You may have already felt this, and now "science" has confirmed it...
#1
genec
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You may have already felt this, and now "science" has confirmed it...
If you drive an expensive car you're probably a jerk, scientists say
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.
But the best predictor of whether a car would stop was its cost, researchers discovered. "Disengagement and a lower ability to interpret thoughts and feelings of others along with feelings of entitlement and narcissism may lead to a lack of empathy for pedestrians" among costly car owners, they theorized in the study.
They came to this conclusion after asking volunteers to cross a sidewalk hundreds of times, filming and analyzing the responses by car drivers.
But the best predictor of whether a car would stop was its cost, researchers discovered. "Disengagement and a lower ability to interpret thoughts and feelings of others along with feelings of entitlement and narcissism may lead to a lack of empathy for pedestrians" among costly car owners, they theorized in the study.
No doubt the entitlement felt by these expensive car drivers is displayed toward "other road users" too... IE, cyclists.
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More dubious headlines from the media seeking to sensationalize a very limited academic study. Behaviour of drivers at 2 crosswalks in low income neighborhoods in Las Vegas doesn't confirm squat, even though the researchers spent a "lot" of time (4 hours) monitoring.
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My own experience tells me that drivers of pick-up trucks, especially white ones, school buses, transit buses, Mazda 3's and 6's, Hyundai Sonatas, VW Golf TDI's, and pre-2000 Toyota Corollas are the worst drivers. My sample size is well into the 1000's, so, you know.
#4
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As predicted by J. Rosenberg in 2011: https://amultiverse.com/comic/2011/10/24/eat-the-rich/
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Wouldn't surprise me, in the least, to find that there's a strong correlation between wealth and a sense of entitlement (in terms of expecting to get what one wants in situations).
Can't say that I've witnessed nuttier driving behavior on public roads from drivers of expensive vehicles. Have probably had a greater number of wonky drivers misbehaving around me in vehicles they seemingly were less concerned about, if I were to guess based on my experiences.
Lovely headline to the article, though. It'll garner a lot more "eyes" that way. Irrespective of the legitimacy of any conclusions reached in the "research."
Can't say that I've witnessed nuttier driving behavior on public roads from drivers of expensive vehicles. Have probably had a greater number of wonky drivers misbehaving around me in vehicles they seemingly were less concerned about, if I were to guess based on my experiences.
Lovely headline to the article, though. It'll garner a lot more "eyes" that way. Irrespective of the legitimacy of any conclusions reached in the "research."
#7
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You'd think that if you drive an expensive car, you'd drive more carefully so as to avoid any kind of damage especially from collisions. I guess if the owners think they're rich, then they can afford the ever increasing insurance premiums, repairs costs and traffic fines.
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I think that if you spent that much money on a car you probably have the right and don't want the car messed up, outrun etc.
And I've said this before, possibly on this site. Or some other site. But I'm citing a site.
And I've said this before, possibly on this site. Or some other site. But I'm citing a site.
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It is no surprise that some of the people who drive expensive cars would feel entitled or lack compassion. What I really want to know is why, after over 5000 years of human recorded history, there are people who believe Earth is flat. Now there is something worth knowing.
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I love it when subject line says science confirmed something and then it links to an article what starts with subject line saying that it is "probably" true :-)
#11
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Science only deals in probabilities of truth. Now, if religion had confirmed it you could take it to the bank.
#12
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You left out BMW 3 Series drivers.
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If someone took a poll and put it in General Cycling, I'd bet a high percentage of BF members drive "expensive" vehicles.
BTW, I drive a common low end car and I'm a jerk . . . to inattentive and dangerous drivers.
BTW, I drive a common low end car and I'm a jerk . . . to inattentive and dangerous drivers.
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The study looks like it only dealt with pedestrian/vehicle interactions. There is a whole other dynamic going on with bikes/vehicles. Sharing (or not sharing) the same space causes more friction. I have found hostile, selfish and bad drivers come from all income levels while cycling.
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one doesn’t have to drive an expensive car to be a you-know-what & riding a bike doesn’t mean one is immune from being one
the most egregious driver I ever encountered was in a Prius. I think he was pissed I was using less gas than him
the most egregious driver I ever encountered was in a Prius. I think he was pissed I was using less gas than him
Last edited by rumrunn6; 02-29-20 at 09:54 AM.
#17
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#18
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Let's just make a clarification. The studies don't say that only jerks drive expensive cars or that jerks drive only expensive cars. The studies indicate the driver is more likely to be a jerk than drivers in less expensive cars. Meaning that drivers of less expensive cars can be jerks too but the likelihood is not as bad.
Last edited by Daniel4; 02-29-20 at 01:09 PM.
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If this is true, it should be reflected in crash statistics and liability insurance costs, for which there should be extensive data. That would produce a lot more believable result than some observational study.
#21
genec
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There has been an increase in ped deaths, but that is being blamed on users staring at phones vice being hit by aggressive drivers.
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Pretty poor "research". They extrapolate from who stopped for a pedestrian (not stated where in the cross walk they were) into motives for not stopping. Then, they have no definition of "expensive" car, but in the discussion a different study apparently found the problem was "flashy" cars. I don't know how they determined the cost of all the vehicles they saw.
scott s.
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scott s.
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#24
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It's impossible to separate data from confirmation bias, but pickup trucks always seem to be in the biggest hurry in my experience.