Bumper stickers can be a fun way to personalize a car and show support to various people, places and things, but they can actually become a hindrance.
The other day I was driving on the freeway and a driver cut me off. He had a bumper sticker of an organization and I immediately connected his poor driving to the organization. His erratic driving style suddenly made sense.
In life and on freeways, we come across people who come from unimaginable places. Bumper stickers immediately give us an impression that may not be accurate.
Some may have bumper stickers endorsing certain movements of love when their driving habits show signs of anger and selfishness. This may cause other drivers to build up an impression of the organization that is false.
Others may see certain bumper stickers, especially in light of the upcoming presidential campaign, and express personal emotions regarding the candidates through their driving.
Organizations represented through bumper stickers are guilty by association with drivers and drivers are guilty by association with bumper stickers of organizations.
Is it fair to be treated differently on the road based on what adhesive words and images are on the back of the car? I do not believe so. But it would be much easier to remove bumper stickers altogether, equalizing everyone.
I do not have bumper stickers. I would rather my driving be associated with myself alone rather than with an organization that never asked me to represent it through my car or my driving skills.
I send a word of caution to those who use bumper stickers. You have now submitted yourself to be a part of something much bigger than yourself.
