Do Not Personalize Your Vehicle - Road Rage

[waterman]

Found this interesting. People who personalize their vehicle have a tendency to have more road rage. What's everyone elses thoughts?

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9606929

[dantama]

Found this interesting. People who personalize their vehicle have a tendency to have more road rage. What's everyone elses thoughts?

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9606929

"The more markers a car has, the more aggressively the person tends to drive when provoked," Szlemko said. "Just the presence of territory markers predicts the tendency to be an aggressive driver."


I would agree, but keep in mind that there are exceptions to everything. We are only talking about a tendency here.

The more that your identity is wrapped up in your vehicle, the more that you will protect it as though it were you. The number one job of the self is to protect the self, and anything that it considers to be the self

For me, my vehicles are not part of me. I loan them out freely and ride and drive in ways that others might not. To me they are a piece of machinery.

I've know others that see it very different. I've seen Harley riders that think that their bike is made out of gold, nobody could even sit on it. If somebody tipped it over, they might protect it as if it were part of them that was hurt.

I had a brother in law with a brand new truck that cautioned me not to touch it when he took me out in the garage to see it for the first time; then he talked about how idiotic it is that people have to feel it, not just look at it. One time we were following them and had to go down a gravel road for about 1/4 mile. He stopped to make sure that there wasn't any gravel stuck in the tread that might come off and ding it.

He might be a candidate to act as though it needed protected as though it were part of him.

It seems to be a reasonable assumption that the more somebody personalizes a car with their own deeply held believes (the bumper sticker thing) the more they might take anything that intrudes on their personal space (the space around the car) as a threat to them personally.

Perhaps my own belief that cars and bikes are machinery helps explain why I don't do much by way of customizing. I've passed up purchasing cars that had custom this and that attached to them. I show my individuality by having one of the few cars that still looks stock http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

On the Lexus forum I go to, every one seems to talk about rims, custom lips, etc. I'll stand out by keeping mine stock.

Mine looks the way it left the factory. I don't need to make it mine.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/dantama/IMG_0777.jpg



It was a fun article, and a fun subject (I have a degree in Psychology, so I dig this stuff) :)
Thanks for posting it, and what do the rest of you think?

[Top Cat]

This is an area where I'm not to fanatical http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif
My cars and trucks are, as Dan says, machinery. I don't name them or put little custom stuff on them.
My bike is different. It is still a piece of machinery, but it is something I feel pride in owning. I will baby it by washing it every time I get done with a ride. I will buy stuff to make it look better and stand out from the crowd. I don't go overboard just put things on that are pleasing to me.
I don't consider myself a road rage kinda guy http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif Sure thing other idiots do piss me off but I can control my temper very well.
I don't flip people off or try to run them off the road or shoot them. http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif
What was the question again ???

[bobzinger]

I wouldn't definitely say that this isn't ever 100% of the time never true!

[gghost]

bobzinger

You may be right!

I had my worst case of rage in a long time, in our bone-stock Camry, just this last Sunday.

Some bozo passed me in a parking lot going 25 mph, just as I was turning into a space.

I had to slam on the brakes and my poor wife got bruised up (she bruises easily.)

If I'd got a better look at that bozo's plate I would have tracked him down and smacked him around good. I was steaming for the next 30 minutes as we walked around the store.

The thing is that I'm NOT a violent guy! I never have been. I haven't actually hit another human being in close to 35 years, and even then I was provoked beyond all reason.

But Sunday at Wal-Mart I was ready to kick some ass. So much so that I surprised myself.

[Top Cat]

bobzinger

You may be right!

He may be right ??? I can't even figure out what he said :-/

Cadd, the reason you got so pissed I believe is because your wife got hurt. When someone we love gets hurt by some bozo's stupidity thats what happens ;)

my cars are personalized with my kids' urine and throw up. I don't care about my cars......My bike, I'm a little more anal about but not much

...Cadd, the reason you got so pissed I believe is because your wife got hurt...

Oh, absolutely.

[flightdoc]

I identify more with Wolfman's statement. My truck sits , rotting, 8 months of the year. My bike I try to keep in good shape and clean it at least once a week. I've owned the truck since 2000 and may have cleaned it 3 times. It's just a truck. I think the bike more identifies me. I think we all have issues!! That's why we sit on a computer and talk about all this stuff!!!!!

