There's a fascinating new study out of Colorado that suggests bumper stickers are actually road rage warning labels. Here's the jist: "Equating bumper stickers with a warning label, the research of social psychologist William Szlemko indicates that people who apply the rearward-facing declarations to their cars are much more likely to use their cars to show rage on the road than people without such stickers, reports the Washington Post. The message of the bumper stickers themselves has no relevance to the result; peaceful messages of unity are just as much a warning sign as are offensive or hostile statements." I've never thought too highly of announcing anything to the world from the back of my car. Full disclosure: I've had one bumper sticker in my life– my old band. However, when I was in junior high a friend and I ordered a bunch of screw stickers from the back of National Lampoon (squares with a picture of a screw) and ran all over town modifying Chevy Suburbans to read "I [screw] My Children" and "I [screw] My Horse." Hey, I was 12. You?
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what about when you almost ordered that “STANGB8R” license plate, jonny?
and you thought we weren’t paying attention
Nothing’s more touching than those “R.I.P.” or “In Memoriam” tributes to dead people that you sometimes see on a car’s back window. (I think they’re a factory option on Monte Carlos.)
Some people get an urn, some get an engraved tombstone, some get a statue, and some get cheesy vinyl stickers pasted onto the back of some old beater. Nice.
They are only acceptable in groups of 50 or more.
The only two bumper stickers I’ve ever had were one on my previous car (’00 Accord) that read “The world is NOT your ashtray”. It’s always mystified me how people will throw cigarette butts in parking lots, driveways and even my yard, but they’re not litter!?
On my current car (Mazda3 5-door) I had one in the lower right corner of the back window that simply had a website address on it- “www.slowertraffickeepright.com”. I kept it on for about a year until a cop made a smart-ass comment about it while giving me a speeding ticket. I decided that my back window looked better without the clutter. =)
As far as personal plates go, I almost got one for my Mazda3 back in 12/05 when I bought it. I even checked with the Georgia DMV to see if it was available (and it was)- “PWR OF 3”. In addition to the obvious reference to my Mazda3, I was (am) a fan of the WB show “Charmed”. The combined power shared by the three sisters on the show is known as “The Power of Three”.
I can’t decide which is more pathetic- that I considered the personalized tag or that I actually admitted to it just now. It’s no wonder I drink!
Did they correlate the connection between bumper stickers on pieces of shit vehicles too?
The message of the bumper stickers themselves has no relevance to the result; peaceful messages of unity are just as much a warning sign as are offensive or hostile statements.
Probably the first time a Minivan driver with “Proud parent of honor roll student at Serenity Middle School” on the bumper has been lumped into the same psychological group as a pickup driver with “Keep honkin’, I’m re-loading” on the back. Personally, I give them both a wide margin when passing.
..everytime I see a large “3” on a Monte Carlo I want to scream at the mullet-head, …”HE’s STILL DEAD!”
That’s “STNGBTR”
but… loud/clear.
and that was an “almost”
I don’t wear them myself, but do derive amusement from some of them. “Hang up and DRIVE!” is my favorite.
–chuck
Something about this study rings true. It seems the “visualize world peace” people, and the “visualize whirled peas” people are just flip sides of the same coin. I can believe that.
I choose not to broadcast my own views via declarative decals some but I have to admit that some I see in traffic are amusing. However, most are deadly dull – I am decidedly not interested if your kid is an honor student or in the military or which political candidate you favor. I should also add that supporting the military usually involves more than having a yellow ribbon on your SUV.
A) I’ve never had a bumper sticker on my car nor has anyone else in my immediate family to my knowledge. My wife did put a small sticker on her driver’s side rearview mirror duplicating the style of the “Objects in mirror…” that says “Objects in mirror are losing.”
B) I do derive enjoyment out of the occasional clever/funny bumper sticker.
I can certainly see why people who put bumper stickers, no matter the message, on their cars would be more agressive. These are the people who are so certain they are right and that everybody else needs to agree with them, that they lower the value and (depending on the car) the beauty of their car just to shout their righteous opinion out to one and all (not a reference to religous bumper stickers, I find non-religious ones to be offensive at possibly an even higher rate).
I don’t think that people with bumper stickers are more prone to road rage, despite what the study says. I do think that stickers may provoke (road) rage, however. I almost never have a sticker on my car, but when I had one for a short time that contained the word “impeach” I endured numerous rude gestures. (In case you’re wondering how that works, the raging party behind you honks and when you look, flips you off in your rearview mirror.)
Bumper stickers are essentially useless if they pertain to a controversial subject. Those that agree with you already know they have allies, and those who don’t aren’t going to change their minds because of something on your bumper. Perhaps humor might make somebody think, but the chances are slim. Come to think of it, humorous stickers are the only ones that are worthwhile.
