Portrayals of Driving Behavior on TV
Does life imitate art? And is it a good thing?
If you want to see the different sources I used in my observations used these links
Movies
Metro, Days of Thunder, Top Gun
Commercials
Pathfinder, Neon, Contour, Pennzoil motor oil
Cartoons
Power Rangers Turbo, The Adventures of Batman and Superman, The Simpsons
Looking at a problem from different sides.
Have you ever been in a car and had someone cut you off? Or has a person ever tailgated you on the freeway for 100 miles? You have to admit that these people are increasingly becoming the norm for drivers all across the nation. When I started to take this class from
Prof. James I started to ask myself a few questions. They ranged fromDo I cut people off?
Does the speed limit really apply at all times?
After you read this report I hope that you can come up with your own questions about the way that you drive.
I have read the reports from students in a previous generation and these are the things that
Kristy Kato, Kristin Subia, and Jenifer Kaneshiro had to say on the topic of good or bad driving in the media.In the report written by
Kristy Kato, she says that people spend too much time watching television on the average. And that people find role models that they try to base themselves after from television shows. The way that an actor or stuntman drives a car is imitated by the couch potato as he or she tries to find an identity. This mimicking is stronger in children because they are at the age where role models are necessary in their development. And without the input of an adult to show them that the things that appear on TV are not real they will try to do these things in real life. So television has a major impact on the way that people in our society approach driving their vehicles.In the report written by
Kristin Subia, she also has the same ideas as Ms. Kato, but she adds a nice piece of information. People like to watch auto races because of the speed and the motivation of being first. Some people like this idea so much that they try to copy this form of driving, but the only thing is that they are on the freeway and not on a race track.And in the last report that was written by
Jenifer Kaneshiro the ideas are about the same as those expressed in the previous reports. The negative images that are seen on television have desensitized people in to thinking that bad driving and aggressiveness are parts of everyday driving.It was hard for me to get a different view of the impact of television on driving. I think that all of the reports that I read have the same opinion and that is the opinion of
Prof. James. I don't think that is wrong, but I feel that to make a decision I have to see if there are any other opinions about television and its effects on driving. I hope to come to a decision by the end of this report. So you will have to read the whole thing in order to find out my final decision on the effects of television on driving. Or you can cheat and go to my decision from right here.Observations/Analysis and Evaluation:
Looking beneath the surface
In making my observations I used a simple method of picking the films, videos, commercials and or cartoons that I chose. And the method that I used was very simple "Did I find that interesting enough to examine it closer?" If you want to go to a specific type of media that I used just click on these links.
Films/Videos, Commercials, and Cartoons
If you would like an explanation of my rating system it can be found in the ratings section of my paper. Here is a brief explanation of my ratings system.
After watching all of these different forms of media I have decided on a rating system that I feel is realistic and fair. The three areas that I will be rating are the realism of the action being shown, how much action is involved with this activity, and the danger that it poses to others. I will be using a 5-point scale that means each area has its own ratings scale.
If you want to see my complete ratings scale you can reach it by using this link.
Ratings
Observation
The first video that I saw was "Metro" starring Eddie Murphy. In the scene I have chosen, Eddie Murphy and his partner are trying to stop the criminal who has taken over a trolley. The criminal has killed the driver and has sent the trolley speeding down a San Francisco street. The brakes don't work so Eddie Murphy tells his partner to drive in front of the trolley and to move the car perpendicular to the trolley to slow it down.
Analysis and Evaluation
The actions that take place within this scene have been scripted to appeal to a certain section of the population. The markets that are being singled out are young men to men in their late thirties. The scene is like a big testosterone booster for men. It is okay to show these types of scenes to your target audience, but what about young children or the young man in the audience that can't understand that this is just a movie. The maker of these types of films are doing what they intend to do, and that is to make money on their target audience. I just don't think that film producers are thinking about the other parts of the audience that could be affect by these types of driving behaviors.
Realism=5
Action=5
Danger=5
Total=15
I don't think that this kind of behavior doesn't take place on the streets in real life, but if it happened it is a prime example of dangerous driving behavior.
Observation
The second video that I watched was "Days of Thunder." In this scene two NASCAR drivers have just been released from the hospital after an accident during the race. These two drivers proceed to race their wheelchairs down the hallways of the hospital. Then they race their cars on the city streets as they try to beat each other to a restaurant to meet a mutual friend.