[dantama]

I think we all have issues!! That's why we sit on a computer and talk about all this stuff!!!!!



Yup http://s2.images.proboards.com/cheesy.gif

[macmac]

In once had a customer with a brand spankin new BMW car, and he wanted me to make adjustments, but with out touching the car!

He was just a common fool with too much money, and I ran him off... I never did figure out how to adjust anything on a machine with out touching it.

So I should take the "Mafia Staff Car.. You toucha my car I breaka you face!" sticker off my bumper?? ;)

[basco]

It doesn't matter who's car I drive I wake up in the morning with road rage :( http://s2.images.proboards.com/angry.gif:(" title=">:(" border="0"/>

[Cajunrider]

Found this interesting. People who personalize their vehicle have a tendency to have more road rage. What's everyone elses thoughts?

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9606929

"The more markers a car has, the more aggressively the person tends to drive when provoked," Szlemko said. "Just the presence of territory markers predicts the tendency to be an aggressive driver."


I would agree, but keep in mind that there are exceptions to everything. We are only talking about a tendency here.

The more that your identity is wrapped up in your vehicle, the more that you will protect it as though it were you. The number one job of the self is to protect the self, and anything that it considers to be the self

For me, my vehicles are not part of me. I loan them out freely and ride and drive in ways that others might not. To me they are a piece of machinery.

I've know others that see it very different. I've seen Harley riders that think that their bike is made out of gold, nobody could even sit on it. If somebody tipped it over, they might protect it as if it were part of them that was hurt.

I had a brother in law with a brand new truck that cautioned me not to touch it when he took me out in the garage to see it for the first time; then he talked about how idiotic it is that people have to feel it, not just look at it. One time we were following them and had to go down a gravel road for about 1/4 mile. He stopped to make sure that there wasn't any gravel stuck in the tread that might come off and ding it.

He might be a candidate to act as though it needed protected as though it were part of him.

It seems to be a reasonable assumption that the more somebody personalizes a car with their own deeply held believes (the bumper sticker thing) the more they might take anything that intrudes on their personal space (the space around the car) as a threat to them personally.

Perhaps my own belief that cars and bikes are machinery helps explain why I don't do much by way of customizing. I've passed up purchasing cars that had custom this and that attached to them. I show my individuality by having one of the few cars that still looks stock http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

On the Lexus forum I go to, every one seems to talk about rims, custom lips, etc. I'll stand out by keeping mine stock.

Mine looks the way it left the factory. I don't need to make it mine.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/dantama/IMG_0777.jpg



It was a fun article, and a fun subject (I have a degree in Psychology, so I dig this stuff) :)
Thanks for posting it, and what do the rest of you think?

Hey Dan, My sister has a Phd in clinical psychology. I'm going to discuss this thread with her next time we get together. I'm anxious to hear what she has to say.

[dantama]

[quote author=dantama board=safety thread=4582 post=84589 time=1213718119]

"The more markers a car has, the more aggressively the person tends to drive when provoked," Szlemko said. "Just the presence of territory markers predicts the tendency to be an aggressive driver."




Hey Dan, My sister has a Phd in clinical psychology. I'm going to discuss this thread with her next time we get together. I'm anxious to hear what she has to say.

Report back on what she says huh. I'd be curious what her take is on all of it.

[Cajunrider]

[quote="Cajunrider ":uhz3lloh][quote author=dantama board=safety thread=4582 post=84589 time=1213718119]

"The more markers a car has, the more aggressively the person tends to drive when provoked," Szlemko said. "Just the presence of territory markers predicts the tendency to be an aggressive driver."

Will do. I should be talking to her in the next couple of weeks. She lives upstate from me.




Hey Dan, My sister has a Phd in clinical psychology. I'm going to discuss this thread with her next time we get together. I'm anxious to hear what she has to say.

Report back on what she says huh. I'd be curious what her take is on all of it. [/quote:uhz3lloh]

Hey you know what would be interesting, I just bought a personalized plate for my car three months ago. I would be interesting to see how I do. What's even more interesting is that is a MAC plate ( Motorcycle Awareness Campaign) # 152.

[unwind2]

Interesting? Only sticker had on my car was the motorcycle awareness sticker....but haven't ordered one to put one on the new car bought 2-3 months ago yet.

Oh yeah....the old car did have a parent of 'army of one' sticker on it too.

