the tire was ''shot'' out, Wendy tries to make her move. However, Ivy manages to disarm her. After learning the reason Wendy's in the race, Ivy decides to team up with her. As a parting gift, she shoots out the other tires on her former team's vehicle.

* In the 90s Charlie Sheen movie ''Film/TheChase'', Sheen's character (an escaped inmate) manages to shoot the tires out on a police car chasing his stolen car by sheer accident as it pulls up alongside him. As this happens at high speed (the tires are popped at 90mph), it sends the police car ''flying'', and it crashes into a series of other cars.

* In many ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' games that have police, if your heat level gets high enough, cops will start deploying spike strips with their roadblocks or dropping them behind their cars. Even losing one tire to one will cause your vehicle to be very difficult to control, and is usually followed by [[LemmingCops every cop ramming you until you're busted]].

* ''Anime/TheCastleOfCagliostro:'' In the opening chase scene, Jigen attempts to shoot out the tires of the henchmens' vehicle. The first time, it's subverted; he hits the tires, but they are a special kind that are impervious to regular bullets. Jigen upgrades his ammo and tries again, this time hitting them and causing the car to immediately spin out and crash into the side of the mountain.
* ''Anime/PsychoPass:'' Akane shoots the tires of a big truck that the culprit Makashima is trying to make his get away in, while [[OutsideRide clinging to its' side]]. This works really well, especially since trucks are hard to turn, and he couldn't shake her off.
* ''Manga/{{Golgo 13}}''. In the anime episode "The Masterpiece Assault Rifle" Duke is hired to burst the tire of the Japanese contestant in a car rally, to make it crash so that model of vehicle will be discredited and not compete with European manufacturers. Turns out it's a ruse by a MadScientist who wants to [[TestedOnHumans test his new assault rifle against the world's top assassin]] -- he suffers a KarmicDeath when (after [[InvincibleHero inevitably]] defeating the two mercenaries armed with the new rifle) Duke shoots out his tire as he flees, sending his van off a cliff.

* In ''ComicBook/TheFurtherAdventuresOfIndianaJones'' #28, Jessie Hale uses her two-shot derringer to shoot out the tyre of a speeding car full of Tong members that is chasing Indy and her.
* In ''ComicBook/CombatKellyAndHisDeadlyDozen'' #2, Jay Little Bear shoots the tyre of a German armoured car with an arrow.

* In the Russian comedy ''Shirli Myrli'', the main character steals a vehicle to escape cops. The cops decide to shoot his wheels. Unfortunately for them, the vehicle was a tram, and had no tires.
* In ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', Judge Doom takes out a toon car's tires by pouring toon-dissolving Dip on the road.
* ''Film/TheWizard'': The bounty hunter after the kids takes out the dad's tires to disable his truck.
* In ''Film/RoadHouse'' Dalton keeps multiple spare tires in the trunk of his car. He is used to having disgruntled bar patrons put holes in his tires and prepares accordingly.
* In ''Film/OceansEleven'' the [[spoiler: fake]] getaway van is brought down by shooting the tires.
* This happens to the main characters' car in ''Film/RebelWithoutACause'', and is done with a knife.
* ''Film/JamesBond''
** ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}''. While driving alongside Tilly Masterson's car, Bond uses one of the Q gadgets in his car to rip open and flatten the tires of Tilly's car, forcing her to stop.
** While driving another Q Car across a frozen lake in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'', an exploding rifle grenade bursts his tire. Bond uses the rim as an improvised cutter to cut a large hole in the ice, sinking the vehicle chasing him, then presses a button to deploy some skis and SpikedWheels.
** Played straight and subverted in ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies''. Bond drives over his own caltrops (to be fair, he didn't have much choice) and promptly activates a mechanism that seals up the holes and reinflates the tires in seconds flat!
** In ''Film/LicenceToKill'' Bond is driving a stolen fuel tanker, but is sent off the road when the {{mook}}s shoot out the rear tires, causing him to lose control of the vehicle.
** ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'' features a fuel-tanker being used as a car-bomb in a terrorist plot; while Bond and the bomber fight for control, the cops shoot the tires to (unsuccessfully) stop the truck.

* In the 90s Charlie Sheen movie ''Film/TheChase'', Sheen's character (an escaped inmate) manages to shoot the tires out on a police car chasing his stolen car by sheer accident as it pulls up alongside him. As this happens at high speed (the tires are popped at 90mph), it sends the police car ''flying'', and it crashes into a series of other cars.
* ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay''. During the scene where the T-1000 (driving a truck) is trying to run over John Connor (on his motorcycle), the T-800 shoots out the left front tire of the truck. The T-1000 loses control and rams the truck into an overpass, causing the truck to explode.
* ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded''. While the Agents are pursuing Trinity and Morpheus on the freeway, an Agent shoots out the left rear tire on Trinity's car, which eventually forces her to stop.
* ''Film/{{Roadracers}}'' begins and ends with Sarge chasing Dude. In the second chase scene, Dude blasts Sarge's tire with his shotgun.
* In ''Film/TheRoadWarrior'', Wez shoots his wrist-mounted crossbow at the tires of the Mack truck supposedly carrying the precious fuel. Since it's such a huge and powerful vehicle, and has multiple wheels, it doesn't accomplish much. The truck keeps on going despite the flattened tires.
* Similarly in ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'', where the dual wheels and spiked hubcaps of the War Rig means this tactic is ineffective. However it's a plot point when Furiosa manages to do this to Nux's car's front left wheel, hoping it would slow him down or make him crash. Nux responds by telling Slit to move Max (who's chained to the front of the vehicle) to the back as counterweight, so he only has to rely on the right wheel for turning and balance. This gives Max an opportunity to escape.
* DoubleSubversion in the American remake of ''Film/{{Taxi}}'' where the cop shoots out the tires of the thieves' car and it doesn't affect the car at all. Queen Latifah's character, however, realizes not only how this is possible (the wheels use a special gel to temporarily plug the hole and give the wheels some mileage before this trope is played straight) but [[spoiler: manages to track the thieves to the only part in New York where you could get these tires]].

