# Obituraries in SUV Rear Windows? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 11, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293 "2011-03-11T13:01:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/41 "2011-03-13T15:42:12Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > ETA: I’m still not getting the whole fake porthole thing. Are they meant to look like actual windows? Or is it these little things in a row over the fender? The little things in a row over over the fender, specifically mimicking the appearance of 1950s Buicks. I see they are probably more commonly known as ‘fender vents’. Here is an Edmunds article examinging the relative tackiness of these vs. fake convertible tops: [http://blogs.edmunds.com/karl/2010/06/face-off-silliest-styling-accessory-fake-tops-vs-fake-vents.html](http://blogs.edmunds.com/karl/2010/06/face-off-silliest-styling-accessory-fake-tops-vs-fake-vents.html) Oh, and your link to the fake sunroof cracked me up. Reminded me of the ‘portable hole’ from the old Warner Brothers cartoon short. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/42 "2011-03-13T15:57:40Z")
> [@Hakuna\_Matata](#): > > My thought is what do you do when you sell the car? Do you leave it on there and let the new owner scrape your loved ones memory off? Or do you do it yourself? Either way seems fairly disrspectful to me. > > I just wonder what goes through your head as you scrape off little Bobby’s rememberance. “sorry Bobby, but I got $4k for this car and I loved you, but you know I gots bills to pay” My thought exactly. Or what if you junk the car? Do you remove the memorial or leave it to rot in the junkyard or go through the crusher? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/43 "2011-03-14T02:12:22Z")
Fender vents, now I’ve got it. Thansk El-K. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bFNx7YFwFfI/hqdefault.jpg "The Black Hole") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFNx7YFwFfI) ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/44 "2011-03-14T03:35:01Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > On a crucified teddy bear? [Bear yes,](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2023/2189924567_f282fa5575.jpg) but probably not glitter. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/45 "2011-03-14T03:40:26Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > In the course of trying to find out what these fake portholes look like, I found this: > > [http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride\_images/4/426/1629/38563314237\_large.jpg](http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/4/426/1629/38563314237_large.jpg) > > Which is weirdly wonderful. This caused me to bellow “My car needs eyelashes!” at my husband. He was a bit confused, looked at the pic, and said that my car did NOT need eyelashes…but that his car needs a mustache. ---
**Author:** ![loshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce73a5/32.png) [@loshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loshan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/46 "2011-03-14T04:04:00Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Heh, another of those Inexplicable Things People do to Automobiles, along with: > > 1. Hispanic last names in Olde English lettering across the back windows of pickup trucks > > 2. Old white Hondas with the hoods painted in gray primer > > 3. Conestoga-sized wheels mounted with gumband tires (usually seen on a Ford Crown Vic painted a candy metallic color) > > 4. Stick-on fake Buick-style portholes > > 5. fake wire wheels that stick out about a foot on each side. > > Hadn’t noticed the rolling obits before; will have to keep an eye out for that. I laughed until I had to pull over recently when I saw a mid0-70’s station wagon (Blue, Ford, fake wood panel down the side) with paint peeling and the hood bouncing in the wind, with 20" gold-tone SPINNERS! I mean, really, WTF? Car first, then wheels. Not the other way around. Never seen a rolling obit. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tinkertoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@Tinkertoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinkertoy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/47 "2011-03-14T04:55:34Z")
I have never seen obits, fake portholes, eyelashes or testicles on cars here in Idaho. I don’t know if that means we have better taste or are just behind the times. Given them amount of fake bullet holes and large Mother Mary murals on trunks here though, I’m guessing the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/48 "2011-03-14T04:58:40Z")
The best car in the WORLD is toss up between a rusted out, ancient blue Buick that has a “CENTURY” decal across the windshield that probably cost more than the car is worth or the Dynasty (… yeah) with the FAKE spinners and the factory speakers with the bass turned all the way up. Actually, I really kind of want to punch that second guy. What a dickbag. The rear window eulogy thing is real popular among the local Native American population. That and bumper stickers that say “I was Native before it was Cool” or something, which makes about as much sense as [this](http://pregnantchicken.squarespace.com/storage/570_0_resize.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1292008570034) pregnancy photo I found earlier. WTF. But, really, the coolest car around here is the Smart car with the decal on the front that looks like shark teeth. It makes me smile every time I see it. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/49 "2011-03-14T05:05:12Z")
