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Do BMW and Audi owners "drive like idiots"? New research confirms expensive car drivers break more rules

The academic who conducted the study wanted to discover why owners of those brands appear to drive more recklessly, and identified their character traits as "argumentative, stubborn, disagreeable and unempathetic"...

New research appears to confirm what many cyclists will have long suspected – that people who drive high-status cars from brands such as BMW and Audi are the worst drivers and those most likely to break the law

A study conducted by Professor Jan-Erik Lönnqvist of the University of Helsinki sought to answer the question, “Why do BMW and Audi owners often seem to drive like idiots?”

Lönnqvist wanted to establish whether it was the car that made people drive aggressively, or whether certain brands attracted specific personality types who were also more likely to break traffic laws.

He said: “I had noticed that the ones most likely to run a red light, not give way to pedestrians and generally drive recklessly and too fast were often the ones driving fast German cars.”

The professor noted that previous research on the subject had already confirmed that people who drive expensive cars are more likely to break the law.

However, that was assumed to be because “wealth has a corrupting effect on people, resulting, for example, in high-status consumption and unethical behaviour in various situations.”

Instead, Lönnqvist took a different approach, examining whether certain types of people are attracted by high status cars irrespective of wealth, and whether they were also predisposed to ignore traffic laws.

Some 1,892 car owners in Finland were questioned about their car, consumption habits and wealth, as well as being asked questions related to personality traits.

These were then analysed using the Five-Factor Model, which is used to assess personality traits in five key areas – openness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness.

Researchers found that “the answers were unambiguous: self-centred men who are argumentative, stubborn, disagreeable and unempathetic are much more likely to own a high-status car such as an Audi, BMW or Mercedes.”

Lönnqvist said: “These personality traits explain the desire to own high-status products, and the same traits also explain why such people break traffic regulations more frequently than others.”

While rich people were more likely to drive high-status cars, given their cost, he said that the research “also found that that those whose personality was deemed more disagreeable were more drawn to high-status cars.

“These are people who often see themselves as superior and are keen to display this to others.”

There was a surprise discovery, too in the research, namely that people with conscientious personality traits were also drawn to high-status cars.

“The link is presumably explained by the importance they attach to high quality,” Lönnqvist explained.

“All makes of car have a specific image, and by driving a reliable car they are sending out the message that they themselves are reliable.”

Within the conscientious group, both men and women were equally likely to be interested in high-status cars.

However, when it came to those with self-centred personality traits, the link was found only among men, not women, which Lönnqvist said may be explained by the fact that cars do not carry the same weight as status symbols among women as they do for men.

He added: “It would be great if consumers had other, sustainable ways of showing their status rather than the superficial consumption of luxury goods that often has negative consequences.

“We are already seeing that driving an electric car is becoming something of a status symbol, whereas SUVs with their high emissions are no longer considered as cool.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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24 comments

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Chris Hayes | 4 years ago
3 likes

Funnily enough, though not for the motorcyclist involved, a motorcyclist was taken out by a bad driver in front of our eyes whilst waiting to cross the A20 on the Kentish Killer on Sunday.  Culprit: white van driver just cut turn right straight across the motorcylist....who was in his late 60s early 70s at a guess and - because he was wearing the correct gear - walked away. Eventually.  The white van driver fucked off without stopping, so if you know anyone with a suspiciously dented rear panel let the police know (not that they could be bothered to turn up).  So my vote goes to white van drivers.  I'm flabbergasted that no politician has thought it appropriate to raise a bit of cash and make them do an advanced driver's test...

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brimstone | 4 years ago
1 like

While there is some truth in this, it's not the whole truth.  My own experience of bollox drivers is that Ford white van man, Toyota Hilux owning farmers, taxi drivers of all brands and shit Vauxhall corsas are among the most common arseholes out there.  Audi drivers are obviously the worst of the whole lot - fact!

 

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Richard_pics | 4 years ago
1 like

You're missing a whole demographic of Crap Drivers. Peugot Drivers. Easily the most dangerous, wreckles morons out there. 95% of any incidents i "nearly" have are a direct result of the French wonder vehicle drivers.

Also, my driving instructor said to look out for "mad hatters" - Anyone with a hat on, or a hat in the vehicle (parcel shelf, dashboard etc) This mantra has saved me from many accidents, Car & Bike!

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Jem PT replied to Richard_pics | 4 years ago
0 likes

Richard_pics wrote:

You're missing a whole demographic of Crap Drivers. Peugot Drivers. Easily the most dangerous, wreckles morons out there. 95% of any incidents i "nearly" have are a direct result of the French wonder vehicle drivers.

... says the german car driver  1

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Richard_pics replied to Jem PT | 4 years ago
0 likes

American actually.

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ktache replied to Richard_pics | 4 years ago
1 like
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Richard_pics replied to ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes

Ah, love this Video. Angry sad man. Probably hasnt had sexual contact with his partner for years, has an awful job, and definately drives a rubbish car!

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zero_trooper replied to Richard_pics | 4 years ago
1 like

A 't*at in a hat' as my driving instructor used to warn me.

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Gimpl | 4 years ago
2 likes

What a load of tosh!

