Why is Reckless Speed Promoted in Nearly All Auto Ads?

http://www.cartalk.com/content/rant-and-rave-163



http://driversdonttext.com/Irresponsible_Ads.aspx



http://www.carthrottle.com/post/this-is-the-best-anti-speeding-adve...



By Tom Magliozzi


Think about automotive ads on tv. Nearly all of them show (stunt) drivers traveling at outrageous speeds, with the simple caveat (in small print) professional driver on closed track. Do not attempt !

Why are horsepower and speed so important to sell cars/Suvs? Are horsepower and speed innately desirable, or are they powerful because constant advertising makes them desirable?

Many years ago. People actually drove safely and politely. Today you'd be hard pressed to describe drivers as sane or polite. Have we all just become insane and impolite? I don't think so. The auto companies have been a major influence in shaping "what we have become." Through the products they have made and the methods by which they have advertised those products. They have done us a grievous disservice. How, with horsepower and speed.

It's time for reckless car ads to show, "this is stupid driving!" across the middle of the ad in bold letters! The mindset that these ads are amusing and entertaining is indicative of the obstacles to universally responsible driving behavior.

Reckless car ads are an irresponsible enticement to dangerous driving in everyday traffic. Buy this vehicle, drive like this, and you, too, will be cool, popular, sophisticated, and desirable.

Because cars/Suv's and bicycles share the road, this IS bicycle related.

A civil discussion on topics and issues is more productive than lashing out at people you disagree with.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on March 15, 2015 at 4:49am
Even in one of the 'cutesy Jan' Toyota ads has her donning her driving gloves and screaming out as she burns rubber on a ride. I'm 'sure' every driver is itching to do that in the am/pm rush hour/stop and go traffic.
Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on March 15, 2015 at 6:31am
To give you something else which is non-cycling related to obsess about?
Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on March 15, 2015 at 8:57am
Because cars/Suv's share the road with cyclists, their behavior and their affective influences ARE cycling related and something to BE concerned about.
Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on March 16, 2015 at 7:44am

It is too late now that car designs are becoming more aggressive.

Permalink Reply by David Barish on March 16, 2015 at 8:49am

They want to show how  the product can do things regular folks do not  need. Few jeeps climb up rocks but every jeep dealer shows you their jeep climbing a rock. Most SUV's are shown somewhere in the rocky mountains. Trucks are shown pulling huge loads.  The same goes for comfort, safety and luxury features. SNL lampooned the overselling  of such features years ago in one of my favorite sketches. http://www.hulu.com/watch/2323

Permalink Reply by Rich S on March 16, 2015 at 9:21am

Oh wow I forgot to set my Monday reminder about the grand opening of this discussion. Good thing I checked the chainlink!

Road Runner cartoons have a lot of reckless stuff. Lots of stuff on TV is reckless. But I would say that a professional driver on a closed course is exactly the opposite of reckless. It's saying if you want to drive like this then take your car to a track or some other closed course. We're not doing it on the street so you shouldn't either. I understand the perspective that this encourages aggressive driving but it might also encourage someone to try performance driving in a safer environment like a closed course. 

Think of it another way ... turn on the Tour de France and check out the bike commercials. You'll see ads showing people riding bikes hard and aggressively in various places but almost certainly not a crowded rush hour street. So does that mean those bicycle manufacturers are encouraging city riders to ride aggressively in city rush hour traffic? Applying the logic of aggressive driving on a closed course encourages aggressive driving on the streets would say the answer to that question is yes ... 

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on March 16, 2015 at 9:27am

Well said.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on March 16, 2015 at 9:48am

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on March 16, 2015 at 10:00am
We are not beaten over the head during commercial breaks with fast bike ads like we are every 10 minutes with 'cutesy Jan' burning rubber in her Toyota over and over ! Geeesh !

Welcome to the 'Grand Opening' sellabration Chainlinkers !
Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on March 16, 2015 at 10:06am

Tom, I wonder if this is truly a root cause of issues with cars? I don't think there is a direct correlation with those commercials and my experiences with cars on the street. I noticed Fridays seemed to be my worst day dealing with cars. I'm guessing because of the desire to start their weekend or get somewhere. 

I've also noticed dangerous behavior resulting in phone/text usage. Or not checking to the right or left before moving over/opening a door. I guess my point is that commercials are less likely to cause reckless driving than other factors - factors of being a generally distracted driver. 

Permalink Reply by Rich S on March 16, 2015 at 10:09am

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on March 16, 2015 at 10:41am
If you promote speed and horsepower to sell a car to a customer and he/she is sold on that selling point he/she is gonna wanna act on that instead of a reasonable/sensible/practical car ad. And you're gonna see some of that at times on the mean streets when the rage rises !

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