I always assumed it was to keep the tailgaters off a little bit, who actually might be about to kill the baby on board (which is one of the reasons I simply hate tailgaters).
You might be onto something here - the Eurocommunist Hivemind does frown on displays of individuality.
Or it may be because most Brits find bumper stickers irretrievably vulgar.
Which is why I hate the stickers. Tailgaters tailgate no matter what, I’m not even convinced they know they are doing it. These are the people who think they are the Greatest Drivers On Earth and would never crash.
People don’t magically turn into polite drivers just because there’s a baby in the vicinity.
I would love her if she did.
I didn’t mean people show a National Trust sticker to show off, just that it’s one of the more common ones you see. For practical reasons, as you say.
As for political statements… come general election time, people sometimes put ‘Vote Labour/Vote Conservative/Vote local candidate’ etc posters in their windows or on their front lawns. I always presume these are people who are actually members of those parties, as the posters look like they’ve been handed out by central office. Example picture.
Not on cars though.
You mean that sense of individuality that led you buy the same mass produced bumper sticker as a few million other people? 
Another car adornment that you see far fewer of in the UK than the US is the Jesus fish.
We’re a little more apathetic about things in the UK. Example: we don’t spend the whole term wailing about it when a party we don’t favour wins an election. Actually we probably complain about 50% as much per term, but we also complain when the party we voted for wins. We’re just more consistent.
Really though, we are much less likely to decide some cause is so hugely important to us that we have to tell everyone driving behind us about it. This may not be as true in some parts of the UK where some people have a bit of superiority complex about their corner.
Many bumper stickers are about declaring allegiances or boasting – sports clubs, universities, children’s status as honor students. Perhaps that kind of boasting is not as acceptable in Britain?
The one I hate now is the stick-figure family. Why on earth would strangers care about that?
A lot of that boasting doesn’t even exist here, no honors students or any of that shit. We’re a lot less likely to join formal clubs that you guys are, too (and even less in southern than northern Europe).
I don’t think British people are immune to boasting, but boasting to complete strangers is probably not so common.
Come on, come on. You can’t leave it there. You italicised you’ve got to specify! How will the pit survive if you don’t insult someone?
(I know what you mean though…If I had draw up a list of the top 5 quasi-nationalistic window stickers I don’t think I’d be a million miles off)
Personally I don’t see too much wrong with it. The ones we see in the UK are normally regional stickers without any overt message to them. Where they start to politically or religiously preach, or boast, then…well, it’s just a bit naff.
ETA - just thinking now…I don’t reckon I’ve ever seen a political sticker in a car window in the UK. Not that I recall anyway. I suspect that is very different to the USA.
What’s the stick figure family?
It’s very common to show support for your football team, either through wearing the strip, or putting a sticker in your car window. Manchester United’s ‘car accessories’ section on their shop site. Note, no bumper stickers.
But boasting about your kids achievements? To complete strangers? Really? No, we don’t do that. Boasting isn’t cool here. In fact it’s a pretty common stereotype we have of the ‘loud American’.
I’ve seen a few - including some that were specific to campaigns that were essentially political, albeit not related to a specific election (protesting fox hunting bans, getting the UK out of Europe, or British troops out of Iraq, etc)
Well, there’s the ‘Ecosse’ stickers, which is a big old ‘we hate the English’ thing they have going on in Scotland.
Yes, you’re right. Even though I have four children myself I never even thought of getting one of those. I have thought about murder though, several times.
The stick family is also available in jewelry: it’s just that, stick drawings of the family members. Personally I think it’s pretty tasteless; among other things because, unless mommy(ies) has had a hysterectomy, there might be a surprise and way to rub his nose in it…
Oh I dunno, judging from what my Granny’s friends seem to know about me (and my marks and projects and jobs and house and friends), my Granny finds plenty of ways to boast about me. But a bumper sticker?! :eek: No. Never. Boasting needs far more subtlety than that in England. But you can still find ways to boast about your (grand)children!
I think I’ve seen something about cows, too. “No cows, no countryside”? Still fairly subtle though, and inside the window, not stuck on the bumper.
It’s a series of small stick-figure people, one to represent each member of your household, and sometimes even pets.
Ah yes, you’re right. Those ring a bell but you are also right to make the distinction between political campaign stickers and political parties (they may or may not overlap anyway…such is the centre-ground nature of politics in the right)
Serious question, why would the French word for Scotland be seen as more useful for that purpose than either the english word (maybe I can understand that) or no word and only a flag?
I’m aware of “the auld alliance” but don’t see what added power “Ecosse” brings.
(plus I’ve never been arsed enough to ask anyone and you are a pretty knowledgeable lot and not short of a straight answer or two )
Christ, I clicked on that link and saw the “peeking family” versions.
I now understand and condone the prevalence of guns in the USA. There is only a certain amount a sane person can take.