- Nearly one-third of U.S. drivers are "smooching or engaging in other romantic contact" while they're behind the wheel, according to a new poll released by InsuranceQuotes.com.
- Automakers are checking in this Valentine's Day with helpful car advice for the lovelorn, including a statement from Ford noting that the cabin in the new Focus provides "more hiproom than (a comparable) Audi or Toyota."
- Another new survey by Jiffy Lube reveals that more than a third of American drivers have "shown affection" for their cars by "rubbing the dashboard or steering wheel."
DETROIT — Talk about distracted driving. Nearly one-third of U.S. drivers admit to "smooching or engaging in other romantic contact" while they're behind the wheel, according to a poll released in time for Valentine's Day by InsuranceQuotes.com.
"Twenty-nine percent of drivers surveyed acknowledge they've been amorous behind the wheel," said a statement by InsuranceQuotes.com. "That number climbs to 39 percent for highly educated drivers (at least a bachelor's degree) and high-income drivers (at least $75,000 in annual earnings)," it said.
Automakers and suppliers have geared up to be unusually playful this Valentine's Day. Ford issued a lengthy statement on Friday entitled "impress your Valentine with these cool date night features from Ford.... Cramped, tight spaces can really put a damper on a comfortable 'car date,'" it said, noting helpfully that the "new Focus provides more hiproom than the Audi (A4) or Toyota (Camry)." Wink, wink.
But the strange Ford press release apparently was approved by the automaker's legal department, as evidenced by its disclaimer. "So while your Ford car can help set a mood, it can't guarantee a second date," it said.
Another survey issued on Friday by Jiffy Lube International could be stashed in the "too much information" file. It said that more than a third of American drivers have "shown affection" for their cars by "rubbing the dashboard or steering wheel." The study also said that more than a third of drivers engage in "friendly flirting" with their vehicles, including "bestowing praise on their rides."
In yet another case of strange bedfellows, safety advocates in Britain are urging male drivers to take a pledge to drive safely "for the sake of loved ones this Valentine's Day." Brake, the road safety charity, released a survey saying that 89 percent of women "worry about people they love being killed on roads." It urged women to remind men of the "appalling consequences" of risky driving and urge their male partners to take a pledge to drive safely.
Sex, romance and automobiles have been entwined since the Model T hit the road.
The 1980 book The Automobile and American Culture by the University of Michigan Press devotes an entire chapter to "Sex and the Automobile: From Rumble Seats to Rockin' Vans." The book takes the stand that "vans undoubtedly are the most sexually-oriented vehicles ever built. Even the exteriors of many vans leave no doubt as to their owners' motives." The book also says that "most people no longer want or need cars for sexual relations." But it notes that "lovemaking in cars is unlikely to disappear completely from the American cultural scene. It still represents pleasurable excitement and a change of pace."
Inside Line says: Cupid and cars are a natural fit, it seems. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
Add A Comment »
dgmail says:
12:31 PM, 02/14/2011
The only hiproom Recall Motors (Toyota) owners are used to are the uncomfortable chairs in the service waiting room of the local dealership
m89 says:
10:06 AM, 02/14/2011
That's the one time when having a bench seat in the front is worth it!
kawakasaki says:
09:50 AM, 02/14/2011
You never go exhaust pipe to mouth!
revn says:
09:10 AM, 02/14/2011
Of course you have to sweet talk your car every now and then. Have to appease the machine spirit somehow. Or just hit it a few times to make the rattling stop like I did with my last car.
calspecial68 says:
08:39 AM, 02/14/2011
@ stovebolter: You got that right. My '67 'Stang always required some sweet-talk and PDA to keep her running smooth. How I miss her. My MK IV Jetta just isn't the same, but I still like it too.
stovebolter says:
08:05 AM, 02/14/2011
In dealing with some of the older vehicles I've owned, I found that some require sweet talk, friendly contact, or words of encouragement. Others require cursing or not-so-friendly contact. You have to develop the relationship according to the car.
Those were vehicles without electronics involved, however. New cars have no souls, and no amount of talking, reasoning, or caressing will change the mind of a computer.
ergsum says:
08:01 AM, 02/14/2011
A regrettable ad campaign, "Jiffy Lube: For People Who Really Love Their Cars!"