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This is missing at least one thing. Bumper stickers and stickers placed on public property differ in one important respect: a bumper sticker is on an identifiab

This is missing at least one thing. Bumper stickers and stickers placed on public property differ in one important respect: a bumper sticker is on an identifiable person's private property. That means you know who put it there. The woman who lives across the street from me has her car absolutely plastered, totally covered with political stickers. She is advertising very loudly to the entire neighborhood anywhere she ever parks her car what she cares about. So that is a 4th purpose not covered in this article that cannot be served by stickers on stop signs.

pope_meat 5y ago
People with political bumper stickers are braver than me. In an ever more polarized political climate it's almost dangerous to declare a side openly. But then again, without risk, there's no chance for reward, and silencing yourself for safety reasons just reinforces the status quo as working. What a fun little nightmare.
- exmadscientist 5y ago
  What reward? I fail to see any substantial benefit from displaying my political leanings publicly. "Work Clean" is often sensible advice for one's public face. Though who am I to talk, I had a Giant Meteor 2020 yard sign up last cycle....
  - pope_meat 5y ago
    Fingers crossed for Giant Meteor in 2024. It's a rather sad state of affairs when "destroy it all" is a genuine opinion. I've been advocating for a new political party that I call "nuke everything party" and the platform is very simple, launch all the nukes, and party until it all ends.
  - dagw 5y ago
    What reward? I assume the hoped for reward is that 'your' candidate wins. I guess the thinking goes that if I am on the fence about who to vote for, but see that a lot of people around me that I feel I have many things in common with openly support candidate A, then I'm more likely to swing towards candidate A myself.
- inglor_cz 5y ago
  In that case, having just one sticker is probably less safe than having your car entirely plastered with them. The latter gives a vibe of a person crazy enough that you do not want to mess with them.
  - Banana699 5y ago
    >The latter gives a vibe of a person crazy enough that you do not want to mess with them. Or provoke the attention of a whole squad from the enemy ranks, as it marks you as a high-value object lesson. Whereas a more moderate stance might be common enough for them not to bother going after every such person. :(And if they did go after you, you'd probably have the sympathy of the public and the authorities more if you were just a moderate follower declaring your allegiance with one flag than if you were a True Believer^TM completely dedicating your property to signaling your status)
8note 5y ago
Are they actually identifiable? I generally have no clue who's car is parked right beside me, nor who put the stickers on their car
- Broken_Hippo 5y ago
  Many people can see their neighbor's car parked in the driveway, so yes, sometimes.

pope_meat 5y ago

People with political bumper stickers are braver than me. In an ever more polarized political climate it's almost dangerous to declare a side openly. But then again, without risk, there's no chance for reward, and silencing yourself for safety reasons just reinforces the status quo as working. What a fun little nightmare.

exmadscientist 5y ago
What reward? I fail to see any substantial benefit from displaying my political leanings publicly. "Work Clean" is often sensible advice for one's public face. Though who am I to talk, I had a Giant Meteor 2020 yard sign up last cycle....
- pope_meat 5y ago
  Fingers crossed for Giant Meteor in 2024. It's a rather sad state of affairs when "destroy it all" is a genuine opinion. I've been advocating for a new political party that I call "nuke everything party" and the platform is very simple, launch all the nukes, and party until it all ends.
- dagw 5y ago
  What reward? I assume the hoped for reward is that 'your' candidate wins. I guess the thinking goes that if I am on the fence about who to vote for, but see that a lot of people around me that I feel I have many things in common with openly support candidate A, then I'm more likely to swing towards candidate A myself.
inglor_cz 5y ago
In that case, having just one sticker is probably less safe than having your car entirely plastered with them. The latter gives a vibe of a person crazy enough that you do not want to mess with them.
- Banana699 5y ago
  >The latter gives a vibe of a person crazy enough that you do not want to mess with them. Or provoke the attention of a whole squad from the enemy ranks, as it marks you as a high-value object lesson. Whereas a more moderate stance might be common enough for them not to bother going after every such person. :(And if they did go after you, you'd probably have the sympathy of the public and the authorities more if you were just a moderate follower declaring your allegiance with one flag than if you were a True Believer^TM completely dedicating your property to signaling your status)

8note 5y ago

Are they actually identifiable? I generally have no clue who's car is parked right beside me, nor who put the stickers on their car

Broken_Hippo 5y ago
Many people can see their neighbor's car parked in the driveway, so yes, sometimes.