The rest are just obnoxious. I don’t want to know about your honor student/dog/neighborhood and I hate those illegible stickers that contain way too much information in small typeface.
What, me rage? Not because I have a bumper sticker but because you have one.
I always enjoyed the parody stickers.
“Forget world peace, visualize using your turn signal.”
I always wanted to get a Prius with SMUG on the plate and/or get a OEM looking badge that says Pious.
I need to grab a few liberal stickers for the Volvo…and also buy an old Subaru for my leftover stickers.
Don’t care for stickers, or plate frames advertising which university I went too. Although, in Boise it may make me seem more smug to not have attended BSU.
Bumper stickers make me very angry if I’m stuck behind them in a no-passing zone or traffic. It’s like an easy excuse for me to get mad at them and feel superior for not having a bumper sticker… I don’t know.
My only “observation” is people with “keep honking I’m reloading” and “Nascar” stickers seem to always be the ones who decide to speed up when you’re passing them. Or go from slugging along at 45 in a 55 to riding my ass once I’m by. That has never happened with someone who didn’t have a bumper sticker.
Funniest bumper sticker I’ve seen this year so far on the back of a Goldwing: “Rather be riding my Harley (but it broke down)”. Yes, it was big enough to read.
I’m not for one putting controversial subjects on as I don’t want someone taking out their anger on my vehicles, but I do drive a Jeep so it does have stickers on the back (off road stuff) which is common. I wonder what that makes Jeep owners then?
I could see on some mornings driving my Jeep over a few hybrids in the morning that like to coast in the left lane… ;)
The worst bumper stickers are the chrome variety that say things like Cavalier, ES350, and LeSabre. People with those bumper stickers can’t seem to drive at a normal speed.
Maybe TTAC should have a Top 10 and Bottom 10 list for reader-sighed bumper stickers. I can start with two of my favorites: “My other car is a broom” and “I may be slow but I’m ahead of you.”
Bumper stickers are for other peoples’ cars, not mine.
I don’t believe the study
Beelzebubba :
I recently saw a personalized California license plate that actually did say “PWROF3”. I decided the driver was a wiccan who was a big fan of Charmed (it was a minivan, not a Mazda 3, so no double reference there).
My favorite bumper sticker:
“Support Mental Health or I’ll Kill You”
I question the study, too. When I see a massive SUV with no passengers, then a butt gets tossed out of the window, erratic speed in the left lane, maybe a stop at the fast food drive in, and lastly some litter dumped out the window, and then two generations of W stickers on the back. They needn’t have bothered…
Geotpf :
June 18th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Beelzebubba :
I recently saw a personalized California license plate that actually did say “PWROF3″. I decided the driver was a wiccan who was a big fan of Charmed (it was a minivan, not a Mazda 3, so no double reference there).
Although my Mazda3 does have a decent amount of Zoom, Zoom, it’d probably be best to hold off on the PWROF3 tag until I can get something faster. Either the MAZDASPEED3 or a BMW 3-Series would fit the bill…that way I could at least outrun anyone making fun of it! =)
Several months ago, I saw a Dodge Ram 2500 with a quote on the back window that actually shocked me (and I’m almost impossible to shock or offend). I got a chuckle out of it but still can’t believe the owner had the guts to drive around with it-
His Dodge Ram had the Cummins Turbo Diesel engine and the lettering on the back window said- “I’d rather be CUMMIN’ than strokin’!” Obviously a reference to the Ford PowerStroke Diesel and a double entendre if there ever was one.
I wonder of those “I support/contributed to the Sheriff’s whatever” stickers really make any difference when you are pulled over. I would think that a cop might see it think to himself “This bozo thinks he has a get-out-jail-free card”.
There is also the very practical sticker “Officer. If this car is being driven past 1am, feel free to pull it over”. The idea being that if you car is stolen, the sticker give the police permission to pull it over in the wee hours without probable cause.
I’ve only had two stickers on any of my vehicles (both on my first vehicle, a 1988.5 Suzuki Samurai):
“Miskatonic University Alumni Association” and a small sticker with the beret flash and unit crest of my old unit.
That being said, one window sticker in the “Karmic Payback”* category I’d like to see someday would be one with the Ford, Chevy and Dodge Ram logos all urinating on Calvin….
*Or would that be “Trukmic Payback”?
Just a TTAC bumper sticker on my rear hatch; used to have a couple of left leaning stickers on my last car.
1. The study is nuts. I don’t want to attract any undue attention to my car, given the nuts out there. But, I sure start heading toward road rage when idiot morons do stupid things that could potentially harm me and/or my vehicle.
