Openbay Survey Reveals On-Road Reactions to Presidential-Race Politics
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Nov 2, 2016) – As the political climate heats up in the last week of the presidential race, Openbay, the award-winning auto-repair marketplace, surveyed U.S. vehicle owners to learn how news of the U.S. presidential race affects them while behind the wheel.
Here’s Some Top-line Information About Drivers’ Reactions to “Sticky Politics”:
- 4% of drivers avoid political news, for fear it would give them road rage.
- 4% of drivers would not put presidential-race bumper stickers on their vehicles, due to fear for their lives.
- 6% of drivers will gesture or drive aggressively when they see a bumper sticker whose presidential candidate they oppose.
- 37% of drivers claim they wouldn’t be affected by presidential-race news while driving, because they do not listen to the news.
“Although the presidential candidates are in their final lap, political bumper stickers are going nowhere fast. In other words, long after the campaign ads have dissipated, adhesive messaging will continue to keep the race alive,” says Thomas P. Farley, Mister Manners. “Drivers who’ve chosen to express their political beliefs on the road must exercise caution, steering clear of slogans that are likely to cause fury in those who are not like-minded. There’s enough bickering inside the Beltway already—we don’t need it on the highway, too,” Farley observes. “Let’s preserve the driving experience for excitement, not incitement.”
Some Additional Details from Openbay’s “Political Roadshow” Survey –
Pushy Politics:
- 6% of drivers will gesture or drive aggressively when they see a bumper sticker whose presidential candidate they oppose.
- 1% of drivers claim that listening to presidential-race news will give them road rage.
- 4% admitted that presidential-race news gave them feelings of road rage that they managed to control.
Of those drivers who admit to gesturing or driving aggressively around a car whose candidate they oppose,
- Nearly 60% are men, and 40% are women.
- 32% support Donald Trump.
- 28% support Gary Johnson.
- 20% support Hillary Clinton.
- 20% support neither Johnson, Trump nor Clinton.
Ranked: Drivers’ Reasons Not to Have Presidential-Race Bumper Stickers
Only 2% of respondents admitted to having a presidential-race bumper sticker.
When drivers were asked to select all reasons they would not post a presidential-race bumper sticker on a vehicle, they responded in the following order:
- It would deface my car. / 38%
- They’re ugly. / 36%
- I prefer to share my viewpoint with a limited group. / 27%
- Fear of aggressive drivers with opposing politics / 15%
- Fear for my life / 4%
- Other / 6%
Driving While Listening to Political News
Listening to presidential-race news does not affect most drivers’ behavior –
- 1% admitted to experiencing road-rage based on the news, but they still listen.
- 4% admitted to feelings of road-rage, based on the news, but are able to control it.
- 4% avoid the presidential-race news while driving because it might give them road rage.
- 37% of drivers claim their driving would not be affected by presidential-race news, because they do not listen to the news.
- 54% of drivers claim presidential news does not give them road rage.
Drivers Identified their Political Parties
- 38% identified themselves as Independent.
- 32% identified as Republican.
- 30% identified as Democrat.
As of September 2016, These Drivers Had Not Picked a Clear Winner
- 34% of those polled claimed to support “none of these” when presented with Clinton, Trump or Johnson.
- Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton each claimed 28% support.
- Gary Johnson was supported by 9%.
Methodology
Openbay commissioned a survey of 330 vehicle owners in September 2016 via Google Consumer Surveys, which identified adult drivers, ages 18+, in the U.S.
For examples of how drivers react to political bumper stickers, check out this post, which includes a shocking slideshow of people’s on-road “political demonstrations.”
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