The Yellow Car Meaning On TikTok As Term Goes Viral - Freshered
yellow sedan parked near red concrete building
Photo by Wolf Schram on Unsplash

The Yellow Car Meaning On TikTok As Term Goes Viral

Jasmyne Jeffery May 31, 2023

Speak Up. Reach Out is Freshered's mental health initiative.

It’s known for giving us trending dances, strange abbreviations and funny skits. However, it can also be confusing with different terms. That’s the case with the yellow car TikTok meaning, which we’ll explain as it has multiple.

With so many users on TikTok, there are going to be lots of things you come across that you’ve never heard of, especially when they have multiple meanings. Luckily for you, we’re here to help and explain the yellow car phenomena everyone has been talking about.

The Yellow Car TikTok Meaning Explaind

Though there are a couple of reasons why it’s gone viral, the most popular is associated with a popular British game.

So, if you’re from outside the UK, we can understand why you’ve been left a little baffled.

The concept is simple — if you’re travelling in a car and see a yellow car, you’re meant to hit someone else in your vehicle and exclaim ‘Yellow car!’

Of course, you’re not meant to hit them very hard, particularly if it’s the driver, and it’s just a fun and random game. It’s been around for years and is typically played on road trips to help pass the time.

The only way to get someone back is to see another yellow car, but they can say ‘no returns!’ which is meant to protect them. It’s a little like how Dora the Explorer says “Swiper, no swiping!” and the fox just obeys.

However, it’s easy to see why it might be confusing to someone who has never heard of it.

@talibszn

No people were present in the making unfortunately

♬ original sound – kryptex

This video is pretty vague about the yellow car meaning, suggesting ‘if you know, then you know.’ Unfortunately, many in the comments had no idea what was happening.

“Can somebody explain pls?” Someone asked.

“I don’t understand, help.” said another, showing a few were really confused as to what it meant.

Many people have their own variations of the game, especially if vans, lorries or gold cars are allowed. We seriously suggest having a go at the silly game if you’ve got some travel plans coming up!

Yellow Car Meaning Is Also Used For Mental Health

Though the above is definitely the most popular definition, there is a mental health connection to the TikTok yellow car meaning.

This is connected to the ‘yellow car phenomenon’, sometimes called the frequency illusion. Basically, this is when you buy a yellow car and all of a sudden you start seeing yellow cars everywhere. However, those other cars have always been there, but you’re only now noticing them because you own a yellow car, creating a bias.

TikToker @coachedbyhanna suggests that whilst this thinking is harmless for something like this, it can be hurtful when it comes to your mental health.

For example, if you allow yourself to have negative thoughts about your body or skills, then you’ll keep noticing it until you rewire your brain.

She says, that to battle against the negative thoughts, use the yellow car meaning with positive things instead.

So, the yellow car meaning on TikTok has two quite different definitions. But you should definitely know both so you don’t get confused on the app!

Social media is always coming up with new terms that you need to learn to try and keep up. Don’t worry if you’re initially confused, you won’t be alone!

Have something to tell us about this article?
Let us know
Jasmyne Jeffery is a full-time Entertainment and News Writer on university-themed website Freshered and HITC, and joined the company having previously worked in a freelance role. She attended the University of South Wales where she was also a student blogger and graduated in 2022 with a first-class honours degree in English and Creative Writing. Now, she puts her creativity to use reviewing university bars, Love Island episodes and the latest apps any 18-25-year-old is using.