2. One of the best stickers I’ve ever seen was one on an absolutely derelict car parked out in the street:
“My other car is a piece of shit, too.”
2. Otherwise, one of the best things I’ve seen was one of those “at the top of the windshield” strips that read:
“NO INSURANCE.”
I love it! “Get out of my way!!”
That’s an old one, Beelzebubba! I did see a new-to-me sticker across the back window of a lifted redneck truck recently. I found it amusing: “Lift your truck, fat chicks can’t jump.”
In high school, my friend’s mother decided to cover all her rust spots in the back by pasting a bunch of “Hugs not Drugs” bumper stickers all over. I’m pretty sure the rust spots looked better.
Another friend bought an old beater Volvo that had a Darwin fish and a couple of amusing bumper stickers on the back, one of which said, “Jesus Please Protect Me from Your Followers”. She just left them on and somebody spray-painted some pro-Christianity comment on the side of the car one night, confirming the validity of the message on the bumper sticker.
I would never deface my car with a bumper sticker, but I often find them amusing. I wouldn’t engage in any road games with them in my own car because it’s obvious they care less about the condition of their personal property than I.
I have no stickers but when I see the few Bush/Cheney ’04 campaign stickers still on some fools’ vehicles I feel like ramming them. Does that count as road rage?
Personally, no statement- be it political, rhetorical, or sarcastic – is worth defacing the bumper of my vehicle; I love my cars too much to shame them that way.
That being said, a few weeks ago I saw a bumper sticker that simply said “Eschew Obfuscation”. I love it.
I actually have traditionally had a bumper sticker on my car, advertising the Libertarian party. Lately, I’ve had a Ron Paul 2008 bumper sticker on both cars. On the Suburban, it neatly covers up the MikeCarlsonMotorCompany sticker. I need to rotate my bumper sticker again, replacing it with the Libertarian party ones.
To me, the fact that the LP gets so little press means advertising by any means possible is necessary. However, advertising either the Democrat or the Republican seems silly because *everybody* already knows who is running for them.
I also think it important to keep a Libertarian sticker on the back of my Suburban so people will not get the mistaken idea I’m a Republican.
The hypothesis jibes with this absolutely hilarious piece from tne NYT mag by the absolutely hilarious writer, Shalom Auslander:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/magazine/07funny_humor.t.html?scp=1&sq=shalom+auslander+subaru&st=nyt
Very funny story from the NYT Mag that supports the hypothesis:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/magazine/07funny_humor.t.html?scp=1&sq=shalom+auslander+subaru&st=nyt
my three all-time favorites are parodies of the jesus fish, jesus loves you and support the troops.
to me, it just proves that sporting a bumper sticker is quite literally the least you can do to support a cause (good or bad).
“Mean People Suck!”
The only sticker on any of cars right now is a GermanAutoParts gear “G” oval on my GTI. I want them to stay in business and keep me supplied with the good stuff for a long time.
Though I mostly push the shirts on CafePress, I occasionally design a bumper sticker as well.
My personal favorite, thought it has only ever sold three or four copies, merely says
“Discuss Complex Issues Through Bumper Stickers”
I’ve seen those “in memorium” things too and assumed that some life insurance money paid for the car and the sticker is to make sure that no friends think they were profiting (thoughtlessly, at least) at the relatives death.
The Mercury has my lifetime NRA member sticker in the driver side rear door quarter window, and my wife put a sticker in the rear window for the local non-profit Catholic radio station that she has done some work with.
There will be no political stickers on my car – in my opinion our national politics is beyond repair, so the only chance is the system collapses.
One of my few (few) bumper stickers may have gotten me out of a ticket last week. It says, “Immigration is doubling the population in your child’s lifetime.” The officer asked me about it, and made it clear he was in accord with my views.
taxman100:
If you don’t like to put political messages on your car then you should take that lifetime NRA membership sticker off.
David Holzman:
Yikes. And this is why everybody loves the police.
I have to say I rarely see bumper stickers here in the Netherlands or in Europe in general…
Don’t know why…
Probably because it’s lame.
Although the thought of having a ‘my other car is a Ferrari’ sticker on a Ferrari kind of appeals to me.
That would really say ‘in your face’ to all that mediocrity loving communists over here. Better not park it in a public place though.
@David Holzman OT
Uh no…apart from pc-ness issues I will refrain from issuing, the US currently has about 300MM citizens. Mexico has about 110MM(?)…Even if the entire population decided hey let’s go to the US, US population wouldn’t nearly be doubled by immigration. Besides that, since Mexico would be completely deserted the US could use all that land for something, like generating energy one way or the other.