Confirmation bias again. For those of us in the L&D world we know that these psychometric tests are notoriously unreliable and can easly be 'led' by the questions asked in the first place. A bit like the political polls - anyone remember Yes Minister?

A BMW driver yes

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brooksby replied to Gimpl | 4 years ago
7 likes

Gimpl wrote:

What a load of tosh!

Confirmation bias again. For those of us in the L&D world we know that these psychometric tests are notoriously unreliable and can easly be 'led' by the questions asked in the first place. A bit like the political polls - anyone remember Yes Minister?

A BMW driver yes

True. I gather something like that was done a few years ago - "Would you rather (a) take back all national control, kick out all the foreigners and regain the Empire; or (b) bow down before the jackbooted hordes of dastardly Europeans?".

Or something like that...

Allegedly 

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Chris Hayes | 4 years ago
0 likes

Anecdotal I know, but I rode the Kentish Killer at the weekend which departs from Brands Hatch, and I distinctly recall my fellow rider and friend comment on the high volume of expensive German cars parked up before the ride.  It's inconceivable in my mind that these riders put their bikes in the back of their cars and then drive like idiots.... That said, I doubt that there were many fleet cars there.

I drive an A8. Carefully. Especially around cyclists and country lanes where I might encounter them.  I wonder whether this being a Finnish study is a factor.  I've lived in Scandinavia where German marques are proportionately far more expensive and so are not as common as fleet cars..is that a factor?

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hawkinspeter replied to Chris Hayes | 4 years ago
3 likes

Chris Hayes wrote:

Anecdotal I know, but I rode the Kentish Killer at the weekend which departs from Brands Hatch, and I distinctly recall my fellow rider and friend comment on the high volume of expensive German cars parked up before the ride.  It's inconceivable in my mind that these riders put their bikes in the back of their cars and then drive like idiots.... That said, I doubt that there were many fleet cars there.

I drive an A8. Carefully. Especially around cyclists and country lanes where I might encounter them.  I wonder whether this being a Finnish study is a factor.  I've lived in Scandinavia where German marques are proportionately far more expensive and so are not as common as fleet cars..is that a factor?

The study also found a group of people with conscientious personality traits that were similarly attracted to high status/cost cars so maybe you, your friend and fellow riders fall into that group.

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Danbury | 4 years ago
4 likes

The same conclusion was arrived in a USA study, reported in Auto Express, which found higher status car drivers were less likely to stop for pedestrians at a crossing.

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hawkinspeter replied to Danbury | 4 years ago
3 likes

Danbury wrote:

The same conclusion was arrived in a USA study, reported in Auto Express, which found higher status car drivers were less likely to stop for pedestrians at a crossing.

Yep - I posted that on the forum: https://road.cc/content/forum/271573-if-you-drive-expensive-car-youre-probably-jerk-scientists-say

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EricP | 4 years ago
3 likes

I wonder if research is needed to find out if  certain personality traits attract high status bikes 

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Tom_77 | 4 years ago
2 likes

Reminds me of that old Audi ad (if you ignore the blatent lie that is the last 15 seconds):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrGhTet_KTQ

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Jem PT | 4 years ago
5 likes

Shock horror!

Next they'll be saying that the Pope is a Catholic! 

(Confirms my suspicions though).

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eburtthebike | 4 years ago
6 likes

“the answers were unambiguous: self-centred men who are argumentative, stubborn, disagreeable and unempathetic are much more likely to own a high-status car such as an Audi, BMW or Mercedes.”

Stating the bleedin' obvious perhaps,  but it's nice to have it scientifically proved.

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jollygoodvelo | 4 years ago
9 likes

Forgive me, but wasn't this covered here last month?  I'd use the search function but as a BMW owner, I'm far too impatient.  3

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ktache replied to jollygoodvelo | 4 years ago
2 likes

Another excellent find by HP, including an appropriately squirrely picture.

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hawkinspeter replied to ktache | 4 years ago
4 likes

Thanks again.

There's two forum posts - one about the above mentioned Helsinki research (https://road.cc/content/forum/270827-new-finnish-study-confirms-bmw-and-audi-owners-drive-idiots - sorry no squirrel pic) and also a newer one about some Las Vegas research (https://road.cc/content/forum/271573-if-you-drive-expensive-car-youre-probably-jerk-scientists-say).

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Captain Badger replied to jollygoodvelo | 4 years ago
1 like

It could also imply that you are conscientious and value quality....

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jollygoodvelo replied to Captain Badger | 4 years ago
2 likes

Captain Zhap wrote:

It could also imply that you are conscientious and value quality....

When this was featured here before, I surmised that the correlation between makes and driving behaviour probably varied significantly according to the *age* of the car.  The drivers of a new 320d or A3 as a company car or personal lease are probably very different to the owners of a 10-15 year old example (mine is 17 years old...)

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Captain Badger replied to jollygoodvelo | 4 years ago
3 likes

It would certainly be interesting to understand that aspect. I am extremely reluctant to renew cars. Even aside from the environmental implications, I'm too tight to throw my money away on something new that does nothing different to my previous.

Mrs Badger is contantly, well, badgering me to plan for a new car, however I'm content to plan for repairs instead.

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