Analysis and Evaluation
This film uses the idea that competition is the driving force of world. These men are always trying to compete for anything that has a goal or prize. In all of the millions of years that the human race has been around I am surprised that we still have this trait to be the best or the winner at anything. This drive is something that could account for some of the problems on our streets because of people trying to race from one streetlight to another. This film helps to condition people to become more aggressive on the roads, so they can beat the next person to a light or to an open space in traffic.
Realism=3
Action=2
Danger=4
Total=9
I have seen people doing this type of behavior on various roads in Honolulu. One of the roads that is notorious for having people racing on it is South King street. I think that this type of behavior is reckless and dangerous to others who are on the roads.
Observation
The third movie that I watched was "Top Gun" Starring Tom Cruise and Kelly Mcgilis. The tape just happened to be in the VCR, so I decided to watch the video. In this scene Kelly Mcgilis is chasing after Tom Cruise in her car. She runs a red light in the intersection and is just missed by two cars that are crossing the intersection. After Tom Cruise stops his motorcycle she explains that she did that so she could talk to him. And that she wanted to tell him, "I have fallen for you!"
Analysis and Evaluation
The scene in this film that I have described uses one of the most basic human emotions as it foundation or base. The emotion that is used is love and because of this "love" a person can run lights and intersections to get to the man that she loves. I don't like this scene because it gives the viewer the idea that ones persons' need supercedes the safety and lives of others. It is like a form of self-gratification because the people are only trying to please themselves and not think about the other people around them.
Realism=2
Action=1
Danger=5
Total=7
I don't think that people should use the excuse of "love" as way to get out of driving badly.
Observation
The first commercial that I watched was one for a Nissan pathfinder. I really can't remember when I saw this commercial, but I really remember the content of the commercial. In the commercial a dog wakes up his master and has hypnotized him into taking him for a ride. The strange thing is that the dog is driving the pathfinder. The next couple of shots are of the chrome molding that is on the bumper and wheel wells. After the pathfinder is full of dogs they come across another dog, so to make room the owner is left in the street. An old Japanese man then comes on the screen and says "Dogs love trucks!"
Analysis and Evaluation
This commercial plays on the affection that pet owners have for their animals, and the lengths that people will go to make their pets happy. The idea that a dog can drive a truck is absurd, but in the commercial the dogs are portrayed as happy to be in the pathfinder. So, this makes the car buyer who own pets think about the pathfinder when they are buying a new car because of Fido sitting in the back seat.
Realism=5
Action=5
Danger=5
Total=15
If I see a dog driving a car I will immediately pull to the side and rub my eyes to see if I am day dreaming or just having a breakdown.
Observation
The second commercial that I saw was for Dodge Neon. The commercial starts with a man in a cornfield. Then the narrator is explaining about he new more powerful engine in the Dodge Neon coupe. Then the Neon comes into view on a road in the middle of the cornfield. Then the corn starts to pop and the whole field starts to pop as the Neon passed it. The man is completely covered in popcorn by the end of the commercial.
Analysis and Evaluation
This commercial plays on the "need for speed" that some drivers have to have in their daily lives. The fact that the neon is an economy car with a really big engine says something about American society because where else in the world would an economical car have to have a big engine. I think that the target group for commercial is men aging from 17-28 because they don't have a lot of money and they still want speed. This is where the popped corn comes into play because it gives the viewer a sense of speed and power, which can be a selling point to some people.
This commercial helps to give the viewer the impression that speeding and driving fast is okay as long as you have the power to back it up.
Realism=3
Action=2
Danger=3
Total=8
I don't think that a car can be used to popcorn, but I think that people tend to drive faster on empty country roads. I think that the appeal of an empty road does something to the human mind that makes speeding an easier thing.
Observation
The third commercial was for a Ford Contour. The setting for this commercial is at night near a junkyard. There are three dogs talking to each other about cars, and one of the dogs drops a bumper of a car from his mouth. Then a car is seen in the distance and the dogs get ready to chase the car. When the car approaches they notice that it is a contour and then one dog says, "No way! That this has more moves then a cat." Then the car does a sweeping turn right in front of the dogs. And as the contour moves out of view a Ferrari comes in to view of the dogs, then one dog says, "Anyone for Italian?"
Analysis and Evaluation
The car in this commercial is seen taking a high-speed turn and the body of the car seems to roll slightly in the turn. This gives the viewer the idea that this car has superb handling and a good ride. The other thing that this commercial does is that it seems to challenge the viewer to get a contour and try to make these types of turns. As you drive along the highway you see a lot of people driving fast into turns to "feel the G's" and I think that this commercial is playing on this type of adrenaline rush.
