Hummer Drivers Get More Tickets. A Lot More.

[arcos]

Hummer Drivers Get More Tickets. A Lot More.

People who drive Hummers receive almost five times as many traffic tickets as the average driver, according to a new study.

Quality Planning Corp., which helps insurance companies identify risk, surveyed data from 1.7 million drivers and found the Hummer H2 and H3 are the most frequently ticketed vehicles on the road, surpassing even the 565-horsepower Mercedes CLK 63 AMG. At the other end of the spectrum, the GMC Sierra CL1500 pickup was the vehicle least likely to attract the attention of Johnny Law.

The study found those who drive the leviathans get 4.63 times as many tickets as the average driver, something the researchers attribute to the feeling of invincibility that comes from driving a rolling bank vault.

"The sense of power that Hummer drivers derive from their vehicle may be directly correlated with the number of violations they incur, or perhaps Hummer drivers, by virtue of their driving position, are less likely to notice road hazards, signs, pedestrians and other drivers," Raj Bhat, president of Quality Planning, said in a statement.

Mark S. Foster, author of "A Nation on Wheels: The Automobile Culture in America Since 1945," was even more direct, essentially calling Hummer drivers colossal jerks.

<snip>

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2009/01/hummers-can-hid.html

[aquart]

1. Good. The states need the money.

[navarth]

2. "Cited for being assholes"? n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

10. DWA. (nt)

[Idealism]

12. "Driving while being a jackass and shitting on the planet" was too long?

:rofl:

[One_Life_To_Give]

3. Same Frame? At opposite ends of spectrum

At the other end of the spectrum, the GMC Sierra CL1500 pickup was the vehicle least likely to attract the attention of Johnny Law.

I think the H2 uses the same frame as the Sierra 1500. Interesting that two vehicals so similar except for cosmetic difference are at opposite ends of the ticket spectrum. Apparently size has nothing to do with it. Except for perhaps the size of the Ego behind the wheel.

[Taverner]

4. Its because GMC Sierras are often used by Contractors

And thus a "work car" whereas Hummers are Urban Assault Vehicles. You would only need one for "work" if you were a Soldier.

[EOTE]

8. One possible reason...

The Sierra/Silverado being a pickup has a fairly unobstructed view of the road. All variations of the Hummer have a very high metal to glass ratio with those tiny and high starting windows. I think in addition to the type of person who'd purchase either vehicle, I think the construction of the H2 is also likely to be a factor. An H2 is also a good deal heavier than any 1500, especially RWD models. So they're fairly different vehicles even though they use the same chassis.

[nichomachus]

5. Are Hummer drivers worse drivers -- or is this a form of profiling?

Sort of like in the old days when out-of-state drivers in Mississippi got 10 times as many tickets as in-state drivers.

[Blue Dog Dominion]

9. Probably profiling, but they deserve for driving a Fuck-You-Mobile.

[nichomachus]

14. Not so much that

But it's probably more a case of calling attention to yourself. If you want to get away with something, try to be innocuous. Try to blend in. When you say "Hey look at me," there's a good chance someone's going to look at you. No matter how much I try to blend in with the locals when I'm traveling, I always try to look like your typical tourist when coming back home through customs.

It's like the asshole who drives around with a "fuck the police" bumper sticker. He had better plan at driving well below the speed limit, coming to complete stops at stop signs, signaling before changing lanes, etc.

Having said that -- my experience has been that a lot of Hummer drivers drive like idiots. I always just assume that they're late for their penis enlargement session.

[Blue Dog Dominion]

17. Hummers do draw attention, that is true.

I always wondered about the morons with the "Bad Cop, No Doughnut" stickers.

[salguine]

40. I don't see how it could be profiling—you can't give someone a ticket for

doing something unless they're actually doing it. More likely it's a case of more tickets for Hummer drivers because Hummers attract a specific type of person; namely Road Assholes.

[Donnachaidh]

15. all of the H2 drivers I've seen are insufferable assholes

Quite literally, bullies on the road. Glad to hear that they ARE being ticketed. How many people really NEED this sort of vehicle in an urban setting?

[surrealAmerican]

22. It could be that bad drivers are attracted to the vehicle.

The "I hit stuff so often, I need to drive the biggest thing on the road in order to survive" kind of mentality.

[NashVegas]

6. Not Surprising That It Might Be the Modern Equivalent of a Red '79 Camero

It was all about compensation then, too.

