Cars Conversing

Last month we learned that Arizona voters will have yet another chance to vote on the definition of marriage (aka the “gay marriage ban” proposition).   Just like we did in fall of 2006, and the ban failed.  Wonder what will happen this time?

This brief post on a funny incident in Massachusetts – where gay marriage is legal – makes a great point. 

Go ahead, admit it.

You’ve always secretly suspected that there was a correlation between bumper stickers and road rage, yes?  

Well, you may be right.

As reported at the Research Digest Blog of the British Psychological Society earlier this week:   

Drivers with more stickers and other forms of personalisation tended to be more attached to their cars, confirming the researchers’ suspicion that vehicular adornment is a sign of territoriality. Crucially, drivers with more personalised cars also admitted to driving more aggressively, including tailgating and ramming. Sticker lovers also admitted that they were less likely to respond constructively to frustration on the road, for example by trying to drive more safely. Perhaps surprisingly, the content of stickers made no difference to these associations.

Of course, many questions have been raised about the details of this study…how they gathered data, how they define the “attachment” in their conclusion, and lastly, how they even received a grant to study this topic. 

All good questions, but I’m still not chancing it.  Starting today, no more ramming those cars that brag “My Kid Was Student of the Month”.  You never know what could happen.

Do not watch this video!!

Unless, of course, you can make at least one of the following statements:

1. I want to be bored to tears for the first 3 minutes, watching a sports car make its grand entrance (inch-by-inch) to the vanity plate auction in the United Arab Emirates.
2. I’d love to listen to a lot of arabic hollering and shouting, along with loud background music that inexplicably sounds like it came from Riverdance.
3. I can’t wait to see the winner (along with his young & impressionable son) hold up the prestigious plate that displays a single numeral….that plate is definitely worth fourteen million dollars!
4. I’m confident that I can watch this video without getting angry about the eighty bucks I just put in my gas tank.  Again.

 You can read the full story at WallStreetJournal.com.  I especially enjoyed this quote from the article:

“Everyone has a nice watch, a nice car,” says Abdullah Al-Mannaei, organizer of the city government’s monthly auction of desirable numbers. “It’s not enough to just have a Ferrari anymore.”

You know, I was just thinking that last night.

Found a great article about this combo of bumper stickers over at the satirical Naked Loon.   You don’t have to be familiar with the Puget Sound area to appreciate their humor.

Last week the NewsObserver reported that there are nearly 10,000 drivers in North Carolina who have “WTF” on their license plates. 

And their DMV just now figured it out, thanks to the grandchildren of the teacher who filed a complaint.   Stupid grandchildren….I’m sure that the taxpayers of North Carolina (who will foot the bill for the “free” replacements) appreciate your efforts.

Thanks to Geekologie.com for the pic.

Gary Cooper is furious and nearly maniacal over high gas prices….watch this video of Gary at DailyPress.com and you can just hear the rage in his voice.

I hope he regains his composure soon.