Realism=3
Action=1
Danger=2
Total=6
I personally like to take turns at a high rate of speed just to get the rush that this event brings. I know that I have stop doing this dangerous behavior before I cause an accident. It is just one more thing that I have to change in my driving behavior.
Observation
The fourth commercial that I saw was for Pennzoil motor oil. In this commercial the narrator is explaining the tortures of everyday stop and go traffic. And all of the people are driving racecars from dragsters to formula one racers to NASCARs. The person that is narrating is saying that from street light to street light is like a race and that your engine needs the protectants that can be found in this brand of motor oil. When the driver of the dragster pulls into his parking spot the whole lot is filled with racing cars.
Analysis and Evaluation
In this commercial the company is trying to sell motor oil, but it is also sending out a hidden message in their commercial. They are exaggerating the effects of normal everyday traffic by using race cars, but the type of driving that they use can give the wrong impression to young children or new drivers. The cars are racing from light to light and coming to a screeching halt. I know that the maker of the commercial wanted to show how their oil protects a cars' engine in this type of traffic, but I don't think that they should have used race cars and this type of driving to prove their point.
Realism=3
Action=1
Danger=3
Total=7
This gives people the idea that it is okay to speed from light to light. Please don't do this you could really get into a serious accident.
Observation
The first cartoon I saw was "Power Rangers Turbo." In this scene the power rangers have just gotten into their racecars and are speeding across a dry lakebed. The tires are kicking up huge amounts of dust and particles into the air. The cars are also driving over trees and bushes. Then the cars seem to fly and join up with each other to form a huge robot.
Analysis and Evaluation
The cars in this cartoon are just running over anything in their path and then they turn into a huge robot to destroy the "bad guy." This cartoon is geared for young children and the material is presented in a format for a child to view, but the hidden meaning in the cartoon plays on the thinking of a child. It is appealing to the child in order to get the child to want the toy that comes with the cartoon. It is also showing the child that they can do anything as long as they are fighting with someone. The cartoon might seem funny to adults, but children don't understand that this is just "make believe" and not reality. After watching these types of shows children go and "play fight" like how they see on television, so it would seem logical that they would try to imitate the driving that they have seen when they get behind the wheel of a car for the first time.
Realism=4
Action=5
Danger=1
Total=10
The things that they see on television influence children, so parent should really wonder what kind of effect these types of programs have on their children.
Adventures of Batman and Superman
Observation
The second cartoon that I saw was "Adventures of Batman and Superman." In this scene the bad guys are in a cargo truck and are shooting out of the back of the truck. The apparent target of their attack is Batman. He is riding in his batmobile and is not afraid of the shower of bullets that are hitting his car. He then pulls along side of the truck and forces it off the road. The truck hits a parked car and then stops along side of a building. As the bad guys get out of the truck it explodes and bursts into flames.
Analysis and Evaluation
This cartoon is showing children that the "good guy" will always beat the "bad guy", but the means in which this happens is quite questionable. To run someone off the road to stop them is not a normal means of action, but to a child that watches a lot of cartoons this might be the only way to stop a "bad guy" in a car. I don't think that young children have the cognitive ability to understand that things they see on television are not real, so they try to copy these events and they sometimes get hurt. And no one can really say if watching these types of actions will lead to a generation of aggressive drivers, who will try to stop other people by running them off of the road.
Realism=3
Action=2
Danger=4
Total=9
The same as in the previous cartoon.
Observation
The third cartoon that I saw is "The Simpsons." In this scene Mr. Burns is driving his car down the street and he isn't really paying attention to the road. And at the same time Bart is riding his skateboard on the sidewalk going down a hill. At the moment that Mr. Burns crosses the intersection Bart shoots off the sidewalk and is hit by Mr. Burns' car. As Mr. Burns steps out of his car he looks first at the front of his car to check for any damage then he turns to look at Bart. The rest of the episode is about the two sides coming up with their own versions of the accident.
Analysis and Evaluation
This is a classic case of a person not paying attention at the wheel and the consequences of that action. Mr. Burns is too busy talking to Mr. Smithers and grumbling about his money to notice the child crossing the intersection. This action is all too common on the roads today because of our fast paced society. People are always thinking about other things instead of paying attention to the road. And Bart must also share the blame, since he rode his skateboard into the street without checking for traffic or waiting for the crossing light. These things have to be taught to children at a very young age and this cartoon may or may not help to make children understand the dangers of these actions. It does give the child's parents a look at what could happen if they don't teach their child the proper way to cross the street.