SO weird. I’ve been thinking about starting a similar thread for years. I personally find it morbid and creepy. I haven’t seen as many around here (but I don’t drive that much, usually take the light rail), but it was fairly common in Anchorage. Something like “in loving memory of Joe Smith, 1973 to 2000” or whatever. Just seems really odd to me, akin to having a tombstone on your vehicle or something. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/50 "2011-03-14T07:15:50Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > Just seems really odd to me, akin to having a tombstone on your vehicle or something. One day “society” will reach the point where there will be rocks on every street corner with a plaque next to it. People will walk by, look down, and touch the rock. And I’ll say to the fools, “It’s \*a \*rock.” There will be entire college campuses where every rock, every tree is dedicated to some dead professors. You will have the William T. Jones _drinking fountain_. :rolleyes: :dubious: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/51 "2011-03-14T07:22:07Z")
> [@Tinkertoy](#): > > I have never seen obits, fake portholes, eyelashes or testicles on cars here in Idaho. I don’t know if that means we have better taste or are just behind the times. > Given them amount of fake bullet holes and large Mother Mary murals on trunks here though, I’m guessing the latter. No nads on the trucks in Idaho? I would have guessed you guys invented those. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/52 "2011-03-14T15:22:12Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > No nads on the trucks in Idaho? I would have guessed you guys invented those. Idaho’s so behind the times they probably just got around to painting over the ‘OTA’ on the tailgate of their Toyota pickups. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/53 "2011-03-14T16:22:32Z")
What people put in the paper can be good too. My favorite all-time obit featured a picture of the deceased and these immortal words: _In loving memory . . . Heaven’s gates were opened wide When you with your Cutlass drove inside._ That’s for real. You cannot make this stuff up. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/54 "2011-03-14T16:28:52Z")
They don’t bother me in the sense that they affect me in any real sense, but when I see some obit or “In loving memory…” on a car, I think to myself, “I guess I’m sorry that someone died, but really, I don’t know the person, and it has no effect on me, so really, why the hell am I supposed to care?” I don’t know why people feel they have to advertise everything about themselves (obviously that’s not limited to obits). But go for it with the memorials. Just don’t expect me to care if I didn’t know the person. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/55 "2011-03-14T21:00:50Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > \*\* a cross made of two hot-glued paint stirrers inscribed w/ a Sharpie. My nose! The Sprite! It burns!!! ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/56 "2011-03-14T22:31:44Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > My nose! > > The Sprite! It burns!!! The hot glue shows you care. When you care, you say it (dramatic pause) w/ hot glue. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/57 "2011-03-15T05:11:11Z")
Good grief, we are overrun with those things here in WV. I’m waiting to see someone with their entire back window covered with “In Memory Of…” along with the Calvin peeing on something sticker and the NASCAR driver of their choice’s car #. ---
**Author:** ![Cincoflex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Cincoflex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cincoflex)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/58 "2011-03-15T14:13:46Z")
The memorial in the back window is indeed a cultural phenomenon, pretty prominent with the Latino community. I’m in a SoCal city, and it’s common here as a way for a family to share their grief. If you check the dates, a fair number of the deceased are young; I’m not _saying_ they were gang members, but in many cases the cause of death relates to those activities. I think a lot of times a family does it because we really _don’t_ have headstones and cemeteries the way we used to. A flat plaque in a lawnmowed field doesn’t get seen as much, and if the act of tattooing their loved one on their car helps them though their grief, I’m okay with it. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/59 "2011-03-15T14:23:21Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > One day “society” will reach the point where there will be rocks on every street corner with a plaque next to it. People will walk by, look down, and touch the rock. And I’ll say to the fools, “It’s \*a \*rock.” There will be entire college campuses where every rock, every tree is dedicated to some dead professors. You will have the William T. Jones _drinking fountain_. :rolleyes: :dubious: :smack: At the World Golf Village you can buy a brick with your name on it and have it placed in the walkway. I want to know one thing: WHY? ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293/60 "2011-03-15T14:43:13Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > At the World Golf Village you can buy a brick with your name on it and have it placed in the walkway. I want to know one thing: WHY? They want to believe they are [building a new Babylon?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon#Reconstruction) (and/or affiliate themselves with Saddam Hussein). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obituraries-in-suv-rear-windows/574293.md?page=4)