Spokane Dad Throws Son’s Nintendo Switch Out of Moving Car, Video Goes Viral

On July 9, 2026, Joel Barbour of Spokane, Washington posted an Instagram Reel in which he described throwing his 13-year-old son Davis’s Nintendo Switch out of a moving vehicle traveling “60 miles an hour down highway 211.” Barbour said the console was not in use and that his son was “being a little f-cker” and “thinking he knows better.” He recounted “keeping going” and “frisbe[ing]” the device out the window while the car was in motion.

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Barbour later reported that he and his family retrieved the Switch, repaired it, and that it “still works.” In a follow-up Reel, Barbour asked Davis what he learned; Davis replied that he understood “you definitely don’t disrespect your parents or else things get Frisbeed in places you don’t want them.” Barbour reiterated his stance, saying he “still stand[s] behind it” and encourages parents to “throw the electronics out the window” when faced with similar defiance.

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The video quickly amassed a large audience on Instagram, prompting a flood of comments from other parents. One commenter wrote, “You’re doing great, dad.” Others shared comparable anecdotes, such as a mother who “threw my 16-year-old daughter’s phone out of the car and then drove over it” and a user recalling a 1990s habit of “throw[ing] several treasures out the car window.” Several participants framed the act as a form of “gentle parenting,” arguing that following through on a threat is “calm” and avoids yelling or shaming.

New York Post

The available coverage does not include explicit criticism from child-development experts, law-enforcement officials, or advocacy groups. No source cited concerns about road safety, potential legal ramifications, or the psychological impact on the child. The absence of dissenting commentary limits the ability to assess broader societal objections to the method.

New York Post

No statements from local highway patrol, law-enforcement agencies, or governmental bodies were provided in the sources. Barbour acknowledged that “the local highway patrol would almost certainly frown upon” the maneuver, but no official response was recorded.

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• “But I threw my son’s Nintendo Switch out the car going 60 miles an hour down highway 211.” — Joel Barbour

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• “It felt pretty great,” — Joel Barbour

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• “I felt horrible doing it because he loves this thing, but man, it felt good.” — Joel Barbour

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• “I still stand behind it. Throw the electronics out the window.” — Joel Barbour

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• “But I learned that you definitely don’t disrespect your parents or else things get Frisbeed in places you don’t want em.” — Davis Barbour

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The sources do not mention any planned follow-up actions, legal proceedings, or further public statements from Barbour or authorities.

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