You may have already felt this, and now "science" has confirmed it...
#1
genec
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 27,079
Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2
Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13658 Post(s)
Liked 4,532 Times
in
3,158 Posts
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.
Likes For genec:
#2
Half way there
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,955
Bikes: Many, and the list changes frequently
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 985 Post(s)
Liked 879 Times
in
526 Posts
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.
Likes For Moe Zhoost:
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Toronto, CANADA
Posts: 6,198
Bikes: ...a few.
Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2009 Post(s)
Liked 405 Times
in
231 Posts
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
Quidam Bike Super Hero
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Stone Mountain, GA (Metro Atlanta, East)
Posts: 1,150
Bikes: 1995 Trek 800 Sport, aka, "CamelTrek"
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 331 Post(s)
Liked 415 Times
in
282 Posts
As predicted by J. Rosenberg in 2011: https://amultiverse.com/comic/2011/10/24/eat-the-rich/
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 1,944
Bikes: 1996 Trek 970 ZX Single Track 2x11
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 610 Post(s)
Liked 558 Times
in
423 Posts
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
Senior Member
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.
Likes For Daniel4:
#8
What happened?
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Around here somewhere
Posts: 8,050
Bikes: 3 Rollfasts, 3 Schwinns, a Shelby and a Higgins Flightliner in a pear tree!
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1835 Post(s)
Liked 292 Times
in
255 Posts
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.
__________________
I don't know nothing, and I memorized it in school and got this here paper I'm proud of to show it.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bristol, R. I.
Posts: 4,340
Bikes: Specialized Secteur, old Peugeot
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 663 Post(s)
Liked 496 Times
in
299 Posts
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.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Maine, USA
Posts: 1,612
Bikes: Corvid Sojourner, Surly Ice Cream Truck, Co-Motion Divide, Co-Motion Java Tandem, Salsa Warbird, Salsa Beargrease, Carver Tandem
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 533 Post(s)
Liked 435 Times
in
227 Posts
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
• —
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Land of Pleasant Living
Posts: 12,151
Bikes: Shmikes
Mentioned: 58 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10101 Post(s)
Liked 5,781 Times
in
3,111 Posts
Science only deals in probabilities of truth. Now, if religion had confirmed it you could take it to the bank.
#12
Full Member
You left out BMW 3 Series drivers.
Likes For MNebiker:
#13
I'm the anecdote.
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: S.E. Texas
Posts: 1,823
Bikes: '12 Schwinn, '13 Norco
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1110 Post(s)
Liked 1,176 Times
in
795 Posts
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.
Likes For Juan Foote:
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: LF, APMAT
Posts: 2,752
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 623 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 395 Times
in
225 Posts
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.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,520
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5218 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times
in
2,331 Posts
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
Full Member
#18
Senior Member
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.
Likes For Daniel4:
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,893
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1062 Post(s)
Liked 665 Times
in
421 Posts
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
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 27,079
Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2
Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13658 Post(s)
Liked 4,532 Times
in
3,158 Posts
There has been an increase in ped deaths, but that is being blamed on users staring at phones vice being hit by aggressive drivers.
Likes For genec:
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Oahu, HI
Posts: 1,396
Bikes: 89 Paramount OS 84 Fuji Touring Series III New! 2013 Focus Izalco Ergoride
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 285 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 74 Times
in
54 Posts
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.
.
scott s.
.
#24
Senior Member
It's impossible to separate data from confirmation bias, but pickup trucks always seem to be in the biggest hurry in my experience.