[Horse with no Name]

29. One of our school hotties drove one of those

:loveya:Fond memories.:blush:

[Chulanowa]

7. Well, there's only one reason to buy a hummer...

So you can live out your chickenshit soldierboy fantasies. They're impractical and hideous and more than a little dangerous. Thus the only reason to get one is ego.

[4 t 4]

13. They're hideous

no doubt. For all the women out there if someone picked you up in a hummer what would you do ?

[nichomachus]

16. Well, the drivers already

has a Hummer, so giving him one would be out.

Actually, I see a lot of women driving Hummers around here -- also a lot of women driving the big, honking trucks. I know one single mom who makes about 12 bucks an hour who just bought a Ford F-250, club cab 4x4 for which she has absolutely no need.

[CRF450]

19. Women over here love huge lifted trucks.

My midsize Dakota truck doesn't get that kind of attention even though its a nice vehicle but I didn't buy it for that reason, so I don't care.

[dysfunctional press]

32. a woman i know who raises horses would have to disagree strongly with you.

she has two of them, and LOVES them for pulling her trailers over the road.

[Chulanowa]

35. Does she feed her horses lard and raw sorghum or what?

Because I see the same feat accomplished with much more rational pickup trucks every damn day. Must be some fucking hefty horses.

[dysfunctional press]

48. i have no idea what she feeds them...

but she doesn't like nor want a pick-up truck.

it's her CHOICE. it's something that most americans relish having in their day-to-day lives.

[Chulanowa]

54. It's also my CHOICE to cut wind in an elevator

And then blame the woman standing next to me

Just because I relish having that choice, doesn't mean I should exercise it, and it certainly doesn't mean the people around me should congratulate me on making that decision.

If she chose to buy a hummer for a job a far more practical and much safer vehicle could do, well, good for her. It's my choice to deride her as a blithering idiot for making that choice. And I relish having that choice.

[CRF450]

56. What more practical and much safer vehicle could that be?

A hummer can do the job no better or no worse than other trucks/SUV. If the lady needs it to pull horse trailers I got no problem with that.

[dysfunctional press]

60. for her all around needs and wants, a hummer was/is the best choice for her.

besides, there are plenty of cars and trucks on the road that get worse mileage than a hummer; and in the grand scheme of things environmentally speaking the actual difference between a hummer and ANY other vehicle that's powered by an internal combustion engine is extremely marginal.

so there.

[jazzjunkysue]

11. Those things should require a permit.

You can't park them anywhere outside of Texas.

[Cirque du So-What]

18. Have you flipped off a Hummer driver today?

http://www.fuh2.com/submissions.php

I take exception with the article's characterization of these behemoths as 'rolling bank vaults,' however. The H2 is built on a Chevy Colorado pickup chassis, the H3 on a Chevy Tahoe frame.

[4 t 4]

20. I did about a week ago I

didn't flip him off but I gave the most disgusted face I could-does that count

[stuntcat]

21. they should get SHAME tickets

they give pigs a bad name

[taterguy]

25. Why is it more shameful than any other waste of gas?

The only difference is that it's obvious.

Suppose someone uses a Hybrid for trips where they could walk or bike?

You just can't immediately tell by looking that the person is "wasting" gas.

[stuntcat]

28. ..

I said what I meant. Far as I'm concerned anyone driving a Hummer IS wasting gas, no matter where they're going.

I'm proud of not driving.
I'm proud my hubband's car gets 40 miles a gallon.

Spending that much to burn a gallon of gas every ten miles IS a pure shame, of all humanity.

[taterguy]

30. So why do other forms of wasting gas get a pass?

And if they don't who gets to decide what's wasteful?

[stuntcat]

31. "other forms of wasting gas get a pass?" ??

it's ALL wasteful. How clear do you want me to be? Honestly, I'm ashamed of all Humanity, and there are degrees of piggyness, and the humans do flaunt them.

The fighting is as big a shame as anything else

[taterguy]

36. Was the last ambulance ride I took wasteful?

I guess I could have stayed on the sidewalk and bled to death but I don't think my wife and dogs would have been pleased with that outcome.

I'm not trying to be obnoxious, I just think it would be helpful to develop realistic standards about what constitutes acceptable oil usage. Our society couldn't exist without oil, but do we have to use so much?

Your profile says that you live in Arlington which is temperate, flat and bike-friendly. What should people do if they live in areas where cars are the only viable transportation option?

