A'ight! Who has Bumperstickers?

[Damocles]

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0617bumpersticker0617.html

Who's prone to road rage? Check for bumper stickers

Shankar Vedantam
Washington Post
Jun. 17, 2008 12:00 AM

Three horrors await Americans who get behind the wheel of a car for a family road trip this summer: the spiraling price of gas, the usual choruses of "Are we there yet?" and the road rage of fellow drivers.

Divine intervention might be needed for the first two problems, but science has discovered a solution for the third.

Watch out for cars with bumper stickers.

That's the conclusion of a recent study by Colorado State University social psychologist William Szlemko. Drivers of cars with bumper stickers, window decals, personalized license plates and other "territorial markers" not only get mad when someone cuts in their lane or is slow to respond to a changed traffic light, but they are far more likely than those who do not personalize their cars to use their vehicles to express rage by honking, tailgating and other aggressive behavior.

More at link...

 

[Cancel7]

I don’t fit this. I have bumper stickers and I am not an aggressive driver, nor do I get upset when someone cuts me off. I just laugh at them. I especially laugh at the tailgaters, because of course, I do the opposite and slow down rather than speed up when someone is aggressively tailgating me, and then I get to watch their facial contortions in my rearview mirror. I consider it cheap entertainment.

 

[Damocles]

I don’t fit this. I have bumper stickers and I am not an aggressive driver, nor do I get upset when someone cuts me off. I just laugh at them. I especially laugh at the tailgaters, because of course, I do the opposite and slow down rather than speed up when someone is aggressively tailgating me, and then I get to watch their facial contortions in my rearview mirror. I consider it cheap entertainment.

Slowing down is dangerous. Just get out of the way. Attempting to "punish" people for getting too close only brings you pain. When I can't get out of the way, I take joy in laughing at the fact that they are using more gasoline than they otherwise would. Unless you are tailgating within a foot or so, tailgating a vehicle smaller than a big rig doesn't give you gas savings, it uses more.

 

[Cancel7]

Slowing down is dangerous. Just get out of the way. Attempting to "punish" people for getting too close only brings you pain. When I can't get out of the way, I take joy in laughing at the fact that they are using more gasoline than they otherwise would. Unless you are tailgating within a foot or so, tailgating a vehicle smaller than a big rig doesn't give you gas savings, it uses more.

It’s not dangerous. Slamming on your breaks is both dangerous, and aggressive. Slowing down, little by little, is not at all dangerous. I have no need to begin changing lanes back and forth (you are never going fast enough in ny, even in the right lane) every three minutes when someone shoots up behind me at 80. Changing lanes, increases your odds of an accident. I don’t allow the aggressiveness of others to dictate when I change lanes. And, I’ve never had an accident, so I guess I know what I’m doing.

 

[Thorn]

I just hold the line at the speed limit if somebody gets too close on my tail. I've mentioned before about occasionally assigning "virtual tickets" to other drivers who commit flagrant and dangerous traffic violations. They don't know about it if course, but if I do this intermittently it does have a cathartic effect.

A friend gave me my one and only window sticker "It's hard to be humble when you own a border collie", and I do have "animal friendly" plates. The latter cost slightly more, but the overage goes into a fund to subsidize free or low-cost spay and neutering for pet owners who can't afford the full costs.

Darla, I've never had an accident either, nor a ticket.

 

[Cancel7]

I just hold the line at the speed limit if somebody gets too close on my tail. I've mentioned before about occasionally assigning "virtual tickets" to other drivers who commit flagrant and dangerous traffic violations. They don't know about it if course, but if I do this intermittently it does have a cathartic effect.

A friend gave me my one and only window sticker "It's hard to be humble when you own a border collie", and I do have "animal friendly" plates. The latter cost slightly more, but the overage goes into a fund to subsidize free or low-cost spay and neutering for pet owners who can't afford the full costs.

Darla, I've never had an accident either, nor a ticket.

Men always think they know everything, the second they get into a car! It’s infuriating. Here you have two women, both of whom have never had an accident, but of course, some man will know what we’re doing wrong and how to do it better. Oh!

 

[LadyT]

It’s not dangerous. Slamming on your breaks is both dangerous, and aggressive. Slowing down, little by little, is not at all dangerous. I have no need to begin changing lanes back and forth (you are never going fast enough in ny, even in the right lane) every three minutes when someone shoots up behind me at 80. Changing lanes, increases your odds of an accident. I don’t allow the aggressiveness of others to dictate when I change lanes. And, I’ve never had an accident, so I guess I know what I’m doing.

