Slashdot Mirror
Road Rage Linked To Automobile Bumper Stickers
Ponca City, We Love You sends news of a study by Colorado State University psychologist William Szlemko that recorded whether people had added seat covers, bumper stickers, special paint jobs, stereos, or plastic dashboard toys to their cars. Szlemko found a link between road rage and the number of personalized items on or in people's vehicles. "The number of territory markers predicted road rage better than vehicle value, condition, or any of the things that we normally associate with aggressive driving,' says Szlemko. What's more, only the number of bumper stickers, and not their content, predicted road rage... Szlemko suggests that this territoriality may encourage road rage because drivers are simultaneously in a private space (their car) and a public one (the road). 'We think they are forgetting that the public road is not theirs, and are exhibiting territorial behavior that normally would only be acceptable in personal space,' the researcher says.
Well I think they have a point, you have to have a pretty low IQ to festoon your car with bumper stickers. The things are not easy to get off, look like crap as they wear, and genuinely don't do the paint or finish any good. Putting them in the windows is just as bad as many will block line of sight.
Too many times bumper stickers are just pretentious slaps at people around the driver who has some deluded belief that they are the only righteous person on the planet. I am not speaking of religious righteousness, I am talking about that self important I am saving the world while your just killing it tripe. Still my favorites are those who put political candidate tags on their cars. Better are those who leave them on well after the fact.
Its like having a neighborhood of Prius owners who all drive their cars to work solo.
* Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
but I think they have it backwards. I think dumbasses are likely to drive stupidly and be stupid enough to spend money to load up their car with that crap.
Correlation != Causation - but you already knew that. I know you did, did you, 'researchers'?
I have developed a truly marvelous proof of this comment, which this signature is too narrow to contain.
Or you could stop being an asshat and let people pass you.
Then they wonder what I get out of my pickup truck and donkey punch them at intersections. The cheers and waives of the motorists behind me make my day though ;)
You are not intelligent.
So now you are an armed traffic vigilante. Wow, cool.
Think about this, cars kill WAY more people than guns. If someone uses their car to kill your road-hog inconsiderate ass. They will at worst get a ticket, since you won't be there to say "He was tailgating me and showing me his F word finger" No one will know that it was deliberate.
You pack your little Smith (Piece of crap if it isn't a revolver) I will simply point my 3000+ lb weapon at ya.
Quit being a jerk, get out of the way let that person behind you go past. then he can wreck where you are not.
Nothing is foolproof, fools are too ingenious. - Murphy
Sorry, but on many roads the leftmost lane is needed for regular traffic, not just for passing. That's why only some roads have those "Keep right except to pass" signs. And no, you don't have any business passing at speeds greatly exceeding the speed limit.
I am far more concerned about the people doing 50 in a 25 school zone. I often notice that these people are in giant SUVs with "support the troops" bumper stickers. This indicates two things to me:
1. There big SUV means they are insecure and overcompensating by driving like dicks in a big top heavy vehicle that doesn't brake well:
http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_01_12_a_suv.html
2. As Bush supporters they probably support 4th amendment destroying domestic spying by using a "save the children" rational. News flash if you want to save actual living children don't drive 50 in a school zone like a douchebag.
If we all slowed down a bit not only would we save money both in increased MPG leading to less cash outlay directly, and reduced fuel demand lowering fuel prices, it would help the environment, lead to less road rage, and save lives to boot due to fewer accidents. If you do the math driving 20 mph above the speed limit in a city situation where you are at most going 15 miles at most saves 5 minutes. Here's a clue leave 5 minutes earlier and save us all a lot of grief. Thanks!
This is a pet peeve of mine. set rant=off whew!
Tired of all the isms, don't exploit people as an employer, or a government, mmmmK?