How often do you see cars with bumper stickers? I see one at least once a day, sometimes more. Some of them are pretty clever. Others are fairly lame. But regardless of what the bumper sticker says, those drivers have one thing in common: They tend to be more aggressive.
A social psychologist at Colorado State University conducted a study involving drivers with bumper stickers and drivers without bumper stickers. The study also included drivers who have vanity plates, decals and other markers on their car.
The researcher found that drivers with any type of marking on their car showed more aggressive driving behaviors than drivers without markers. They exhibited several types of road rage, including tailgating, honking and "flipping the bird." One surprising finding was that it didn’t matter what type of marking the driver had because they all showed these types of behaviors. A person with a "My son was an honor student" bumper sticker showed just as aggressive driving behaviors as a truck driver with a Confederate flag sticker.
The social psychologist concluded that these behaviors are linked to evolutionary reactions. We tend to look at cars as our private space within a public territory. People who have aggressive tendencies are more likely to "mark their territory" with stickers and decals, explaining the reason why these drivers tend to be meaner behind the wheel.
Do you want to be viewed as an aggressive driver or do you want to hide those tendencies from other drivers? Either way, you can do whatever you want when you purchase a new or used car from your local Pontiac dealer . Cover your car in political stickers or keep it sticker-less. The choice is yours. Just keep your anger under control so we can all enjoy the streets and highways together.