What?!

That's insane. If you're not at least doing 80 you should not be in the left lane!

Let people pass. That is my hugest pet peeve(sp?) with people on the road. Move over. Its not that hard.

 

[LadyT]

Men always think they know everything, the second they get into a car! It’s infuriating. Here you have two women, both of whom have never had an accident, but of course, some man will know what we’re doing wrong and how to do it better. Oh!

Damo's 100% correct on this.

 

[Thorn]

Damo's 100% correct on this.

Not necessarily. The roads I'm thinking about (here) are two-lane, one each way. There's nowhere to move over. If someone wants to pass me, go ahead. But if I'm going the speed limit I'm not going to exceed it just to make some jackass behind me happy. Speeding is the only thing they know how to give tickets for here, and they do it with gusto!

On multi-lane roads, the rule is that slower traffic keeps to the right. You shouldn't be in the passing lane unless you're, well, passing.

 

[Cancel7]

What?!

That's insane. If you're not at least doing 80 you should not be in the left lane!

Let people pass. That is my hugest pet peeve(sp?) with people on the road. Move over. Its not that hard.

First of all, biatch, I never, never, drive in the left lane. Second of all, doing 80 is against the law, and lastly, though I usually try and stick to the middle lane, I have certainly been in the right lane when someone has tailgated me while I am driving 65 to 70 miles an hour.

I saw a bumper sticker last week, that read “I do the speed limit, don’t like it? Call a cop”. I loved it. I see that you should take note of that sentiment! And, I don’t even do the speed limit! But you nuts, and I can tell you are one of them, are never happy. Well, too bad about you missy!

 

[Damocles]

Not necessarily. The roads I'm thinking about (here) are two-lane, one each way. There's nowhere to move over. If someone wants to pass me, go ahead. But if I'm going the speed limit I'm not going to exceed it just to make some jackass behind me happy. Speeding is the only thing they know how to give tickets for here, and they do it with gusto!

On multi-lane roads, the rule is that slower traffic keeps to the right. You shouldn't be in the passing lane unless you're, well, passing.

Well, I said don't slow down...

In my post I said: When I can't get out of the way I just drive like they weren't there and laugh at the fact they are using up their gas.

Slowing down can anger them unnecessarily. Whether or not you have been in an accident isn't here or there. If you get some bumper sticker toting gasbag angry they can and have injured and even killed other people. We have one guy here in CO who was convicted of 1st Degree murder because some lady slowed down in front of him and he got angry and ran her off the road and killed her and her kids. Witnesses said she just was slowing down to take the turn and started to slow down a bit early.

Being passive-aggressive doesn't make you any safer.

 

[Cancel7]

Not necessarily. The roads I'm thinking about (here) are two-lane, one each way. There's nowhere to move over. If someone wants to pass me, go ahead. But if I'm going the speed limit I'm not going to exceed it just to make some jackass behind me happy. Speeding is the only thing they know how to give tickets for here, and they do it with gusto!

On multi-lane roads, the rule is that slower traffic keeps to the right. You shouldn't be in the passing lane unless you're, well, passing.

Don’t even get me started on the two lane road. I literally have seen people attempt to run others off the road in residential areas for only doing 20 miles above the limit. I am talking if you are doing 55 in a 35 residential area, you will be run off the road, if you let them do it.

 

[Cancel7]

Well, I said don't slow down...

In my post I said: When I can't get out of the way I just drive like they weren't there and laugh at the fact they are using up their gas.

Slowing down can anger them unnecessarily. Whether or not you have been in an accident isn't here or there. If you get some bumper sticker toting gasbag angry they can and have injured and even killed other people. We have one guy here in CO who was convicted of 1st Degree murder because some lady slowed down in front of him and he got angry and ran her off the road and killed her and her kids. Witnesses said she just was slowing down to take the turn and started to slow down a bit early.

Well, I guess it’s true that you can always run into a real psychopath Damo, but face it, you can run into one of those in the mall too. Or in the grocery store. That’s just some really bad luck there.

