Poll ranks BMW drivers as "biggest jerks" and a UC Berkley study confirms it

[KurtNYC]

The poll we included in the article was inspired by the news that “BMW drivers were the worst” at stopping for pedestrians at crosswalks, according to research carried out by Paul K. Piff of the University of California, Berkeley.

(see study method and results below)

http://www.carthrottle.com/a-massive-41-of-us-think-that-bmw-drivers-are-the-biggest-jerks/

For the first habit, researchers observed a crosswalk. When a car approached the crosswalk, a person stepped into the road, and researchers recorded how drivers reacted. (California state law says a driver must stop if a pedestrian is in a crosswalk.)

For the second part, researchers watched a four-way intersection, and recorded how likely cars were to cut in front of others when it was not their turn. At both posts, researchers gave the cars number values, with older-looking, scuffed-up cars getting a "1," and newer, luxury cars getting a "5."

They found that drivers with newer luxury vehicles were more likely to both ignore pedestrians and cut ahead in the four-way rotation.

http://theweek.com/article/index/248281/its-not-your-imagination-bmw-drivers-are-the-biggest-jerks

Other data showed the most likely road ragers were "men, age 35-50, with blue BMWs."

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Cool! Chrysler Isn't Listed!

My wife drives a PT Cruiser and i drive a Sebring convertible.

At least we're not giving Chrysler drivers a bad name. Of course, we don't live in California either.

[nykym]

2. My casual observation

from my daily commute in NY (roughly 100m/day)
People who display sports teams decals also tend to drive faster and more aggressively.
It seems the larger the decal the worse they drive.

[KurtNYC]

6. Yes. Also the ones with stickers of the pissing Calvin. n/t

[sweetapogee]

3. surprised

to see KIA is not on the list. That is where my vote goes. But I'm not in CA.

[snooper2]

4. cool, a thread where we get to stereotype cars and drivers!

If you are 5 foot tall and driving an Expedition you are a hazard to anyone around you-


If you can't drift your car in snow you shouldn't have a license-

If you can't side step the clutch on a 1998 5.0 Rustang without killing it you aren't allowed to drive a stick-

If you have your hands at 10 and 2 all the time when driving you have very limited driving abilities-

If you have your wipers on full blast when it is sprinkling outside you probably shouldn't be on the road-


Should I keep going

[Logical]

5. And if you ever eat <insert restaurant here> it is low grade dog food! nt

[jberryhill]

7. I thought 10 and 2 was no longer recommended

Due to the way arms get thrown back by the airbag, I had been told 9 and 3 was the new 10 and 2.

[snooper2]

8. I wouldn't know, I drive with my left pointer finger or my right knee

Of course, I have advanced driving capabilities


Every time we get an ice storm in DFW the only two people who come into work are the facilities manager and myself. He gets to play in the back parking lot and I get the front

[jberryhill]

18. Hold my beer and watch this!

[snooper2]

19. Did that when I was 17 in a 1974 Ford Maverick

Rolled that fucker LOL...

We rolled it back over, slapped some oil in it and good to go! Well, except for the broken motor mount but you can fix that with a scissors jack

[wandy]

12. Driving around a supermarket parking lot in a Cadillac Escalade looking for.......

a parking space while yakking on a cellphone with a poodle in you're lap and said poodle half hung out the driver side window.

You can't make stuff like that up.

[bullwinkle428]

9. Study must have been in Australia - Holden gets 2%.

Holden is GM's Australian division, and is not sold outside of Australia/New Zealand, I believe.

[wandy]

14. Possibly well deserved............

Gotta love the little critter........

6.0L Generation IV Alloy V8 with Active Fuel Management (AFM)
Active Fuel Management allows the engine to operate on only four cylinders during certain light-load driving conditions, saving the fuel normally used to drive all eight cylinders. The engine's efficiency also optimises emissions and performance.

Availability SS, SS V-Series, SS V-Series Redline
Power 260kW @ 5600RPM*
Torque 517Nm @ 4400RPM*
Transmissions 6-speed automatic transmission
with Active Select
http://www.holden.com.au/cars/ute

Fahrvergnugen : The joy of watching you're taillights pass you on a wet road.

[dawg]

10. Honda at #3?

Ford ahead of Porche?

They must be high.

[stranger81]

20. I'm guessing Honda made it because of Prius drivers,

who in my neck of the woods, at least, habitually drive as if trying to start their own impromptu funeral processions. Show me a Prius driver willing to crack 20 mph on a city street or 50 mph on the freeway, and I'll show you my jackalope.

[dawg]

11. And Lexus not even listed.

Tsk tsk tsk.

[Lizzie Poppet]

13. In my neighborhood in Portland...

In my kinda posh neighborhood in Portland, I see plenty of aggressively assholish driving, and yeah...it sure seems like BMW jockeys are over-represented in the asshole column. Of course, it also seems like BMWs are the most common brand in this neighborhood, after the ubiquitous-in-Portland Subarus. Portland has a rep for drivers who are so courteous that they can almost be passive-aggressive about it, but some of these folks seem to go out of their way to defy that stereotype. As an avid cyclist, these people are my avowed enemies...but they certainly keep me on my toes.

Interestingly, in the parking lot of the local grocer (which can resemble a combined BMW/Audi/Mercedes dealership sometimes), it's the owners of genuine exotics (Ferraris, Bentleys, etc.) that are the friendliest and most courteous. Had a great chin-wag with a couple while we leaned against our respective rides: their Aston Martin and my humble little Fiat!

[KamaAina]

15. The biggest jerk I ever knew drove a Mercedes

He said that BMW was backwards for "Wanted Mercedes-Benz".

[PasadenaTrudy]

16. This rings true

here in L.A., in the SGV at least, Beemer and Audi drivers are the most obnoxious. It's almost always a young guy in business garb. Down in the O.C., the exotics rule - - Maseratis, Ferraris. Same with west L.A. We have a ton of Range Rovers around here too. They seem like tail gaters.

[flamingdem]

17. This is a dangerous stereotype to push

it gives people a reason to behave like assholes towards BMW drivers.

Plenty of drivers are more dangerous in SUVs and can kill people with those huge vehicles.

[Initech]

21. Outta my way jerk ass!!!!

/Homer Simpson