* In ''Film/Transporter2'', Frank is in a CarChase with a Ukrainian hit team who try to stop him by shooting out the tires (they want the LivingMacGuffin who's also in the car alive). Frank slams on the brakes and breaks the arm of the {{mook}} leaning out the car window with an assault rifle.
* During a car chase in ''Film/FarCry'', Jack turns his car around to go in reverse and shoots a tire from the pursuing car closest to him, causing it to flip over.

* ''Film/TheTournament'': When Lina Sophia attempts to rundown Lai Lai and Father [=MacAvoy=] while they are in a phone booth, Lai lai shoots out her front tyre, causing the vehicle to flip.
* In ''Film/TheTown'', Frawley uses a shotgun to blast out the rear tyre of the ambulance fleeing the ballpark; causing it to flip and crash.

* ''Film/{{The Assignment|1997}}'' (1997). During the CarChase in Libya, the stolen taxi driven by the protagonist has a tire burst, which then shreds and falls off the rim which distorts under the strain.
* ''Film/GunCrazy'': Laurie shoots out the tyre of their stolen getaway car when they abandon it. Bart later shoots out the tyre of a police car that is chasing them.
* During the opening chase in ''Film/ChaiLaiAngelsDangerousFlowers'', Rose eventually stops her car, gets out, and stands in the middle of the road, waiting for the other driver to attempt to run her down. As he drives straight at her, she shoots out his front tyre, causing his car to flip.

* In ''Literature/BattleRoyale'' the GrandFinale has the heroes facing off against [[spoiler: Kiriyama in a car chase]]. They use guns to pop his tires and cause his car to get destroyed.

* Happens in Tom Clancy's ''Rainbow Six'', during the epic clusterfuck that was the IRA ambush at Hereford. As a group of terrorists try to get away in a Volvo, Clark and Chavez catch up in a Jaguar sports car and disable the truck by pulling alongside and blasting the tires to shreds with their sidearms. Since the truck was moving at highway speeds at the time, the results are appropriately messy.
* ''Arm of the Law'' by Creator/HarryHarrison. A ThreeLawsCompliant robot policeman does this with a [[CranialProcessingUnit head-mounted]] recoilless cannon mounted right between the eyes for greater accuracy, coupled with a computer-controlled aiming system, neatly popping both rear tires. The criminals are so rattled they surrender quietly.

* VideoGame/SpyHunter probably provides the earliest video game example. One of the antagonists you meet on the road has SpikedWheels that can send your car spinning out of control if they get too close.

* The ''VideoGame/SaintsRow'' series also has this tactic just like ''Grand theft Auto''. In ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'' you have to shoot out the wheels on a semi-trailer truck to stop it during one mission...with a tank. You're ''supposed'' to use the co-axial machine gun, but [[MoreDakka where's the fun in that]]?. Also, it's possible to shoot out the wheels of any car in the game, which greatly lowers its handling but still leaves it able to be driven.
* This is a gameplay mechanic in ''VideoGame/TrueCrimeStreetsOfLA''.

* Popping the tires on vehicles in ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}'' won't immobilize them. It'll slow them down, though.

* ''VideoGame/JustCause'' allows most vehicles' tires to be shot out. For the player it's a mild annoyance at best, while anyone the player does this to typically spins out of control.
* This is the weakness of Nitro Man ([[TransformingMecha a robot who transforms into a motorbike]]) in ''VideoGame/MegaMan10''. A direct Chill Spike shot freezes him but deals little damage. However, if you shoot it at the ground to form an icy [[SpikesOfDoom spike strip]] and let Nitro Man run over it, he suffers a lot of damage.

* The ''Franchise/JamesBond'' games use this as a Bond Move--shooting out the tires counts as a non-lethal disable.

* Featured in the ''official VideoGame/{{Payday2}} XMAS Carol 2014'', when the gateway driver says "On the third day of Christmas, Payday gave to me: Aah, three tires shot!". He crashes at the end of the song.
* ''VideoGame/TerraTech''[='=]s modular building system allows wheels to be blown up or knocked off techs, leaving them much easier to deal with.

* On the WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} short "How to Be a Detective", the thug Goof is pursuing pours tacks on the road. Goofy quickly uses a broom to sweep them out of the way.

* Leonardo does this to Snake's van in the first episode of the Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012 Ninja Turtles]]'' series by [[ImprobableAimingSkills throwing a shuriken on a curve in midair from the rooftops to hit a speeding vehicle directly in its front tire]].