[stuntcat]

37. they should buy hummers and drive them with pride

you win :eyes:


I was telling my honest feeling. This is YOUR argument.. hours and hours fighting with ME over my feeling about HUMMERS? Saying I said crap I haven't said? Is this personal? what did I do to you?

[taterguy]

38. You made a comment that I disagreed with and I responded to it

It's not personal at all.

Perhaps I read some things into your post that you didn't intend but I think my interpretation of it was reasonable.

[CRF450]

42. Some of us have jobs or lifestyle that requires a gas guzzler

I guess my job is shameful too:eyes:

[taterguy]

44. Probably

[CRF450]

45. And by that logic, FedEx driver's jobs are shameful too!

Oh I'm good!

[taterguy]

46. Well of course, they're not a union shop

But that's the subject of another flame war

[CRF450]

47. No not that, those delivery trucks get 6mpg. SHAMEFUL!!

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: BTW I was a driver helper the last two Christmas seasons for UPS.

[taterguy]

58. And how many things really absolutely positively have to be there overnight

All FEDEX does is facilitate poor planning and discourage patience.

[stuntcat]

49. I'm not the one who started saying I said that shit

honestly, the whole way us humans have to operate to trash the earth is a shame.
It is not YOUR fault and that is not what I said.
Conspicuous consumption IS a shame, assholes driving Hummers back and forth for groceries is just DUMB. That was my point and I feel it still.
Take what I said and run, why don't you? This fighty kind of bullshit is how I lost faith in your species, thanks for demonstrating it over and over and effing over.

Any minute now you guys are gonna change my mind about HUMMERS, really.. carry on with your weekend long fight.

[Touchdown]

52. So says someone with access to the DC Metro.

"Just ride the subway in Montana.":eyes:

[taterguy]

57. Well you did say " it's ALL wasteful"

Seemed fairly clear to me.

[stuntcat]

59. Gosh, I've been found out

My disrespect of suburban assault vehicles and my pretend fear of what our consumptive way of life does to our future were just clever disguises for my contempt of drivers of service and delivery vehicles.
And PLEASE don't tell anyone about my disregard of AMBULANCES.. if the team who pried me out from under a transfer truck in '99 found out how I really felt they'd find me and undo what they did to save my life.

I've pretended for years to be hurt by the mass-extinction and the dying oceans.. but now my ploy has failed :cry:

I would say something about the difference between the fatcat auto makers and the workers and citizens who don't get to run their companies for them but the point would be lost I suppose..

A Funny Sunday comic today :)

[stuntcat]

50. ..................degrees of piggyness................. difficult to understand

can you guys not understand the difference between ambulance drivers and lazy fat gas-guzzlers using an all terrain vehicle to go fricking shopping?

nevermind, I know the answer to that.. if you feel like fighting me for days will prove something go ahead.

[CRF450]

51. Many with a job supporting gas guzzler cant afford a second car for gas savings

Think about that.

[stuntcat]

33. NOWHERE have I EVER said ANY waste (even use) of energy gets a pass

just for MY records..

[stuntcat]

39. (conspicuous consumption IS a shame)

a shame on our whole goddamn species. it's a fucking fact, look it the fuck up.

\I will NOT be fucking BULLIED into never telling how I fucking feel about that.

DU makes ME ashamed to be a democrat sometimes.

[Ignis]

23. Ooh, a Hummer thread!

That means I get to break out this old favorite:

[tabbycat31]

24. ha, I love it :-)

[Canuckistanian]

43. I love that 'toon

Just saved it into my "archives". Thanks for posting.

[Stevenmarc]

26. It's always the guys with

certain shortcomings that have something to prove.

[flvegan]

27. A radar gun can probably pick up a battleship easier than a jet ski.

Also, is the data proportionate? I mean, there are a lot of H2s out there, but not altogether THAT many $100,000 Mercedes AMGs out there.

[jmowreader]

34. It's a cop magnet

Every car makes a statement; the statement a Hummer makes is "Officer, the driver of this vehicle can afford to pay a traffic ticket." So the cops pull them over more frequently.

Oh, and Hummer drivers are more likely to be assholes than the drivers of many other popular makes. That helps too.

[B o d i]

41. Ha! Ha!

[Maru Kitteh]

53. Good.

[BlooInBloo]

55. Man - tickets AND small penises. I don't envy them.