Old School Misinformation - Urban Myths

Before the internet, did you hear any urban myths and factless rumours? What were they?

Here are some I remember:

Mikey (a kid in a popular cereal commercial) died of eating Pop Rocks and drinking Coke at the same time.
Rod Stewart had his stomach pumped after collapsing during a concert and they found dog semen in his stomach contents.
Richard Gere got a gerbil stuck up his ass.

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LordShadowfire · 46-50, M

I just now remembered another tall tale that made the rounds for the longest time. It was so persistent, it was one of the first things covered on the Urban Legends Reference Page (later renamed Snopes).

*dramatic music*
If you're driving at night, and you see someone without their lights on, DON'T FLASH YOUR BRIGHTS AT THEM! Gang members initiate new recruits by making them drive down the street at night with no lights, and kill anyone who flashes their brights at them.

Not only was this a ridiculous, roundabout way of choosing a victim, it would be super ineffective. Despite what people have seen in the movies forever, car chases rarely last even a minute, and nearly always end with one car getting away. This is because it is extremely rare that two cars with similar performance levels get into a chase together. There's almost always one car with superior horsepower, better handling, better acceleration, and better braking. (That last bit is super important.) But the legend persists with such tenacity that it is still necessary to reprint new articles debunking it to this day.

ArishMell · 70-79, M

@LordShadowfire ... "better" mechanical characteristics - and a luckier driver.

It seems a version of the old myths about murders by chauffeur - a notion so preposterous it is surprising it ever gained currency. It appears to have started around General Patton's death in a car crash, in which he was a passenger.