We know we stereotype those within our community. Discrimination and judgement are things that happen when more than two human beings get together. Not to say that such behaviour is acceptable but rather we’re just commenting on the fact.
We’re not offering solutions on how to remove racism, sexism or other forms of discrimination from our society. In fact we are offering the opposite. In a world where the media loves to lather on the doom and gloom we have discovered another form of prejudice that has existed under our very noses for years.
Call it what you will but no matter what the car you own and drive, you are judged in some way for it.
Park your TCR10 Tarago anywhere in Dee Why and it’s assumed you are of Islander origin and you are taking your fleet of teenage front rowers to football training. Drive any two door Hyundai and we all assume you’re a female Uni student and that you’re about to change lanes without indicating at any moment. We all avoid Volvos in traffic. Why is that?, Thanks to the “Avalon Now” You-tube sensation we now associate Land Rovers with wealthy housewives. And any Mazda MX5 parked at any shopping centre anywhere is assumed to be owned by someone employed at the local hair salon.
These examples are the more obvious stereotypes but there are assumptions people make about you no matter the car you drive.
A study carried out by car throttle.com over two years ago interviewed 7440 people in the USA. The study asked the participants who they thought were the biggest jerks behind the wheel. The study asked them to only consider the car driven and not other factors such as sex, occupation or age. A massive 41% of people said BMW drivers were the biggest jerks. The next closest category was Audi with 13%. Below that all other makes of car landed 10% or less.
Is this a definitive stud
y on who is likely to behave poorly behind the wheel of a car? Of course not. This study did little to show who the worst drivers were as it took no other factors into consideration aside from what kind of car you drove. What this study does reveal is that 54% of people are prejudice towards European car owners. Why?
Granted I’m no psychologist and there is undoubtably more to this, but I believe the primary motive behind this is jealousy. Given our human nature jealousy is the cause of a huge amount of societies problems. We should hardly be surprised that one of God’s ten specific instructions to his people was “Thou shalt not covet” and if you don’t believe in the Almighty you still have to admit that the root of most of societies problems come from wanting something we can’t have.
BMW owners and Audi owners alike are hated by the people of the USA more than other makes. I suspect if this study was made in Australia Mercedes Benz, Lexus and VW would not be far behind. These makes are made and marketed to the corporate professionals, the primary target market for these cars are the high earners, the successful people who can afford the badge on the front. Are these cars mechanically better than the competition? Some argue yes but if so its marginal. A Honda can be just as reliable as an Audi. So I argue the expensive price tag is the badge on the grill and 54% of people are not jealous of the badge but rather jealous of those who can afford the price tag that goes with it.
If Moses walked the earth today and was given the Ten Commandments in the 21 century I’m sure commandment number ten would read “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours BMW”
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