Interesting Study on car-value-to-jerkish-behavior

[easysurfer]

The science is looking pretty unanimous on this one: Drivers of expensive cars are the worst.

A new study has found that drivers of flashy vehicles are less likely to stop and allow pedestrians to cross the road -- with the likelihood they'll slow down decreasing by 3% for every extra $1,000 that their vehicle is worth.

Researchers from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas speculated that the expensive car owners "felt a sense of superiority over other road users" and were less able to empathize with lowly sidewalk-dwellers.
They came to this conclusion after asking volunteers to cross a sidewalk hundreds of times, filming and analyzing the responses by car drivers.

And the discovery of a car-value-to-jerkish-behavior correlation isn't new; the research, published in the Journal of Transport and Health, backed up a Finnish study published last month that found that men who own flashy vehicles are more likely to be "argumentative, stubborn, disagreeable and unempathetic."

His study cited previous research that indicated drivers behind the wheel of a costly vehicle are more likely to flout traffic regulations or drive recklessly.

But he also found people with "conscientious" characters seek out pricey models, too.
"People with this type of personality are, as a rule, respectable, ambitious, reliable and well-organised," the statement said. "They take care of themselves and their health and often perform well at work."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/26/world/expensive-car-drivers-study-scli-scn-intl/index.html

Now when I get cut off in traffic, I'll be looking at how nice the car is to test this study .

 

[Nemo2]

Now when I get cut off in traffic, I'll be looking at how nice the car is to test this study .

Also..somewhat related, I recall, circa 1967, my then boss had leased one of the huge new T-Birds and let me drive it while he was on vacation.

At intersections no-one would let me merge into traffic.

When he returned, and I was back to driving my big, and old, Pontiac I just pulled out and they all stopped.

 

[unclemick]

Hmmm - circa the early 70's - Denver I owned a 67 2+2 red XKE coupe, a 4 door 61 pontiac sedan, and spotty primer/red-ish 1954 Chevy Suburban no window panel.

The differences from pedestrians, other drivers AND the police would fill a book.



heh heh heh - Study? Study?

 

[Lsbcal]

So what happens if I buy a new Honda CRV? Our old Toyota 2002 is kind of dated.

 

[Amethyst]

There's another type...In my 20's, I dated a man who was kind, empathetic, generally frugal, a good driver, but impulsive. He would save like crazy, only to blow it all on the latest gadget, or a gift. One day he showed up at my door with a brand-new sports car, and not a cheap muscle car, either. He said he'd walked into the dealership, looking for a regular car, and it just called to him. It probably cost half as much as his house did.