Realism=5
Action=5
Danger=3
Total=13
I think that everyone must play a role in preventing accidents, it isn't only the driver's responsibility. Pedestrians should also be aware of cars and the traffic around them. If everyone did this we would cut down on some of the pedestrian accidents that occur every year.
How to measure reality
After watching all of these different forms of media I have decided on a rating system that I feel is realistic and fair. The three areas that I will be rating are the realism of the action being shown, how much action is involved with this activity, and the danger that it poses to others. I will be using a 5-point scale that means each area has its own ratings scale.
Realism
0-5
0=very real and true to life
5=can only be done by stuntmen
Action
0-5
0=an action that can be observed in real life
5=is not possible to observe in real life
Danger
0-5
0=no harm to driver or to others
5=danger to everyone in the immediate area
After rating each area the total score will be given by adding the points together. Then an assessment will be given using this scale.
1-3=real life no danger to anyone,
4-8=situations that can be harmful or not to be found in real day to day driving,
9-12=high danger level will not happen on roads,
13-15=can only happen with the magic of Hollywood and if done on real streets will cause serious accidents.
To return to the
observation and analysis part of my paper use this link.
Writing this Report: How has it Influenced me:
Looking at me behind the wheel
I think that my driving has been "good" since I got my license. I can't say how my driving was before I got my license because I could get in trouble for saying that I drove without a license. So I don't think that my driving has been influence by writing this report. I can say that I notice that I do get upset when other people do things to me that I deem "stupid" when I am driving. I don't yell out of my window or show them the "bird" or the one finger salute. I just get upset and I tend to swear under my breath. I don't think that I want to give this form of release up because without this I wouldn't have anyway to vent my anger at the "bonehead" that just cut me off on the freeway. I know that driving is a great responsibility and that more then my life is at risk at all times. The swearing helps to keep me in control of my anger and aggression, so that I don't do anything dumb that could harm me or my passengers or someone else.
A few weeks have passed since I wrote my first assessment of my driving at my start of this paper. I have noticed a few more things that could be classified as aggressive driving. I do tend to cross intersections when the light is yellow and about to change to red. I guess that I am finding out more about my driving techniques and myself the longer that this class goes on. I know that some of things that I do when drive can be attributed to the displacement theory. I know that I am displacing the blame on to the other drivers around me, when I say, "The stupid guy or that F-ing driver!!" I don't know if I learned these mechanisms from television or from my parents or friends. Since I have been around my parents more then I watch television, and I have noticed that my parents tend to some of the things that I seem to do when I drive. So I think that it is a combination of things from television, friends, and parents that help to form peoples bad driving habits.
I think that future generations can help promote this topic to the online community by using the resources that are available to them. Like putting this information on their homepages and creating links to sites the give tips on better driving. Or to post things in newsgroups that is about road rage and aggressive driving. These newsgroups help to spread the information across a wide range of people all over the world. They can also bring the topic up in chat rooms where they can discuss it with many people at one time in real time conversations. These are only a few ways that the online community can be taught about road rage by future generations. A good thing is that technology is always getting better, so in the future the other generations might have a new way to spread information across cyberspace. I just think that the future generations are only limited by technology in the ways that this information can be promoted to the cybercommunity.
Well I have completed my paper and I have come to these conclusions about the effects of television on driving behavior. I agree with Dr. James that television has some effect on the way that people drive. There are things that people see on television and then they try to drive in the same style that they see on television. There are other external influences on a person's driving; these are friends and parents. Friends tend to put pressure on each other in every situation and driving is no exception. A friend might try to convince the driver to do something that is reckless or aggressive and the driver might do it because he or she is trying to fit into the social group. And parents have an influence because children will try to imitate their parents, so the way that a parent drives has a direct influence on the type of drive that child will turn out to be. So I think that television does play a part in bad driving behavior, but there are other factors that can cause a person to display bad driving behaviors.
As I have stated in the earlier paragraph my feelings on the subject of aggressive driving have change some because of the new information that I have acquired during this class. I notice the anger that I feel towards other drivers that have wronged me while I am driving. The next thing that I have to do is to try and remove all of the negative thoughts that accompany hostile driving. After achieving this feat I can then try to drive in a less aggressive manner and with the idea of protecting the others on the road.