FTR ,when I have my niece and nephew in the car, I do drive slightly differently. But I dislike having to do so. People are truly crazy, and don’t seem to understand they are driving a lethal weapon. And I am not one of those slow drivers. I do routinely exceed the speed limit. It’s just that I am not a nut. If the kids are in the car, I swallow it. But boy the day is going to come when I am going to kick somebody’s ass for assuming the have the right, to put MY life at risk. I remember when Jack Nicholson got out of his car and smashed the windshield in with a golf club, of the guy who was tailgating him. And he had to pay him money of course. And I always thought, yeah I will bet that just before he got out of his car, Nicholson knew it was going to cost him, and he thought to himself “this is going to be worth every goddamned penny” and you know, I bet it was.

But of course, the guy could have had a gun.

 

[LadyT]

Not necessarily. The roads I'm thinking about (here) are two-lane, one each way. There's nowhere to move over. If someone wants to pass me, go ahead. But if I'm going the speed limit I'm not going to exceed it just to make some jackass behind me happy. Speeding is the only thing they know how to give tickets for here, and they do it with gusto!

On multi-lane roads, the rule is that slower traffic keeps to the right. You shouldn't be in the passing lane unless you're, well, passing.

Well, when I drove in Texas, I thought they were the best drivers in the entire world. The whole pulling over the shoulder and letting people pass is a great idea. I loved it! And even started doing it myself. Good times.

 

[Cancel7]

Well, when I drove in Texas, I thought they were the best drivers in the entire world. The whole pulling over the shoulder and letting people pass is a great idea. I loved it! And even started doing it myself. Good times.

You know I was only kidding when I called you a bitch right?

 

[LadyT]

First of all, biatch, I never, never, drive in the left lane. Second of all, doing 80 is against the law, and lastly, though I usually try and stick to the middle lane, I have certainly been in the right lane when someone has tailgated me while I am driving 65 to 70 miles an hour.

I saw a bumper sticker last week, that read “I do the speed limit, don’t like it? Call a cop”. I loved it. I see that you should take note of that sentiment! And, I don’t even do the speed limit! But you nuts, and I can tell you are one of them, are never happy. Well, too bad about you missy!

1) Good to know you don't hog the left lane. That was going to be the end of our friendship!

2) 65 - 70?! On the highway? That's just ridiculous.

Side note: the only time I've ever had an accident was when I was on the highway, going under the speed limit, in the far right lane in the rain. Jersey drivers sense fear and will cut you off accordingly.

 

[LadyT]

You know I was only kidding when I called you a bitch right?

LMAO! of course!

 

[Cancel7]

LMAO! of course!

Ok good.

 

[Cypress]

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0617bumpersticker0617.html

Who's prone to road rage? Check for bumper stickers


Three horrors await Americans who get behind the wheel of a car for a family road trip this summer: the spiraling price of gas, the usual choruses of "Are we there yet?" and the road rage of fellow drivers.

Divine intervention might be needed for the first two problems, but science has discovered a solution for the third.

Watch out for cars with bumper stickers.

That's the conclusion of a recent study by Colorado State University social psychologist William Szlemko. Drivers of cars with bumper stickers, window decals, personalized license plates and other "territorial markers" not only get mad when someone cuts in their lane or is slow to respond to a changed traffic light, but they are far more likely than those who do not personalize their cars to use their vehicles to express rage by honking, tailgating and other aggressive behavior.

More at link...

We have courtesy wars on the road here (which I totally take advantage of. lol) . I can't even remember the last time I heard a horn honked in anger.

 

[Thorn]

Well, when I drove in Texas, I thought they were the best drivers in the entire world. The whole pulling over the shoulder and letting people pass is a great idea. I loved it! And even started doing it myself. Good times.

They seem to be pretty good in the Dallas area, but out here, where it's traditionally rural, a lot of people simply don't know the rules of the road and it can be very frustrating! Most are courteous if they think of it, but there are also a few unnecessarily aggressive drivers who can create problems for everyone else. The pulling over to the side thing happens only out of town and is performed by tractors going to one or another field. I've never seen passenger vehicles do that.

I worked in auto insurance ( I like to say "in a previous life") for a few years, and learned how a tiny mistake or distraction can have horrendous consequences. Also, in Ontario, defensive driving tips are given regularly as PSAs in the mainstream media, especially TV. I'm sure that has helped to shape my driving habits.

The absolutely worst place I've ever driven was Orlando FL. Probably because nearly everybody was a tourist, and many had no idea where they were going but they were going to get there first anyway. Especially if they could cut you off to do it.