
If you drive an expensive car you're probably a jerk, scientists say - cratermoon
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/26/world/expensive-car-drivers-study-scli-scn-intl/index.html
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Barrin92
> _study published last month that found that men who own flashy vehicles are
> more likely to be "argumentative, stubborn, disagreeable and unempathetic."
> According to that survey of 1,892 drivers by the University of Helsinki,
> those deemed to have more disagreeable character traits were "more drawn to
> high-status cars._

I mean, this has such a long history as a stereotype that it isn't really
surprising, and I think it has probably reached a 'meta' stage a while ago
where people are avoiding 'high status' cars and actually go for
environmentally conscious cars or even avoid using cars as a means to convey
genuine status. Seeing someone in a flashy expensive sportscar these days is
almost consciously douchey.

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chmaynard
Then driving an expensive car is a sufficient but not a necessary condition
for being a jerk. Full disclosure, I'm not a scientist or logician, and I
drive a Prius. :)

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Sohcahtoa82
The Prius stereotype is camping the left lane and generally just driving slow.

I think a lot of Prius drivers see that engine power meter on the dash as a
video game to always stay in the "ECO" range and never enter the "PWR" band,
even if it means going 10 mph under the limit.

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pbuzbee
I suspect this too. I once rented a Prius, and the first thing I noticed is
how much the car focuses on its fuel economy. The car really makes you aware
of each time that you aren't driving very efficiently.

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firecall
Price should not be conflated with quality, which I think this article may be
doing in it's closing statement:

>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."

Seems to me those people may be seeking quality and build sophistication.

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Sohcahtoa82
Even the term "quality" is subjective.

I equate "quality" with long-term reliability, something BMW is known for not
having, so I wouldn't consider BMWs to be quality cars.

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klingonopera
So... the last (and only?) quality car was the DeLorean?

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DeedsMoraine
DeLoreans didn't even have short-term reliability.

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klingonopera
So I've heard... the DeLorean came to mind, because AFAIK, it's the only mass-
produced car ever(?) to have a stainless steel chassis, theoretically making
it thus immune to corrosion.

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klingonopera
Correction: "[...]and stood out for its gull-wing doors and brushed stainless-
steel outer body panels, as well as an innovative fiberglass body structure
with a steel backbone chassis."

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMC_DeLorean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMC_DeLorean)

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denkmoon
Cars as a status symbol is one of the most facile aspects of modern society.
You drive fancy tin, we get it.

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lobster45
BMW drivers never use the turn signal!

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klingonopera
It forces you to observe them longer! The elegant car! The wonderful driver!
Don't be so cheap, give them some attention!

Seriously, do these people never have the opposite situation happen to them,
where they could've driven, but didn't, because someone wasn't using their
turn signals? Doesn't this balance itself out? What is wrong with these
people, can't they reflect?

EDIT: I just realized, maybe it _does_ happen, and because of that, they'll
follow suit instead of laws. I honestly find these type of people _pathetic_.
There have most certainly been cases where lives were lost because people were
too lazy to use their turn signals. _Pathetic_ may be too nice.

