# red sports cars **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 1, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-sports-cars/8006 "2000-03-01T19:07:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kirsten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kirsten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirsten)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-sports-cars/8006/1 "2000-03-01T19:07:00Z")
Is it true that red sports cars attract more speeding tickets? We own a green sports car, and haven’t had any trouble, but then we don’t speed much. * * * kirsten ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2000, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-sports-cars/8006/2 "2000-03-01T19:12:00Z")
I’ve heard that it’s just a myth. Actually, white cars get the most speeding tickets, I’ve heard. Of course, that’s because white is the most common color of car. ---
**Author:** ![mipsman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mipsman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mipsman)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2000, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-sports-cars/8006/3 "2000-03-01T19:47:00Z")
I believe it is very true. For some reason it is not possible to incorporate Stealth technology into red pigment. Ask anybody who has gone from a red sports car to a more “cloaked” color if their speeding tickets have down. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2000, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-sports-cars/8006/4 "2000-03-01T22:53:00Z")
It’s a myth…with a partial grain of truth. That is, red is a color that all things being equal, attracts attention (hence it’s use in a stop sign). So if a group of cars is coming towards a half-asleep cop, once he finishes his donut, he’s likely to notice and cite that car from the pack. I’d also argue that there is a natural bias to assume people with red cars drive faster which causes one to notice them more because when I think of ‘classic’ high end sports cars (i.e. Ferrari and Lambourgini) it seems to me that the ‘standard’ color is red. And we all know that no one who owns either of these cars ever drives the speed limit. ---
**Author:** ![BigRoryG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@BigRoryG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigRoryG)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2000, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-sports-cars/8006/5 "2000-03-01T22:55:00Z")
I have totally unsubstantiated evidence here that says that insurance rates for red sports cars are higher then those of black sports cars, and black higher than all the other colours, th reason being that these two colours are more “daring” colours and thus the drivers must be compelled to drive faser, get into more accidents and thus should be charged a higher rate of insurance. * * * "Elmo knows where you live! – Elmo, after Homer stiffed PBS for $10,000 If you need a graphic solution, [http:\ alk.to\Piglet](http://talk.to%5CPiglet) ---
**Author:** ![SingleDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SingleDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleDad)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2000, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-sports-cars/8006/6 "2000-03-02T04:22:00Z")
I drove a red Honda Del Sol 2 seat convertible for 3 years. I drove pretty agressively, and never got a speeding ticket. * * * Sorry ladies, sold it for a Saturn 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2000, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-sports-cars/8006/7 "2000-03-02T04:42:00Z")
I have no comprehensive evidence to offer at all. But I did have a (Ferrari) red Triumph GT-6 for six years and spent a _lot_ of time in traffic court. No, I don’t think I got pulled over _just_ because I drove a red sports car (or because I had long hair in the late '60’s/early '70’s). I think I generally drove faster in that car. Anyway, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-sports-cars/8006/8 "2000-03-02T16:22:00Z")
This may be a UL, but the traffic cops over here (United Kingdom) are said to play “car snooker.” You have to issue tickets to a red car for a point, then a colour, then red again etc. So a white car is best, since that’s the colour of the cue ball and they’d lose points giving them tickets. ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-sports-cars/8006/9 "2000-03-03T06:46:00Z")
If it were true that red sports cars get a higher percentage of tickets, I would look at the drivers rather than the paint. A personality type that is attracted to a flashy red car may be more inclined to speed than somone who goes for, say, a grey sedan. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-sports-cars/8006/10 "2000-03-03T06:47:00Z")
Actually I think green may be the new most popular color for model year 1999. Just another thought what percentage of sports cars are painted red ? Seems it would be a popular color for sports cars. As an aside beatle, you wouldn’t happen to want a basket case of a '68 GT-6 would you ? The one I have has been sitting in the pole barn awaiting reassembly of the interior and various engine parts. Currently ‘bad paint job’ white with rust polka dots, originally Royal Blue.