[dantama]

So this personalized vehicle thing simplified is just saying that if you divide all vehicles into two groups, the ones with a lot of personalized things that are about their personality into one group, and those who leave them plain in the other, you should find more road ragers in the group that personalizes.

That could really look like perhaps 1 in 100,000 in one group, and 1 in 500,000 in the other, and still be true. It doesn't mean that most people who personalize go nuts, just more in that group do.

That said, I had an interesting experience yesterday in light of this subject. I was pulling up to a red light. I'm in the left lane, and there will be one car in front of me when I get stopped.

The lane next to me on my right will have 3-4 cars when it gets stopped, so I'm on hyper alert for lane jumpers wanting the shorter line. Sure enough, a car starts to come over way too close in front of me. I honk my horn, it keeps coming anyway and I've swerved to the left part of the lane and hit the brakes.

As we get stopped I notice this sticker on his bumper:

"My Rottweiler can beat up your honor student"

I don't know if he was really meaning, "I value toughness over intelligence" but his driving seemed to back it up :)

It doesn't really prove anything, but I thought of this thread when it happened. :)

My Nomad is basically stock,no bling for looks. I do have spotlights so people will see me,and risers for comfort. About two weeks after I got it I was out with two friends.We are at a stoplight and the one behind me lets his hand slip off the clutch lever.His front tire hits my left saddlebag and puts a small nic and scratch in the paint that will not come out. He was very apologetic.I told him not to worry about it,it is a piece of plastic and it still works.To this day every time I see that scratch I just laugh to myself thinking how upset some of my other friends would have been. Life is too short to worry about the small things.

[audiogooroo]

So this personalized vehicle thing simplified is just saying that if you divide all vehicles into two groups, the ones with a lot of personalized things that are about their personality into one group, and those who leave them plain in the other, you should find more road ragers in the group that personalizes.

That could really look like perhaps 1 in 100,000 in one group, and 1 in 500,000 in the other, and still be true. It doesn't mean that most people who personalize go nuts, just more in that group do.

That said, I had an interesting experience yesterday in light of this subject. I was pulling up to a red light. I'm in the left lane, and there will be one car in front of me when I get stopped.

The lane next to me on my right will have 3-4 cars when it gets stopped, so I'm on hyper alert for lane jumpers wanting the shorter line. Sure enough, a car starts to come over way too close in front of me. I honk my horn, it keeps coming anyway and I've swerved to the left part of the lane and hit the brakes.

As we get stopped I notice this sticker on his bumper:

"My Rottweiler can beat up your honor student"

I don't know if he was really meaning, "I value toughness over intelligence" but his driving seemed to back it up :)

It doesn't really prove anything, but I thought of this thread when it happened. :)
No doubt Dan. Guess he never heard the term "renaissance man".
I've always felt you can be tough and intelligent.

Good for you meanstreak!! That's how I try to raise my kids...don't fret the small stuff...there's bound to be bigger stuff to worry about later!

Dan I not only get those lane jumpers every day, I get the ones that ignore you when they know you are there. I've had some old lady literally pull over into my lane when I was riding even with her front bumper. She looked right at me and did it!

I'm a very mellow guy nowadays. I just gave her a dirty look and rode away. But 30 years ago I would have followed her and cut all her tires, and probably kicked out her grille & punctured her radiator for good measure. Lord knows she deserved worse.

When somebody does that crap, it is the same as vehicular assault: a serious felony IMO. Having a "My Rottweiler can beat up your honor student" sticker and the brains of Homer Simpson is no excuse.

[dogdoc]

Nico I see you discovered krylon red paint. looking good, good doctor. :-)

[dantama]

Just a side note...........The guy that did the study was a doctoral student in Boulder and got struck by lightning on campus this week and died.

Whatever followup study he might have done won't be done now.

[blowndodge]

See.......sky rage!!!!

Ouch. What are the chances of getting hit by lightning ?

[rksaw]

I'm sorry, but I thought that "sky-rage" comment was funny!!!

I read the article to my wife and she agreed that I have a "road-rage problem". Maybe it's the American Flags, Denver Bronco Helmets, and Arizona Wildcat stickers that adorn the back window of my truck (everything's got to be symetrical--maybe another reason I like the Nomad with a balanced and symetrical look from the tail pipes to the air cleaners, etc.). Of course there is nothing on my wife's van at all. Rich