As for the rest of the world, in my experience most Europeans (well, those with higher education) see the US as a place they might like to live/work a couple of years to ‘see the world’ and then usually go back again because they miss their own culture (I’ve learned US/European culture is the same, but it’s not… although I can’t judge for every single European country nor every US state of course) and or family.
As for Asians, do you really think they want to go to the US these days…Guess not.
And there are about 3 people living in Africa these days so let’s not get into that.
Anyway, if I might ask, in which state did this take place?
IH8EM
Many years ago, Massachusetts handed out tons of stickers that read “A Little Courtesty Won’t Kill You”. They were everywhere. My girlfriend and I decided that a little subtle modification was in order. We got several of them and with an X-Acto knife we modified it to read “A Little Courtesy or I’ll Kill You”. We stuck it to the bumper of her ’71 Dodge Swinger. Most of the time it was invisible. But occasionally we’d glance in our rearview mirror and catch people reacting to it. Great fun.
During the height of the Clinton scandal, I had bumper sticker on my truck which I made on my laser printer. It read “Honk if you’ve been subpoenaed by Ken Starr”.
Sadly, my sticker days are over. Anonymity is the name of the game these days.
Never been a fan of stickers, but always wanted a plate that read “timid”…. On a GT3!
(Edit: Ok, really just wanted the GT3)
Just saw this from Cicero: Nothing’s more touching than those “R.I.P.” or “In Memoriam” tributes to dead people that you sometimes see on a car’s back window. (I think they’re a factory option on Monte Carlos.) We have one for our daughter that never made it to her 18th birthday. Think about that the next time you are able to hug your kids.
It wasn’t a bumper sticker, but I saw a biker the other day the back of whose leather jacket read, “If You Can Read This, the Bitch Fell Off.”
@jj
this was a particularly liberal quarter of Massachusetts.
You are being overly literal about a bumper sticker, but currently the Pew Research Center projects that the US will grow from the current 303 million (probably a bit more) to 438 million by 2050; 82% of that growth will be due to mass immigration and children born here to immigrants. I suspect that if you are at all familiar with it, you will agree that Pew is at least neutral on this issue (this is the same umbrella organization as the Pew Hispanic Center). If you remember that “your child’s lifetime” could easily be the next 70-80 years, and that immigrant source countries including Mexico are still growing, this will probably make sense to you.
FYI in the ’90s, the US population grew by ~35 million; 3/4 of that due to mass immigration including US born children of immigrants. Worth noting: the fertility of Mexican women in Mexico is ~2.4; in the US it’s 3.1.
I once saw a Rolls Royce with a bumper sticker that said, “My other car is a Yugo.”
I want a ribbon magnet that says “Support Chinese Magnet Makers”.
I once saw a prius plastered with bumper stickers. “Your SUV sucks, my hybrid sips” and other crap along those lines. I personally hate SUVs a whole lot more than prii, but I seriously had the urge to key the crap out of that car. I just know that motherf—er is in the left lane doing 50 all day.
The best/most confusing one was:
“Who’s Monkey Ass Did You Have to Kiss To Get on My Firetruck?”
My wife (easily amused) laughed for about a month after seeing that one.
When I was growing up the family station wagon’s bumper was plastered with stickers – organizations Dad belonged to, places we’d visited, etc. It was actually kinda cool to notice a faded sticker and remember a trip we’d taken.
He used to load up on political bumper stickers during election season, but he’d always take them off immediately after the election – usually the next Saturday. Until fairly recently, that’s the way everybody was. Now you can’t go anywhere without seeing a faded Gore or Kerry or W sticker on a car. I wish people were still like my dad.
I enjoy seeing a Nixon-Lodge sticker every now and then. Or a Kennedy-Johnson.
At the Macungie (Pa.) AACA show, a very nice 1976 Pontiac Bonneville Safari station wagon (complete with 1970s woodgrain) sporting a Ford-Dole sticker has been on the showfield for a couple of years.
My favorite bumper stickers:
A “Hungry? Eat Your Import” sticker on the back bumper of…a Fiat.
A “Clean Air – Wouldn’t It be a Nice Idea?” sticker on the back of an Isuzu Stylus that left a trail of oily, blue smoke several yards behind the car.
When I moved to Manhattan years ago, I sold my ’95 Miata and got a Ford Escort for $500 as I just didn’t need a car for the most part. I put every stupid sticker ever given to me form a bar, club or a queue on the back of that thing, along with throwing every flyer, paper and handout ever given to me in the back seat and floor.
I never locked the doors, it was never stolen and never broken into. :)
BlueBrat,
People were probably afraid of it!